Single-use spray drying components and methods of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11619445-B2
Application number	US-201816640720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

Spray drying method and systems are disclosed that include one or more single-use components. Single-use spray drying systems can include a drying chamber with an inner surface formed of a polymeric material. The single-use components can be pre-sterilized and sterile packaged to provide improved efficiencies and greater flexibility in spray drying systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of spray drying using a single-use drying chamber, comprising:
providing a gas inlet manifold comprising an inlet conduit that defines a gas passageway with a gas outlet and a spacing member that extends laterally from an exterior surface of the inlet conduit, wherein at least a portion of the inlet conduit extends into the single-use drying chamber so that the gas outlet of the inlet conduit is located within the single-use drying chamber;
securing the single-use drying chamber to the laterally-extending spacing member to establish a gap between an inner surface of an inlet end of the single-use drying chamber and an outside surface of the inlet conduit;
directing a spray liquid through a spray liquid passageway to an atomizer positioned adjacent the gas outlet, the spray liquid passageway including a proximal portion coupled to a spray liquid reservoir and a distal portion coupled to the atomizer;
forming a plurality of droplets using the atomizer and directing the plurality of droplets into the single-use drying chamber;
introducing a drying gas through the gas passageway and out the gas outlet into the single-use drying chamber to at least partially dry the plurality of droplets and form a plurality of spray-dried particles; and
directing the spray-dried particles out of an outlet of the single-use drying chamber,
wherein the single-use drying chamber has an inner surface comprising a polymeric material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacing member extends sufficiently from an exterior surface of the inlet conduit to establish a circumferential gap between the inner surface of the inlet end of the single-use drying chamber to the outside surface of the inlet conduit of a length that is greater than 50% and less than 200% of a radius of the inlet conduit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacing member extends sufficiently from an exterior surface of the inlet conduit to establish the circumferential gap between the inner surface of the inlet end of the single-use drying chamber to the outside surface of the inlet conduit of a length that is greater than 75% and less than 200% of a radius of the inlet conduit.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacing member extends sufficiently from an exterior surface of the inlet conduit to establish the circumferential gap between the inner surface of the inlet end of the single-use drying chamber to the outside surface of the inlet conduit of a length that is greater than 100% and less than 200% of a radius of inlet conduit.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drying gas is introduced into the single-use drying chamber at a temperature greater than 100° C.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drying gas is introduced into the single-use drying chamber at a temperature greater than 150° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drying gas is introduced into the single-use drying chamber at a temperature greater than 200° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is a thermoplastic material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material is a flexible material and the introduction of the drying gas into the single-use drying chamber inflates the single-use drying chamber to define an enclosed volume.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material forms an inner layer, the inner layer being at least partially surrounded by an outer layer, and
wherein the outer layer comprises a different material from the first layer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a melting point of 300° C. or less.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing one or more of the following steps:
sterile filtering the spray liquid before being directed to the atomizer;
sterile filtering the drying gas before being introduced into the single-use drying chamber; and
removing the single-use drying chamber from sterile packaging before securing the circumferential surface of the single-use drying chamber to the laterally-extending spacing member of the gas inlet manifold.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein an outlet relative humidity of the spray-dried particles is less than 12%.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein an outlet relative humidity of the spray-dried particles is between 2% and 10%.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a liquid to gas ratio during operation is between 0.015 and 0.03 on a mass basis.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet of the inlet conduit extends between 2 and 6 inches into the drying chamber.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet of the inlet conduit extends between 3 and 5 inches into the drying chamber.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet of the inlet conduit extends between 3.5 and 4.5 inches into the drying chamber.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray liquid comprises an active pharmaceutical ingredient.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray liquid comprises a food or nutritional component.

Assignees

• Capsugel Belgium Nv

Inventors

• Downey Brandon J
• Quach Anthony
• Hansen Dave
• Harrer Travis L
• Baumann John Michael

Classifications

• F26B3/12 Primary

  in the form of a spray {, i.e. sprayed or dispersed emulsions or suspensions (spray drying of solutions B01D1/18)} · CPC title

• B05B15/40

  Filters located upstream of the spraying outlets · CPC title

• B01D1/18

  to obtain dry solids (B01D1/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/1686

  involving vaporisation of the material to be sprayed or of an atomising-fluid-generating product · CPC title

• F26B25/16

  mainly closed, e.g. drum · CPC title