Do you want to save costs in your WFI production while its asleep”, so to speak? A quick software update can achieve energy and water savings of up to 90 percent in the standby mode of your distillation units.
Sustainable use of energy and resources is one of the greatest challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. With rapidly rising energy prices, energy efficiency is more crucial for the competitiveness of many pharmaceutical manufacturing companies than ever before. The production of sterile, pyrogen-free water for injection (WFI) for parenterals is considered particularly energy-intensive. For this reason, many manufacturers rely on the distillation-based system from the Syntegon subsidiary Pharmatec. The highly flexible solution uses the multi-stage principle. It only requires the supply of heating steam to the first column in order to heat the subsequent modules with the generated exhaust heat.
Software update saves energy and water
However, even such sophisticated systems sometimes show room for further improvement. “During regulation in standby mode, the distillation system would automatically empty through an open valve between the first and second column. Larger quantities of water, which had already been heated up, were lost as wastewater,” explains service engineer Robert Hüttepohl. Without further ado, the software was reprogrammed: “With an additional valve between the first and second column, which is already installed in many cases, we can save up to 90 percent of water and energy in standby mode while reducing the CO2 footprint.” In addition, the upgrade boasts significantly shorter startup times, for example after maintenance (up to 60%) or following standby (up to 40%).
Upgrade with quick payback
While the updated software is already installed per default in new systems, Syntegon also offers an upgrade for older equipment. Both the software and the valve – if not yet present – can be installed easily. The investment pays off within a few months. “We have already carried out the upgrade at some of our customers' premises – in less than an hour,” Robert Hüttepohl reports. Thanks to Syntegon’s Remote Service, this is also possible from a distance with the appropriate remote maintenance connection. “Of course, we also offer support during requalification and ensure that WFI production can be resumed as quickly as possible.”
Would you also like to improve your distillation equipment in terms of energy efficiency or learn more about our customized modernization services? We look forward to your inquiry!
