Genevac speeds up lab-scale freeze-drying - Press Releases

Genevac speeds up lab-scale freeze-drying
16/05/2005
Genevac has introduced new technology for its Model HT-4X centrifugal evaporator whereby the system can be used to accelerate lyophilisation of water and water mixtures by as much as three hundred per cent.
The new Lyospeed process, developed by Genevac, combines the company's centrifugal evaporation technology with sample lyophilisation to deliver advances in preparing heat sensitive samples from aqueous solution. Drawing upon Genevac's proprietary SampleGuard and Dri-Pure technology the HT-4X is able to protect samples that would bump in a traditional freeze drier.
Genevac's new HT-4X Series II centrifugal vacuum evaporator has been specifically designed for the drug discovery laboratory with input from pharmaceutical research scientists. It offers speed of evaporation, shorter condenser defrost time, more powerful software and the flexibility to accommodate a wider range of sample formats.
The built-in VC2300 dual chamber refrigerated condenser is a cryopump and solvent recovery system. This dual-purpose design is intended to save on laboratory bench space. The complete system uses approximately half the bench space of standard centrifugal evaporation systems. In addition, the IR lamps, accelerates the speed of evaporation, even for high boiling point solvents.
In addition, efficient chamber cooling between runs is particularly useful to protect thermally sensitive samples when run immediately after higher boiling point solvents. The system additionally offers an auto-defrosting condenser option and novel functions such as auto shut down and auto-solvent selection, making it easy to use by a wide range of staff.
The HT-4X comes with built-in screen with remote control and data logging. Display of real-time data allows easy methods development for a wide range of applications. The easy-to-use system provides for up to 99 stored methods, making it ideal for multi-user environments.
Centrifugal evaporation involves the use of lowered pressure to reduce the boiling points of solvents thereby accelerating their evaporation. Samples are placed in a rotor and spun during the drying process to prevent violent solvent boiling (known as 'bumping').