Rahul Aware

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B. Pharm., M. Tech. (BPT), Currently Ph. D. Student
Email: ce08rs.aware@ictmumbai.edu.in

Education Details
Course	Institute/University	Year of Passing
B. Pharm.	University of Pune	2006
M. Tech. Bioprocess Technology	University Institute of Chemical Technology, UICT, Mumbai	2008
Ph. D. Tech. Bioprocess Technology	University Institute of Chemical Technology, UICT, Mumbai	-

Abstract of Ph. D. Thesis:

DRYING TECHNOLOGY - PROCESS DEVELOPMENT AND VALUE ADDITION

Drying is a mass transfer process resulting in the removal of water or moisture from a solid, semi-solid or liquid to end in a solid state. Drying has been used for the stabilization of various heat-sensitive biological materials such as industrial and therapeutic enzymes. Dryers that can be used are freeze dryer, spray dyer, heat pump dryer, microwave dryer, solar dryer and so on. Freeze drying or lyophilization is a drying method where the solvent is frozen prior to drying and is then sublimed, i.e., passed to the gas phase directly from the solid phase, below the melting point of the solvent. Freeze drying is often carried out under high vacuum to allow drying to proceed at a reasonable rate. Freeze drying is increasingly applied to dry foods, beyond its pharmaceutical and biological applications. It keeps biological properties of proteins, and retains vitamins and bioactive compounds.

Spray drying is based on the principle that a pumpable feed is first atomized i.e., converted in a fog of droplets of about 100 micrometers in diameter, which dry very fast while falling by gravity, accompanied by heated air. The dried particles eventually exit through the bottom of the dryer and are separated from the drying air by a cyclone. Spray drying is used to dry milk, grain products, blood plasma, albumin, various plant extracts, dyes, perfumes etc. Conventional use of sun drying is being replaced these days with solar dryer to assure the quality aspects of the dried food and agricultural products. Crystallization is the (natural or artificial) process of formation of solid crystals precipitating from an identical solution or melt, or more rarely deposited directly from a gas. Crystallization is also a chemical solid-liquid separation technique, in which mass transfer of a solute from the liquid solution to a pure solid crystalline phase occurs. The importance of protein crystallization is that it serves as the basis for X-ray crystallography, wherein a crystallized protein is used to determine the protein’s three-dimensional structure via X-ray diffraction. Post crystallization, it is desired to obtain it in the form of powder for better stability and shelf-life.

In the proposed work focus will be given on,

1. Selection of proper drying systems for biological, pharmaceutical, agricultural and food products.
2. Drying of food, pharmaceutical, agricultural and various biological products like proteins and enzymes, and to study cost effectiveness of the process.
3. Crystallization study of different biological products and further drying.
4. Value addition in bioprocessing of various food, biopharmaceutical and agricultural products.
5. Optimization of various operating parameters, characterization and formulation of the final dried product.
6. Study of various process parameters which affect drying and to optimize them for developing economic process and hence value addition.