EP3222946A1 - Device for metering of carbon dioxide snow - Google Patents

Abstract

For dosing carbon dioxide snow, a feed tank intended for filling with carbon dioxide has an output unit which comprises a discharge opening arranged laterally in the bottom area of the storage tank and a horizontally movable sliding element cooperating with the discharge opening. The sliding element is movable between a first, the output opening and a metering section of the original container occluding first position and a dispensing portion and the dispensing opening releasing second position. By actuating the sliding element, a precisely defined volume can be ejected via the dispensing opening.

Description

The invention relates to a device for metering carbon dioxide snow, with a storage container into which a feed line for liquid or snow-like carbon dioxide and a gas discharge line for discharging carbon dioxide gas and which is equipped with an output unit for the metered dispensing of carbon dioxide snow.

In order to be able to quickly freeze the surfaces, in particular of food products, they are sprayed with a cryogenic refrigerant, for example liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide snow. The treatment is preferably carried out in a freezing tunnel by means of injection nozzles or so-called snow horns.

In snow horns, the production of carbon dioxide snow takes place by relaxing liquid carbon dioxide using the Joule-Thomson effect. The snow horn here comprises an expansion element in the form of a nozzle, which is usually arranged in the head section of the snow horn above a vertically arranged funnel. Pressurized liquid carbon dioxide is depressurized at the expansion nozzle to a pressure of less than 5.18 bar to form a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and carbon dioxide snow. The carbon dioxide snow falls in the hopper under the action of gravity on a surface to be cooled down. When using such snow horns, however, the strong current of the simultaneously generated during relaxation carbon dioxide gas to a turbulence of the light snow particles and thus to a wide dispersion of the snow particles in front of the mouth of the snow horn.

It has already been attempted to focus the snow particles more with the aid of mechanical devices, such as funnels or baffles, such as in the EP 1 188 715 A1 , of the US 4,415,346 A or the GB 294 584 A described. However, there is a tendency for the carbon dioxide snow to caking on the mechanical devices and affecting the operation of the device.

From the EP 2 363 377 A1 a snow horn is known in which a screw conveyor is arranged between a flash chamber and a discharge opening. The screw conveyor separates the gas flow generated during the expansion from the carbon dioxide snow and transports the carbon dioxide snow precisely to the place of use. This carbon dioxide snow can be supplied to a consumer without turbulence by the gas flow. However, the supply of carbon dioxide is continuous; for targeted cooling of individual products that are transported for example on a conveyor belt through a cooling tunnel, this device is only partially suitable.

From the US 4 145 894 A a device for distributing carbon dioxide snow has become known on products in the operation of liquid carbon dioxide is relaxed in a storage container with the formation of carbon dioxide gas and carbon dioxide snow. The carbon dioxide snow collects in the storage tank, while the carbon dioxide gas is discharged via an exhaust pipe. At the bottom of the storage container a rotary valve is arranged, can be applied by means of the carbon dioxide snow from the storage container in predetermined amounts to an underlying product.

The EP 0 478 316 B1 describes a device for treating food products with carbon dioxide snow, in which the bottom of a likewise equipped with a supply of liquid carbon dioxide storage container is equipped with a perforated plate and with a stretched over the perforated plate wire mesh. The wire mesh holds back the carbon dioxide snow generated in the expansion of the liquid carbon dioxide in the storage tank. In use of the device carbon dioxide snow is pressed through the mesh of the wire mesh and the openings of the perforated plate by means of a wiper, which then falls on the surface of the product to be treated.

In the latter two devices, however, there is still the danger that inside the rotary valve or in the mesh of the wire fabric cakes carbon dioxide snow or freezing moisture from the ambient atmosphere ebendort, and so the functioning of the apparatus is impaired. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device for providing a precisely metered amount of carbon dioxide snow, in which the delivery of carbon dioxide snow is not disturbed by a gas flow to be cooled products and at the same time the risk of deterioration of functionality by caking carbon dioxide snow or freezing moisture is minimized.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of patent claim 1.

A device of the type and purpose specified above is thus characterized in that the dispensing unit comprises a dispensing opening laterally arranged in a dispensing portion of the dispensing container and a cooperating with the dispensing opening, horizontally movable sliding element which closes between a first, the dispensing opening and the dosing of the original container first position and a dispensing portion and the dispensing opening releasing second position is movable.

In the interior of the vertically arranged, for example, tube-shaped or cylindrical-shaped storage container opens a connected to a source of carbon dioxide feed. The feed line is, for example, a feed line for liquid carbon dioxide which ends in the interior of the feed tank at a flash nozzle. The closed on its underside by a bottom storage container has in its lower part a metering and arranged in a side wall of the storage container in the region of the metering discharge opening. The metering section is a partial volume of the receiver tank, which is arranged on the bottom side, below the junctions of the feed line and the gas discharge line and whose size determines the amount of a carbon dioxide snow zuzuführendem a product. The sliding element is, for example, a body which can be pushed into or pivoted into the dosing section of the original container and which has a surface section which corresponds to the size and shape of the dispensing opening and acts as a sliding plate, by means of which after filling of the dosing section Carbon dioxide snow this can be pushed out through the discharge opening from the storage tank.

The invention enables the exact dosage of a quantity of carbon dioxide snow to be delivered. In addition, it allows a product to be cooled with a given amount of carbon dioxide snow, without the risk of turbulence of the snow particles by carbon dioxide gas. The invention does not involve easily icing components such as small-area openings or rotary valves.

Expediently, the storage container has means which, during the pushing out of the carbon dioxide snow, separate or completely shut off the metering section from the remaining interior of the storage container and thus prevent the penetration of carbon dioxide snow into the metering section. This is done, for example, by providing a separating tray which can be inserted horizontally into the storage container above the sliding element, or the sliding element itself is designed such that it locks the metering section simultaneously with the pushing out of the carbon dioxide snow when moving into a closing position. For example, the sliding element is designed such that when inserted into the metering section, a side surface acts as a sliding plate for pushing out the carbon dioxide snow, while at the same time a laxative from an upper edge of the side surface horizontal deck surface blocks the inner cross section of the storage container and thus prevents the supply container supplied Carbon dioxide snow can penetrate to a significant extent in the metering or escape from the discharge opening. Instead, this accumulates in the reservoir in the partial volume above the sliding element.

By the horizontal movement of the sliding element and possibly the means for dividing the metering, for example by moving or pivoting in a respective opening position, metering and dispensing opening are released, and carbon dioxide snow, which is located above the metering, falls into the metering. By a renewed actuation of the sliding element, this time back from the opening position in the a closed position, the carbon dioxide snow within the metering section is pushed out of the storage tank through the discharge opening. In the event that means for dividing the metering are present, they are simultaneously moved back from the open position to a closed position, whereby a subsequent flow of carbon dioxide snow is prevented in the metering and ensures that a return of the sliding element is possible in the open position. The ejected carbon dioxide snow then falls either directly on the surface of a product to be cooled or is fed to a subsequent to the discharge port metering funnel.

In an expedient embodiment according to the invention, the dispensing opening can be closed by a movable cover, which is opened simultaneously with the actuation of the sliding element and / or by the pressure of the carbon dioxide snow pushed through the sliding element. However, the forces acting adhesively between the particles of the carbon dioxide snow are generally so strong that it is possible to dispense with such a cover, in particular in the case of small discharge openings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sliding element and / or the means for dividing the dosing is equipped with a drive unit. The drive unit, for example, equipped with an electric motor controls the automatic movement of the sliding element from the open position to the closed position and back. In a further embodiment of the invention, the drive unit can also cooperate with a device which detects the movement of products to be cooled on a conveyor belt passing below the output device, so that the emission of carbon dioxide snow automatically takes place precisely when a product to be cooled is below the dispensing opening located.

In a particularly particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the means for dividing the metering section comprise a cutting tool, which is arranged above the sliding element and can be moved independently of the sliding element by means of its own drive. When cutting tool For example, it is a blade or a wire. In use, the cutting tool is used to mechanically divide the snow body located in the dispensing unit just above the sliding element in a substantially horizontal plane and in this way break up bonds between the snow particles along the cutting plane. As a result, the subsequent actuation of the sliding element for ejecting the carbon dioxide snow present in the metering section is substantially facilitated. A complete separation of the metering from the rest of the interior of the reservoir through a above the sliding element arranged separating bottom is not required when using such a cutting tool. Such a configuration is particularly useful for larger devices in which the carbon dioxide snow is strongly compressed at least in the region of the dosing by the mass of the carbon dioxide snow above it. By providing a cutting tool, the engine power of the drive element for the sliding element can be made smaller, moreover, one for the cooling task unfavorable to high compression of the carbon dioxide snow is counteracted.

In a particular embodiment, the means for dividing the metering section comprise a dividing tray which can be pushed or pivoted into the interior of the receiving container. When the bottom is a sheet-like element, such as a thin sheet whose surface is adapted to the cross section of the interior of the storage container such that after insertion into the storage container whose interior is snowproof divided into two subspaces, of which the lower corresponds to the metering , In this case, the carbon dioxide snow in the dosing is thus completely separated from the rest of the carbon dioxide snow and can be pushed out of the discharge opening due to forces acting between the snow particles, as a compact snow body of a sliding element whose dessren sliding plate is smaller than the height of the snow body.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the vertical extent of the dispensing opening is variable. This can be realized for example by a vertically displaceable closing element that at the Issuing opening is mounted, or by a vertically displaceable wall element of the storage container. By changing the surface of the discharge opening, the metered amount of snow is varied. A reliable metering succeeds in particular if a plurality of superimposed cutting tools or shelves are provided in the storage container, each corresponding to a specific, adjustable vertical extent of the discharge opening. In this case, the dispensing opening is adapted to a selected cutting tool or separating bottom, whereby at the same time the size of the snow body to be ejected is determined.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the output unit has two or more superimposed sliding elements, which are movable independently of each other. This embodiment can be used with or without the previously described embodiments with cutting element, separating bottom or variable dispensing opening. In this way, the amount of carbon dioxide snow to be ejected can be adapted to the size of the products to be cooled and / or the refrigeration requirement of the respective cooling task, without the apparatus having to be rebuilt in a complicated manner. For small amounts of snow, only the uppermost push element is actuated, while for larger amounts of snow two or more sliding elements are operated simultaneously. The size of the dispensing opening, unless it is variably designed, corresponds in its area to the sum of the surfaces of all existing sliding elements acting as sliding plates. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous in embodiments in which there is only a slight compression of the carbon dioxide snow within the metering section.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the vertical distance between the bottom of the storage container with a means for dividing the metering section is variable. For example, the storage container for this purpose comprises two vertically mutually displaceable sections, wherein the sliding element is arranged in a lower portion and a separating bottom in an upper portion. For example, the two sections telescopically overlap one another and can be moved continuously against each other along their common longitudinal axis. The discharge opening is an upwardly open one Wall section in the lower portion of the storage container, which is limited down through the bottom of the storage container and up through the position of the partition. By shifting both sections relative to each other, the distance between the bottom of the storage container and the separating bottom and thus the size of the metering section changes. The movement of the two sections against each other is manual or motor-driven.

Due to forces acting between the particles of the carbon dioxide snow, the carbon dioxide snow is discharged not as a finely divided powder but as a largely continuous shaped body. An advantageous embodiment of the invention therefore provides that the dispensing opening and / or the dosing and / or the sliding element is / are adapted to the shape of the products to be treated. For this purpose, the dispensing opening has a certain width, which corresponds to the width of a product to be cooled, and / or the metering section of the storage container and / or the sliding unit has / have a shape corresponding to the surface of the product. For example, the dosing section can be designed to be round for cooling round products and the sliding element can be equipped with a circular recess. As a result, the carbon dioxide snow caking due to its internal forces is ejected from the discharge unit as a circular cylindrical shaped article and supplied to the product to be treated.

Preferably, the device according to the invention is arranged in a device for cooling of products, in which by means of a transport device, such as a conveyor belt, the products to be cooled are successively passed through a cooling tunnel and thereby acted upon with carbon dioxide snow. The device according to the invention is located inside the cooling tunnel above the transport device. In use of the device, the products to be cooled are successively carried out below the discharge opening of the device according to the invention and each accurately applied with a precisely defined amount of carbon dioxide snow, expediently a sensor-based automatic operation of the snow output depending on the position of the product to be treated Cooling tunnel triggers. In particular, in this way, products which are passed through the cooling tunnel in succession at a rapid rate of, for example, 1 to 2 pieces per second, can be supplied with a precisely metered amount of carbon dioxide snow. The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for doses of 5 g to over 1000 g of carbon dioxide snow, preferably between 10 g and 500 g.

A preferred use of a device according to the invention is to bring product surfaces to a low temperature or to maintain them at a low temperature, such as for the duration of a transport. A particularly preferred use is in the cooling or in the cold keeping of food products, such as dough pieces, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, but the invention is not limited thereto, but other products, such as chemical or pharmaceutical products can be cooled, or on a low temperature.

Fig. 1:

Eine in einem Kühltunnel angeordnete erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer vertikalen Schnittansicht,

Fig. 2a bis 2c:

Verschiedene Arbeitsschritte im Betrieb der Vorrichtung aus Fig. 1,

Fig. 3a:

Dosierabschnitt und Schiebeelement einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in einer ersten Ausführungsform in einer horizontalen Schnittansicht,

Fig. 3b:

Dosierabschnitt und Schiebeelement einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in einer zweiten Ausführungsform in einer horizontalen Schnittansicht ,

Fig. 4:

Eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer dritten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 5a, 5b:

Eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer vierten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 6:

Eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer fünften Ausführungsform,

Fig. 7:

Eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung in einer sechsten Ausführungsform

Reference to the drawings, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail. In schematic views show:

Fig. 1:

A device according to the invention arranged in a cooling tunnel in a vertical sectional view,

2a to 2c:

Various steps in the operation of the device Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3a:

Dosing section and sliding element of a device according to the invention in a first embodiment in a horizontal sectional view,

3b:

Dosing section and sliding element of a device according to the invention in a second embodiment in a horizontal sectional view,

4:

A device according to the invention in a third embodiment,

5a, 5b:

A device according to the invention in a fourth embodiment,

Fig. 6:

A device according to the invention in a fifth embodiment,

Fig. 7:

A device according to the invention in a sixth embodiment

In the Fig. 1 shown device 1 comprises a storage container 2 with thermally well insulated walls. Into the interior of the storage container 2 opens at a relaxation nozzle a supply line 3 for supplying liquid carbon dioxide. Instead of the supply line 3 shown here for liquid carbon dioxide is within the scope of the invention, a direct supply for carbon dioxide snow conceivable, such as the type EP 2 363 377 A1 described. Also possible are several supply lines for liquid carbon dioxide and / or carbon dioxide snow. In the lower region of the storage container 2 is an output unit 4 for dispensing carbon dioxide snow, in the upper region of the storage container 2, a gas discharge line 5 opens.

The dispensing unit 4 comprises a dispensing opening 7 arranged laterally above the base 6 of the storage container 2 and a sliding element 8, which cooperates with the latter and can be moved horizontally, by means of a drive unit 9. The drive unit 9 includes, for example, an electric motor that can be controlled by means of a control unit, not shown here. In the in Fig. 1 shown position, the sliding element 8 fills a lower, here designated as dosing 10 partial volume of the interior of the storage container 2 completely and at the same time closes the discharge opening 7. At the output port 7 can (if not required) connect a (here not shown) Dosiertrichter.

The device 1 is mounted, for example, within a cooling tunnel 11 and serves products 12, in particular food products, which are guided on a conveyor belt 13 through the cooling tunnel 11, accurately and in time with the passing products 12 to apply a defined amount of carbon dioxide snow. The drive unit 9 cooperates with a sensor device 14, which detects the position of a product 12 on the conveyor belt 13, in order to allow a targeted loading of the surface of a product 12 with carbon dioxide snow.

In Fig. 2a-c different operating states of the device 1 are shown.
During operation of the device 1 according to the invention, the feed tank 2 is continuously supplied with carbon dioxide snow 15. This is done by Supply of liquid carbon dioxide from a tank, not shown here via the supply line 3, which is within the storage container 2 to a pressure of less than 5.18 bar, preferably at atmospheric pressure (1 bar), relaxed and merges into a mixture of carbon dioxide snow 15 and carbon dioxide gas , While the resulting in the reservoir 2 by relaxation or sublimation carbon dioxide gas is discharged through the gas discharge line 5, the majority of the carbon dioxide snow 15 accumulates in the interior of the storage container 2 at. In the in Fig. 2a shown operating state of the metering region 10 is completely filled by the volume of the sliding element 8. Therefore accumulates in this position of the sliding element 8 of the carbon dioxide snow 15 above the sliding element eighth

By actuating the drive unit 9, the sliding element 8 is moved in the direction of the arrow 16 into a position in which the metering section 10 and the discharge opening 7 are opened ( Fig. 2b ). As a result, the carbon dioxide snow 15 located in the storage tank 2 falls downwards, as indicated by the arrow 17, thereby filling the metering section 10.

By re-actuation of the drive unit 9, the sliding element 8 is then moved back into the previous position, as indicated by arrow 18 ( Fig. 2c ). As a result, the part of the carbon dioxide snow 15 located in the metering section 10 is pushed out through the discharge opening 7 and falls out of the storage tank 2 onto a product 12 located below the delivery device 4. Since the carbon dioxide snow has a certain dimensional stability due to internal forces between the individual snow particles, it falls The carbon dioxide snow predominantly not as a powder, but at least to a large extent as a compact molded body 19 from the output unit 4. This can be exploited in the manner described in more detail below to adapt the discharged amount of snow even better to the surface to be treated. The discharged carbon dioxide snow 19 is replaced by a continuous regeneration of carbon dioxide snow by relaxation of liquid carbon dioxide at the discharge nozzle located at the discharge 3 expansion nozzle.

In Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b are horizontal sectional views of Dosierabschnitten 10 in the region of the sliding element shown, which allow an adaptation of the shaped body 19 to the respective shape of the product 12 to be cooled.

In the in Fig. 3a shown embodiment of a storage container 2 of a device according to the invention, the metering section 10 of a storage container 2 has a round cross-section; Accordingly, the front portion 20 of the - as indicated by the arrow 21 - horizontally displaceable sliding element 8 has a recess in the form of a circular section. Accordingly, one of the embodiment according to Fig. 3a ejected shaped body 19 of carbon dioxide snow 15, the shape of a cylindrical disc with a circular cross-section and is thus particularly suitable for cooling of circular product surfaces.

In the in Fig. 3b shown embodiment of a storage container 2 of a device according to the invention, the metering section 10 has a rectangular cross-section; Accordingly, the front portion 22 of the sliding element 8 is formed as a flat surface. One of an embodiment according to Fig. 3b ejected molded body 19 of carbon dioxide snow 15 is thus constructed substantially cuboid.

In the Fig. 4 shown embodiment of a device 24 according to the invention differs from the device 1 in that instead of a single sliding element 8 now two superimposed, each horizontally movable sliding elements 25, 26 and an enlarged, one of the sum of the front surfaces 28, 29 of the sliding elements 25, 26 corresponding Issuing opening 7 are provided. Incidentally, elements having the same effect are in Fig. 4 and Fig. 1 provided with the same reference numerals. The sliding elements 25, 26, which are actuated in the same way as the sliding element 8, are independently movable by the drive unit 9. In this way it is possible to vary the dispensed amounts of carbon dioxide snow 15 according to the respective requirements. If only small quantities required, the actuation of the upper sliding element 25 is sufficient; the lower sliding element 26 remains in the in Fig. 4 shown position. For larger amounts of snow are by contrast, both sliding elements 25, 26 actuated simultaneously. In a similar manner, moreover, more than two sliding elements 25, 26 can be arranged one above the other.

The in the Fig. 5a and 5b shown embodiment of a device 30 according to the invention differs from the device 1 only in that in the output unit 4, above the sliding element 8, a cutting tool 31 is arranged. The cutting tool 31 is, for example, a blade or a wire which can be moved by means of a drive not shown here. In use, the cutting tool 31 is made of a in Fig. 5a shown starting position through the carbon dioxide snow 15 located within the original container 2 in the direction of the arrow 33 passes and separates in this way located in the dosing section 10 part of the carbon dioxide snow 15 along a substantially horizontal plane 32 of remaining in the interior of the original container 2 Part of the carbon dioxide snow 15 off, as in Fig. 5b shown. As a result, the bonding forces between the snow particles along the plane 32 are broken and the portion of the carbon dioxide snow 15 located in the dosing section 10 can easily be pushed out to the discharge opening 7 with the aid of the sliding element 8.

In the Fig. 5a and 5b embodiment shown is particularly advantageous in devices 30 in which the carbon dioxide snow present in the reservoir 2 is highly compressed and the forces acting between the snow particles adhesion forces complicate the ejection of carbon dioxide snow 15 by means of the sliding element 8. This is the case, for example, in larger apparatuses in which large quantities of carbon dioxide snow of, for example, a few kilograms can be present in the feed tank 2 and the carbon dioxide snow 15 is compressed at least in the region of the metering section 10 to form a more or less compact snow body.

The mechanical separation of the snow body located in the region of the metering section 10 from the remaining carbon dioxide snow 15 substantially facilitates the actuation of the sliding element 8. Of course, one can Cutting tool 31, or more cutting tools 31, also in one embodiment of a device according to the invention with a plurality of sliding elements 25, 26 (corresponding Fig. 4 ), wherein a cutting tool can occasionally be arranged above the uppermost sliding element 25 or above each sliding element 25, 26. Incidentally, instead of a cutting tool 31, a separating tray may also be used, by means of which the interior of the receiving container is subdivided into two partial spaces separated from each other by snow, the lower of which corresponds to the metering section 10.

At the in Fig. 6 shown device 34, in the rest of the same functionally identical components with the same reference numerals as in the previously described devices 1, 20 are designated, a storage container 35 has a discharge opening 36, the height of which is adjustable. In the embodiment according to Fig. 6 this is realized in that a wall portion 37 of the storage container 35 - as indicated by the arrow 38 - can be moved up and down, whereby the vertical spacing of the wall portion 37 from the bottom 6 of the storage container 35 - and thus the discharge opening 36 - is changed , Above the sliding element 8 are several, in the embodiment three, shelves 39, 40, 41 are provided. The dividing trays 39, 40, 41 are surface elements made of plastic or metal, for example metal sheets, which are adapted to the internal cross section of the storage container 35 and which independently of one another from a position (opening position) in which they are outside the interior of the storage container 35 located (In Fig. 6 shown at the trays 39, 41), horizontally in a position (closed position) can be moved or pivoted, in which they divide the interior of the reservoir 35 in two snow-tightly separated sub-volumes 42, 43, of which the lower sub-volume 43 corresponds to the dosing (In Fig. 6 at the separating bottom 40).

By selecting a separating bottom 39, 40, 41, the quantity of carbon dioxide snow 15 metered by the device 34 can be varied. It is by moving the selected partition (according to the embodiment Fig. 6 this is separation bottom 40) in its closed position, the interior of the storage container Separated 35 and the carbon dioxide snow 15 below the selected partition 40 separated from the carbon dioxide snow 15 above. Then, the discharge port 37 is set to the height of the selected partition 40. To actuate the sliding element 8, the entire snow located below the selected separating bottom 40 is subsequently ejected. Incidentally, instead of separating trays 29, 40, 41, it is also possible to use cutting tools 31 corresponding to those in FIG Fig. 5a, 5b embodiment shown are used to divide the ejected amount of snow from the remaining carbon dioxide snow 15 in the storage tank 2.

In the Fig. 7 shown device 44 allows a continuous adjustment of the metered amount of carbon dioxide snow to be delivered. Again, like components are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the previously described devices 1, 20 and 34. The device 44 has a storage container 45 which is divided into two sections 46, 67 which can be telescoped against each other, such as indicated by the arrow 48. In the lower portion 26, a sliding element 8, in the upper portion 47 a equipped with a drive 49 separating bottom 50 is arranged. The sliding element 8 and the separating bottom 50 are constructed in the device 44 in the same manner as in the device 34. In order to vary the amount of carbon dioxide snow 15 to be delivered, the lower section 46 is displaced relative to the upper section 47 until the metering section 10 defined as the volume between the bottom 6 and the separating bottom 50 is sufficient to receive the desired metered amount of carbon dioxide 15. During operation of the device 44, the sliding element 8 and the separating bottom 50 are initially arranged outside the interior of the storage container 45. The feed tank 45 is continuously supplied with snowy carbon dioxide, for example, by relaxing liquid carbon dioxide at a flash nozzle at the outlet of the supply line 3. In this case, the dosing 10 fills with carbon dioxide snow 15. By moving the separating tray 50 in his in Fig. 7 shown closed position of the carbon dioxide snow 15 located within the metering section 10 is separated from the located in the storage tank 45 above the sliding floor 50 carbon dioxide snow 15. By actuation of the sliding element 50, the carbon dioxide snow 15 accumulated in the metering section 10 subsequently turns off pushed out of the storage container 45, as indicated by the arrow 52, and falls for example on a befindliches below, not shown here product.

The displacement of the two sections 46, 47 of the in Fig. 7 shown supply container 45 against each other can be done manually or by means of a drive unit, not shown here. Optionally, a lid (not shown here) allows the dispensing opening 7 to be closed and released during operation of the device 44.

The invention enables accurate metering of carbon dioxide amount as compared to corresponding prior art devices and has low susceptibility to failure due to snow caking or forming water ice bodies. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas generated simultaneously with the carbon dioxide snow is discharged immediately after its formation, without, for example, to mix with the atmosphere in the cooling tunnel. It is thus of high purity and can be easily collected and then reused or reused. In addition, the device according to the invention also enables accurate metering of carbon dioxide snow for the indirect cooling of products in a transport container equipped with a refrigerant compartment for carbon dioxide snow.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1.

contraption

Second

storage container

Third

supply

4th

output unit

5th

Gas vent line

6th

ground

7th

discharge opening

8th.

sliding element

9th

drive unit

10th

metering

11th

cooling tunnel

12th

product

13th

conveyor belt

14th

sensor device

15th

carbon dioxide snow

16th

arrow

17th

arrow

18th

arrow

19th

moldings

20th

front section

21st

arrow

22nd

front section

23rd

-

24th

contraption

25th

sliding element

26th

sliding element

27th

-

28th

front surface

29th

front surface

30th

contraption

31st

cutting tool

32nd

Horizontal plane

33rd

arrow

34th

contraption

35th

storage container

36th

discharge opening

37th

wall section

38th

arrow

39th

separating base

40th

separating base

41st

separating base

42nd

partial volume

43rd

partial volume

44th

contraption

45th

storage container

46th

section

47th

section

48th

arrow

49th

drive unit

50th

separating base

51st

arrow

Claims (11)

Device for dosing carbon dioxide snow, with a storage container (2, 35, 45) into which a supply line (3) for liquid or snow-like carbon dioxide and a gas discharge line (5) for discharging carbon dioxide gas and with an output unit (4) for metered Dispensing carbon dioxide snow (15) is equipped,
characterized,
in that the dispensing unit (4) has a dispensing opening (7) arranged laterally in the region of a metering section (10) of the storage container (2, 35, 45) and a horizontally movable sliding element (8, 25, 26) cooperating with the dispensing opening (7) Pushing out of the metering section (10) befindliches carbon dioxide snow (15) through the discharge opening (7). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the output unit (4) comprises means (39, 40, 41,50) for dividing the dosing section (10) from the remaining partial volume (42) of the storage container (2, 35, 45). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sliding element (8, 25, 26) and / or the means (39, 40, 41,50) for dividing the metering section (10) with a drive unit (9) is equipped. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that means (39, 40, 41,50) for dividing the dosing (10) one above the sliding element (8, 25, 26) arranged in the interior of the storage container (2) horizontally movable cutting tool (31, 38, 39, 40, 50), which is independent of the sliding element (8, 25, 26) operable. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for dividing the dosing (10) at least one above the sliding element (8, 25, 26) arranged in the interior of the storage container (2, 35, 45) horizontally movable separating tray ( 38, 39, 40, 50). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical extent of the discharge opening (7) is designed to be variable. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output unit (4) has a plurality of superposed sliding elements (25, 26) which are movable independently of each other. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage container (45) comprises two telescopically mutually displaceable sections (46, 47), wherein in a lower portion (46) a sliding element (8) and in an upper portion (47) a Means (39, 40, 41,50) for dividing the dosing (10) is arranged. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispensing opening (7) and / or the metering section (10) and / or the sliding element (8, 25, 26) is / are adapted to the shape of the products (12) to be treated. Device for cooling products, comprising a cooling tunnel (11), a transport device (13) for transporting a succession of products (12) through the cooling tunnel (11) and with a device arranged inside the cooling tunnel (11) for applying the surfaces of the products (12) with carbon dioxide snow, characterized in that a device (1, 24, 30) is provided according to one of the preceding claims as means for applying the surface of the products with carbon dioxide snow. Use of a device or device according to one of the preceding claims for cooling or keeping cold surfaces of products (12), in particular surfaces of food products.

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