Within this work, we assess the median values of these quantities and their variability in batches of various sizes and conduct sensitivity studies with respect to heat transfer rate, system size, and nucleation kinetics. Specifically, we investigate three sources of batch heterogeneity in four systems of increasing complexity, as summarized in table . They comprise: a) the inherent stochasticity of ice nucleation, that all systems exhibit; b) the thermal interaction among vials, which was recently shown to enhance the existing stochasticity in the case of freeze-drying; and) the batch geometry and the vials' position within the batch. Simulations of four systems allow us to gain insight and to reach a mechanistic understanding on all these phenomena.