Reflect Scientific has introduced the PF-90 Blast Plate Freezer under its Cryometrix brand, combining liquid nitrogen (LN2) blast freezing and conductive plate freezing in a single ultra-low temperature system. The patent-pending unit is designed for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, blood products, vaccines, and cell and gene therapy applications requiring rapid and uniform freezing.
The PF-90 operates across a temperature range of 40°C to -90°C (104°F to -130°F), with a peak setpoint variation of ±2°C (±3.6°F). According to the company, the system reaches -80°C (-112°F) from ambient temperature in approximately 10 minutes with an empty payload bay. Temperature recovery to -80°C takes approximately one minute after the doors have remained open for three minutes.
The freezer accommodates up to eight Sartorius Celsius FFTp 12 L bags per cycle, each filled to 10 liters (2.64 US gallons), or 192 liters (50.7 US gallons) in bottles. Its payload bay measures 578 × 800 × 1,524 mm (22.8 × 31.5 × 60 inches). The unit uses 304 stainless steel construction and operates with an LN2 supply pressure of 100–125 psi (approximately 6.9–8.6 bar).
Cryometrix’s proprietary LN2 cooling technology operates without compressors or circulated refrigerants. Reflect Scientific states that this approach reduces mechanical failure points, electrical demand compared with compressor-based systems, and heat output to surrounding HVAC infrastructure. The PF-90 includes onboard data logging with manual CSV export and three user security levels supporting up to 100 users.
The US-manufactured freezer is CE-compliant, with an optional 21 CFR Part 11 compliance package and backup systems providing up to three hours of operation. Reflect Scientific offers a 20-year warranty on the cooling system, including control valve replacement, with virtual technical support.
“Plate freezing has become a necessary method for many biologics and blood product applications because it delivers faster heat transfer, improved uniformity across bag thickness, and reduced ice crystal formation,” the company stated.
