ES2319944B1 - REFRIGERATING EQUIPMENT FOR FREEZER TUNA VESSELS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels,
comprising vats (1), separated by screens (7) of corrugated steel, some incorporating a cooler (2) through which the brine recirculates for cooling, located at the bottom protected with a metal filter mesh (3), providing of an open end (4) inside; which uses air that is cooled in stainless steel external evaporators, using as a freon refrigerant, being provided with three types of pumps of the appropriate flow for different types of tanks; these having cold air inlet (14) and outlet (15) valves for dry maintenance, a return manifold (10), a discharge manifold (8), drain (13) in the air outlet cold (15), as well as isolation valves (11) and (12).

Description

Refrigerating equipment for tuna vessels freezers

Object of the invention

The invention relates, as expressed by the set forth in this specification, to a team refrigerator for freezer tuna vessels that contributes to the function to which a number of advantages and features are intended, apart from others inherent in its organization and constitution, which they will describe in detail later, and that are an improvement to what already known in this field.

More specifically, the object of the invention is a refrigeration equipment whose main purpose is to achieve freezing and maintenance in adequate conditions of the catches made, nullifying the risk that currently involves the crew incorporating a refrigeration installation with a high load of NH3 (Ammonia), and thereby eliminate the risk that exists due to the possibility of leaks due to situations
unpredictable.

Scope

The field of application of the present invention It is the industry dedicated to manufacturing facilities refrigerators for fishing vessels, especially for ships tuna freezers.

Background of the invention

At present, and as a reference to the state of the technique, it should be mentioned that the conventional system of work of the classic fishing vessels, especially tuna vessels, imposes a taxation on the installation of a line of freezing that is distributed between the shipyard, the insulator and the signature that supplies the refrigerating equipment.

It is also known that a high percentage of the cost of the mentioned line is concentrated unit in the freezing and maintenance tanks of frozen products, these being provided with coils, pumps, insulations, etc., with sufficient capacity for freezing  of tuna or similar that can be stored in vats.

Although very few professionals are able to accept it, it is also known that the performance and effectiveness of coils, as installed by operational obligation conventional, it is very small, since these equipments are installed in each Cuba and work each campaign for a time not exceeding 48 hours, always according to the catch, which is the time that Hard freezing.

On the other hand, it should be taken into account that tuna freezer ships need to incorporate in their cargo a huge amount of NH3, that is, ammonia, a fact that entails a major risk in the event of a possible leak.

The obvious solution to this problem would be that of being able to have a freezing system and more specifically with a refrigeration equipment that presents some technical, structural and constitutive characteristics that are more efficient, giving greater economy and carrying capacity for the same ship hull, such as those presented by the invention hereby advocated, of which it is worth mentioning, by In addition, the petitioner is unaware of the existence of any other similar.

Explanation of the invention.

Thus, the refrigerating equipment for tuna vessels freezers that the invention proposes, constitutes by itself a obvious novelty within its specific field of application, managing to reduce expenses, increasing the load capacity and being substantially safer.

Specifically, the object refrigeration equipment of the invention that freezes the products extracted directly from the sea, is constituted from the installation in two or four of the vats it comprises, depending on the freezing capacity and response required the owner, of a cooler of noble materials (Cu / Ni) (Copper / Nickel) to prevent deterioration, which duly protected with a metal filter mesh, it is incorporated into the bottom of the Cuba, and that has an open end in the tunnel, or space bottom of the tank in which it is located, and another closed in the part outside of the tank

Said cooler, for the maintenance of catches, uses forced air that cools outside the tank in stainless steel evaporators, which are connected by means of stainless steel pipes, being the number of chillers, fans and ducts according to the ship size and type.

Characteristically, the invention provides, for a greater load capacity in the same helmet, than the vats are not isolated from each other, existing screens for separation totally smooth corrugated steel, so they will have more volume and, due to the small amount of refrigerant needed, it will use freon instead of the ammonia that is being used conventionally in current equipment, allowing advantageously this fact install a cold equipment without Particle separators or pumps, not also requiring the room of compressors special care.

It should be noted that the equipment of the invention incorporates three pumps of appropriate flow, in accordance with the need for refrigeration, one being destined for Bromo tanks (Br), another for Erbio tanks (Er), and a third mixed one that will be kept ready and ready. (in " stand by "), applicable for one or the other.

In this way, the brine is prepared in the vats that, as required by the vessel, the captain decides, for which is made to recirculate seawater inside, being driven from the bottom and overflowing with the) high art towards the tank or vats equipped with a cooler where the brine, and in which a pump will aspirate the brine from the cooler, passing it before through a filter mesh and will drive it through a collector, located at the bottom, towards the top of the tank to repeat the process.

After the water homogenization process with salt, the brine will be cold and ready to receive the tuna freeze.

Logically, you can work by lines independent of Bromo (Br) and Erbium (Er), indicating that the brine in the bowl where the tuna is going to freeze enters the lower part and overflows through the upper part of the tank where cools, getting in this way that the tank is filled completely brine and it is fully mobilized.

It should also be indicated that the tanks that incorporate the coolers will be slightly larger than the rest to compensate for the volume of brine that must exist on the cooler.

Once the freezing is finished, the brine He retires from the tank. where is the tuna on the part lower, and passed to the chiller tank, being able to Perform a new freeze.

After a few hours, and after having drained the brine from the surface of the tuna, which so direct will go to a tank of overflows of reduced dimensions, it change the inlet valves in tanks and cold air is introduced by the upper part also aspiring to the upper part, but through a channel that comes from the bottom of the tank, crossing a filter located in the inner bottom.

It should be noted that the coolers are equipped defrosting means automatically, because when starting the Dry cycle will be loaded with frost frequently.

Finally, it should be mentioned that for ensure that the brine will never go to the air ducts and vice versa, the invention has isolation valves in the air inlet pipes to each tank as well as a drain in the air suction line.

The new refrigeration equipment for ships freezer tuna vessels therefore represents a structure Innovative structural and constitutive features unknown so far for that purpose, reasons that together with its practical utility, provide it with sufficient foundation to obtain the privilege of exclusivity that is requested.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, is attached herein descriptive, as an integral part of it, of a game of planes, in which with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, represented the following:

Figure number 1.- Shows a view in front elevation, duly sectioned, of two adjacent vats, one of them provided with cooler, in which they are appreciated, represented in schematic form, the main elements that includes the refrigeration equipment for freezer tuna vessels object of the invention, as well as its corresponding connected.

Figure number 2.- Shows a view in side elevation, equally sectioned, of one of the tanks without chiller in its freezing phase.

Figure number 3.- Shows a similar view to that shown in figure number 2, of a tank in this case with cooler, in its brine cooling phase.

Figure number 4.- Shows in a view also in sectioned side elevation, again the tank without cooler shown in figure 2, in its maintenance phase dry.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In view of the aforementioned figures and of according to the numbering adopted, you can see in them a preferred embodiment of the refrigeration equipment for tuna freezer vessels comprising the parts that are Indicate and describe below.

Thus, as seen in such figures, the refrigeration equipment in question is essentially constituted to from a plurality of vats (1), installed inside of the ship, incorporating several of them, depending on the capacity freezer and shipowner requirement, a cooler (2) of noble materials (Copper / Nickel (Cu / Ni)) located at the bottom of the tank (1), duly protected with a filter mesh (3) metallic, said cooler having an open end (4) in the inside of the tunnel, that is, in the lower space of the tank in which it is located, and of another closed end (5) in the part outside, connected to a discharge pump (6).

The cooler (2) uses forced air that is cools outside the tank (1) in steel evaporators stainless, to which it is connected by conduits also stainless steel, (not shown).

On the other hand, the tanks (1) are separated each other by means of totally smooth corrugated steel screens (7), which gives them a greater volume for the same space.

As can be seen in Figure 2, in the that one of the tanks (1) has been represented in its phase of freezing, brine, driven by the pump (6) above mentioned, enters the bottom of the tank (1) through the drive manifold (8), filling it up to the level of overflow (9) subsequently falling to the return manifold (10). In this phase, the isolation valves (11) and (12) of the circuit brine, located respectively in the discharge manifold (8) and between the overflow level (9) and the return manifold (10), as well as the drain (13) in the cold air outlet will be open, while the inlet valve (14) and valve of the Cold air outlet (15) will remain closed.

In figure number 3, which has been represented another tank (1), in this case with cooler (2), it observe how in the brine cooling phase, said cooling is done by the recirculation of the brine to through the cooler (2) located at the bottom of the tank (1).

Thus the pump (6) sucks the brine from the cooler (2) before passing it through a metal filter mesh (3) to subsequently push it back towards the top of the tank (1) through the discharge manifold (8).

Finally, figure number 4 shows again the tank (1) without chiller in its dry maintenance phase, in which is seen as after a few hours, and after having drained the brine from the surface of the tuna, which  direct will go to a small tank of overflows (no represented), the inlet valves in the tanks are changed and introduces cold air through the inlet valve (14) through the upper part of the tanks (1), also sucking on the part upper through outlet valves (15), but in this case passing through an inner channel (16) that reaches the bottom of the Cuba and where another filter mesh (17) is placed for prevent scales from entering the air circuit.

Describe sufficiently the nature of the The present invention, as well as how to implement it, is it states that, within its essentiality, it may be taken to the practice in other embodiments that differ in detail from the one indicated by way of example, and which will reach also the protection that is collected as long as it is not altered, change or modify its fundamental principle.

Claims (7)

1. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of vats (1), installed inside the vessel and separated from each other by means of screens (7) made of totally smooth corrugated steel, incorporating several of them according to the type of vessel, a cooler (2) of noble materials, such as Copper or Nickel (Cu / Ni), located at the bottom of the tank (1), duly protected with a metal filter mesh (3), providing said cooler of one open end (4) inside the tunnel, or lower space of the tank in which it is located, and of another closed end (5) in the outer part connected to a discharge pump (6); wherein said cooler (2) uses forced air that is cooled outside in stainless steel evaporators, to which it is connected by means of stainless steel ducts, using as a freon refrigerant, being equipped with three types of pumps of the appropriate flow for different types of vats; in which the tanks (1) also have an inlet valve (14) and a cold air outlet valve (15) for dry maintenance, a return manifold (10) of the brine, a manifold of discharge (8) of the brine and an overflow level (9). 2. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that it incorporates means to prevent the brine from going into the air ducts and vice versa, constituted by a drain (13) in the outlet valve (15 ) of cold air as well as isolation valves (11) and (12) of the brine circuit, located respectively in the discharge manifold (8) and between the overflow level (9) and the return manifold (10). 3. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the tanks (1) incorporating the chillers (2) are slightly larger than the rest of the tanks to compensate for the volume of brine that must exist on the cooler (2). 4. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels, according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the freezing phase, the pump (6) drives the brine in a form 1 that enters the bottom of the tank (1 ) through the discharge manifold (8), filling it up to the overflow level (9) and subsequently falling to the return manifold (10). 5. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels, according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the brine cooling phase, said cooling is carried out by the recirculation of the brine through the cooler (2) located in the bottom of the tanks (1) that have it, sucking the pump (6) the brine of the cooler (2) by previously passing it through a metal filter mesh (3) to subsequently propel it again towards the top of the tank (1 ) through the drive manifold (8). 6. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that cold air is introduced into the dry maintenance phase through the inlet valve (14) at the top of the tanks (1), also drawing through the upper part through outlet valves (15) through an inner channel (16) that reaches the bottom of the tank and where there is another filter mesh {17) provided to prevent scales from entering the air circuit 7. Refrigerating equipment for freezer tuna vessels, according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it incorporates an overflow tank and automatic defrosting means.