Microwave freeze-drying of aqueous solutions

Abstract

The freeze-drying process has been plagued with problems, such as long drying times and inefficiency. Microwave freeze-drying has proven its potential as way of reducing long drying times associated with freeze-drying, and as a result, there has been a considerable amount of work done to increase its use in industrial applications. However, it is not widely utilized for drying of pharmaceuticals, which appear to be better suited to microwave freeze-drying than foods.

This paper discusses the results of applying microwave freeze-drying to an aqueous solution, as well as how various freezing rates affect freeze-drying characteristics. Results show that microwave freeze-drying can greatly reduce the time required to freeze-dry an aqueous solution while maintaining a high product quality. The investigation into the effects of different freezing conditions shows that different physical characteristics in the dried product can be achieved through varying the freezing rate.