Patent ID: 6977047
Filing Date: 2005-12-20
Classification: B01D,C02F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing pharmaceutical water in a plurality of sequential unit operations having mechanical equipment components and sanitizing said mechanical equipment components, said method comprising: (a) feeding chlorinated water to a pharmaceutical water manufacturing process; (b) removing hardness from said chlorinated water in a water softener; (c) subjecting the softened water to dechlorination; (d) distilling said dechlorinated water in a mechanical vapor compression distillation still where purified distilled water is produced and low-pressure steam is generated; (e) passing a portion of said low-pressure steam generated in said still to one or more locations within said plurality of sequential unit operations subsequent to the point of dechlorination but prior to the location of said still and utilizing said portion of said low-pressure steam to sanitize the mechanical equipment components at said one or more locations; and (f) withdrawing said distilled water from said still and storing it as manufactured pharmaceutical water.