Freeze Dryer — 0.4m² to 50m² Industrial Freeze-Dryer Solutions

Freeze Dryer — 0.4m² to 50m², Drying Without Damage

Freeze drying isn’t about removing water. It’s about letting ice escape as vapor directly — structure stays, flavor stays, nutrients stay. That’s the fundamental difference between a freeze-dryer and every other drying method.

Why Freeze Drying?

There’s a reason freeze-dried products sell at 3~5x the price of hot-air dried equivalents.

Hot air drying shrinks fruit, discolors vegetables, toughens meat. Freeze drying works differently: freeze the product solid, then let the ice sublimate directly into vapor under high vacuum. No liquid phase means no collapse of cellular structure.

What you get:

• Original shape retained — a freeze-dried strawberry looks like a strawberry
• Rapid rehydration — back to original in minutes
• Nutrient retention — no high-temperature degradation; actual retention depends on product, pre-treatment and process parameters
• 18+ months shelf life at ambient temperature — when properly packaged with low moisture activity

How Freeze-Dryer Works

Three stages. The hardware requirements are different at each stage.

Stage 1: Freezing — Drop the product temperature below its eutectic point (-30°C to -50°C for most foods). All water in the product turns to solid ice. This demands a refrigeration system capable of shelf temperatures down to -55°C.

Stage 2: Primary Drying (Sublimation) — Draw vacuum to <10Pa, then slowly raise shelf temperature. Ice transitions directly to vapor without passing through liquid. This takes 60~70% of the total cycle time. The condenser (cold trap) must stay at -45°C to -65°C to capture the escaping water vapor before it damages the vacuum pump.

Stage 3: Secondary Drying (Desorption) — Raise shelf temperature to +60°C ~ +120°C to drive off bound water. Final moisture content can go below 3%.

A complete freeze-drying cycle runs 12~35 hours depending on material thickness and water content.

CVD Series — Full Model Range

Technical Specifications

Applications

Optional Configuration

• CIP (clean-in-place) for food-grade production
• PLC recipe management with data logging for validation
• 220V/60Hz, 380V/60Hz or 600V/60Hz electrical configuration
• Stainless steel chamber and shelves (304/316)
• Integrated sealing/packaging line for finished product
• Explosion-proof options for solvent-containing materials

Installation Requirements

Cooling Curve (Freeze / Sublimation Profile)

Typical cycle structure for the CVD series:

⚠️ Actual cycle time depends on product thickness, moisture content and target residual moisture. Our engineers provide cycle development for new products.

FAQ

What is the drying area I actually need? Rule of thumb: 1 m² of shelf area handles roughly 8-10 kg of wet product per batch for most fruits and vegetables. For 100 kg of wet fruit, a CVD-1000 (10 m²) is a common starting point. Confirm with your product and tray loading density.

How long is a freeze-drying cycle? 12-35 hours depending on material thickness, moisture content and target final moisture. Thick or high-moisture products take longer; pre-freezing and loading density both affect cycle time.

What is the final moisture content? Typically below 3-5% for most food products. Secondary drying at +60°C to +120°C drives off bound water to reach the target.

Does freeze drying preserve nutrients? The low-temperature sublimation process avoids high-temperature degradation. Actual nutrient retention depends on the product, pre-treatment and process parameters — request test cycles for your material.

What is the shelf life of freeze-dried products? 18+ months at ambient temperature when properly packaged with low moisture activity (e.g. aluminum foil or nitrogen-flushed packaging). Actual shelf life depends on packaging and storage conditions.

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