Products in the pharmaceutical industry are highly active and therefore increasingly dangerous. For many of these active ingredients, an OEB (Occupational Exposure Band) 5 limit is mandatory to effectively protect personnel, which basically means that environmental contamination should not exceed OEL (Occupational Exposure Level) < 1 μg/m3.
For clarification: if the spatial volume is multiplied by the size of the Empire State Building, the amount of dust will be less than 1/20 of a teaspoon to ensure the OEL. The containment pyramid of Plant Partner provides adequate support in classifying raw materials based on OEB and OEL.
Suppliers or other participating parties in previous steps often fill ingredients into barrels, which facilitates transportation. However, the question is how to unload barrels without contact between the product and the operator. For the individual planning unit, the environment must be considered, such as the ceiling height!
Plant Partner can solve these problems: Therefore, two systems guarantee a high degree of containment and individual specifications for each customer!
Weightless... For emptying the containers, users can choose from various systems. Powders delivered in barrels are additionally packed in two foils (called liners) to protect both the product and the user. Depending on the structural conditions of the plant operator, the emptying process can be carried out by gravity in combination with a tilting device or by means of a suction lance.
Gravity in combination with a tilting device: In this case, the container is lifted by a special lifting system and connected to the connection port at the back of the dashboard. In the initial position, the remaining liner closes the dashboard.
The operator attaches the outer liner tube to the double ring port of the isolator.
Next, the operator clicks the remaining gloved liner into the isolator.
The clamping ring is pulled into the outer groove where the remaining liner was located.
The opening of the drum is now connected to the isolator.
In the isolator, the inner liner can now be opened, and the product can be discharged with gloves under high containment. Then, the bulk material can move through the dashboard to the next process step by gravity. Alternatively, a suction device can be placed at the bottom of the hopper to integrate downstream vacuum transport.
After unloading, the foil tube is sealed with a double locking system. This double locking system prevents the isolator and the product from leaking. The cycle can be restarted, and a new barrel can be unloaded... or with a suction lance.
In case of limited space or control: Now the drum is connected, and the powder can be vacuumed out of the drum using the suction lance. The linear guidance of the suction lance supports easy handling during unloading. After the drum is empty, the residue from the previous liner can be discharged into the drum. Once the outer liner is detached, the drum is closed with the double locking technology.
The empty drum can now be removed, and a new cycle can begin.
Both systems are suitable for high containment unloading due to their hygienic construction. Closed transport is made possible, on the one hand, by gravity in the case of multi-layer systems, and on the other hand, by pneumatic transport.
The high transport capacity is easy to handle with the ProClean Conveyor PCC, developed by Plant Partner. This ensures high transport capacity over long transport distances and guarantees safe transport of explosive or toxic substances. In addition, the environment is dust- and dirt-free.
Economical vacuum transport: At first glance, the PCC differs little from conventional pneumatic conveyors that work with over- or under-pressure. The main difference between conventional pneumatic conveyors and the PCC is the filter technology used. The high-quality ring filter system of PCC offers significant advantages.
Most conventional methods work through blown feed. Therefore, a large amount of transport air is required to transport a relatively small amount of product. As a result, enormous filter surfaces are needed. The ProClean Conveyor PCC works by means of plug transport. Less transport air is needed, thus offering a compact solution with a small and sustainable filter surface.
Filters adapted to production: With FDA-compliant ring filtration technology, the filter body acts as an extension of the knockout drum. A major advantage of the unique hygienic design and construction is the placement of the connections on top of the housing cover. The vacuum and compressed air units are mounted sideways on the unit and do not need to be dismantled to replace filters or perform cleaning or maintenance processes.
Thanks to its compact design, the PCC takes up little space and can be equipped with various filter types. Further advantages: operating parameters such as transport or cleaning times are easy to adjust. The collection drums can be loaded under both overpressure and underpressure.
More information:
Want to know more about containment, bulk handling, process equipment, single-use technology, sampling, or components?
Visit the website of the BeNeLux agent https://plantpartner.nl/ for more information, projects, and services. For more information or a demonstration, you can send an email to [email protected] or call 085-0600 670.
