Digital twin of freeze-drying of probiotics

Context: Freeze drying, or lyophilization, is a highly effective preservation method that can dramatically reduce losses of fruits, berries, and vegetables by extending their shelf life far beyond that of fresh produce. Similarly, Freeze-drying is extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry to improve the shelf life of products such as vaccines and probiotics.

The concept of Digital twins is closely associated with process control and monitoring. The Digital twin represents a virtual replica of the freeze-drying process that enables real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization³. By integrating process data with predictive models, digital twins allow for precise control over critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, and drying time. This enhances process efficiency, reduces variability, and improves product quality by anticipating and mitigating potential issues before they occur. The application of digital twins in freeze drying supports the development of more robust, scalable, and cost-effective manufacturing processes, making them invaluable tools in pharmaceutical, food, and nutraceutical industries.

Smart Lyo concept based on MTM measurement provides for first version of the digital twin for a freeze-dryer⁴. This has severe limitations due to the inherent assumptions involved in the models used for the creation of the digital twin. It is well documented in literature that spatial variability in the heat transfer rates exists inside the lyophilizer. 

Objectives of the internship:

• A) Perform experiments with the lyophilizer to quantify the heat transfer variability in trays.
• B) Analyse Pressure rise test data to develop new MTM equations including the heat transfer variability.
• C) Compare the performance with the SMART MTM temperature predictions at the centre and edge trays with probiotic solutions.  

Location: Joint Research Unit SayFood, campus Agro Paris-Saclay, Palaiseau (91120), FRANCE.

 Duration: March to August 2026 (around 6 months, flexible).

Allowance: around 650€ per month, depending on the number of working days for each month.

 Secularism: The person recruited will be subject to the charter of secularism in public services (law 2021-1109 of August 24, 2021). In particular, no religious symbols may be worn in the workplac

 This internship offers the potential for progression into a PhD thesis on the same topic, with a start date of September 2026.

Contacts: Arnesh PALANISAMY, arnesh.palanisamy@agroparistech.fr ; Cristian TRELEA, cristian.trelea@agroparistech.fr

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