Industries & Machines

Isolator

Summary

Many R&D or production processes handle highly active pharmaceutical compounds, very toxic chemicals, or Nano sized material, which have the possibility of causing harmful effects on the human body and surrounding environment. To reduce exposure risk by scattering hazardous or toxic materials, a handling facility or system are required to be placed in an isolated area and operators are required to put on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), dust masks, gloves and suits. In such cases the work environment becomes poor, and operators are still exposed to the hazardous surroundings. Introduction of isolators or glove boxes into such processes enables perfect containment of hazardous and toxic materials and keeps the scattering risk to operators and the environment at a minimum level, thus resulting in prevention of contamination of the product and improvement of the working environment and reduction of overall cost of the facility and its management.

Principle

For processes with the possibility of scattering hazardous substances (such processes as sampling, measuring, filling, grinding, mixing, discharging, repacking and cleaning of equipment) the isolator or glove box perfectly contains hazardous substances and isolates operators and ambient environment from hazardous substances. And to infinitely reduce the possibility of the leakage of the hazardous substances in the isolator interior conditions are designed to be negative pressure in addition to physical containment so that operators and outer surroundings are protected from the hazardous substances. Air is pulled through HEPA filters into the isolator and exhausted through double HEPA filters as well for safety. Used HEPA filters are so designed that they can be replaced and disposed of without direct contact of internally scattered hazardous materials. Maintenance of gloves for operations or internal equipment is done after the release of containment. In this case, in the standard operating procedure cleaning water washes interior parts, then containment is released under the wet conditions, which prohibit the scattering of hazardous substances outside.

Standard isolator

Fig.1 Standard isolator

Can handle pharmaceuticals, chemicals, highly active or toxic chemical substances with safety. Can minimize the contamination to surroundings. Can cope with any kind of powder process such as grinding, mixing, packing, and filling.

Simplified type isolator / Flexible compact Isolator

Fig.2 Flexible compact isolator FCI

Small isolators for isolated process of R&D or test, without preceding or post processes. Main cover utilizes plastics for cost reduction and shorter delivery. Can cope with level of OEL 1 μg/m³ or below. With the use of transparent main cover makes wider view therefore workability is increased. Depending on the purpose plastic film or acrylic cover can be selected.

Shield isolator

Fig.3 Shield isolator for radioactive material

Isolator for nuclear power fuel or radioactive substances. Special isolators with shielding functions of radioactivity partly used in reprocessing process or recycling of MOX fuel.

Isolator System for powder processing

Fig.4 Powder process integrated in isolator system

Isolator with internally integrated pulverizer, dryer, granulator and so on. Specially designed powder processing machine for isolator application is installed within the isolator. In view of maintenance of internal part, special suit may be jointly used in addition to gloves to increase workability.

Features

Flexible design is possible:

Most suitable system can be presented meeting individual operational conditions.

Countermeasures for Nano Risk:

Captures Nano size particles and offer safety operational space (Fig.1)

Supply comfortable operational space:

Controls the temperature and humidity of operational space by combining air conditioning system.

Realizes OEL 1- a few micro gram/m³ below:

Realizes the cleanliness as high as isolator, with combining screen with glove ports (Fig.2)

(OEL: occupational exposure limits, i.e. permissible degree of hazardous substances exposure on operators)

Safe filter replacement:

By Bag-in-Bag-out method, filter replacement can be done without direct touch of dust laden filter.

Energy saving specification:

With selection of functions such as automatic lighting, temperature control and airflow control, utility cost can be reduced.

Applications

R&D work or handling of hazardous substances
Sampling, measuring, repacking to smaller sizes for raw material or products
Filling/discharge of fiber drum, big bag IBC
Prevention of dust scattering during powder processing such as grinding, sieving, and mixing or overhauling.
Handling process of Nano particles

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