Powder Systems’ GFD is a smaller version of a production filter dryer, which allows easy lab scale filtration and drying with the same reliability and benefits of full size agitated nutsche filter dryers.
The company says the GFD is suitable for any laboratories' needs and is available in three filtration area sizes: MINI LAB (0.002m2 – 0.5L), LAB (0.01m2 – 2L) and MAXI LAB (0.05m2 – 10L). Its technology supersedes older methods such as Buchner filtration and provides ergonomic and efficient drying.
The GFD works on a vacuum and has a heated jacket for drying. To achieve a quicker drying time while maintaining a homogeneous product, it has an adjustable agitator running both clockwise and anti-clockwise for smoothing the cake. The PSL removable filtration basket allows total product collection, without having to dig the cake out of the vessel.
PSL launched the GFD two years ago and has continually improved its features. The latest generation benefits from new design features including a control/drive with RPM reading, O-ring groove in the glass body to ease fitting of the basket and a mechanical agitator height adjustment system. The latter allows adjusting without effort the agitator height in the slurry or cake to be adjusted without effort by simply turning the hand wheel.
Contained GFD options include FilterBox technology, which consists of a GFD being completely integrated within a PSL isolator, providing high containment when handling highly potent APIs and other highly active or cytotoxic compounds.
The FilterBox achieves containment to nanogram levels, protecting both the product and the operator during operations including charging, sampling, filtration, drying and discharging.
The GFD FilterBox is an acrylic glovebox surrounding PSL’s MINI LAB or LAB GFD. Larger options include the MAXI LAB GFD, which can be incorporated within a full scale isolator in stainless steel for kilo lab or pilot plant applications.
PSL says benefits of the GFD include:
- Removable filter basket
- Improved yield
- Batch homogeneity
- Process visibility
- Reduced product exposure
- Easy cleaning
- Minimum process disruption
