Touch screen control panel on freeze dryers

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 28, 2001

Scientific equipment manufacturer Severn Science has launched a new range of laboratory freeze dryers featuring a powerful Eurotherm "Visual Supervisor" touch screen control panel

Bristol-based specialist scientific equipment manufacturer Severn Science has launched a new range of laboratory freeze dryers, called the Lyoscience range.

The dryers feature a powerful Eurotherm "Visual Supervisor" touch screen control panel, which offers the operator clear, unambiguous displays and high levels of control functionality.

The new freeze dryers offer the user an extended choice of process and control options to ensure reliable and reproducible freeze drying of both vial and bulk samples.

With an ice capacity of 15kg, the equipment is equally suited for either laboratory use or small-scale production.

Product shelf temperatures can be controlled between -60 degrees C and + 60 degrees C with an accuracy of better than 0.5 degrees C, whist stoppering is achieved via an electrically operated ram.

Eurotherm's Visual Supervisor is a powerful multi-function control and display product, which in effect is a process controller, data logger, setpoint programmer and interactive touch screen display in one unit.

It is compact, simple to use and is capable of performing both continuous and sequential control functions.

Visual Supervisor features comprehensive alarm and event management, powerful trending, setpoint programming as well as local data logging facilities.

Because of its open network architecture, the system may also be connected to a wide range of third party process interface I/O modules - including Eurotherm's proprietary 2500 System multiple loop PID controller.

For the Lyoscience application, the freeze-drying process is closely monitored and controlled via a 2500 System, allowing complex temperature / pressure profiles and program sequences to be controlled accurately without operator intervention.

Data and system status can be viewed in real time on the Visual Supervisor touch screen, logged continuously to 3.5'' disc or interfaced with site SCADA systems.

Using Eurotherm's Project StudioT software, Severn have developed about 12 unique user screens, providing the operator with a clear and comprehensive view of the process.

In this instance, the 2500 System is configured using an eight I/O module base, through which two temperature and two vacuum/pressure control loops are connected.

The upper chamber, where the freeze drying process is carried out, uses two full PID control loops, while the lower chamber, a refrigerated condenser with integral vacuum pump, is monitored for both pressure and temperature.

A second 2500 base is also installed with the unit, allowing up to six further loops to be connected for other characterising and customer specified functions as required.

John Hutchinson, Severn's Technical Design Engineer, was convinced of the advantages of using this hardware/software solution at an early stage.

He comments: " When Visual Supervisor (then known as the Eurotherm T2900) first came along, we saw immediate potential advantages for the type of self-contained, high performance OEM application like ours.

Designing it into our system was not difficult, and although Eurotherm offered us technical support for the project, we were able to design and engineer the system largely using our own resources.

We are very satisfied with the result.".