Those with multiple years of experience in the biomedical industry will have worked in various types of laboratories, clinics, and cryo-rooms, often at the forefront of scientific advancements. Many, however, are run surprisingly inefficiently.
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Such inefficient labs are not only overly costly but also waste resources and time, while failing to meet sustainability targets. It is, however, relatively simple to turn the situation on its head. With sufficient forethought and planning, efforts to maximize efficiency and sustainability can be achieved.
Making the correct choices
Many laboratories, clinics, and biobanks are using excessive amounts of liquid nitrogen, and they often overlook the cost implications of making incorrect choices. Whether laboratory teams are creating a cryo-room from scratch, upgrading an existing one, or simply buying a new freezer, there are some significant considerations that are often overlooked.
Location, location, location
One basic element that can have a significant impact on both costs and sustainability is the location of the cryo-room. The further away a freezer is from the source of liquid nitrogen, the more pipework and cooling will be needed to get the LN2 to where it is needed. Ideally, freezers will be sited on the ground floor next to an outside wall so that pipework can be simplified, cooling can be minimized, and sustainability maximized.
Space is often at a premium in clinics due to their location, making it essential to choose equipment that maximizes sample storage space for a given footprint. For example, dewars are a useful piece of equipment, but if a storage room is packed with dewars, this uses up limited space and makes it difficult to manage and access samples. Dewars also require manual filling, and a separate liquid level/temperature alarm is required for each one, meaning they are not the right solution for high-volume, long-term sample storage below -150 °C.
Finding the right solution
There is a wide range of larger nitrogen-freezers available at various prices. Given the difficulties and risks of storing in liquid nitrogen itself, the majority of these freezers use a form of vapor storage created from an LN2 reservoir. Many of the less expensive options, however, are designs that have been modified for vapor storage from liquid storage, compromising performance on many levels.
Many customers choose the wrong type of freezer for various reasons. If a laboratory already uses a particular type or make of freezer, it may seem easiest to simply replace it with a like-for-like model. Sometimes, those making the decision simply do not know that better options are available, or they may make the decision based solely on price. It is crucial, however, to consider running costs in addition to the initial purchase price.
How 'cheap' can turn nasty
Here is an example of how quickly the wrong choice of freezer can lead to increasing costs and missed sustainability targets. For example, consider a team that chooses a freezer design that has been adapted from a liquid storage model rather than one specifically designed for vapor storage, or one that stores the LN2 in a jacket with a dry vapor storage area. Though that freezer likely has a lower initial cost, it will have a small liquid nitrogen reservoir, meaning it uses more LN2 just through evaporation. This requires being filled more frequently at a frequency of every one to two days, as opposed to every four to seven days with an efficient vapor storage freezer.
If the freezer is auto-filled from an external tank connected via a Super Insulated Vacuum Insulated Line (SIVL), more liquid nitrogen is required to cool it to cryogenic temperature before the freezer can be filled, as the line becomes longer and is used more frequently. This has a huge impact on the amount of LN2 drawn from the external tank, so more deliveries are required to prevent the depletion of LN2.
To compensate for the higher LN2 consumption of an inefficient freezer, larger tank or more frequent deliveries will be required. This is not necessarily a simple fix, however, since there may not be room for a larger tank, and liquid nitrogen suppliers cannot always guarantee enough deliveries to meet demand.
In addition to requiring a fill every one to two days, an inefficient freezer’s design is inherently compromised, resulting in a hold time of just two to four days, compared to the 13-21 days of an efficient vapor freezer. This means cover will be needed over holiday periods to ensure sample safety. Low purchase prices can quickly become a nightmare of running costs becoming out of control.
The benefits of choosing the right freezer
Stephen Robinson, BioMedical Product Manager at Air Products, advises customers on cryo-room solutions that maximize efficiency and sustainability while minimizing overall costs. While it is more expensive initially to purchase a freezer specifically designed for vapor storage, the investment will be recovered in the long term due to reduced operating and security costs. Once the initial investment is made, the financial benefits will continue.
One of the liquid nitrogen freezers often recommended by Air Products is the MVE HEco Series. MVE has a strong reputation for quality built on over 60 years of experience, and the HEco Series is no exception. It is equipped with robust, built-in safeguards for continuous sample preservation, featuring an advanced alarm system and innovative insulation technology that provides a buffer period of up to 13 to 27 days before samples reach critical temperatures. This gives ample time to resolve any potential issues.
Most of all, though, the HEco Series has been engineered for energy efficiency and streamlined operation. Manual top-ups are not necessary, with auto-fill functionality and automated monitoring. It consolidates all samples into one centralized space, simplifying management by optimizing the storage available in a smaller footprint.
Unlike freezers that have a lid covering their full width, making it tricky to reach samples at the back, the HEco models also have an internal carousel that brings samples up to the operator. There are other advanced features such as a vacuum-jacketed transfer hose, streamlined LN2 plumbing, and extended hold times, all designed to minimize resource usage.
In conclusion
Considering the long-term implications of any cryo facility can really pay dividends. Many people fail to recognize that the right solution is available and ultimately pay for it in the long run, even though it is easy to avoid wasting time, money, and resources.
Acknowledgments
Produced from materials originally authored by Stephen Robinson from Air Products.
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