Powder Systems Limited (PSL), a manufacturer of filtration, drying and high containment isolators, has delivered several advanced process installations in Singapore. The first project consists of a pilot scale pressure agitated nutsche filter dryer (ANFD) and a discharging isolator achieving a DOEL (Design Occupational Exposure Limit) of less than 1 microgram per meter cube 8 hours Time Weighted Average.
 
According to the company, this discharging isolator allows a full recovery of the dried product from a 0.125m² filtration area vessel, sampling without process disruption, powder dispensing and packing off within a contained environment to protect the operator and the product.
 
As part of a new batch extension hall at the same manufacturer, PSL also installed a 0.6m² Filter Dryer and Discharging Isolator with the same features as the pilot plant ANFD. Instead of a mobile lowering mechanism, this large-scale facility was fixed but supplied with a platform, allowing operators to feed products from the top lid nozzle of the vessel with a local control box and have visibility via a sight glass.
 
PSL installed these contained filtration and drying facilities in 2015, part of the expansion of a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Singapore.
 
PSL has also installed a 1m² Scalping Filter in Singapore this year. This large-scale filter is used to recover and treat the filtrate of a slurry coming from another vessel. The filtrate is dissolved with purified water and waste liquid can then be recovered for a more manageable waste treatment.