Alternative refrigerants in freeze-drying

Sustainable solutions for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries

Freeze-drying is an indispensable process in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, especially in the production of temperature-sensitive products such as biopharmaceuticals and vaccines. Recently, however, the question of sustainability has come more and more into focus, especially with regard to the refrigerants used. In addition, strict regulatory requirements that drive the phase-out of refrigerants with high global warming potential pose new challenges for manufacturers. The use of alternative refrigerants, coupled with modern technologies such as simulations and digital twins, opens up exciting possibilities to meet these requirements.

Sustainability and the phase-out of refrigerants with global warming potential

Traditional refrigerants in freeze-drying plants are increasingly under criticism due to their high global warming potential and the resulting environmental impact. The EU and international regulators are calling for the phase-out of these F-gases, necessitating a switch to natural, environmentally friendly refrigerants such as CO2, ammonia or propane. Due to their higher energy efficiency, these alternatives offer not only ecological but also economic advantages and thus contribute to the future security of the processes. They offer comparable, if not improved, thermodynamic properties, resulting in a lower environmental impact.

Increased efficiency and modern technologies

In many cases, alternative refrigerants can contribute to improved energy efficiency by reducing the energy consumption of the systems. This is particularly important in freeze-drying, where the processes are lengthy and energy-intensive.

Modern technologies and the use of digital twins offer additional opportunities to increase efficiency. A digital twin, i.e. a virtual image of the real plant, enables real-time adjustment to optimize operation while ensuring process stability and control accuracy. 

In freeze drying, it is crucial that the temperature and pressure are kept within very tight tolerances to ensure the quality of the final product. The technologies make it possible to identify and correct potential malfunctions or inaccuracies at an early stage before they negatively affect the production process. This helps to ensure that the plant can be operated not only efficiently, but also in a future-proof manner.