초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the generation of essentially spherical frozen droplets of a liquid biological or organic-comprising composition. The liquid composition if fed under positive pressure through a nozzle in a manner which provides a continuous stream of the l

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the generation of essentially spherical frozen droplets of a liquid biological or organic-comprising composition. The liquid composition if fed under positive pressure through a nozzle in a manner which provides a continuous stream of the liquid composition exiting the nozzle; the continuous stream travels through a gas or vapor for a distance sufficient to cause the continuous stream to break apart, forming droplets ranging in size from about 0.6 mm to about 5 mm; the liquid composition droplets are then contacted with a cryogenic liquid capable of freezing the droplets into a solid phase; the frozen droplets are concentrated into a portion of the contacting cryogenic liquid from which they are subsequently separated.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of forming essentially spherical frozen droplets from a liquid composition comprising a biological or organic material, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a first liquid comprising a biological or organic material at a positive pressure through a nozzle or through an orifice in a manner w

A method of forming essentially spherical frozen droplets from a liquid composition comprising a biological or organic material, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a first liquid comprising a biological or organic material at a positive pressure through a nozzle or through an orifice in a manner which provides a continuous stream of said first liquid exiting from said nozzle or orifice; (b) causing said stream of first liquid to travel through a fluid comprising a gas or vapor for a distance sufficient to cause said stream to break apart, forming liquid droplets ranging in average diameter from about 0.6 mm to about 5 mm; (c) contacting said droplets with a cryogenic second liquid contained in a vessel, wherein said cryogenic second liquid is agitated in a manner which creates motion at the point of contact between said droplets and said cryogenic second liquid, whereby agglomeration of said droplets prior to freezing of said droplets is essentially prevented; (d) concentrating said frozen droplets in a portion of the volume of said cryogenic second liquid by permitting gravity to pull said frozen droplets from a first portion of the volume of said cryogenic second liquid toward a second portion of the volume of said cryogenic second liquid; and (e) separating said frozen droplets from said second portion of the volume of said cryogenic second liquid.