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Industrial decontamination equipment

High-capacity thermal systems for bioproduction facilities

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Actini designs and manufactures a complete range of patented industrial-scale thermal decontamination systems for biological liquid effluents, from compact production-scale batch units to fully modular continuous systems treating over 50,000 gallons per day. Find the right solution for your facility.

Discover our products

ULTIBATCH - Up to 950 gallons per day

ULTIMATE - Up to 4,200 gallons per day

EXTREMATE - Up to 4,200 gallons per day

CYCLOBATCH / BDS - Up to 4,200 gallons per day

FDS - Up to 50,200 gallons per day

ULTIMATE PLUS - Up to 50,700 gallons per day

Why does industrial-scale biowaste decontamination require a different approach?

industrial decontamination unit cyclobatch - BDS

In research laboratories, biowaste decontamination is a daily operational requirement, manageable with compact, plug-and-play units that treat tens or hundreds of gallons per day. In bioproduction facilities, vaccine manufacturing plants, and large-scale research campuses, the challenge is categorically different.

Effluent volumes reach thousands of gallons per day. Production lines run continuously. Containment failures have regulatory, public health, and operational consequences that extend far beyond a single facility. And the decontamination system is not just a piece of lab equipment, it is a GMP-critical asset, subject to formal qualification, routine auditing, and stringent performance validation requirements.

At this scale, the right decontamination system is not simply a larger version of a lab unit. It is a purpose-engineered solution designed around industrial throughput, uninterrupted operation, redundancy, energy efficiency, and the containment architecture required for the most hazardous biological agents handled anywhere in the world. Actini has been engineering these systems for decades, with hundreds of industrial units deployed in pharmaceutical manufacturing, government research facilities, and biotech production sites across the US and worldwide.

What are the key criteria for selecting an industrial decontamination system?

Choosing the right industrial decontamination solution requires a structured evaluation of your facility’s specific operational, regulatory, and engineering requirements. Five factors drive this decision:

Daily effluent volume and flow rate are the primary sizing criteria. Industrial systems are sized in gallons per hour of continuous flow or gallons per cycle for batch configurations, then scaled to daily throughput requirements based on your operational schedule. Accurate flow rate data, including peak flows, average flows, and daily operating hours, is essential to selecting a system that handles your production load without creating bottlenecks or running at excessive overcapacity.

Validation and qualification requirements vary significantly between facilities. GMP-regulated pharmaceutical and biotech environments require formal FAT and SAT qualification, full documentation packages, and IQ/OQ/PQ protocols. Standard validation documentation is included with Actini’s industrial range, but facilities with specific qualification requirements should discuss these during the system selection process to ensure the right documentation package is specified from the outset.

Biosafety level and containment requirements define the safety architecture of the system. BSL1 and BSL2 operations can be served by standard configurations. BSL3 and BSL4 facilities require reinforced containment, redundant safety devices, SIL-rated control systems, and in some cases ATEX-classified design for hazardous area installations.

Available utilities determine whether a steam-based or electric system is appropriate. Steam systems deliver higher throughput and faster heating but require an on-site steam supply. Electric systems — like the FDS-500, are deployable without steam infrastructure, offering greater installation flexibility for facilities where steam is not available or where a new steam supply would represent a disproportionate infrastructure investment.

Effluent characteristics determine which technology is appropriate. Water-like effluents with low particle loads are compatible with both batch and continuous flow systems. Effluents containing biological solids, particles, or variable viscosity materials require batch systems with active agitation, specifically tangential steam injection, to ensure uniform heat distribution throughout the entire volume.

What is the difference between Batch and Continuous decontamination at industrial scale?

The choice between batch and continuous technology at industrial scale has direct implications for throughput, operational flexibility, energy consumption, and system complexity.

Batch system

Batch decontamination at industrial scale uses large kill tanks, ranging from 8 to 580 gallons of useful capacity, to collect and treat effluent in discrete cycles. Each cycle heats the entire tank contents to treatment temperature, holds for the required time, then discharges before the next cycle begins. Batch systems excel at treating effluents containing particles, solids, or variable viscosity materials, where active agitation during heating is essential for uniform treatment. Actini’s patented tangential steam injection technology delivers this agitation while simultaneously reducing noise, heating time, and energy consumption compared to conventional batch designs.

Continuous system

Continuous decontamination processes effluent as a steady stream, with no collection phase and no cycle gap. Effluent enters the system continuously, is heated to treatment temperature as it passes through the heat exchanger, held at that temperature for the required duration, then cooled and discharged,all in a single uninterrupted sequence. Continuous systems are ideal for facilities with sustained, consistent effluent flows and high daily volumes, where cycle-based operation would create unacceptable accumulation of untreated waste or throughput limitations. Actini’s tube-in-tube continuous flow systems recover up to 80% of the thermal energy used in the process, making them among the most energy-efficient industrial decontamination solutions available.

Which industrial decontamination system is right for my Facility?

	CYCLOBATCH	ULTIBATCH	EXTREMATE	FDS	ULTIMATE	ULTIMATE PLUS
Daily capacity	26–4,200 gal	Up to 950 gal	Up to 4,200 gal	Up to 50,200 gal	Up to 12,700 gal	Up to 50,700 gal
Technology	Batch	Batch	Continuous	Continuous	Continuous	Continuous
Energy	Steam	Steam	Steam	Steam / Electric	Steam	Steam
BSL	1-4	1-3	1-3	1-4	1-3	1-3
ATEX Ready	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
Scalable	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Stock Available	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Particles / Viscous	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No

What does F0 mean at industrial scale?

F0 is the universal sterilization efficacy indicator in thermal decontamination, representing the cumulative thermal dose delivered to the effluent expressed as the equivalent number of minutes of sustained exposure at 121°C (250°F). At industrial scale, F0 validation takes on additional significance, it is the documented, quantitative proof that every gallon of effluent processed by the system has received a sufficient thermal dose to inactivate all biological agents present, regardless of the volume treated or the duration of operation.

Actini’s industrial systems are configured to deliver F0 values of 25 to 50 depending on the required biosafety level and regulatory framework. Treatment parameters are continuously monitored by temperature sensors at multiple points in the circuit, including the coldest point, ensuring that F0 targets are met for every volume of effluent treated, with automatic failsafe diversion if any parameter deviates from the validated range.

industrial decontamination unit ULTIMATE PLUS

Why choose actini for your industrial decontamination infrastructure?

At the industrial scale, the consequences of a decontamination system failure extend far beyond a compliance citation. They affect production continuity, public health, and your facility’s operating license. Actini brings the engineering depth, field experience, and product track record to make sure that never happens.

With hundreds of large-scale systems installed in vaccine manufacturing facilities, government research campuses, and biotech production sites across the US and worldwide, Actini is the trusted partner for facilities where getting it right is the only acceptable outcome. ISO 14001 certified, Made in the USA, and backed by a full service and support infrastructure, from FAT and SAT qualification to maintenance contracts, spare parts kits, and performance audits.

Not sure which system fits your facility’s requirements?

Our engineering team will help you size the right solution for your effluent volume, containment level, site constraints, and qualification timeline, at the right price.