Disclosed are systems and methods for aseptically filling pharmaceutical containers with a pharmaceutical substance and then lyophilizing it. In one general aspect, the system and method can employ a lyophilizer loader subsystem having an interior chamber in communication with an interior chamber of a lyophilizer subsystem via a portal with a sealable door, with the collective interior being aseptically sealable. An articulated robotic arm can be employed to batch transfer to the lyophilizer subsystem container nests bearing the pharmaceutical containers. In one embodiment, the nests may be transferred serially to the loader subsystem, with the articulated robotic arm being configured to transfer the nests of containers in batches to the lyophilizer subsystem. The articulated robotic arm can also be configured to be used to move batches of nests within the lyophilizer subsystem. One implementation includes two articulated arms and a joint rotary wrist driven by two rotary shoulders.

Embodiments provide a conveyor for conveying loads of lumber through a lumber kiln or other structure without the use of lumber carts or pushers. The conveyor may include a plurality of rollers arranged to form a flow path through the lumber kiln. Groups of the rollers may be driven by separate drives that are configured to rotate the rollers in opposite rotary directions and/or at variable speeds. Some or all of the drives may be operable independently of the other drives to transport loads of lumber at different speeds/directions in adjacent areas of the lumber kiln. In the event of a fire or a shut-down, the rollers in the proximal half of the kiln and those in the distal half of the kiln can be rotated in opposite directions to evacuate loads quickly from both ends.

A device for loading and unloading the utility surface (3′) of a drying chamber (2) of a freeze drying system. The device includes a carriage (8) which forms a movable guiding edge for the drying vessels (5), and is moveable on guides (7) disposed on both sides of the utility surface (3) and which extend in parallel with the movement direction and form fixed guiding edges for the drying vessels (5). At least one linear motor is provided to produce a drive for the carriage. All of the components of the device can be located inside the drying chamber (1), and the device of the present invention is suitable for upgrading existing freeze drying systems.

The present invention relates to a process for lyophilising a product (3), comprising the steps of providing a bulk product (3) loading system in the form of a bag (1), the bag (1) having an interior and an exterior defined by a flexible wall, the bag (1) further comprising a filling port (5) providing access to the interior of the bag (1), filling a product (3) having a first moisture content into the interior of the bag (1) via the filling port (5), and exposing the product (3) in the interior of the bag (1) to a lyophilisation cycle such that the moisture content of the product (3) is reduced from the first moisture content to a second, lower, moisture content.

An intelligent manufacturing system for making cleaning sheet includes a multi-stage drying apparatus and a continuous track with non-stick coating. The drying apparatus has at least two stages and a lifting roller arranged between the two stages of the drying apparatus. The continuous track is at its exterior surface coated with the non-stick coating or covered by a medium having the non-stick coating, so that the manufactured cleaning sheet can have active cleaning ingredients therein protected and be easily removed from the continuous track after being dried. The lifting roller between the two stages of the drying apparatus prevents the adhesion between adjacent layers in the rolled cleaning sheet. The intelligent manufacturing system also has an enzyme-adding apparatus for spraying active enzyme that increases cleaning capacity onto the dried cleaning sheet so as to ensure the enzyme to retain good activity.

An electrostatic spray dryer for drying liquid into powder including an elongated cylindrical drying chamber having an electrostatic spray nozzle at an upper end and a powder collection vessel at a lower end. The powder collection vessel includes a removable and replaceable filter collections sock made of filter material for receiving and collecting dried powder from the drying chamber. For cleaning residual powder from an inside wall of the drying chamber, a scraper member is provided that is coupled by magnetic attraction to a manually removable driver on the external surface of the wall.

A temperature management apparatus is provided with: a temperature management furnace having a space in which an article is disposed and temperature is managed; bar-like members containing a magnetic material; facing members, each of which faces a part of the side surface of each of the bar-like members and contains a magnetic material; drive apparatuses, which rotate the bar-like members about their center axes and change the relative positions of the bar-like members and the facing members; and a contact member, which moves in the temperature management furnace in association with changes of the relative positions of the bar-like members and the facing members, and which moves the article by being in contact with the article. The drive apparatuses are disposed outside of the space in which temperature is managed.

A temperature management apparatus is provided with: a temperature management furnace having a space in which an article is disposed and temperature is managed; bar-like members containing a magnetic material; facing members, each of which faces a part of the side surface of each of the bar-like members and contains a magnetic material; drive apparatuses, which rotate the bar-like members about their center axes and change the relative positions of the bar-like members and the facing members; and a contact member, which moves in the temperature management furnace in association with changes of the relative positions of the bar-like members and the facing members, and which moves the article by being in contact with the article. The drive apparatuses are disposed outside of the space in which temperature is managed.

Waste heat is extracted from the exhaust (20) of a biomass dryer (14) in a grain alcohol plant (10). A boiler circuit (74) provides high pressure steam to a balance of the plant (64). A recovered energy circuit (76) extracts heat from the exhaust via a dryer exhaust condensing economizer (24) and provides a steam mixture (60) to satisfy an intermediate pressure steam demand of the balance of the plant, thereby bypassing a portion of the boiler circuit. Working fluids in the boiler and recovered energy circuits are intermixed in a boiler feed vessel (72). Dryer exhaust condensate (30) may be used in an exhaust gas scrubber (22) upstream of the dryer exhaust condensing economizer to remove pollutants and to saturate (26) the exhaust gas for improved heat transfer. Heat transfer may be further improved by operating the dryer exhaust condensing economizer at an elevated pressure.

A grain dryer filtering apparatus includes a filter positioned near the inlet of the exhaust fan of the dryer, and a nozzle positioned near a portion of the filter. The nozzle is part of a rotary head. Attached to the rotary head is a vacuum source. The grain dryer also includes a head mover attached to the nozzle. The head mover moves the nozzle over other portions of the filter to remove material captured by the filter media. A method of filtering the exhaust from a grain dryer includes placing a filter near the input of an exhaust fan, capturing material at the filter media, and removing at least a portion of the captured material from the filter as the exhaust fan operates using a vacuum.