EP3222946B1 - Device for metering of carbon dioxide snow - Google Patents

Description

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

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

In snow horns, carbon dioxide snow is produced by relaxing liquid carbon dioxide using the Joule-Thomson effect. The snow horn comprises a relaxation 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 expanded to a pressure of below 5.18 bar at the expansion nozzle, producing a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and carbon dioxide snow. The carbon dioxide snow falls in the funnel under the effect of gravity onto a surface to be cooled. When using such snow horns, however, the strong current of the carbon dioxide gas generated during the expansion leads to a swirling of the light snow particles and thus to a wide dispersion of the snow particles in front of the mouth of the snow horn.

Attempts have already been made to focus the snow particles with the aid of mechanical devices, such as funnels or baffles, for example in the EP 1 188 715 A1 , the US 4,415,346 A or the GB 294 584 A described. Here, however, there is a tendency for the carbon dioxide snow to bake on the mechanical devices and impair 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 relaxation 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. As a result, carbon dioxide snow can be fed to a consumer without being swirled by the gas stream. However, the carbon dioxide is supplied continuously; This device is only suitable to a limited extent for the targeted cooling of individual products which are transported, for example, on a conveyor belt through a cooling tunnel.

From the US 4,145,894 A A device for distributing carbon dioxide snow to products has become known, in the operation of which liquid carbon dioxide is expanded in a storage container with the formation of carbon dioxide gas and carbon dioxide snow. The carbon dioxide snow collects in the storage container, while the carbon dioxide gas is discharged via an exhaust pipe. A cellular wheel sluice is arranged on the bottom of the storage container, by means of which carbon dioxide snow can be applied from the storage container in predetermined quantities 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 storage container also equipped with a feeder for liquid carbon dioxide is equipped with a perforated plate and with a wire mesh stretched over the perforated plate. The wire mesh retains the carbon dioxide snow generated in the expansion of the liquid carbon dioxide in the storage container. When using 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 onto the surface of the product to be treated.

In the case of the two last-mentioned devices, however, there is still the risk that carbon dioxide snow will bake on inside the cellular wheel sluice or in the meshes of the wire mesh or that moisture from the ambient atmosphere will freeze there, thus impairing the functionality of the apparatus.

Furthermore, from the US 1 795 772 A1 as well as the US 2,151,855 A1 Devices are known in which carbon dioxide snow produced in a container by relaxing liquid carbon dioxide is pressed into dry ice blocks and the dry ice blocks are then ejected from a lateral opening of the device.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device for providing the most precisely metered amount of carbon dioxide snow, in which the delivery of the carbon dioxide snow to products to be cooled is not disturbed by a gas flow and in which at the same time the risk of impairment of the functionality by baking of carbon dioxide snow or freezing of moisture is minimized.

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

In the case of a device of the type and intended use mentioned at the outset, the dispensing unit according to the invention comprises a dispensing opening arranged laterally in a metering section of the storage container and a horizontally movable sliding element which interacts with the dispensing opening and which is between a first position closing the dispensing opening and the metering section of the storage container and one the metering section and the dispensing opening releasing second position is movable.

In the interior of the vertically arranged, for example tubular or cylindrical, storage container, a supply line flows-connected to a source of carbon dioxide opens. The feed line is, for example, a feed line for liquid carbon dioxide, which ends in the interior of the storage container at an expansion nozzle. The storage container closed on its underside by a bottom has a metering section in its lower region and an outlet opening arranged in a side wall of the storage container in the region of the metering section. The dosing section is is a partial volume of the storage container, which is arranged on the bottom side, below the mouths of the feed line and the gas discharge line, and the size of which determines the amount of carbon dioxide snow to be supplied to a product. The sliding element is, for example, a body which can be pushed into or swiveled into the metering section of the storage container and which has a surface section corresponding to the size and shape of the dispensing opening and acting as a sliding shield, by means of which after the metering section has been filled with Carbon dioxide snow can be pushed out of the storage container through the dispensing opening.

The invention enables the precise metering of a quantity of carbon dioxide snow to be dispensed. In addition, it enables a predetermined amount of carbon dioxide snow to be applied to a product to be cooled without the risk of the snow particles being swirled by carbon dioxide gas. The invention manages without easily icing components such as small-area openings or cellular wheel sluices.

The storage container expediently has means which separate or completely shut off the metering section from the rest of the interior of the storage tank while the carbon dioxide snow is being pushed out and thus prevent the penetration of carbon dioxide snow into the metering section. This is done, for example, by providing a partition that 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 when moving into a so-called closed position at the same time as the carbon dioxide snow is pushed out. For example, the sliding element is designed such that when inserted into the metering section, a side surface acts as a sliding shield for pushing out the carbon dioxide snow, while at the same time a horizontal top surface leading away from an upper edge of the side surface blocks the inner cross section of the storage container and in this way prevents the storage container from being fed Significant amounts of carbon dioxide snow can penetrate into the metering section or escape from the dispensing opening. Instead, this accumulates in the sub-volume in the sub-volume above the sliding element.

The horizontal movement of the sliding element and possibly the means for dividing the metering section, for example by moving or pivoting into a respective opening position, releases the metering section and dispensing opening, and carbon dioxide snow, which is located above the metering section, falls into the metering section. By actuating the sliding element again, this time back from the open position to the In a closed position, the carbon dioxide snow located within the metering section is pushed out of the storage container through the dispensing opening. In the event that means for dividing the metering section are present, these are simultaneously moved back from the open position into a closed position, thereby preventing carbon dioxide snow from flowing into the metering section and ensuring that the sliding element can be returned to the open position. The ejected carbon dioxide snow then either falls directly onto the surface of a product to be cooled or is fed to a metering funnel adjoining the dispensing opening.

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 advanced by the sliding element. However, the adhesive forces acting between the particles of the carbon dioxide snow are generally so strong that such a lid can be dispensed with, particularly in the case of small dispensing openings.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sliding element and / or the means for dividing the metering section 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 which passes below the dispensing device, so that carbon dioxide snow is dispensed automatically exactly when a product to be cooled is below the dispensing opening located.

In another 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. With the cutting tool it is for example a blade or a wire. In use, the cutting tool is used to mechanically break up the snow body located in the dispensing unit just above the sliding element in a substantially horizontal plane and in this way to break 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 located in the metering section is made considerably easier. A complete separation of the metering section from the rest of the interior of the storage container by means of a partition arranged above the sliding element is not necessary 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 area of the metering section by the mass of the carbon dioxide snow located above it. By providing a cutting tool, the motor power of the drive element for the sliding element can be designed to be lower, and moreover, compression of the carbon dioxide snow, which is disadvantageous for the cooling task, is counteracted.

In a special embodiment, the means for dividing the metering section comprise a partition that can be pushed or swiveled into the interior of the storage container. The dividing floor is a flat element, for example a thin sheet, the surface of which is adapted to the cross section of the interior of the storage container such that after insertion into the storage container, the interior of the storage compartment is divided into two subspaces, the lower one of which corresponds to the metering section , In this case, the carbon dioxide snow in the metering section is thus completely separated from the rest of the carbon dioxide snow and, due to forces that act between the snow particles, can also be pushed out of the dispensing opening as a compact snow body by a sliding element, the sliding plate of which is smaller than the height of the snow body.

The invention provides that the vertical extent of the dispensing opening is variable. This can be realized by a vertically displaceable closing element, which on the Output opening is mounted, or through a vertically displaceable wall element of the storage container. The metered amount of snow is varied by changing the area of the dispensing opening. Reliable dosing is particularly successful when a plurality of cutting tools or partitions arranged one above the other are provided in the storage container, each of which corresponds to a specific, adjustable vertical extent of the dispensing opening. In this case, the dispensing opening is adapted to a selected cutting tool or partition, which at the same time determines the size of the snow body to be ejected.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the output unit has two or more sliding elements arranged one above the other, which can be moved independently of one another. This configuration can be used with or without the configurations described above with cutting element, partition 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 cooling requirement of the respective cooling task without the device having to be converted in a complex manner. With small amounts of snow, only the uppermost sliding element is actuated, while with larger amounts of snow two or more sliding elements are actuated simultaneously. Unless it is variable, the size of the dispensing opening corresponds in its area to the sum of the areas of all existing sliding elements which act as sliding signs. 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 can be changed with a means for dividing the metering section. For this purpose, for example, the storage container comprises two sections which can be displaced vertically relative to one another, the sliding element being arranged in a lower section and a partition in an upper section. For example, the two sections extend telescopically one above the other and can be steplessly shifted against one another along their common longitudinal axis. The dispensing opening is open at the top Wall section in the lower section of the storage container, which is bounded at the bottom by the bottom of the storage container and at the top by the position of the partition. By moving the two sections against each other, the distance between the bottom of the storage container and the separating bottom changes, and thus the size of the metering section. The movement of the two sections against each other takes place manually or motor-driven.

Due to the forces acting between the particles of the carbon dioxide snow, the carbon dioxide snow is not discharged as a finely divided powder, but rather as a shaped body which is largely connected. An advantageous embodiment of the invention therefore provides that the dispensing opening and / or the metering section 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 a shape corresponding to the surface of the product. For example, to cool round products, the metering section can be round and the sliding element can be equipped with a circular recess. As a result, the carbon dioxide snow that cakes due to its internal forces is ejected as a circular cylindrical molding from the dispensing unit and fed to the product to be treated.

The device according to the invention is preferably arranged in a device for cooling products, in which, by means of a transport device, for example a conveyor belt, the products to be cooled are successively passed through a cooling tunnel and carbon dioxide snow is thereby applied to them. The device according to the invention is located inside the cooling tunnel above the transport device. In the use of the device, the products to be cooled are carried out one after the other below the dispensing opening of the device according to the invention and in each case are precisely charged with a precisely defined amount of carbon dioxide snow, expediently a sensor-assisted automatic control of the snow dispensing depending on the position of the product to be treated in Cooling tunnel triggers. In particular, products that are passed through the cooling tunnel in succession at a rapid cycle of, for example, 1 to 2 pieces per second can also be charged with a precisely metered amount of carbon dioxide snow. The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for cans of 5g to over 1000g of carbon dioxide snow, preferably between 10g and 500g.

A preferred use of a device according to the invention is to bring product surfaces to a low temperature or to keep them at a low temperature, for example for the duration of a transport. A particularly preferred use consists in cooling or keeping food products, for example dough pieces, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, cold, but the invention is not restricted to this, but rather other products, for example chemical or pharmaceutical products, can also be cooled or on one kept 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

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are to be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. Schematic views show:

Fig. 1:

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

2a to 2c:

Different work 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,

Fig. 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 The device 1 shown comprises a storage container 2 with thermally well-insulated walls. A supply line 3 for supplying liquid carbon dioxide opens into the interior of the storage container 2 at a relaxation nozzle. Instead of the feed line 3 shown here for liquid carbon dioxide, a feed for carbon dioxide snow is also conceivable within the scope of the invention, for example of the type shown in FIG EP 2 363 377 A1 described. Several feed lines for liquid carbon dioxide and / or carbon dioxide snow are also possible. In the lower area of the storage container 2 there is an output unit 4 for discharging carbon dioxide snow, in the upper area of the storage container 2 a gas discharge line 5 opens out.

The dispensing unit 4 comprises a dispensing opening 7 arranged laterally above the base 6 of the storage container 2, and a horizontally movable sliding element 8 which cooperates with it and can be actuated by means of a drive unit 9. The drive unit 9 comprises, for example, an electric motor, which can be controlled by means of a control unit, not shown here. In the in Fig. 1 In the position shown, the sliding element 8 completely fills a lower partial volume of the interior of the storage container 2, referred to here as the metering section 10, and at the same time closes the dispensing opening 7. If required, a dispensing funnel (not shown here) can be connected to the dispensing opening 7.

The device 1 is mounted, for example, within a cooling tunnel 11 and is used to apply products 12, in particular food products, which are guided on a conveyor belt 13 through the cooling tunnel 11 precisely and in time with the products 12 passing through, with a defined amount of carbon dioxide snow. For this purpose, the drive unit 9 works together with a sensor device 14 which detects the position of a product 12 on the conveyor belt 13 in order to enable the surface of a product 12 to be exposed to carbon dioxide snow in a targeted manner.

In 2a-c Various operating states of the device 1 are shown.
During operation of the device 1 according to the invention, the supply container 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 feed line 3, which is expanded inside the storage container 2 to a pressure of below 5.18 bar, preferably to atmospheric pressure (1 bar), and passes into a mixture of carbon dioxide snow 15 and carbon dioxide gas , While the carbon dioxide gas generated in the supply container 2 by expansion or sublimation is discharged via the gas discharge line 5, the major part of the carbon dioxide snow 15 collects in the interior of the supply container 2. In the in Fig. 2a Operating state shown, the dosing 10 is completely filled by the volume of the sliding element 8. Therefore, in this position of the sliding element 8, the carbon dioxide snow 15 collects above the sliding element 8.

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 dispensing opening 7 are open ( Fig. 2b ). As a result, the carbon dioxide snow 15 located in the storage container 2 falls down, as indicated by the arrow 17, and thereby fills the metering section 10.

By actuating the drive unit 9 again, 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 dispensing opening 7 and falls out of the storage container 2 onto a product 12 located under the dispensing device 4. Since the carbon dioxide snow has a certain dimensional stability between the individual snow particles due to internal forces, 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 used in the manner described in more detail below to adapt the amount of snow discharged even better to the surface to be treated. The discharged carbon dioxide snow 19 is replaced by continuous new generation of carbon dioxide snow by expansion of liquid carbon dioxide at the expansion nozzle located at the outlet of the feed line 3.

In 3a and 3b Horizontal sectional views of metering sections 10 in the region of the sliding element are shown, which enable the shaped body 19 to be adapted to the respective shape of the product 12 to be cooled.

In the in Fig. 3a Embodiment of a storage container 2 of a device according to the invention shown, the metering section 10 of a storage container 2 has a round cross section; Accordingly, the front section 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 demonstrates from the embodiment Fig. 3a ejected molded body 19 made of carbon dioxide snow 15 has the shape of a cylindrical disk with a circular cross section and is therefore particularly suitable for cooling 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 section 22 of the sliding element 8 is designed as a flat surface. One from one embodiment Fig. 3b Ejected molded body 19 made of carbon dioxide snow 15 is thus essentially cuboid.

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

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

In the 5a and 5b The embodiment shown is particularly advantageous in devices 30 in which the carbon dioxide snow located in the storage container 2 is highly compressed and the adhesive forces acting between the snow particles make it more difficult to eject carbon dioxide snow 15 by means of the sliding element 8. This is the case, for example, in the case of larger devices in which large quantities of carbon dioxide snow of, for example, a few kilograms in mass can be present in the storage container 2 and the carbon dioxide snow 15 is compressed into a more or less compact snow body at least in the region of the metering section 10.

The mechanical separation of the snow body located in the area of the metering section 10 from the rest of the carbon dioxide snow 15 significantly simplifies the actuation of the sliding element 8. Of course, one can Cutting tool 31, or a plurality of cutting tools 31, also in one embodiment of a device according to the invention with a plurality of sliding elements 25, 26 (correspondingly Fig. 4 ) are used, whereby a cutting tool can be arranged occasionally above the uppermost sliding element 25 or above each sliding element 25, 26. Instead of a cutting tool 31, a partition can also be used, by means of which the interior of the storage container is divided into two subspaces separated from one another in a snow-tight manner, the lower one of which corresponds to the metering section 10.

At the in Fig. 6 The device 34 shown, in which components with the same effect are designated with the same reference numerals as in the previously described devices 1, 20, a storage container 35 has an output opening 36, the height of which is adjustable. In the embodiment according to Fig. 6 this is realized in that a wall section 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 section 37 from the bottom 6 of the storage container 35 - and thus the dispensing opening 36 - is changed , Above the sliding element 8, several, in the exemplary embodiment three, dividing floors 39, 40, 41 are provided. The dividing plates 39, 40, 41 are surface elements made of plastic or metal, for example metal sheets, which are adapted to the inner cross section of the storage container 35 and which are independent of one another from a position (opening position) in which they are outside the interior of the storage container 35 (In Fig. 6 at the partitions 39, 41), can be horizontally shifted or pivoted into a position (closed position) in which they divide the interior of the storage container 35 into two partial volumes 42, 43 separated from each other in a snow-tight manner, of which the lower partial volume 43 corresponds to the metering section (In Fig. 6 shown at partition 40).

By selecting a partition 39, 40, 41, the amount of carbon dioxide snow 15 metered by the device 34 can be varied. This is done by moving the selected partition (in the embodiment according to Fig. 6 is this partition 40) in its closed position the interior of the storage container 35 divided and the carbon dioxide snow 15 below the selected partition 40 separated from the carbon dioxide snow 15 above. The discharge opening 37 is then adjusted to the height of the selected partition 40. To actuate the sliding element 8, the entire snow located below the selected partition 40 is then ejected. Instead of dividing plates 29, 40, 41, cutting tools 31 can, moreover, correspond to those in FIG 5a, 5b Embodiment shown are used to divide the amount of snow to be ejected from the remaining carbon dioxide snow 15 in the reservoir 2.

In the Fig. 7 The device 44 shown enables a continuous adjustment of the metered amount of carbon dioxide snow to be dispensed. Here too, components having the same effect are identified 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 telescopically displaced relative to one another, such as indicated by arrow 48. A sliding element 8 is arranged in the lower section 26, and a partition 50 equipped with a drive 49 is arranged in the upper section 47. The sliding element 8 and the partition 50 are constructed in the device 44 in the same way as in the device 34. In order to vary the amount of carbon dioxide snow 15 to be dispensed, 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 accommodate the desired metering amount of carbon dioxide 15. During operation of the device 44, the sliding element 8 and the partition 50 are initially arranged outside the interior of the storage container 45. The storage container 45 is continuously supplied with snow-shaped carbon dioxide, for example by relaxing liquid carbon dioxide at a relaxation nozzle at the outlet of the feed line 3. The metering section 10 fills with carbon dioxide snow 15. By moving the separating tray 50 into its Fig. 7 Shown closed position, the carbon dioxide snow 15 located within the metering section 10 is separated from the carbon dioxide snow 15 located in the storage container 45 above the sliding floor 50. By actuating the sliding element 50, the carbon dioxide snow 15 accumulated in the metering section 10 is then removed pushed out of the storage container 45, as indicated by the arrow 52, and falls, for example, on a product underneath, not shown here.

The displacement of the two sections 46, 47 of the in Fig. 7 Receiving container 45 shown against each other can be done manually or by means of a drive unit, not shown here. Optionally, a cover, not shown here, enables the dispensing opening 7 to be closed and opened while the device 44 is in operation.

The invention enables a precise metering of a quantity of carbon dioxide compared to corresponding devices from the prior art and has a low susceptibility to faults due to snow caking or water ice bodies forming. In addition, the carbon dioxide gas generated at the same time as the carbon dioxide snow is discharged immediately after it is formed, without, for example, mixing with the atmosphere in the cooling tunnel. It is therefore of high purity and can easily be collected and then reused or reused. The device according to the invention also enables precise 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 (10)

1. Apparatus for metering carbon dioxide snow, having a storage container (2, 35, 45) into which a supply line (3) for carbon dioxide in liquid or snow-like form and a gas extraction line (5) for the discharge of carbon dioxide gas open, and which is equipped with a discharge unit (4) for the metered discharge of carbon dioxide snow (15),
   wherein the storage container (2, 35, 45), which is arranged vertically and is closed on its underside by a base, has in its lower region a metering section (10), which is a partial volume of the storage container (2, 35, 45) that is arranged on the base side, under the entry openings of the feed line (3) and the gas extraction line (5), and the discharge unit (4) comprises a discharge opening (7), which is arranged laterally in a side wall of the storage container (2, 35, 45), in the region of the metering section (10) of the storage container (2, 35, 45), and a horizontally movable sliding element (8, 25, 26), which interacts with the discharge opening (7) and is intended for pushing out carbon dioxide snow (15) located in the metering section (10) through the discharge opening (7),
   characterized
   in that means for the variable formation of the vertical extent of the discharge opening (7) are provided, wherein a vertically displaceable closing element mounted at the discharge opening (7) or a vertically displaceable wall element (37) of the storage container (2, 35, 45) are provided as means for the variable formation of the vertical extent of the discharge opening (7).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the discharge unit (4) has means (39, 40, 41, 50) for dividing the metering section (10) from the remaining partial volume (42) of the storage container (2, 35, 45) .
3. 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) is equipped with a drive unit (9).
4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that means (39, 40, 41, 50) for dividing the metering section (10) comprise a cutting tool (31, 38, 39, 40, 50), which is arranged above the sliding element (8, 25, 26), can be moved horizontally into the interior of the storage container (2) and can be actuated independently of the sliding element (8, 25, 26) .
5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for dividing the metering section (10) comprise at least one separating base (38, 39, 40, 50), which is arranged above the sliding element (8, 25, 26) and can be moved horizontally into the interior space of the storage container (2, 35, 45).
6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge unit (4) has multiple sliding elements (25, 26) arranged one above the other, which are movable independently of one another.
7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage container (45) comprises two sections (46, 47) which are displaceable relative to one another in telescopic fashion, wherein a sliding element (8) is arranged in a lower section (46) and a means (39, 40, 41, 50) for dividing the metering section (10) is arranged in an upper section (47).
8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge 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.
9. Device for cooling products, having a cooling tunnel (11), a transporting device (13) for transporting a series of products (12) through the cooling tunnel (11) and having a device arranged within the cooling tunnel (11) for applying carbon dioxide snow to the surfaces of the products (12), characterized in that an apparatus (1, 24, 30) according to one of the preceding claims is provided as the device for applying carbon dioxide snow to the surface of the products.
10. Use of an apparatus 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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