Hosokawa Micron technology protects staff from toxic chemicals
Hosokawa Micron is offering businesses operating in the wet processing field of chemical synthesis new technology aimed at protecting personnel from hazardous substances.
The wet chemistry isolator technology gives personnel easy but contained operator access for product input, product removal, operational adjustment and maintenance.
It is typically used for the enclosure of small-scale bulk active pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, which incorporates reaction vessels, crystallisation equipment and filtration vessels.
The technology responds to health and safety concerns for personnel working directly with the liquid forms of increasingly concentrated active, toxic ingredients used in pharmaceutical production.
A recent development in conjunction with a leading custom synthesis company comprised a single chamber isolator offering two modes of operation. The isolator mode providing OELs of ,1mcg/m³ TWA and an airflow mode providing OELs of ,200mcg/m³ TWA by the use of inflow air velocity through the doors.
As an additional safety feature because solvents were used in the process, the isolator’s design ensures any solvent vapour concentrations remain below the lower explosion limit.
Within the isolator are shelves and dishes to retain small process components, canisters, batch reagents or other products, which precludes the need for open door access for most operator, process intervention.
Plant equipment is assembled via the open front doors and our photograph shows a typical equipment arrangement. All process services are piped to the isolator and connected outside the isolator.
The isolator is equipped with spray balls and lance for complete CIP operation with the cleaning liquid fully discharged to drain.