Abstract: A freeze-drying process includes a primary drying phase. Within this phase, a test is performed for causing a variation of partial pressure of solvent inside a drying chamber. At the beginning of the test, a product sublimation flux, a total pressure and a partial pressure of the solvent in the drying chamber are measured. A product temperature is estimated at the interface of sublimation at the beginning of the test. The solvent vapor pressure at the interface of sublimation is calculated as is a resistance of a dried layer of the product to the vapor flow of the solvent. Next, a thickness of a frozen layer of the product is calculated and a coefficient of heat transfer between heating surface and product is also calculated. An initial temperature profile of the frozen product is then calculated as is a total pressure in the drying chamber. A value of the product temperature at the interface of sublimation at the beginning of test is determined and a time constant of the freeze-drying process is calculated.

Abstract: A lamp having a first module for being attached to a ceiling or wall element, a second module connected to the first module and being rotatable with respect to the first module along a first axis, a third module having one or more light-emitting elements, the third module being connected to the second module and rotatable with respect to the second module along a second axis, the second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

Abstract: A method for monitoring and/or controlling and a freeze drying process in a freeze dryer apparatus provided with a drying chamber having a temperature-controlled shelf supporting containers of a product to be dried, comprises during a primary drying phase of the freeze drying process the steps of: isolating the drying chamber closing an isolating valve thereof and sensing and collecting pressure values inside the drying chamber for a defined pressure collecting time and a shelf temperature of the temperature-controlled shelf (Step 1); calculating a product temperature of product and a plurality of process/product related parameters (Step 2); calculating a new shelf temperature and a sequence of shelf temperatures up to the end of the primary drying phase, that maximizes a sublimation rate of the product maintaining the product temperature below a maximum allowable product temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving containers into or from a chamber provided with at least a supporting surface for the containers, comprises a pushing element for engaging the containers and a driving arrangement for moving the pushing element through the chamber along a sliding direction, the driving arrangement comprising, a modular rod assembly for supporting the pushing element and including a set of rod elements which can be mutually and removably associated, an assembling arrangement for connecting or disconnecting the rod elements to or from the modular rod assembly so as to change a length thereof and to move the pushing element.