What the RAY® Plus does differently
RAY® Plus is built for large-scale industrial freeze drying. It is designed to deliver better performance in every production cycle, with either higher throughput or lower energy use, less downtime, easier cleaning, and reduced maintenance compared to the standard RAY® freeze dryer. The result is more output, batch after batch, year after year.
RAY® Plus combines improved chamber design with a comprehensive control system to help you get more from your production operation.
A plus for efficiency
Improved flow inside the RAY® Plus chamber reduces energy consumption at the vapor trap and enables operation at the same sublimation capacity as the standard RAY®, while running with a 6°C higher refrigerant temperature.
A plus for uptime
Less time spent cleaning is more time spent producing. The redesigned, self-draining chamber makes it easier to clean the freeze dryer thoroughly and efficiently. This helps simplify operations and reduce the time spent on cleaning and maintenance.
A plus for productivity
The GEA RAY® Plus delivers up to 33% greater capacity than existing RAY® freeze dryers with an equivalent footprint. That means more product per cycle and greater production potential without increasing your footprint.
Freeze-dried tomatoes, freeze-dried kiwis, freeze-dried raw meat, freeze-dried oranges, and freeze-dried kale.
Designed for more efficient production
With up to 50% lower pressure losses compared with the existing RAY® range, RAY® Plus is designed to support more efficient operation. In practice that means higher sublimation rates, above 2.5 kg/m²h, or higher capacity at low vacuum, below 0.15 mbar, with standard refrigeration solutions. The gain comes from vapor traps on both sides of the cabinet, with vapor inlet at both the top and the bottom.
How our proprietary CFD model shaped the RAY® Plus
So how have we achieved all of this? Our experts developed a proprietary computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that supported the design process for the RAY® Plus freeze dryer. The digital tool accurately models and evaluates flow and pressure losses under deep vacuum inside the freeze drying cabinet. Using the CFD model, we could virtually assess the effects on freeze drying of even the most subtle alterations in design under different operating conditions. This meant we could ensure that the final design would offer optimal performance and efficiency in the real world.
The model builds on 70 years of GEA freeze dryer design and engineering expertise.
RAY® and RAY® Plus compared
| RAY® | RAY® Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity at equal footprint | Baseline | +33% |
| Pressure losses in the cabinet | Baseline | Up to 50% lower |
| Vapor traps and inlet | Bottom side by side | Both sides, inlet top and bottom |
| Condensers | Two condensers, one operating, one de-icing. | Both sides. Four condensers, three operating and one de-icing. |
| Cabinet size | 0.76 m² to 136 m², 2 to 15 layers for trays | 114 to 152 m², 15 or 20 layers for trays |
| Chamber and cleaning | Self-draining through door opening | Dedicated Self-draining and sanitary design – Optional WIP option |
| User interface | Standard Codex® interface | New Codex® interface, remote access, recipe management, batch reporting |
| Throughput per batch (Petfood <12hrs) | 1800 kg | 2400 kg |
| Typical lead time | 6 months | 6 months |
| Best suited to | Fruits, vegetables, pet food, sea food, prepared meals and candy. | All applications including fruits, vegetables, pet food, seafood, prepared meals, candy, active ingredients, such as probiotics, and coffee. |
RAY® Plus specifications
| Cabinet size | 114 to 152 m² |
| Heating plates | Layers of 15 or 20 |
| Condensers | Both sides of the cabinet. Four condensers, three in operation and one in de-icing mode |
| Sublimation rate | Above 2.5 kg/m²h |
| Operating vacuum | High capacity at below 0.15 mbar with standard refrigeration. |
| Cabinets per group | Up to six, sharing one control and support system |
| Trolleys | 60 or 80 trays per trolley. The 60-tray trolley is compatible with RAY cabinets |
| Rail system | GEA rail system, 80 mm stainless steel pipes |
| Heating and cooling | Connects to existing RAY dryers and to external cooling and heating, including heat pumps |
Want to know more? Get in touch with our experts today
Our innovation, your way
RAY® Plus user interface
A wealth of freeze drying opportunities
Freeze drying is a proven food preservation technology that presents many opportunities for creating new products that meet growing markets and expectations for healthy, sustainable foods and ingredients.
Freeze drying is really versatile, and can be used to process a wide range of food types, from coffee and herbs, to dietary supplements and ready meals, so you can think creatively and develop new concepts.
Freeze-dried candy
Freeze drying preserves the candy’s original shape and flavor, while transforming its texture from chewy or sticky to light and crunchy.
Freeze-dried dairy products
Freeze-drying can convert yogurt, cheese and cream into light, rehydratable pieces or powders that have a long shelf life without refrigeration
Common questions about the RAY® Plus
Explore the technical details behind RAY® Plus performance, efficiency and production benefits. Answered by Jakob Svendsen, Senior Process Specialist.
The standard RAY® is best suited to fruits, vegetables, pet food, sea food, prepared meals and candy. RAY® Plus suits all applications, including coffee and active ingredients, such as probiotics.
RAY® Plus can be cleaned with GEA's optional washing-in-place (WIP) system. The RAY® Plus chamber is self-draining, allowing rinse water and product residues to exit the cabinet without manual intervention. As an option , GEA offers a Washing-in-Place (WIP) solution for RAY® Plus for customers who prefer an in-place cleaning solution over manual cleaning.
Freeze drying happens below the triple point of water, 6 mbar, where ice sublimates directly to vapor. Production dryers run well below that: RAY® Plus is normally operating at levels lower than 1 mbar and is designed for high capacity below 0.15 mbar with standard refrigeration. Lower vacuum only pays off when the condensers can take the vapor, which is why RAY Plus pairs it with a larger condensing surface.
Petfood example based on 38% TS:
RAY® 175 Plus: Batch size: 2,400 kg. Drying time: 11.5 hrs. Capacity per 24 hr: 1,861 kg
RAY® 125 Standard: Batch size: 1,800 kg. Drying time: 11.5 hrs. Capacity per 24 hr: 1,396 kg
RAY® Plus pilot plant freeze dryer
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