Cryometrix MB-90 Blast/Thaw Freezer
The Cryometrix MB-90 is engineered for laboratories and bioprocess facilities that need to freeze or thaw materials fast, reproducibly, and with the lowest possible operating cost. Its liquid-nitrogen (LN2) cooling core brings the payload bay from room temperature to –90 °C in just three minutes—an achievement that slashes process cycle times and all but eliminates ice- crystal damage in sensitive products such as cell therapies, viral vectors, and high-value nutraceuticals. Because the MB-90 relies on direct LN2 evaporation instead of compressors, it uses up to 90 percent less electricity than mechanical blast freezers, and produces no refrigerant emissions. The result is a compact, eco-friendly freezer that accelerates throughput while supporting the sustainability goals of modern life-science organizations.
Key Advantages at a Glance
- Lightning-fast freeze and thaw: Three-minute pull-down to –90 °C and less than one-minute recovery after door openings keep your workflow moving, even in intensive sample-handling environments. Temperature can be set anywhere between +40 °C and –90 °C, enabling both controlled thawing and ultra-low freezing in the same chamber.
- Compressor-free reliability: With no pumps, belts, or lubricants to fail, the MB-90’s LN2 cooling module is rated for a 20-year service life. Fewer moving parts mean less preventive maintenance, lower spare-parts inventories, and virtually zero unplanned downtime.
- Tiny footprint, huge flexibility: Measuring only 27 in D × 56 in W × 39 in H, the freezer consumes under eight square feet of floor space and requires no ventilation clearance. You can tuck it against a wall, into a corner, or beneath existing ductwork without worrying about heat- rejection loads.
- Regulatory-ready controls: A secure touchscreen interface supports three built-in permission tiers and up to 100 individual user accounts. Optional 21 CFR Part 11 upgrade package adds electronic signatures, event auditing, and tamper-evident data storage to streamline validation in cGMP environments.
- Integrated data logging: Temperature, LN2 pressure, door events, and alarm histories are captured automatically. Data export via standard CSV files or real-time streaming to your SCADA or MES platform simplifies batch documentation and continuous monitoring.
- 20-year cooling-system warranty: Cryometrix backs every MB-90 with the longest warranty in the category, covering parts for the evaporative cooling manifold and control valve assembly for two full decades.
Built-In Thawing, No Extra Equipment Needed
- Usable capacity: 4.2 cu ft / 120 L (enough room for six 3 L bags or three 6 L bags laid flat)
- Temperature set-point range: +40 °C to –90 °C with ±3 °C stability under load
- Ambient-to–80 °C pull-down: 3 minutes at 100 psi supply pressure (payload bay empty)
- LN2 consumption: 0.5 gal/min during ramp-down; 0.3 gal/hr at steady state
- Door-open recovery: one minute after a three-minute full-open event at –80 °C
- Electrical input: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 6.5 A peak (freeze mode) or 16 A (thaw mode) via standard NEMA 5-20 plug
- Cabinet construction: 304 stainless steel interior and exterior for chemical resistance and easy GMP cleaning
- Certifications: CE marked; optional IPC upgrade for FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance
- Origin: Designed and manufactured in the United States
How LN2 Technology Beats Traditional Compressors
Mechanical blast freezers depend on multi-stage scroll or screw compressors, synthetic refrigerants, oil separators, and complex heat-exchange circuits. Those subsystems draw large amounts of electricity, and require frequent maintenance to remain in spec. In contrast, the MB- 90’s cooling engine harnesses the latent heat of vaporization of liquid nitrogen. Because LN2 boils at –196 °C, directing a small, metered flow across finned stainless coils instantly absorbs heat from the payload bay, with no moving mechanical parts.
Energy savings
LN2 itself is produced at a cost-optimized industrial scale, and the freezer’s electrical demand is limited to a low-wattage control electronics package and efficient circulation fans. Independent studies show up to a 90 percent reduction in kWh compared with equivalently sized compressor units.
Ambient cooling effect
Instead of discharging hot compressor exhaust into your facility, the MB-90’s exhaust is gaseous nitrogen at or below room temperature, actually
reducing HVAC load.
Uniform Temperature
High velocity fans circulate chilled air keeping large temperature gradients to a minimum, even when the lid is opened or warm product is loaded.
Scalable Environmental compliance
The system emits only nitrogen, which already constitutes 78 percent of Earth’s atmosphere, eliminating concerns around ozone- depleting or global-warming refrigerants.
Applications Across the Life-Science Spectrum
- Cell and gene therapy
Rapid freezing of cell suspensions and viral vectors minimizes intracellular ice formation and preserves viability, while equally fast thawing shortens batch-release timelines. - Bulk biologics
Freeze large-volume buffer solutions or protein APIs directly in single- use bags without resorting to plate freezers that restrict container geometry. - Clinical-trial logistics
On-site thaw capability at +40 °C allows controlled warming of investigational products immediately before administration. - Food technology & nutraceuticals
Preserve organoleptic properties in premium ingredients or plant-based extracts through ultra-fast freezing. - Materials science
Perform cryogenic conditioning or embrittlement studies on polymers, composites, and aerospace alloys with highly repeatable temperature profiles.
Because the MB-90 shares its control firmware and cooling topology with the larger Cryometrix B-90 production freezer, protocols developed during lab-scale runs transfer seamlessly to cGMP manufacturing—reducing scale-up risk and validation time.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Lower Utility Bills
Electricity usage averages below 0.5 kWh/day, compared with 4–6 kWh/day for compressor- based blast freezers of similar capacity. Over a 10-year horizon, that differential can translate into tens of thousands of dollars in savings, especially in regions with rising energy tariffs or carbon surcharges.
Minimal Maintenance
Routine service is limited to inspecting door gaskets, verifying sensor calibration, and cleaning the 304 SS interior with standard lab detergents. There are no compressors to overhaul, no refrigerant leaks to track down, and no oil separators to rebuild.
Scalability Without Infrastructure Upgrades
Because each unit draws only 6.5 amperes in freeze mode, facilities can add multiple MB-90s on existing branch circuits without the expense of additional breakers, step-down transformers, or dedicated HVAC cooling requirements.
Compliance, Data Integrity, and Cybersecurity
The optional 21 CFR Part 11 package hardens the MB-90 against data-integrity gaps that frequently trigger regulatory observations:
- Unique user IDs and passwords enforced at the firmware level
- Electronic signatures for every set-point change or alarm acknowledgment
- Checksum validation on exported CSV files to detect post-export editing
- AES-256 encrypted Ethernet protocols for SCADA integration
These features reduce validation effort during installation qualification (IQ) and operational qualification (OQ), helping QA teams demonstrate full control over critical process parameters.
Installation and Integration
Setting up the MB-90 is straightforward:
Position the cabinet on a level surface. No vibration-damping plinths or external condensers are needed.
Connect LN2 supply using the included CGA 295 quick-connect fitting. Acceptable supply pressures range from 30 psi for economical steady-state operation to 100 psi for highly efficient pull-downs.
Plug into a 120 VAC outlet protected by a 20 A circuit breaker.
Activate system purge the freezer automatically flushes internal plumbing to remove moisture before the initial cool-down.
Activate systeCalibrate sensorsm purge using the built-in multistep wizard or your own certified reference thermometer.
Once complete, the MB-90 is ready for protocol programming or remote SCADA enrollment through its Modbus-TCP interface.
Warranty and Support Ecosystem
Every MB-90 ships with a 20-year cooling-system parts warranty and lifetime virtual technical support. Cryometrix maintains regional LN2 application specialists who can assist with process optimization, IQ/OQ documentation, and field training for operators. Spare parts—including control valves, proximity sensors, and LCD assemblies—are warehoused domestically for rapid fulfillment, minimizing downtime even in the rare event of component failure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install the freezer in a cleanroom?
Yes. All wetted surfaces are 304 stainless, the cabinet generates no particulate emissions, and there is no mechanical vibration to disturb laminar flow. Users commonly place the unit in ISO 7 suites with no additional modifications.
Does rapid freezing damage delicate biologics?
Multiple peer-reviewed studies show that faster cooling reduces extracellular osmotic stress and limits intracellular ice growth, leading to higher post-thaw recoveries. The MB-90’s three-minute pull-down is therefore advantageous, provided cryoprotectant formulations and fill volumes are properly validated.
Is the system compatible with single-use bag manifolds?
Absolutely. The spacious 26 in × 17 in floorplate accommodates most 3 L and 6 L single-use bags without folding or stacking, preserving uniform flow paths during freeze or thaw.
Is the system compatible with bottle containers?
Certainly. The adjustable shelving heights withing the MB-90 allow for configuration
accommodation all container types from bottles, to bags, to vials and many more.
How to Evaluate the MB-90 for Your Process
- Map your throughput requirements — quantify the volume and frequency of materials you need to freeze or thaw.
- Analyze existing cycle times — measure how long your current equipment takes to reach –80 °C and recover after door openings.
- Estimate energy and nitrogen costs — compare consumption figures to the MB-90’s benchmarks to model savings.
- Define compliance needs — determine whether you require 21 CFR Part 11 functionality or standard logging suffices.
- Request a test setup run — Cryometrix offers complimentary process-development trials on an MB-90 or production-scale B-90. Contact us to create and receive a detailed temperature-profile report.
MB-90 BLAST FREEZER
Features
Performance
Exterior
Payload Bay Dimensions
Electrical
– 16 A in Thaw mode.