CA1081486A - Batch freezing in chilled brine - Google Patents
Batch freezing in chilled brineInfo
- Publication number
- CA1081486A CA1081486A CA308,425A CA308425A CA1081486A CA 1081486 A CA1081486 A CA 1081486A CA 308425 A CA308425 A CA 308425A CA 1081486 A CA1081486 A CA 1081486A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- brine
- tray
- container
- inlets
- depressor
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
- A23B4/06—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23B4/08—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of chemicals or treatment with chemicals before or during cooling, e.g. in the form of an ice coating or frozen block
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D17/00—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces
- F25D17/02—Arrangements for circulating cooling fluids; Arrangements for circulating gas, e.g. air, within refrigerated spaces for circulating liquids, e.g. brine
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A brine freezer for materials bouyant in brine comprises a container for brine and a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container. There is a brine outlet near the bottom of the container. A de-pressor is positioned below the brine inlets and above the material for holding the material below the brine. The depressor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downward circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of upwardly and laterally extending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
A brine freezer for materials bouyant in brine comprises a container for brine and a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container. There is a brine outlet near the bottom of the container. A de-pressor is positioned below the brine inlets and above the material for holding the material below the brine. The depressor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downward circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of upwardly and laterally extending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
Description
This invention relates to a brine freezer for freezing materials, particularly small fish.
In the past, several problems have been encoun-tered in the freezing of materials buoyant in brine, par-ticularly small fish such as herring, flat fish and perch,using low temperature brine. These problems are particu-larly important in the batch freezing of roe herring for the processing of Kazunoko, a Japanese speciality item. In this case, the freezing of the roe herring is a method of pro-cessing as well as a preparation for extended storage.
These small fish, by their shape and size, defyeven surface contact with the low temperature brine. The resulting uneven distribution of brine through the product prevents the even freezing of a given charge and slows the reduction in temperature to the desired level.
A further problem arises because of the extensive build up of foam during the process of freezing a product in brine. This is particularly true with present spray systems.
The foam not only adversely affects the freezing rate, but also coats the product with a messy deposit.
Another common system uses refrigeration coils immersed within the brine freezing tank and one or more propellers inside the tank to provide brine agitation.
However, the brine distribution is usually poor and the product doesn't freeze evenly.
According to the invention, a brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprises a container for brine having an upper surface, and a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container and below the surface of the brine. There is a brine outlet near the .
~ " ' . , ~
bottom of the container~ A depressor for positioning below the brine inlets and above the ma erial holds the material below the brine. The depressor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downwards circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of baffles thereon extending upwardly towards the brine inlets promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
There may also be a flat, tray-like distributor for spanning the container below the material. The dis-tributor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon.
The apertures are spaced closer together with increasing distance from the brine outlet to promote uniform circu-lation of brine through the material.
Preferably, the apertures of the distributor are smaller than the inlets so that the tray acts as a screen to retain smaller particles of the material to be frozen.
In a preferred form, the invention provides a brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprising a four-sided container for brine having a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top thereof. Manifold meansconnects the brine inlets with a brine inlet conduit. There is at least one brine outlet near the bottom of the con-tainer. A brine chiller is connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for chilling the brine. A
pump is connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for pumping brine from the outlets and towards the inlets. A flat, generally rectangular distributor tray is positioned in the container below the material to be frozen in a generally horizontal position. The tray has three upwardly extending sides, one open side and a plurality of B
-- . ~
i` 1081486 apertures in the bottom thereof for the circulation of brine through the tray. A spacer means spaces the tray above the bottom of the container and above the outlets. A flat rectangular mesh-like depressor with a plurality of aper-tures is positioned above the material to be frozen andholds the material belowthe brine and has an extent gen-erally equal to the cross-section of the container. The depressor has a plurality of upwardly and laterally ex-tending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material. There is means for suspending the distributor tray below the depressor such that the tray slopes downwardly towards its open side for discharging frozen material when the depressor is lifted out of the container.
The invention overcomes the problems previously encountered in the freezing of buoyant materials such as small fish. Uniform circulation of brine is promoted for efficient and even freezing of the product. The depressor keeps buoyant products below the surface of the brine.
Circulating the brine from below the surface of the brine -2a-B
.. : . ~ : . . :
.. . . . . . .: . . . . . . .......... .
.. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .
eliminates foaming. Other advantages are outlined below.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is an isometric view showing a brine freezer according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a brine freezer according to an ~mbodiment of the invention, illus-trating the r~lative position of its components during the freezing operation and showing the brine chiller and pump diagrammatically;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a brine freezer showing the position of its components during unloading of the frozen product.
Figure 1 is an isometric view of components of a brine freezer according to a first embodiment of the in-vention. The brine freezer 2 includes a rectangular tank 4 of stainless steel or other suitable material. For the freezing of roe herring, one such tank 4 is 22 feet long, 5 feet wide and 11 feet high. A plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets 6 are arranged along two sides of the tank 4 near the top thereof. The brine inlets 6 are interconnected by a manifold 8 which runs along the two sides of the tank 4. The brine inlets 6 are approximately three-quarters of an inch in diameter and spaced approximately 4 1/2 inches apart. These dimensions may be varied according to the size of tank 4 or other requirements. Brine inlet conduit 10 is connected to the manifold 8 near the center of the end of the tank 4. A brine outlet conduit 12 below inlet conduit 10 is connected to plenum 7 opening into tank 4 by means of 3U brine outlet 5 extending across the bottom of tank 4. A ;
1081~86 bypass conduit 14 and a bypass valve 16 connect the inlet conduit 10 and the outlet conduit 12 adjacent the tank 4.
The tank 4 is also provided with corner guides 16 and 18 at one end as well as flat guides 20 and 2~ along the sides near the other end. These guides are for tray 24 and depressor 46 as will be described later. A discharge chute 26 is connected to the end of tank 4 and to guides 20 and 22.
The brine freezer 2 is also equipped with a distributor tray 24. In the position shown in Figure 1, distributor tray 24 is removed from the tank 4, but, as seen in Figure 2, during the freezing operation, tray 24 can be located within the tank 4. Spacer legs 28 are provided near the four corners of tray 24 to provide a space between the bottom of the tray 24 and the bottom of the tank 4, as seen in Figure 2. The tray 24 is provided with three upwardly extending sides 29, 30 and 31. The fourth side, adjacent discharge chute 26, is open. The length and width of tray 24 are generally the same as the inside of tank 4, so that tray 24 spans the interior of the tank when in the hori-zontal position shown in Figure 2. A resilient seal 3~, of a suitable material such as rubber, is provided along the tops of sides 29, 30, and 31. The seal 36 serves to seal the tray 24 against the inside of tank 4 when the tray is in the position shown in Figure 2. The flat rectangular bottom 40 of the tray 24 is provided with a plurality of apertures 38. Apertures 38 are about 5/8l' in diameter and are spaced closer together with increasing distance from the brine outlet 5. A rectangular door 42 is provided on the bottom 40 of the tray 24 and is supported by protrusions below a , . .
, : ~
corresponding rectangular aperture in the bottom 40 to provide a flat, smooth upper surface on ~ottom 40. Hinges 44 are provided to connect door 42 to the bottom 40 and to allow upward movement of the door 42. When the tank 4 is filled with brine and the tray 24 is placed in the tank 4, the door 42 pivots upwardly on hinges 44 allowing the brine to flow through tray 24 more easily and permitting it to move more quickly downwards through tank 4 to the position shown in Figure 2. A plurality of rollers 45 are connected to the sides of tray 24 and act as guides to facilitate the downwards and upwards movement of tray 24 in tank 4.
Located above tray 24 is a flat rectangular depressor 46 of open stainless steel mesh or the like. The openings comprise about 60 to 80~ of the depressor surface.
The depressor 46 has a length and width approximately the same as the inside of tank 4. Seven baffles 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 extend upwardly from, and laterally across, depressor 46. Of course, the number of baffles can vary, particularly according to the size of tank 4. Depressor 46 is provided with a perimeter frame 55 of angle section or the like. Chains 56, 58, 60 and 62 connect depressor 46 and tray 24 near their four corners. Chains 60 and 62 are longer than chains 56 and 58 so that tray 24 tilts downwards towards its open end when suspended below the horizontal depressor 46. Rollers 59 connected to frame 55 facilitate movement of depressor 46 into and out of tank 4.
As seen in Figure 2, a centrifugal pump 61 and a brine chiller 63 are connected between outlet conduit 12 and inlet conduit 10. Chiller 63 is actually much larger than : . : . . . .. . , ..... . . . ----" 1081486 shown. Centrifugal pump 61 is used to pump brine from the bottom of tank 4 to the top of tank 4 and through inlets 6 and must have sufficient capacity for a relatively high rate of circulation of brine for the freezing of buoyant products such as roe herring. Chiller 63 is used to chill the brine so that the brine in tank 4 remains near its eutectic point.
In operation, tank 4 is filled with brine to level -64 noted in Figure 2. Level 66 indicates the position of the brine inlets 6. The pump 61 pumps the brine from outlet 5 to the top of tank 4 and through inlets 6. The brine flowing from inlets 6 has been chilled to near the freezing point by brine chiller 63. Chiller 63 is, for example, a -tube and shell chiller using ammonia.
As shown in Figure 2, the material to be frozen, for example fish 70, are introduced into the tank of brine 4 between tray 24 and depressor 46. Distributor tray 24 is used for loading and unloading fish, as well as providing means for distributing the brine properly through the fish. Chains 56, 58, 60 and 62, shown in Figure 1, are slack when legs 28 rest on the bottom of tank 4 and de-pressor 46 rests on top of the fish 7U. The fish 70 are buoyant in the brine and depressor 46 has sufficient weight to push the fish 70 downwards below the surface 64 of the brine. The chilled brine from chiller 63 is introduced into the tank 4 through inlets 6 below the surface 64 of the brine. Since the inlets 6 are approximately three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and are located below the surface 64 of the brine, foaming of the brine is substantially re-duced. As apertures 38 in tray 24 are smaller than inlets "
. .. . , - , . . .
.. . ,, . : .. ' " ' '., '--`~ 10814~6 6, the tray 24 acts as a screen to help avoid clogging of inlets 6 by particles of the product to be frozen.
The upwardly extending baffles 48 to 54 on de-pressor 46 help assure the even distribution of the brine S from inlets 6 through the fish 70. After passing through the fish 70, the brine from inlets 6 passes through the apertures 38 of distributor tray 24 before p~ssing through outlet 5 of tank 4. Since the brine is forced to travel through the apertures 38 distributed over the bottom 4U of tray 24, the uniform circulation of brine through fish 70 is promoted instead of the brine short circuiting to outlet 5 of tank 4. Additionally, since the apertures 38 of tray 24 are spaced closer together with their increasing distance from brine outlet 5, the even circulation of brine through-out tank 4 is again encouraged. Because of seal 36 aroundtray 24, the brine returned to the chiller 63 from outlet 5 of tank 4 is kept free of any larger particles of the product to be frozen.
After the fish 70 are frozen, valve 16 is opened so that most of the brine from chiller 63 returns to pump 61 through bypass conduit 14. This reduces the vigorous brine flow out of brine inlets 6 during unloading of the fish, while maintaining the flow through the chiller 63 at a rate sufficient to protect it from freezing, even at temperatures close to the eutectic point of the brine. When valve 16 has been opened, depressor 46 is lifted out of tank 4 in a generally horizontal position by a conventional hoist to the position shown in Figure 3. Because chains 60 and 62 are ~`
longer than chains 56 and 53, tray 24 slopes downwards towards its open end. The open end is even with discharge chute 26 of tank 4 and the frozen fish slide downwards off -tray 24 and through the discharge chute 26.
After the frozen fish are discharged, another charge of fish to be frozen is placed on tray 24 when tray 24 and depressor 46 are partly lowered towards tank 4. Tray 24 and depressor 46 are then submerged in the brine of tank 4 as shown in Figure 2.
The uniform and high rate of circulation of brine promoted by the present invention is particularly important for proper and uniform freezing of the highly buoyant and dense layers of fish encountered in freezing roe herring.
The depressor keeps the layer below the surface for even freezing and the circulation of the brine through the layer promotes individual freezing of each fish.
: . . ' , , ' . ' ~ ~ . , , : , .: .:: .
- . . . ~ ~.
.
In the past, several problems have been encoun-tered in the freezing of materials buoyant in brine, par-ticularly small fish such as herring, flat fish and perch,using low temperature brine. These problems are particu-larly important in the batch freezing of roe herring for the processing of Kazunoko, a Japanese speciality item. In this case, the freezing of the roe herring is a method of pro-cessing as well as a preparation for extended storage.
These small fish, by their shape and size, defyeven surface contact with the low temperature brine. The resulting uneven distribution of brine through the product prevents the even freezing of a given charge and slows the reduction in temperature to the desired level.
A further problem arises because of the extensive build up of foam during the process of freezing a product in brine. This is particularly true with present spray systems.
The foam not only adversely affects the freezing rate, but also coats the product with a messy deposit.
Another common system uses refrigeration coils immersed within the brine freezing tank and one or more propellers inside the tank to provide brine agitation.
However, the brine distribution is usually poor and the product doesn't freeze evenly.
According to the invention, a brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprises a container for brine having an upper surface, and a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container and below the surface of the brine. There is a brine outlet near the .
~ " ' . , ~
bottom of the container~ A depressor for positioning below the brine inlets and above the ma erial holds the material below the brine. The depressor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downwards circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of baffles thereon extending upwardly towards the brine inlets promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
There may also be a flat, tray-like distributor for spanning the container below the material. The dis-tributor has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon.
The apertures are spaced closer together with increasing distance from the brine outlet to promote uniform circu-lation of brine through the material.
Preferably, the apertures of the distributor are smaller than the inlets so that the tray acts as a screen to retain smaller particles of the material to be frozen.
In a preferred form, the invention provides a brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprising a four-sided container for brine having a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top thereof. Manifold meansconnects the brine inlets with a brine inlet conduit. There is at least one brine outlet near the bottom of the con-tainer. A brine chiller is connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for chilling the brine. A
pump is connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for pumping brine from the outlets and towards the inlets. A flat, generally rectangular distributor tray is positioned in the container below the material to be frozen in a generally horizontal position. The tray has three upwardly extending sides, one open side and a plurality of B
-- . ~
i` 1081486 apertures in the bottom thereof for the circulation of brine through the tray. A spacer means spaces the tray above the bottom of the container and above the outlets. A flat rectangular mesh-like depressor with a plurality of aper-tures is positioned above the material to be frozen andholds the material belowthe brine and has an extent gen-erally equal to the cross-section of the container. The depressor has a plurality of upwardly and laterally ex-tending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material. There is means for suspending the distributor tray below the depressor such that the tray slopes downwardly towards its open side for discharging frozen material when the depressor is lifted out of the container.
The invention overcomes the problems previously encountered in the freezing of buoyant materials such as small fish. Uniform circulation of brine is promoted for efficient and even freezing of the product. The depressor keeps buoyant products below the surface of the brine.
Circulating the brine from below the surface of the brine -2a-B
.. : . ~ : . . :
.. . . . . . .: . . . . . . .......... .
.. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .
eliminates foaming. Other advantages are outlined below.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
Figure 1 is an isometric view showing a brine freezer according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a brine freezer according to an ~mbodiment of the invention, illus-trating the r~lative position of its components during the freezing operation and showing the brine chiller and pump diagrammatically;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a brine freezer showing the position of its components during unloading of the frozen product.
Figure 1 is an isometric view of components of a brine freezer according to a first embodiment of the in-vention. The brine freezer 2 includes a rectangular tank 4 of stainless steel or other suitable material. For the freezing of roe herring, one such tank 4 is 22 feet long, 5 feet wide and 11 feet high. A plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets 6 are arranged along two sides of the tank 4 near the top thereof. The brine inlets 6 are interconnected by a manifold 8 which runs along the two sides of the tank 4. The brine inlets 6 are approximately three-quarters of an inch in diameter and spaced approximately 4 1/2 inches apart. These dimensions may be varied according to the size of tank 4 or other requirements. Brine inlet conduit 10 is connected to the manifold 8 near the center of the end of the tank 4. A brine outlet conduit 12 below inlet conduit 10 is connected to plenum 7 opening into tank 4 by means of 3U brine outlet 5 extending across the bottom of tank 4. A ;
1081~86 bypass conduit 14 and a bypass valve 16 connect the inlet conduit 10 and the outlet conduit 12 adjacent the tank 4.
The tank 4 is also provided with corner guides 16 and 18 at one end as well as flat guides 20 and 2~ along the sides near the other end. These guides are for tray 24 and depressor 46 as will be described later. A discharge chute 26 is connected to the end of tank 4 and to guides 20 and 22.
The brine freezer 2 is also equipped with a distributor tray 24. In the position shown in Figure 1, distributor tray 24 is removed from the tank 4, but, as seen in Figure 2, during the freezing operation, tray 24 can be located within the tank 4. Spacer legs 28 are provided near the four corners of tray 24 to provide a space between the bottom of the tray 24 and the bottom of the tank 4, as seen in Figure 2. The tray 24 is provided with three upwardly extending sides 29, 30 and 31. The fourth side, adjacent discharge chute 26, is open. The length and width of tray 24 are generally the same as the inside of tank 4, so that tray 24 spans the interior of the tank when in the hori-zontal position shown in Figure 2. A resilient seal 3~, of a suitable material such as rubber, is provided along the tops of sides 29, 30, and 31. The seal 36 serves to seal the tray 24 against the inside of tank 4 when the tray is in the position shown in Figure 2. The flat rectangular bottom 40 of the tray 24 is provided with a plurality of apertures 38. Apertures 38 are about 5/8l' in diameter and are spaced closer together with increasing distance from the brine outlet 5. A rectangular door 42 is provided on the bottom 40 of the tray 24 and is supported by protrusions below a , . .
, : ~
corresponding rectangular aperture in the bottom 40 to provide a flat, smooth upper surface on ~ottom 40. Hinges 44 are provided to connect door 42 to the bottom 40 and to allow upward movement of the door 42. When the tank 4 is filled with brine and the tray 24 is placed in the tank 4, the door 42 pivots upwardly on hinges 44 allowing the brine to flow through tray 24 more easily and permitting it to move more quickly downwards through tank 4 to the position shown in Figure 2. A plurality of rollers 45 are connected to the sides of tray 24 and act as guides to facilitate the downwards and upwards movement of tray 24 in tank 4.
Located above tray 24 is a flat rectangular depressor 46 of open stainless steel mesh or the like. The openings comprise about 60 to 80~ of the depressor surface.
The depressor 46 has a length and width approximately the same as the inside of tank 4. Seven baffles 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 extend upwardly from, and laterally across, depressor 46. Of course, the number of baffles can vary, particularly according to the size of tank 4. Depressor 46 is provided with a perimeter frame 55 of angle section or the like. Chains 56, 58, 60 and 62 connect depressor 46 and tray 24 near their four corners. Chains 60 and 62 are longer than chains 56 and 58 so that tray 24 tilts downwards towards its open end when suspended below the horizontal depressor 46. Rollers 59 connected to frame 55 facilitate movement of depressor 46 into and out of tank 4.
As seen in Figure 2, a centrifugal pump 61 and a brine chiller 63 are connected between outlet conduit 12 and inlet conduit 10. Chiller 63 is actually much larger than : . : . . . .. . , ..... . . . ----" 1081486 shown. Centrifugal pump 61 is used to pump brine from the bottom of tank 4 to the top of tank 4 and through inlets 6 and must have sufficient capacity for a relatively high rate of circulation of brine for the freezing of buoyant products such as roe herring. Chiller 63 is used to chill the brine so that the brine in tank 4 remains near its eutectic point.
In operation, tank 4 is filled with brine to level -64 noted in Figure 2. Level 66 indicates the position of the brine inlets 6. The pump 61 pumps the brine from outlet 5 to the top of tank 4 and through inlets 6. The brine flowing from inlets 6 has been chilled to near the freezing point by brine chiller 63. Chiller 63 is, for example, a -tube and shell chiller using ammonia.
As shown in Figure 2, the material to be frozen, for example fish 70, are introduced into the tank of brine 4 between tray 24 and depressor 46. Distributor tray 24 is used for loading and unloading fish, as well as providing means for distributing the brine properly through the fish. Chains 56, 58, 60 and 62, shown in Figure 1, are slack when legs 28 rest on the bottom of tank 4 and de-pressor 46 rests on top of the fish 7U. The fish 70 are buoyant in the brine and depressor 46 has sufficient weight to push the fish 70 downwards below the surface 64 of the brine. The chilled brine from chiller 63 is introduced into the tank 4 through inlets 6 below the surface 64 of the brine. Since the inlets 6 are approximately three-quarters of an inch in diameter, and are located below the surface 64 of the brine, foaming of the brine is substantially re-duced. As apertures 38 in tray 24 are smaller than inlets "
. .. . , - , . . .
.. . ,, . : .. ' " ' '., '--`~ 10814~6 6, the tray 24 acts as a screen to help avoid clogging of inlets 6 by particles of the product to be frozen.
The upwardly extending baffles 48 to 54 on de-pressor 46 help assure the even distribution of the brine S from inlets 6 through the fish 70. After passing through the fish 70, the brine from inlets 6 passes through the apertures 38 of distributor tray 24 before p~ssing through outlet 5 of tank 4. Since the brine is forced to travel through the apertures 38 distributed over the bottom 4U of tray 24, the uniform circulation of brine through fish 70 is promoted instead of the brine short circuiting to outlet 5 of tank 4. Additionally, since the apertures 38 of tray 24 are spaced closer together with their increasing distance from brine outlet 5, the even circulation of brine through-out tank 4 is again encouraged. Because of seal 36 aroundtray 24, the brine returned to the chiller 63 from outlet 5 of tank 4 is kept free of any larger particles of the product to be frozen.
After the fish 70 are frozen, valve 16 is opened so that most of the brine from chiller 63 returns to pump 61 through bypass conduit 14. This reduces the vigorous brine flow out of brine inlets 6 during unloading of the fish, while maintaining the flow through the chiller 63 at a rate sufficient to protect it from freezing, even at temperatures close to the eutectic point of the brine. When valve 16 has been opened, depressor 46 is lifted out of tank 4 in a generally horizontal position by a conventional hoist to the position shown in Figure 3. Because chains 60 and 62 are ~`
longer than chains 56 and 53, tray 24 slopes downwards towards its open end. The open end is even with discharge chute 26 of tank 4 and the frozen fish slide downwards off -tray 24 and through the discharge chute 26.
After the frozen fish are discharged, another charge of fish to be frozen is placed on tray 24 when tray 24 and depressor 46 are partly lowered towards tank 4. Tray 24 and depressor 46 are then submerged in the brine of tank 4 as shown in Figure 2.
The uniform and high rate of circulation of brine promoted by the present invention is particularly important for proper and uniform freezing of the highly buoyant and dense layers of fish encountered in freezing roe herring.
The depressor keeps the layer below the surface for even freezing and the circulation of the brine through the layer promotes individual freezing of each fish.
: . . ' , , ' . ' ~ ~ . , , : , .: .:: .
- . . . ~ ~.
.
Claims (9)
1. A brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprising:
a container for brine having an upper surface;
a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container and below the surface of the brine;
a brine outlet near the bottom of the container;
and a depressor for positioning below the brine inlets, above the material and for holding the material below the brine, the depressor having a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downwards circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of baffles thereon extending upwardly towards the brine inlets to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
a container for brine having an upper surface;
a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top of the container and below the surface of the brine;
a brine outlet near the bottom of the container;
and a depressor for positioning below the brine inlets, above the material and for holding the material below the brine, the depressor having a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon for the downwards circulation of brine from the inlets and a plurality of baffles thereon extending upwardly towards the brine inlets to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
2. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 1 com-prising a flat, tray-like distributor for spanning the container below the material, the distributor having a plurality of spaced-apart apertures thereon, the apertures being spaced closer together with increasing distance from the brine outlet to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material.
3. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 2, the apertures of the distributor tray being smaller than the inlets so that the tray acts as a screen to retain smaller particles of the material to be frozen.
4. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 3, the distributor having three upwardly extending sides, an open side and peripheral sealing means for sealing the tray against the container when positioned therein.
5. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 4, including the door on the distributor hinged for upward movement when the distributor tray is placed into the container of brine to allow the tray to move more quickly downwards through the brine.
6. A brine freezer for materials buoyant in brine comprising:
a four-sided container for brine, a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top thereof;
manifold means connecting the brine inlets with a brine inlet conduit;
at least one brine outlet near the bottom of the container;
a brine chiller connected between the brine oulets and the manifold means for chilling the brine;
a pump connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for pumping brine from the outlets and towards the inlets;
a flat generally rectangular distributor tray for positioning in the container below material to be frozen in a generally horizontal position, the tray having three upwardly extending sides, one open side and a plurality of apertures in the bottom thereof for the direction of brine through the tray;
spacer means for spacing the tray above the bottom of the container and above the outlets;
a flat rectangular mesh-like depressor with a plurality of apertures for positioning above the material to be frozen and holding the material below the brine and having an extent generally equal to the cross-section of the container, the depressor having a plurality of upwardly and laterally extending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material;
and means for suspending the distributor tray below the depressor such that the tray slopes downwardly towards its open side for discharging frozen material when the depressor is lifted out of the container.
a four-sided container for brine, a plurality of spaced-apart brine inlets near the top thereof;
manifold means connecting the brine inlets with a brine inlet conduit;
at least one brine outlet near the bottom of the container;
a brine chiller connected between the brine oulets and the manifold means for chilling the brine;
a pump connected between the brine outlets and the manifold means for pumping brine from the outlets and towards the inlets;
a flat generally rectangular distributor tray for positioning in the container below material to be frozen in a generally horizontal position, the tray having three upwardly extending sides, one open side and a plurality of apertures in the bottom thereof for the direction of brine through the tray;
spacer means for spacing the tray above the bottom of the container and above the outlets;
a flat rectangular mesh-like depressor with a plurality of apertures for positioning above the material to be frozen and holding the material below the brine and having an extent generally equal to the cross-section of the container, the depressor having a plurality of upwardly and laterally extending baffles thereon to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material;
and means for suspending the distributor tray below the depressor such that the tray slopes downwardly towards its open side for discharging frozen material when the depressor is lifted out of the container.
7. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 18, the inlets being positioned to be below the brine.
8. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 19, including sealing means around the edges of the distributor tray to seal the tray against the inside of the container and wherein the distance between the apertures of the distributor tray decreases with distance from the brine outlets to promote uniform circulation of brine through the material to be frozen.
9. A brine freezer as claimed in claim 1, the baffles being spaced-apart and extending laterally across the depressor and the container when the depressor is positioned therein.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA308,425A CA1081486A (en) | 1978-07-31 | 1978-07-31 | Batch freezing in chilled brine |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA308,425A CA1081486A (en) | 1978-07-31 | 1978-07-31 | Batch freezing in chilled brine |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1081486A true CA1081486A (en) | 1980-07-15 |
Family
ID=4112023
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA308,425A Expired CA1081486A (en) | 1978-07-31 | 1978-07-31 | Batch freezing in chilled brine |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1081486A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0174170A2 (en) * | 1984-09-07 | 1986-03-12 | Castleton, Inc. | Method and apparatus for chilling and freezing articles |
| WO2010149402A1 (en) | 2009-06-25 | 2010-12-29 | Cambridge Design Research Llp | Dispensing apparatus and methods |
-
1978
- 1978-07-31 CA CA308,425A patent/CA1081486A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0174170A2 (en) * | 1984-09-07 | 1986-03-12 | Castleton, Inc. | Method and apparatus for chilling and freezing articles |
| EP0174170A3 (en) * | 1984-09-07 | 1988-06-08 | Castleton, Inc. | Method and apparatus for chilling and freezing articles |
| WO2010149402A1 (en) | 2009-06-25 | 2010-12-29 | Cambridge Design Research Llp | Dispensing apparatus and methods |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US5117777A (en) | Method and apparatus for transporting and preserving living fishes | |
| EP3194298B1 (en) | Seafood container | |
| US4089298A (en) | Apparatus for the storage and transportation of crustaceans | |
| US7523718B2 (en) | System and method for transporting live aquatic animals | |
| US5572952A (en) | Method for transporting live fish and container for use in the same | |
| US4051690A (en) | Method and apparatus for freezing fish | |
| EP1860935B1 (en) | System and method for transporting live aquatic animals | |
| CA1081486A (en) | Batch freezing in chilled brine | |
| US5237959A (en) | Crustacean life-support and transport system | |
| US4138021A (en) | Ducted material handling device for top unloading of a storage receptacle | |
| EP0023145B1 (en) | Method of transporting a load of living shell-fish and apparatus usable in such transportation | |
| KR101824359B1 (en) | transporting method using Container for live-fish and Crustacea | |
| US4471718A (en) | Apparatus for incubating fish eggs | |
| WO2020251371A1 (en) | Rotating plate freezer | |
| SU520894A3 (en) | Installation for cooling and storing fish in reefer fishing vessels | |
| EP0275674A1 (en) | System for storing aquatic livestock | |
| KR20000031246A (en) | Module type box for carrying live fish and system of carrying live fish | |
| GB2054812A (en) | Method of transporting loads of shell-fish and apparatus suitable for use in such transportation | |
| JP2000116273A (en) | Tank, system and method for transportation of living fish and shellfish | |
| EP0594723B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for crop treatment | |
| GB2186067A (en) | Chilled storage device | |
| US1968543A (en) | Method of and apparatus for refrigerating materials | |
| KR101848359B1 (en) | A transporting container for multipurpose | |
| SU824939A1 (en) | Device for processing and preserving fish | |
| SU1134145A1 (en) | Apparatus for incubation of roe and seasoning salmon fish lavrae and artificial substrate for effecting same |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |