Patent ID: 7347004
Filing Date: 2008-03-25
Classification: F26B

Abstract:
1. A lyophilization apparatus, comprising: a housing defining an evacuation chamber; a plurality of horizontal drying shelves, each of said drying shelves being arranged in vertically spaced apart relation, each drying shelf having an inlet, an outlet, and flow passageway between the inlet and the outlet; a first source of heat exchange fluid fluidically coupled to a first set of said drying shelves; a second source of heat exchange fluid fluidically coupled to a second set of said drying shelves; a mixer which is selectively fluidically coupled to the first and second sets of drying shelves for receiving heat exchange fluid from said first and second sources of heat exchange fluid; and when the mixer is fluidically coupled to the first and second sets of drying shelves, said mixer delivering the heat exchange fluid to the first and second sets of drying shelves at substantially the same temperature.