Vacuum pumps are a type of device that creates a partial vacuum by removing gas molecules from a sealed volume. These useful devices are used in a wide variety of industries, including the pharmaceutical industry. Vacuum pumps are essential to meet quality demands and manufacture bulk drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and intermediate products. As such, vacuum pumps are one of the most widely used types of equipment in the pharmaceutical industry. To learn more about the uses and applications of vacuum pumps in the pharmaceutical industry, continue reading. 

Vacuum Pumps for Drying

One of the most common applications for vacuum pumps in the pharmaceutical industry is drying. Drying is a critical step in the sequence of pharmaceutical production. It is a low-temperature procedure that takes place immediately after filtration or centrifugation.

The process involves the separation of liquids from solids by introducing heat to wet products in order to evaporate the moisture and leave behind solid ingredients. To accomplish this task without thermally degrading sensitive biological and active ingredients, vacuum drying is used to maintain lower temperatures throughout the process than would otherwise be possible.

Vacuum Pumps for Sterilization

When producing medication, sterilization is an extremely important process that ensures the safety of prescription drugs. Sterilization involves the elimination of all forms of microbial life, such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. In order to successfully evacuate a sterilization chamber, a vacuum pump is often used. Vacuum pumps also help maximize efficient stream penetration when sterilizing medical devices and equipment.

Vacuum Pumps for Distillation

Vacuum pumps also play a key role in distillation. This thermal process involves the separation of various solvents from a liquid mixture based on differences in temperature, pressure, and composition. In order to separate the solvents, vapor must be removed from a boiling liquid mixture, then re-condensed following evaporation.

To remove non-condensable water and light solvents, vacuum pumps can be used. The vacuum lowers the pressure of the compounds, which will allow them to boil below their normal boiling temperature, so they don’t degrade or decompose throughout the process.

Degassing

Degassing is used to remove dissolved or residual gasses in a liquid or solid pharmaceutical product. In order to carry out this process, vacuum pumps are used to extract unwanted gases from the product. Doing so can help improve the product’s quality and prevent cross-contamination from occurring.

USA Lab Equipment is a leading provider of top-quality new and used laboratory equipment. To find the equipment you need at a competitively low price, shop our extensive collection of lab instruments today.