EXERGY ANALYSIS FOR THE FREEZING STAGE OF THE FREEZE DRYING PROCESS

Abstract

The mathematical expressions for exergy and the exergy analysis of the freezing stage of the freeze drying process are presented. The exergy analysis indicates that very substantial reductions in the magnitudes of the total exergy loss and of the exergy input due to the heat that must be removed during the freezing stage, can be obtained when the freezing stage is operated through the use of a rational distribution in the magnitude of the temperature of the cooling source. The rational distribution in the magnitude of the temperature of the cooling source should provide significant savings in the utilization of energy during the freezing stage of the freeze drying process as well as satisfactory freezing rates that form ice crystals that are continuous and highly connected and their shape and size are such that the pores of the porous matrix of the dried layer generated by sublimation during the primary drying stage, have a pore size distribution, pore shape, and pore connectivity that are appropriate to allow high rates for mass and heat transfer during the primary and secondary drying stages of the lyophilization process.