By Dec Group
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Containment and Powder Handling
Flawless containment performance is critical in pharmaceutical manufacture to minimize operator exposure and process cross contamination.
Central containment goals are based on the need to give the operator optimum protection based on the product’s containment band, maintaining good cGMP conditions, eliminating cross contamination, and reducing clean up requirements.
Dec Group has developed a range of flexible and mobile containment technologies that meet these challenges. These are systems that allow simple integration of safe and accurate handling of powders into multiple production processes.
DEC Isocharge
The revolutionary DEC Isocharge is a low cost method that both dispenses and charges bags into reactors or receiving systems via the patented PTS Powder Transfer System. Combining the open aspects of a Laminar Flow Booth with a Glovebox Isolator to enable the rapid and safe charging of powder products, DEC Isocharge combines the advantages of isolation technology and laminar flow technique, providing a high containment of < 1μg/m3 per 8 h TWA.
The station’s chamber is open to the side allowing easy bag introduction. A simple door needs to be closed only during WIP to prevent splashes. All WIP fluids can be drained from the chamber via PTS Powder Transfer System into the reactor, which also cleans the transfer hose and the PTS. The loaded hopper is then discharged via the PTS into the reactor.
The operator can then use the gloves to position the bag on the powder charging bars above the hopper. The bag is then split and the powder emptied through the bars into the suction hopper. The empty bag is disposed through the adjacent continuous liner bag-out port.
An exhaust plenum sits on the side elevation opposite the bag entry point, with HEPA filtered exhaust located on top of the plenum, connected to the manually dampered exhaust fan.
Benefits:
• Fast operation for multiple bag emptying
• One unit can be used to charge multiple receiving vessels
• Safe handling of toxic, sticky or lumpy powders
• High containment (< 1μg/m3)
• Stand-alone unit
• Cost effective
• Mobile
DEC Isotube
The DEC Isotube product transfer system is a low cost option for the safe loading and charging of drums of highly active pharmaceutical ingredients. Equally effective when loading a process vessel or other charging application such as the PTS, DEC Isotube provides a high level of containment together with control over environmental conditions within the isolation system.
The system comprises a single vessel charging glove box that can be connected directly to the vessel or application to be charged with powder from a drum or keg of any size. DEC Isotube is equipped with a drum bag in/ bag out system (using endless liner technology) to ensure contained loading both in and out of the isolator. A scale in the drum access chamber makes the system equally ideal for dispensing.
Benefits:
• Contained discharge of drums of various sizes
• Ideal for lumpy or compacted products
• High containment < 1μg/m3
• Low running costs
• Mobile
DEC Isodrop
The single or multi chamber DEC Isodrop provides a contained product emptying and recovery system. The Containment Glovebox enables safe emptying, sampling and general handling of powder products. DEC Isodrop can be integrated with filter dryers, ovens, centrifuges, etc.
Options include: Glove Safety Barrier, Oxygen Monitors, RTP’s, Continuous Liners and many more. Combining DEC Isodrop with the PTS Feeder system provides accurate target weight filling of IBC/Drums in a contained manner.
The alternative twin chamber DEC Isodrop provides integral contained pack-off, for powder products with weighing options available. More simple Pack-off options include direct PTS transfer to a Continuous Liner with HEPA Filtration.
Benefits:
• High containment <1μg/m3 with HEPA filtration allows ‘Shirt Sleeve’ Operation
• Venturi or Exhaust Fan options for venting the liner
• Full CIP capability
• Capable of supporting an inerted atmosphere for handling low MIE or Degradable Powder
• Suitable for a wide range of powder handling discharge arrangements
• Possible integration of supplier controls package (e.g. filter dryer)
• Easily adapted for ‘Multiple Vessel Charging’ via patented PTS Technology
• Optional ‘Drum Charge Adaptor’, suitable for a range of drum sizes
• Fast, Open Charging of Bags and/or Drums
For more information or to discuss your containment and powder handling needs please contact DEC Group directly.
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