Why Does The Freeze Drying Machine Need Equip The Oil-Free Vacuum PUMP for Royal Jelly?

Freeze-drying royal jelly typically requires oil-free vacuum pumps rather than oil-sealed vacuum pumps, mainly due to the following reasons:

1. Avoiding Oil Contamination of Royal Jelly

• Characteristics of Royal Jelly: As a highly nutritious biological product, royal jelly contains active substances such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and trace elements. These components are sensitive to contamination, especially organic pollutants.
• Risks of Oil-Sealed Pumps: Oil-sealed vacuum pumps (e.g., rotary vane pumps) use vacuum oil as a sealing and lubricating medium. During operation, tiny oil molecules may migrate into the vacuum chamber along with the gas flow, leading to oil vapor contamination of the royal jelly.Contamination can alter the chemical composition and biological activity of royal jelly, affecting its quality, efficacy, and safety (e.g., causing off-flavors or failing hygiene standards).
• Advantages of Oil-Free Pumps: Oil-free vacuum pumps (e.g., dry screw pumps, diaphragm pumps, or scroll pumps) do not use lubricating oil in the pumping chamber, completely eliminating the risk of oil contamination and ensuring the purity of royal jelly.

2. Maintaining High Purity and Active Ingredients

• Sensitivity of Active Substances: The biologically active components in royal jelly (e.g., 10-HDA, a unique fatty acid) are vulnerable to oxidation, thermal degradation, or chemical interference.
• Potential Reactions with Oil Vapors: Oil molecules may react with active substances in royal jelly under vacuum or low-temperature conditions, leading to degradation of efficacy or even the generation of harmful byproducts.
• Purity Requirements for Pharmaceutical/Food-Grade Products: Royal jelly is often used in health products, pharmaceuticals, or high-end food products, which have strict regulations on impurities (e.g., pharmaceutical-grade standards require minimal organic residue). Oil-free pumps better meet these purity requirements.

3. Adaptability to Low-Temperature and Hygienic Operating Conditions

• Characteristics of Freeze-Drying Processes: Freeze-drying involves freezing the material first and then sublimating water under high vacuum. The process requires maintaining a clean vacuum environment, especially at low temperatures.In oil-sealed pumps, vacuum oil may thicken or deteriorate at low temperatures, affecting pump performance and even causing equipment failures.
• Hygiene and Cleaning Challenges: Oil-sealed pumps require regular oil changes and maintenance, and oil residues are difficult to clean, increasing the risk of cross-contamination in long-term production. Oil-free pumps have simpler structures, fewer moving parts, and easier cleaning, meeting the hygiene requirements of food and pharmaceutical production (e.g., compliance with GMP standards).

4. Operational Efficiency and Maintenance Considerations

• Avoiding Performance Degradation Caused by Oil Vapor: In oil-sealed pumps, oil vapor may condense on the surface of the freeze-drying chamber or product, affecting heat and mass transfer during sublimation and prolonging the drying time. Oil-free pumps maintain stable vacuum performance without such interference.
• Reduced Maintenance Costs: Oil-free pumps eliminate the need for regular oil changes and disposal of waste oil, reducing maintenance costs and environmental pollution risks (oil is a hazardous waste requiring specialized treatment).

Conclusion

Using oil-free vacuum pumps in royal jelly freeze-drying is a critical measure to ensure product quality, safety, and efficacy. By eliminating oil contamination risks, maintaining high purity, and adapting to hygienic production requirements, oil-free pumps help preserve the biological activity of royal jelly while improving operational efficiency and compliance with industry standards. In contrast, oil-sealed pumps are unsuitable for this application due to inherent contamination risks and maintenance challenges.