Planex horizontal paddle vacuum dryer with an eccentric agitator

Thanks to its agitator’s ZeroFriction planetary movement, Planex System prevents the product from being rubbed against the drying chamber walls and thus heating up due to friction, a typical problem in conventional paddle systems. In addition, the rotation of the paddles tangentially to the chamber walls, conveys the product into the small clearance between the agitator and the chamber surface, preventing lumps formation and guaranteeing an even more effective drying and a controlled final particle size distribution, which is impossible to achieve with conventional dryers.

Planex System is multi-product, since it can be used with a wide range of products, both with crystalline and amorphous structure.

It drastically reduces the downtime needed to rearrange the line, wash, clean and inspect the system before switching production processes. This is an important added-value, as it makes it fast and easy to pass from one production run to another.

Energy consumption of Planex System is three times lower than in conventional dryers

It also means threefold reduction in mechanical and thermal stresses, to the benefit of product purity

But there is more. The Planex System control software allows to automatically command the agitator movements with the Stop & Swing program. In this way, the agitator swings back and forth, thus remaining all the time immersed in the product, and guaranteeing its continuous mixing. This approach is particularly effective when processing small batches.

Faster drying times thanks to the combined rotations of the agitator, which increases the product surface exposed to evaporation

Very high final vacuum levels

Minimum clearance between agitator profile and chamber walls not only prevents product build-ups, but it also makes discharge significantly easier. In addition, there is a specific automatic program for the discharge operations. These operations are even more effective thanks to the “pendulum” movement of the agitator (the agitator “pendulum” movement), which swings by 90 degrees in the discharge area. As a result, the amount of product left in the Planex System chamber after discharge is truly minimal, averaging less than 1% of the volume.

Agitator paddles dismantling and removal is simple, without long machine downtimes

Full system automation guarantees batch-to-batch process

Planex® System is safe for operators, the environment and the product, because it is designed and manufactured in compliance with European Union ATEX Directives and CE marking requirements, as well as with the increasingly stringent US FDA standards and cGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations.

Special filtration systems can be mounted above the drying chamber to satisfy any process need: filter sleeves with PTFE membrane, or, alternatively, metal or PTFE filter cartridges, the efficiency of which during the process is ensured by an automatic nitrogen backwash system.

To optimize the drying process and assure full protection to the vacuum line, Italvacuum's experience suggests the use of an additional external heated cyclone filter, designed as to prevent pressure drop and condensation.

Cleaning

Planex System is designed and developed to make cleaning operations outstandingly fast and effective. This is an important consideration for any machine, and one that is absolutely essential for a dryer that customers from all around the world have selected for its versatility and ability to be used in multi-product assets. Ease of cleaning, in fact, means that all the operations involved in washing the interior of the dryer, removing the internal parts, inspecting the unit and cleaning the exterior are simple and straightforward.

Internal washing

Fully accessible chamber interior, with no hard-to-reach zones or areas that could trap product residues, ensures that the entire dryer can be perfectly cleaned. To make the washing operation even more effective, the dryer is equipped with an efficient C.I.P. system with retractable rotating washing head. Equipping Planex System with the C.I.P. washing unit not only guarantees perfect cleaning, it also provides significant savings: the agitator’s off-centered position enables it to rotate during washing, thus reducing the amount of liquid needed.

Internal parts removal

Thanks to its special structure, the agitator can be readily disassembled into removable sectors, thus making cleaning operations even more effective. This is an exclusive feature that makes Planex System a one-of-a-kind dryer: in conventional systems, the agitator is made of a single structure and removing it requires the use of bulky equipment and long system downtimes.

Internal inspection

The big front-opening hatch provides full access to the entire drying chamber. Other advantages include the agitator’s off-centered position. This allows the operator to have more room to work, making it even faster and easier to carry out swab testing.

External cleaning

The exterior of Planex System is also easy to clean. The entire machine is housed in a sealed external casing (cGMP particle-free configuration), which encloses the insulation and all electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic circuits. In addition, no support to the machine is present in the clean room, as the drying chamber is flange-mounted on the wall. In this way the chamber exterior can be cleaned quickly and effectively, avoiding product accumulations in slots or junctions.

These features, combined with the partitioning approach, permit clean room installation, so that the clean area can be pressurized and kept separate from the technical area.

The patented Planex System features outstanding loading flexibility. The system is available with total volumes ranging from 150 to 3,200 liters. The loading capacity can vary, depending on the product to be dried and the process, from 15% to 80% of the chamber volume. Therefore the system can meet all the production needs of the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, as it is capable of processing small amounts of product, thanks to the automatic Stop & Swing program, as well as large batches. Maximum loading capacity is determined through tests with gradually increasing loads.

All the parts of Planex® System that come into contact with the product are made of AISI 316L stainless steel, but other weldable materials such as Alloy C-22 and AISI 904L are available on request. The drying chamber walls, the agitator shaft and the access hatch are heated by diathermal fluid circulation to prevent cold spots that could cause solvent condensation or product buildup.

Internal surfaces of the drying chamber are lapped or electropolished to optimize corrosion resistance, reduce adhesion and friction on the product, improve powder flow behavior and facilitate cleaning operations.

In addition to the dryer, Italvacuum is the only manufacturer in the world that can design and produce internally all the auxiliary units – vacuum system included – ensuring that they are sized to meet any processing requirements:

-        Saurus939 high vacuum pump

-        Vacuum condensation group for reduction of drying times and recovery of extracted solvents

-        External cyclone filter, designed in order to prevent pressure drop and condensation, for full vacuum line protection

-        Heating and cooling units for system thermal regulation

-        PLC control system with CFR 21 Part 11 certified software, able to guarantee reproducible dried batches and interface with centralized control systems.