Spray drier assembly for automated spray drying

Abstract

A spray drier system is provided for spray drying a liquid sample such as blood plasma. The spray drier system may include a spray drier device adapted to couple with a spray drier assembly. The assembly may include an enclosure mounted to a frame. The assembly may receive a flow of drying gas which is directed by the enclosure shape towards a spray drying head mounted within the enclosure to the frame. Flows of a liquid sample may be further received by the head, which aerosolizes the liquid sample. Aerosolized liquid sample and drying air may be mixed within a drying chamber of the enclosure to produce dried sample and humid air. The dried sample and humid air may also be separated in a collection chamber of the enclosure, with the humid air exhausted from the enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spray drier assembly, comprising:
 an enclosure having a first end and a second end, the enclosure including a drying gas inlet adjacent to the first end adapted to receive a flow of drying gas;   a spray drying head within the spray dryer assembly enclosure and positioned within the path of the flow of drying gas, wherein the spray drying head is adapted to receive a flow of aerosolizing gas and a flow of liquid sample, output an aerosolized flow of liquid sample, and expose the aerosolized flow of liquid sample to the drying gas passing therethrough;   the spray drier assembly enclosure further including:   a drying chamber positioned between the spray drying head and the second end of the enclosure, the drying chamber adapted to receive the aerosolized flow of liquid sample and drying gas and separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried powder suspended in humid air; and   a collection chamber including a first filter adapted to separate the dried powder from the humid air and an exhaust port allowing the humid air to exit the second end of the enclosure; and   a second filter, disposed between the drying gas inlet and the spray drying head.   
     
     
         2 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable drying gas inlet cover that inhibits contaminants from entering the spray drier assembly through the drying gas inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the spray drying head includes a plurality of fins, spaced apart by respective openings, wherein the plurality of fins are adapted to direct the flow of drying gas. 
     
     
         4 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fins extend outwards from a circular nozzle positioned at about the center of the spray drying head. 
     
     
         5 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fins are oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a surface normal extending outwards from the circular nozzle in the plane of the spray drier head. 
     
     
         6 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality fins are tilted at an angle such that a surface normal to the plane of the fins points out of the plane of the spray drying head. 
     
     
         7 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , wherein spray drying head is adapted to direct the flow of drying gas exiting the spray drying head in a helical path. 
     
     
         8 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drying gas inlet is adapted to receive the flow of drying gas parallel to a longitudinal axis of the enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drying gas inlet is adapted to receive the flow of drying gas perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the enclosure. 
     
     
         10 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drying gas inlet is adapted to receive the flow of drying gas at different rates and different temperatures when it is in fluid communication with the spray drier device. 
     
     
         11 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame positioned within the enclosure and extending from the first end of the enclosure to the second end of the enclosure. 
     
     
         12 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the spray drying head is attached to the frame adjacent to the first end of the enclosure. 
     
     
         13 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the frame directs, in part, the flow of the drying gas. 
     
     
         14 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first filter is attached to the frame. 
     
     
         15 . A spray drier assembly, comprising:
 a spray drier assembly body enclosing a frame, the frame defining a first body portion, a second body portion, and a third body portion, the first and second body portions separated by a first transition zone and the second and third body portions separated by a second transition zone;   a spray drying head having a body, wherein at least a portion of the spray drying head body is positioned within the first transition zone, wherein the spray drying head is adapted to receive a flow of aerosolizing gas and a flow of liquid sample and output an aerosolized flow of liquid sample;   a drying chamber positioned within the second body portion of the spray drier assembly body, the drying chamber receiving the aerosolized flow of liquid sample and a drying gas and outputting dried sample powder and humid air; and   a collection chamber positioned within the third body portion of the spray drier assembly body, the collection chamber receiving the dried powder and humid air in a first portion and having a filter adapted to separate the dried powder and humid air.   
     
     
         16 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the flow of drying gas, the flow of aerosolizing gas, and the humid air is adapted to urge the dried powder from the drying chamber to the collection chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the spray drier assembly is adapted for thermal communication with at least one heat source, wherein the at least one heat source is positioned outside of the spray drier assembly and wherein the at least one heat source is adapted to heat the spray drier assembly by electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         18 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the spray drier assembly is adapted for thermal communication with at least two of the heat sources, wherein the first heat source heats the drying chamber to a first temperature and the second heat source heats the collection chamber to a second temperature different than the first temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein a width of the frame decreases within the first and second transition zones as compared to the first, second, and third body portions. 
     
     
         20 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , the spray drying head further comprising:
 an outer wall;   a center portion; and   a plurality of fins extending from the center portion to the outer wall, the plurality of fins defining a plurality of openings extending through the thickness of the spray drying head.   
     
     
         21 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the center portion of the spray drying head is circular and wherein plurality of fins extend radially outward from the center portion. 
     
     
         22 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the center portion of the spray drying head is circular and wherein the fins extend outward from the center portion at a non-zero angle with respect to a surface normal extending outward from the center portion in the plane of the spray drying head. 
     
     
         23 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the center portion comprises:
 a first inlet that is adapted to receive the flow of liquid sample;   a second inlet that is adapted to receive the flow of aerosolizing gas; and   an egress port in fluid communication with the first inlet and the second inlet, wherein the liquid sample and the aerosolizing gas contact one another upon exit from the egress port to form the aerosolized flow of liquid sample.   
     
     
         24 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the egress port is adapted to direct the flow of liquid sample and the flow of aerosolizing gas so as to meet and output the aerosolized flow of liquid sample directed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the spray drier assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the portions of the spray drying head including the first and second inlets are positioned outside of the first transition zone. 
     
     
         26 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the portions of the spray drying head including the first and second inlets are positioned within the first transition zone. 
     
     
         27 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the filter is attached to the frame. 
     
     
         28 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the filter comprises:
 a frame having first and second opposing edges defining an opening;   a filter member positioned within the opening;   a fold which brings the first opposing edges into contact; and   a hermetic joint sealing the contacting first opposing edges together such that the second opposing edges define an aperture;   wherein dried powder and humid air enter the first filter through the aperture.   
     
     
         29 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the filter further comprises:
 first reinforcing ribs spanning the lateral distance between the first opposing edges; and   second reinforcing ribs spanning the lateral distance between the second opposing edges.   
     
     
         30 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the collection chamber further comprises a second portion, separate from the first portion and in fluid communication with the first portion via the filter, the second portion further containing a desiccant. 
     
     
         31 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the collection chamber further comprises a one-way valve adapted to permit the humid air to exit the collection chamber. 
     
     
         32 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the one-way valve is adapted for fluid communication with a vacuum source for urging the humid air to exit the collection chamber via the one-way valve. 
     
     
         33 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 31 , wherein the one-way valve is adapted for fluid communication with a filter possessing a Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) of 10 6  or more. 
     
     
         34 . A spray drier assembly, comprising:
 a spray drying head positioned within an enclosure, the spray drying head adapted to receive a flow of aerosolizing gas and a flow of liquid sample and output an aerosolized flow of liquid sample, the spray drying head comprising:   an outer wall;   a center portion; and   a plurality of fins extending from the center portion to the outer wall, the plurality of fins defining a plurality of openings extending through the thickness of the spray drying head;   a drying chamber formed within the enclosure, the drying chamber adapted to receive the aerosolized flow of liquid sample and a flow of drying gas from the spray drying head and output dried sample powder and humid air; and   a collection chamber formed within the enclosure, the collection chamber having a integrated filter adapted to separate the dried powder and humid air.   
     
     
         35 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 34 , the collection chamber further comprising:
 an inlet port for receiving the dried powder and humid air;   an exhaust port for conveying humid air out of the enclosure; and   a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber defined by a first wall of the enclosure and a first side of the filter and the second chamber defined by a second wall of the enclosure and a second side of the filter;   wherein the first chamber is contiguous with the inlet port and adapted to retain the dried powder and allow transmission of the humid air to the second chamber through the filter; and   wherein the second chamber is contiguous with the exhaust port.   
     
     
         36 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , wherein at least one of the flow of aerosolizing gas, the flow of drying gas, and the humid air is adapted to urge the dried powder from the drying chamber to the collection chamber. 
     
     
         37 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a one-way valve positioned in the inlet port, the one-way valve permitting flow of the humid air and dried powder from the drying chamber to the collection chamber and inhibiting flow of the humid air and dried powder from the collection chamber to the drying chamber. 
     
     
         38 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a one-way valve positioned in the exhaust port, the one-way valve permitting flow of the humid air from the collection chamber and inhibiting flow of the humid air into the collection chamber. 
     
     
         39 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the collection chamber further comprises a second portion, separate from the first portion and in fluid communication with the first portion, the second portion further containing a desiccant. 
     
     
         40 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the collection chamber further comprises a one-way valve not positioned at the inlet port or the exhaust port, the one-way valve adapted to permit the humid air to exit the collection chamber. 
     
     
         41 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the one-way valve is adapted for fluid communication with a vacuum source for urging the humid air to exit the collection chamber via the one-way valve. 
     
     
         42 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the one-way valve is adapted for fluid communication with a filter with a Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) of 10 6  or more. 
     
     
         43 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the collection chamber further comprises a plurality of spacers adapted to inhibit contact between the second side of the filter and the second wall of the enclosure within the collection chamber. 
     
     
         44 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 43 , wherein the spacers are selected from the group consisting of ribs and raised bumps. 
     
     
         45 . A spray drier assembly, comprising:
 a spray drier assembly body having a first end and a second end;   a source of drying gas in fluid communication with the first end of the spray drier assembly body;   a spray drying head enclosed within the spray dryer assembly body, the spray drying head comprising an aerosolizer for aerosolizing a flow of liquid sample received at the spray drying head, wherein the spray drying head is adapted to output the aerosolized flow of liquid sample and expose the aerosolized flow of liquid sample to the flow of drying gas;   a filter, disposed between the drying gas inlet and the spray drying head,   a drying chamber positioned between the spray drying head and the second end of the spray drier assembly body, the drying chamber adapted to separate the aerosolized flow of liquid sample into a dried sample powder suspended in humid air; and   a collection chamber including a first filter adapted to separate the dried powder from the humid air and an exhaust port allowing the humid air to exit the second end of the spray drier body; and   a second filter, disposed between the drying gas inlet and the spray drying head.   
     
     
         46 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the aerosolizer provides ultrasonic waves in a wavelength and frequency sufficient to aerosolize the flow of liquid sample. 
     
     
         47 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the aerosolizer comprises one or more of an ultrasonic atomizing transducer, a ultrasonic humidified transducer, a piezo ultrasonic atomizer. 
     
     
         48 . The spray dryer assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the drying gas travels in a flow to direct the transfer of dried liquid sample or the humid air from the drying chamber to the collection chamber. 
     
     
         49 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the flow of drying gas travels through one or more filters to remove contaminants from the flow of drying gas. 
     
     
         50 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 45 , wherein the spray drier assembly is adapted for thermal communication with at least one heat source, wherein the at least one heat source is positioned outside of the spray drier assembly and wherein the at least one heat source is adapted to heat the spray drier assembly by electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         51 . The spray drier assembly of  claim 50 , wherein the spray drier assembly is adapted for thermal communication with at least two of the heat sources, wherein the first heat source heats the drying chamber to a first temperature and the second heat source heats the collection chamber to a second temperature different than the first temperature.