Over the years, Lyophilization has significantly evolved and is now considered as an invaluable process. It is used in medicine, chemistry, cosmetics, research, high-volume production, astronautics, and food processing.
Choosing the best benchtop lyophilizer is not as simple as it seems. Understand that these tools have several wild applications. You may be looking to replace an old one or set up a new lab. Whatever the reason, this buying guide will help you.
1. Requirements
Before thinking about getting a particular lyophilizer, you need to consider the type of research and production goals. The sample size will also help you make an informed decision. Understand that the benchtop models are excellent for small volumes. Floor-standing lyophilizers, on the other hand, are great for large-scale production.
It would help if you also considered the volume of the liquid. Understand that food products have higher am outs of liquids, which means that they need a bigger capacity. The capacity of the lyophilizers ranges from model to model.
2. Specifications
Your research goals will determine the equipment that you need. You will have to look at materials used, capacity parameters, and the overall design. However, note that lyophilizers follow the same process when executing water removal.
Understand that evaporation is not the same as lyophilization. With evaporation, you use heat to get rid of all the moisture. With sublimation, however, there is direct transmission from a solid-state to a gaseous state.
3. Total costs
Lyophilization is quite expensive, as stated earlier. You have to factor in the long processing times, equipment cost, and the energy costs. The prices will, therefore, vary depending on the unit’s parameters, such as:
Capacity
Range
Temperature
Brand
Type
The good news is that full-sized models will process many samples within a single cycle. A few units have multiple condensers to ensure that the process is continued for an extended period. Don’t forget about the drying accessories that you need.