Apparatus and method of microwave vacuum drying sterile products

A method of drying a product, comprising:

• providing a microwave vacuum dryer having
• a loading chamber and a first vacuum pump in communication with the loading chamber,
• a first door separating the loading chamber from an external environment,
• a drying chamber adjacent the loading chamber, a second vacuum pump in communication with the drying chamber, and a condenser in vapor communication with the drying chamber,
• a second door separating the loading chamber and the drying chamber,
• an unloading chamber adjacent the drying chamber and a third vacuum pump in communication with the unloading chamber,
• a third door separating the drying chamber from the unloading chamber,
• a fourth door separating the unloading chamber from the external environment,
• a microwave chamber having a plurality of magnetrons, the microwave chamber positioned on a different plane from the loading and unloading chambers and adjacent the drying chamber;
• evacuating air from the drying chamber using the second vacuum pump;
• and
• activating at least one of the plurality of magnetrons to generate a microwave field within the drying chamber,
• providing each of the unloading, drying and loading chambers with an outer gasket to seal a microwave when one of the doors to the chamber is closed and an inner gasket adjacent the outer gasket, the inner gasket provides a sterile boundary when one of the doors to the chamber is closed.