JP2018074994A - Cooling transport device for food product - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling transport device for a food product capable of achieving cooling transport processing for a food product with a simple configuration and reducing costs of cooling transport processing for a food product as compared with a conventional cooling transport device.SOLUTION: A cooling transport device for a food product includes a primary flow channel P1 and a secondary flow channel P2 provided inside a cooling tank 10 for holding cooling water, which are communicated with each other, a screw 41 and jetting ports 14a and 14b for generating a cooling water flow in the primary flow channel P1 (cooling water flow generation means), a heat exchanger 20 disposed in the secondary flow channel P2, and a conveyor 30 provided at the downstream end of the primary flow channel P1. The cooling water flow that outflows from the primary flow channel P1 to the secondary flow channel P2 is cooled by the heat exchange with a refrigerant flowing inside the heat exchanger 20, and is caused to flow into the primary flow channel P1 again. A food product to be cooled such as poultry is immersed in the cooling water flow generated in the primary flow channel P1. The food product to be cooled is cooled while being transported in a predetermined transportation direction, and the food product to be cooled that has been cooled is transported to the outside by the conveyor 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a food cooling / conveying device, and more particularly, to a food cooling / conveying device that cools various foods to be cooled such as poultry carcasses by immersing them in cooling water.

  In the present specification, the “cooled food” means food that needs to be cooled while being immersed in cooling water and transported, and specifically includes foods such as poultry, meat, and seafood. The thing which requires the process cooled while being immersed in cooling water and conveying is meant. The form of the “food to be cooled” is arbitrary and may be any form that can be transported by being immersed in cooling water, and is not limited to the form of a carcass. It may be a food that floats in a cooling water stream or a food that sinks.

  In general, a cooling / conveying apparatus for a poultry carcass moves a poultry carcass in a cooling tank (chiller tank) while moving the poultry carcass in a predetermined direction while being immersed in cooling water. It is configured to cool. In order to maintain the cooling water in the cooling tank at a predetermined cooling temperature (for example, 1 to 3 ° C.), a refrigerator is externally attached to the cooling conveyance device. Heat exchange between the refrigerant of the refrigerator and the cooling water in the cooling tank is performed by a heat exchanger (evaporator) built in the refrigerator. For this reason, cooling water circulates between a cooling tank and a heat exchanger through piping. The cooling water heated in the cooling tank in which the poultry carcass is transported is sent to the heat exchanger through the pipe and cooled by the refrigerant, and then returned to the cooling tank through the pipe to cool the poultry carcass again. used. On the other hand, the refrigerant that has absorbed heat from the cooling water in the heat exchanger is sent to the condenser built in the refrigerator through the pipe to dissipate the contained heat into the atmosphere, and then sent to the heat exchanger through the pipe. Used again for heat exchange. Thereafter, this is repeated.

  The cooling and transporting apparatus for the poultry carcass is divided into its structures, using a cooling tank having an almost upper surface opened, and feeding the poultry carcass into the cooling water from the opening on the upper surface of the cooling tank. A type (first type) that transports the poultry carcass in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tank using a water flow, and a cylindrical cooling tank, and a spiral screw blade is arranged inside the cooling tank, There is a type (second type) that transports the poultry carcass in the long axis direction of the cooling tank (screw blade) using the propulsive force generated by the rotation of the screw blade. The former example is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, and the latter example is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 2.

  In Patent Document 1, the cooling water is accommodated inside a cooling tank (chiller tank) whose entire upper surface is opened, and the cooling water is circulated by a pump between the external heat exchanger and the cooling tank, A cooling and transporting device that cools the carcass while transporting it in the longitudinal direction of the cooling tank by moving the cooling water in a state where the carcasses are appropriately assembled by a plurality of rakes (comb-shaped transporting tools) attached to the chain conveyor. (Chiller device) is disclosed. In this cooling and conveying apparatus, the cooling water in the cooling tank is stirred and the carcass in the cooling water by spouting the high-pressure cooling water upward at an appropriate timing from the outlet provided at the bottom of the cooling tank. Can be reversed. Thereby, it is supposed that there exists an effect that it can cool uniformly, without damaging the carcass in conveyance.

  In Patent Document 2, a starting end portion of a cylindrical outlet housing having a discharge screw blade is disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction of a cylindrical cooling tank having a cooling screw blade, and an external heat exchanger and Cooling water is circulated with a pump between the cooling tank and the carcass transported through the cooling tank toward the downstream side in the transport direction is surely delivered from the cooling tank to the outlet housing. A transport apparatus is disclosed. This cooling and conveying apparatus is traceable and has an effect of realizing a carcass carrying-out unit having a simple structure.

Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 62-44984 JP 2008-295446 A

  As described above, in the conventional cooling and conveying apparatus for poultry carcass, in order to maintain the cooling water in the cooling tank at a predetermined cooling temperature in both the first type and the second type, a heat exchanger ( It is indispensable that a refrigerator incorporating an evaporator and a condenser is externally attached to the cooling and conveying device, and cooling water is circulated between the cooling tank and the heat exchanger through a pipe and a pump. For this reason, the whole structure which combined the cooling conveyance apparatus and the refrigerator becomes complicated and large, and as a result, there exists a problem that the cost of the cooling conveyance process of a poultry carcass becomes high.

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the circumstances as described above. The object of the present invention is to realize a cooling and conveying process of various foods such as a poultry carcass with a simple configuration and a conventional cooling. An object of the present invention is to provide a food cooling / conveying device capable of reducing the cost of the food cooling / conveying process as compared with the conveying device.

  According to another object of the present invention, the state of flow of the cooling water flow in the cooling tank, in other words, the food conveyance / cooling state can be easily adjusted according to the number of foods to be cooled and the conveyance conditions. It is in providing the cooling conveyance apparatus.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide a food cooling / conveying device that is easier to perform maintenance than a conventional cooling / conveying device.

  Other objects of the present invention which are not specified here will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

(1) The food cooling / conveying device of the present invention comprises:
A cooling tank containing cooling water;
A main flow path formed inside the cooling tank for transporting the food to be cooled in a predetermined transport direction;
A sub-flow channel formed so as to communicate with the main flow channel inside the cooling tank;
A cooling water flow generating means provided in the cooling tank for generating a cooling water flow along the transport direction from the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank;
A heat exchanger provided in the sub-flow channel in which a predetermined refrigerant flows;
Transport means provided at the downstream end of the main flow path,
By immersing the food to be cooled in the cooling water flow generated in the main flow path by the cooling water flow generating means, the food to be cooled is cooled while being conveyed in the conveying direction, and the cooled food to be cooled is Conveyed outside by the conveying means,
The cooling water flow that has flowed out of the main flow path into the sub flow path is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing inside the heat exchanger, and then flows into the main flow path again. It is a feature.

  In the food cooling and conveying apparatus of the present invention, as described above, the main flow path and the sub flow path communicating with each other are formed inside the cooling tank, and the cooling water flow generating means Since a cooling water flow is generated along the transport direction, the food to be cooled can be cooled while being transported in the transport direction by immersing the food to be cooled in the cooling water flow. Moreover, the cooled food to be cooled can be transported to the outside of the cooling transport device by the transport means. In addition, since the sub-flow path is provided with the heat exchanger in which a predetermined refrigerant flows, the cooling water flow that flows out from the main flow path to the sub-flow path is transferred to the inside of the heat exchanger. After cooling by exchanging heat with the flowing refrigerant, it is possible to flow again into the main flow path. For this reason, it is not necessary to install facilities, such as piping and a pump, which circulate the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank with an external condenser (refrigerator) outside the cooling and conveying apparatus. It is only necessary to install necessary equipment such as a pipe and a pump for returning the refrigerant whose state has been changed by heat exchange to its original state. Therefore, it is possible to realize the cooling and conveying process for the food to be cooled with a simple configuration, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the cooling and conveying process for the food to be cooled as compared with the conventional cooling and conveying apparatus.

  Further, since the cooling water flow generating means is provided so as to generate a cooling water flow along the transport direction from the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank, the operation of the cooling water flow generating means Can be controlled to easily change the flow state of the cooling water flow. Therefore, the flow state of the cooling water flow, in other words, the conveyance / cooling state of the food to be cooled can be easily adjusted according to the number of the food to be cooled and the conveyance state.

  Furthermore, there is no need to install facilities such as piping and a pump for circulating the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank with an external refrigerator (condenser). An exchanger is provided, and the cooling water flow that has flowed out into the sub-flow channel contacts the heat exchanger and directly exchanges heat. Therefore, the configuration around the heat exchanger is simple, and the antifreeze liquid Etc. are also unnecessary. Therefore, maintenance work is easier than the conventional cooling conveyance device.

  (2) In a preferred example of the food cooling / conveying device of the present invention, the water flow generating means is made to flow with cooling water flow means (screws, pumps, etc.) for flowing the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank. And an outlet having a variable opening for jetting the cooling water into the main flow path to generate the cooling water flow. In this example, the effect that the flow state of the cooling water flow in the cooling tank, in other words, the conveyance / cooling state of the food to be cooled can be easily adjusted with a simple configuration, is further obtained. .

  (3) Further, in this example, as the jet port, two or more jet ports having different jet directions with respect to the bottom surface of the cooling tank (for example, a jet port that is obliquely downward with respect to the bottom surface of the cooling tank and an oblique port) It is preferable to include an upward spout. This is because the food to be cooled being conveyed through the main channel can be displaced or rotated to uniformly cool the whole.

  (4) In another preferable example of the food cooling / conveying device of the present invention, a cooling water flow adjusting means (for example, a ladder that changes the flow state of the cooling water flow) serving as a resistance of the cooling water flow is provided in the main channel. In this example, the effect that the flow state of the cooling water flow can be directly and largely changed by changing the flow resistance applied to the cooling water flow by the cooling water flow adjusting means is further obtained.

  (5) Further, in this example, it is preferable that the cooling water flow adjusting means is capable of swinging around a held shaft and has an operation arm swinging together with the shaft outside the cooling tank. . This is because the operation of the cooling water flow adjusting means can be easily performed from the outside of the cooling tank by operating the operation arm from the outside of the cooling tank. In addition, if the operation arm is fixed at an arbitrary position, the cooling water flow adjusting means can be easily fixed at a desired position.

  (6) In still another preferred example of the food cooling and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the conveying means is swingable around a held swing shaft, and the transport means is mounted on the swing shaft. By swinging around, a gap is formed between the main channel and the bottom surface. In this example, the effect that the space between the transport unit and the bottom surface and the transport unit are easily cleaned is further obtained.

  (7) In still another preferred example of the food cooling and conveying apparatus of the present invention, the heat exchanger is a plate coil type unit. In this example, the heat exchanger can be easily installed (built in) in the sub-flow channel, and the installation work is also easy. Further effects can be obtained.

  (8) In still another preferred example of the food cooling / conveying device of the present invention, an overflow device having a variable intake port height is provided in the sub-flow channel. In this example, it is possible to further prevent the overflow of the cooling water from the sub-flow channel and to obtain the effect that dirt floating on the surface of the cooling water flow can be discharged to the outside.

  (9) In still another preferred example of the cooling and conveying apparatus for food of the present invention, the heat exchanger is disposed in the sub-flow path so as to be partially exposed to the main flow path, and the cooling water flow is In addition to the sub-flow path, the main flow path is also configured to exchange heat by contacting the heat exchanger. In this example, an effect that the heat exchange efficiency is further improved as compared with the case where the cooling water flow exchanges heat with the refrigerant of the heat exchanger only by the sub-flow channel is further obtained.

  (10) In still another preferred example of the food cooling and conveying apparatus of the present invention, a partition member that partitions the internal space of the cooling layer to form the main flow path and the sub flow path is provided in the cooling tank, The heat exchanger is disposed in the sub-flow path so as to partially expose the main flow path through the partition member, and the cooling water flow is not only in the sub-flow path but also in the main flow path. It is configured to exchange heat in contact with the heat exchanger. In this example, the effects of improving heat exchange efficiency, increasing the cooling water flow in the sub-flow channel, and reducing the weight of the partition member are further obtained.

  (11) In still another preferred example of the food cooling and conveying device of the present invention, a partition member that partitions the internal space of the cooling layer to form the main flow path and the sub flow path is provided in the cooling tank, At least a part of the heat exchanger is configured to be integrated with the partition member by fitting into a notch formed in the partition member, and is exposed to the main flow path through the notch, The cooling water flow is configured to exchange heat in contact with the heat exchanger not only in the sub flow path but also in the main flow path. In this example, the effects of improving heat exchange efficiency, increasing the cooling water flow in the sub-flow channel, and reducing the weight of the partition member are further obtained.

  According to the food cooling and conveying apparatus of the present invention, (a) it is possible to realize a cooling and conveying process of various foods such as a poultry carcass with a simple configuration, and the food cooling and conveying process than the conventional cooling and conveying apparatus. (B) According to the number of foods to be cooled and the state of conveyance, the flow state of the cooling water flow in the cooling tank, in other words, the food conveyance / cooling state can be easily adjusted. (C) The effect that maintenance work is easier than the conventional cooling conveyance apparatus is acquired.

(A) is a top view which shows the whole structure of the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, (b) is the left view. 1 is a left side view showing the overall structure of the food cooling and conveying apparatus of FIG. 1, (a) shows a state where the left side plate is removed, and (b) shows a state where both the left side plate and the inner side plate are removed. Show. It is sectional drawing along the AA line of FIG.1 (b) of the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. It is principal part side surface explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure of the water flow production | generation means of the food cooling conveyance apparatus shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. (A) is a state in which two closing plates are attached to the upper outlet of the fence-like plate in the water flow generating means of the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (the opening degree of the upper outlet is (Minimum) is an explanatory view seen from the front, and (b) is an explanatory view seen from the side. (A) is explanatory drawing which looked at the lower jet outlet of the fence-shaped board from the front in the water flow production | generation means of the cooling and conveying apparatus of the food shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2 (the opening degree of an upper jet outlet is the minimum) (B) is the explanatory view seen from the side. (A) is a state in which two closing plates are attached to the upper outlet of the fence-like plate in the water flow generating means of the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (the opening degree of the upper outlet is (Maximum) is an explanatory diagram viewed from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram viewed from the side. (A) is the water flow generation means of the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and shows a state in which the two closing plates are removed from the upper spout of the fence-like plate (entirely opened) from the front. Explanatory drawing seen, (b) is explanatory drawing seen from the side. It is front explanatory drawing of the plate coil type | mold heat exchanger provided as a heat exchange means in the cooling and conveying apparatus of the food shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, and two heat exchangers connected in series are external refrigerators ( It shows the state connected to the condenser. (A) is a principal part front view which shows the installation state of the plate coil type | mold heat exchanger provided in the cooling conveyance apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, (b) is a principal part top view, (c) is It is a principal part end view along CC line of FIG.10 (b). (A) is a principal part top view which shows the arrangement | positioning state of two plate coil type | mold heat exchangers provided in the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, (b) is a principal part front view. . It is sectional drawing along the BB line of FIG.1 (b) of the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. FIG. 3 is a side view of a ladder mechanism provided as a cooling water flow adjusting means in the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. (B) shows a state where the ladder is in a vertical (maximum suppression) state and the cooling water flow is suppressed to the maximum. FIG. 3 is a side view of a ladder mechanism provided as a cooling water flow adjusting means in the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and the ladder is in an inclined (half-suppressed) state at an angle of 45 degrees to maximize the cooling water flow. The state which has suppressed to about half of the state is shown. It is a principal part front view which shows the overflow apparatus provided as a cooling water overflow control means in the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conveyor provided as a conveyance means in the cooling conveyance apparatus of the foodstuff shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, (a) is the side explanatory drawing, (b) is the conveyance unit used for the conveyor It is side explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure. (A) is a main part side view showing a normal (operation) state of a conveyor provided as a conveying means in the food cooling and conveying apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and (b) is a state in which the conveyor is lifted by a winch. FIG. (A) shows the plate coil type | mold heat exchanger comprised integrally with the inner side board (partition member) used for the cooling and conveying apparatus of the foodstuff which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention, the same figure (b). The principal part sectional drawing along the DD line | wire, (b) is principal part sectional drawing of the direction (direction where an inner side board extends) orthogonal to the main flow path and subflow path of a cooling tank. (A) is a front view which shows the structure of the inner side board (partition member) shown in FIG. 18, (b) is a front view of the plate coil type heat exchanger latched integrally with the inner side board.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
1 to 3 show the overall configuration of a food cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 1A and 1B are a plan view and a left side view, respectively, showing the overall configuration of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1. 2A is a side view in which the left side plate 11b of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 is removed to show the inside of the sub-flow path P2, and FIG. 2B is a mainstream in which both the left side plate 11b and the inner side plate 11c are removed. It is the side view which showed the inside of the path | route P1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. In this embodiment, a case where the food to be cooled is a poultry carcass will be described.

(Cooling tank)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes a cooling tank 10 that stores cooling water. The cooling tank 10 is horizontally installed in a state of being slightly floated on the floor surface by a plurality of support legs 42 arranged on the bottom surface thereof. The cooling tank 10 has an elongated box shape as a whole and a substantially rectangular cross section in the vertical direction. The entire upper surface of the cooling tank 10 is open, and a main flow path P1 and a sub flow path P2 (which will be described later) formed inside are exposed to the outside.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the cooling tank 10 includes a belt-like right side plate 11a connected perpendicularly to one longitudinal edge of the belt-like bottom plate 11d, and the other longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 11d. A strip-shaped left side plate 11b connected to the end edge so as to be orthogonal thereto, and a strip-shaped inner side plate 11c connected so as to be orthogonal to the bottom plate 11d slightly inside the left side plate 11b are provided. The front and rear ends of the bottom plate 11d, the right side plate 11a, the left side plate 11b, and the inner side plate 11c are closed by a rectangular front end plate 12 and rear end plate 13, respectively. In this way, the bottom plate 11d, the right side plate 11a, the left side plate 11b, the front end plate 12 and the rear end plate 13 form a rectangular parallelepiped container having the entire upper surface opened. It is partitioned into two rectangular parallelepiped regions by 11c. For this reason, the inner side plate 11c can also be called a partition member. The larger area is a main flow path P1, and the smaller area is a sub flow path P2.

  The main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2 are in communication with each other via connection ports 18 and 19 formed in the inner plate 11c and an opening 19a (see FIGS. 1B and 2A). The communication port 18 is located in the vicinity of the front end portion of the cooling bath 10 (directly below the conveyor 30), and the communication port 19 is located in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the cooling bath 10 (side surface of the screw chamber R1). The opening 19 a is located almost directly below the winch 32. The communication ports 18 and 19 are provided to allow the main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2 to communicate with each other. The opening 19a is for preventing cavitation and for increasing the amount of cooling water flowing into the screw chamber R1, which will be described later. The main flow path P1 is cooled from the rear end to the front end (from the right end to the left end in FIG. 1 (a)) while immersing a not-shown poultry carcass (hereinafter also referred to as food to be cooled) in cooling water and transporting it. Used to. The sub flow path P2 is used as a return flow path for returning cooling water from the front end to the rear end of the main flow path P1. Therefore, the cooling water in the cooling tank 10 flows while circulating through the main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2. In addition, after circulating and flowing, the cooling water heated while conveying the poultry carcass in the main flow path P1 is cooled again by the heat exchanger 20 arranged in the sub flow path P2, as will be described later. , Returned to the main flow path P1.

  The cooling tank 10, that is, the bottom plate 11d, the right side plate 11a, the left side plate 11b, and the inner side plate 11c are made of stainless steel. This is because hypochlorous acid is often used when disinfecting a poultry carcass that is a food to be cooled, and therefore it is necessary to give the cooling bath 10 corrosion resistance.

(Cooling water jet)
As shown in FIG. 4, a partition plate 13 a is installed inside the rear end plate 13 at a distance from the rear end portion (right end portion in FIGS. 1 and 2) at the rear end portion of the cooling bath 10. The partition plate 13a and the rear end plate 13, and the right side plate 11a and the inner side plate 11c form a rectangular parallelepiped screw chamber R1 inside the rear end portion of the cooling bath 10. Two screws 41 are installed in the screw chamber R1. These screws 41 are used to generate a desired water flow in the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank 10, and here, marine screws are used. Both screws 41 are fixed to the partition plate 13 a in the vicinity of the bottom surface of the cooling bath 10. Each screw 41 is rotationally driven by a corresponding electric motor 40 installed outside the rear end of the cooling tank 10 via a corresponding motor shaft 40a. The partition plate 13a is opened in front of each screw 41, and the cooling water flow generated by the rotation of the screw 41 can be ejected to the front main channel P1.

  Inside the main flow path P1, as shown in FIG. 4, a fence-like plate 15c and a lower plate 15d are fixed to the front surface of the divider plate 13a, and between the divider plate 13a, the fence-like plate 15c, and the lower plate 15d. The adjustment chamber R2 is formed. The adjustment chamber R2 communicates with the screw chamber R1 through an opening (not shown) for the screw 41 formed in the partition plate 13a. The adjustment chamber R2 is used for adjusting the cooling water flow so that the cooling water flow generated by the rotation of the screw 41 is jetted to the main flow path P1 in a desired direction with a desired strength.

  The lower plate 15d has an inverted V-shaped cross section, and is fixed to the bottom surface of the cooling bath 10 as shown in FIG. Inclined surfaces are formed on the outer surface of the lower plate 15d in the front-rear direction. Since no through hole is formed in the lower plate 15d, the cooling water flow does not jet through the lower plate 15d. On the other hand, the fence-like plate 15c is L-shaped with an inclined cross section, and as shown in FIG. 4, its upper end is fixed to the partition plate 13a and its lower end is fixed to the inclined surface in front of the lower plate 15d. Has been. The fence-like plate 15c has a fence-like structure in which long holes are formed at equal intervals over the entire surface. The upper part of the fence-like plate 15c has a jet outlet 14a that faces diagonally forward and upward and ejects a cooling water flow from the adjustment chamber R2 diagonally forward and upward. The lower part of the fence-like plate 15c faces diagonally forward and downward, and a spout 14b is formed there. Therefore, the cooling water flow ejected from the adjustment chamber R2 through the ejection port 14b is directed obliquely forward and downward.

  A lower portion of the upper jet port 14a of the fence-like plate 15c is closed by a rectangular closing plate 15a fixed to the front surface of the fence-like plate 15c. The upper portion of the upper jet port 14a is a rectangle mounted so as to be swingable with respect to the fence-like plate 15c around a swing shaft 15bb extending in the horizontal direction (which is fixed to the cooling tank 10). The opening angle can be adjusted by the closing plate 15b. For this reason, the cooling water in the adjustment chamber R2 is jetted in a state of increasing strength diagonally forward and upward from the opened portion of the jet port 14a. Therefore, the opening (tilt) angle of the closing plate 15b is changed. This makes it possible to arbitrarily adjust the strength of the cooling water flow and the amount of water.

  Unlike the upper jet port 14a, the lower jet port 14b of the fence-like plate 15c is always open. For this reason, the cooling water flow is always ejected from the entire surface of the ejection port 14b.

  5 and 6 show a state in which the upper jetting port 14a of the fence-like plate 15c is closed about half by the closing plate 15b. In this state, the opening angle of the closing plate 15b, that is, the opening degree of the jet port 14a is minimized, and the cooling water flow from the upper jet port 14a along the closing plate 15b, in other words, the cooling tank 10 It ejects in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom surface and enters the main flow path P1 (see FIG. 5). Further, from the lower jet port 14b, it is jetted in a direction orthogonal to the jet port 14b, in other words, obliquely downward toward the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10, and enters the main flow path P1 (see FIG. 6). reference). When the closing plate 15b is swung around the swinging shaft 15bb to open the upper jet port 14a more widely, the direction of the cooling water flow ejected from the upper jet port 14a is relative to the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10. And gradually turn upward.

  FIG. 7 shows a state in which the opening angle of the closing plate 15b, that is, the opening degree of the upper jet port 14a is maximized. In this state, the cooling water flow is ejected in a direction more obliquely upward than the state where the opening angle of the closing plate 15b is minimum (FIGS. 5 and 6) and enters the main flow path P1. The ejection from the lower ejection port 14b is the same as the state of FIGS. Note that the amount of cooling water jetted per unit time in this state is larger than that in the state where the opening angle of the closing plate 15b is minimum (FIGS. 5 and 6). This is because the opening degree of the upper jet port 14a is maximized.

  FIG. 8 shows a state in which both the closing plates 15a and 15b are removed and the upper spout 14a of the fence-like plate 15c is completely opened. In this state, the cooling water flow is jetted in the direction perpendicular to the jet port 14a from the entire upper jet port 14a, in other words, in a direction obliquely upward with respect to the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10, and enters the main channel P1. enter. The ejection from the lower ejection port 14b is the same as the state of FIGS. A relay portion 15cc that relays both sides of the fence-like plate 15c is provided at substantially the center.

  In the first embodiment, the state shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is a state where the opening angle of the closing plate 15b (opening degree of the jet outlet 14a) is the minimum, and the jet outlet 14a is based on the opening degree at this time. Will not become smaller. Further, the state shown in FIG. 7 is a state in which the opening angle of the closing plate 15b (opening degree of the ejection port 14a) is the maximum, and the ejection port 14a does not become larger than the opening degree at this time. The opening angle of the closing plate 15b is adjusted between these two states.

(Conveyor)
At the front end of the cooling tank 10 (the left end in FIGS. 1 and 2), as shown in FIG. 1, a scraping type conveyor 30 is installed to convey the cooled edible carcass to the outside. Yes. The conveyor 30 is swingable around a swing shaft 34 installed at the front end of the cooling tank 10 and extending in the horizontal direction. About half of the rear side (right side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the conveyor 30 is disposed inside the main flow path P1 of the cooling tank 10, and about half of the front side (left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) is cooled. It is disposed above the tank 10 and is exposed from the cooling tank 10.

  As shown in FIG. 16B, the conveyor 30 includes a transport unit including a caterpillar group 30a formed by connecting a plurality of caterpillars in a line. The caterpillar group 30a can be continuously run forward along the conveyor body by a driving device (not shown). On the entire surface of the caterpillar group 30a, a large number of pushers 30b are arranged at intervals in the transport direction and in a direction perpendicular thereto. The transport unit (caterpillar group 30a) transports the poultry carcass from the cooling tank 10 (main flow path P1) diagonally forward and upward (in the diagonally upper left in FIG. 1). At that time, the poultry carcass (the food to be cooled) in the cooling tank 10 is locked to the pusher 30b on the caterpillar group 30a that is rotationally driven and pulled up in order, and is transported to the outside of the cooling transport device 1. The

  In the first embodiment, the inverted U-shaped support 31 is located at a position on the upper surface of the cooling tank 10 (upper ends of the right side plate 11a and the inner side plate 11c) substantially directly above the rear end of the conveyor 30. Is installed. A winch 32 is installed at the top of the support 31. This is for lifting the rear end of the conveyor 30. That is, when one end of the wire 33 is locked to the rear end portion of the conveyor 30 and the other end is locked to the winch 32 in the state of FIG. 17A, the winch 32 is operated to wind up the wire 33. As shown in FIG. 17B, the conveyor 30 can swing around the swing shaft 34, and the rear end of the conveyor 30 can be lifted. In this state, a space is formed below the conveyor 30, and an area immediately below the conveyor 30 (an area immediately below the conveyor) of the cooling tank 10 is exposed. Therefore, the area immediately below the conveyor can be easily cleaned and the conveyor 30 can be easily cleaned. There is an advantage that it is possible to clean the back surface (lower surface). This contributes to facilitating maintenance of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1.

  In the first embodiment, four windows 30c are formed on both sides of the conveyor 30 so that one arm can be inserted. Thus, when the conveyor 30 is cleaned, the inside of the transport unit (caterpillar group 30a) can be accessed through the window 30c, so that there is an advantage that the cleaning work of the conveyor 30 becomes easy. This also contributes to facilitating maintenance of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1.

(Heat exchanger)
As clearly shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, four heat exchangers 20 are arranged in the sub-flow channel P <b> 2 of the cooling tank 10 in order to exchange heat between the cooling water and the refrigerant. These heat exchangers 20 are connected to a refrigerator (condenser) 23 installed outside the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment via an external communication pipe 21. Thus, in the cooling and conveying apparatus 1, the heat exchanger 20 is built in the cooling tank 10 (cooling and conveying apparatus 1), and therefore heat exchange between the cooling water and the refrigerant is performed inside the cooling and conveying apparatus 1. To be done. For this reason, there exists an advantage that the whole structure which combined the cooling conveyance apparatus 1 and the refrigerator becomes more compact than the prior art example in which a heat exchanger is installed in the exterior of a cooling conveyance apparatus.

  Further, as will be described in detail later, since the cooling water directly contacts the heat exchanger 20 to perform heat exchange in the sub-flow channel P2, it is more heated than the conventional example employing the secondary cooling system using the antifreeze liquid. Exchange efficiency is improved, and heat loss associated with heat exchange is reduced. Therefore, there also exists an advantage that the production | generation efficiency of a cooling water is higher than the said prior art example.

  In the first embodiment, a known plate coil type unit as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 is used as the heat exchanger 20. In this unit, two metal plates formed with zigzag grooves are bonded to form a plate coil 20a, and a pair of connecting pipes 20b (for introducing refrigerant and for extracting refrigerant) are provided on both sides of the plate coil 20a. Has a connected configuration. Moreover, the latching | locking part 20e with the hole in three places is provided in the upper and lower sides, and two handles 20d are provided in the upper side. On one side (for refrigerant discharge), an oil trap 20c is formed to prevent the refrigerator 22 from being damaged due to oil remaining in the unit.

  As shown in FIG. 10, in the sub-flow channel P2, two heat exchangers 20 connected in series are arranged in two rows in parallel with each other, and the right side plate 11a and the inner side plate 11c. Are arranged in parallel to each other. There are also gaps between the heat exchanger 20 and the right side plate 11a and between the heat exchanger 20 and the inner side plate 11c. In this state, the heat exchanger 20 is fixed by inserting the six support rods 20f through the through holes of the six locking portions 20e, and connecting both ends of the support rods 20f to the left side plate 11b and the inner side. It implement | achieves by each latching to the board 11c. The locking of each support bar 20f to the left side plate 11b and the inner side plate 11c and the positioning of the heat exchanger 20 on each support bar 20f are performed by nuts screwed to the support bars 20f. Since the four heat exchangers 20 are arranged in this way, the cooling water flowing through the sub-flow path P2 can reliably contact the entire surface of each heat exchanger 20 to perform heat exchange. Contributes to improved efficiency. Moreover, the maintenance of the heat exchanger 20 is easy. Therefore, the maintenance of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 becomes easier.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the two rows of heat exchangers 20 are fixed in a state slightly shifted from each other along the front-rear direction of the sub-flow path P <b> 2 (in the longitudinal direction of the cooling transfer device 1). This is because when two rows of heat exchangers 20 are installed without such a shift, the heat exchangers 20 at the opposite positions are in close contact with each other, and the cooling water passes through the gap between the opposite heat exchangers 20. This is because the flow resistance of the cooling water becomes high. In order to avoid this, the width of the sub-flow path P2 (the distance between the left side plate 11b and the inner side plate 11c) may be increased. However, this causes the cooling / conveying device 1 to become larger, which is not preferable.

  In addition, during operation of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1, there is a possibility that a poultry carcass (food to be cooled) and other foreign substances may enter the sub-flow path P2. If no measures are taken, these may flow into the screw chamber R1 and damage the screw 31. Therefore, as a countermeasure, it is preferable to provide a foreign matter removing mechanism such as a suitable fence or a foreign matter removing member (not shown) at an appropriate position (for example, in the vicinity of the screw chamber R1) of the sub flow path P2.

(Ladder mechanism)
The cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 is determined by the direction of the cooling water flow jetted from the two jet outlets 14a and 14b provided at the rear end of the cooling tank 10 and the jet strength thereof. However, it is more preferable if the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 can be arbitrarily changed by other means. Therefore, in the first embodiment, a ladder mechanism is provided in the main flow path P1 as the cooling water flow adjusting means. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 12, the ladder mechanism includes a rectangular plate-like ladder 16a, a shaft 16c that holds the ladder 16a in a swingable manner in the main flow path P1, and the shaft 16c on the upper surface of the cooling bath 10. It is comprised from the three holding bodies 16b hold | maintained so that rocking | fluctuation is possible. The three holding bodies 16b are fixed to upper ends of the right side plate 11a, the left side plate 11b, and the inner side plate 11c, respectively. The shape of the ladder 16a is a rectangle close to a similar shape that is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional shape of the main flow path P1 (cooling tank 10). The shaft 16c extends in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main flow path P1 (cooling tank 10) (conveying direction of the poultry carcass). Therefore, the ladder 16a is immersed in the cooling water flow so as to be orthogonal to the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1, and acts to block the cooling water flow, thereby changing the flow direction of the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1.

  FIG. 13A schematically shows the flow state of the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 when the ladder 16a is held in a horizontal state and does not affect the cooling water flow (when the ladder 16a is not used). In this case, the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 flows horizontally in parallel with the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10 except for the vicinity of the jet nozzles 14a and 14b.

  FIG. 13B schematically shows the flow state of the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 when the ladder 16a is swung downward by 90 ° and held in the vertical state. This state is a case where the ladder 16a has the maximum influence on the cooling water flow. In this case, the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 flows substantially horizontally, then is bent downward greatly immediately before the ladder 16a, and passes forward through a gap between the lower end of the ladder 16a and the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10. Moving. For this reason, the poultry carcass being conveyed through the main flow path P1 rotates or sinks on the cooling water flow. As a result, it is possible to more uniformly cool the edible carcass being transported and to prevent a situation where the edible carcass being transported stays on the way.

  FIG. 14 schematically shows the flow state of the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 when the ladder 16a is swung downward 45 ° and held obliquely downward. In this state, the influence of the ladder 16a on the cooling water flow is intermediate between the two cases shown in FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b). Also in this case, the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 flows almost horizontally, then is bent downward just before the ladder 16a, passes forward through the gap between the lower end of the ladder 16a and the bottom surface of the cooling tank 10. Although it moves, since the clearance gap between the lower end of the ladder 16a and the bottom face of the cooling tank 10 is larger than the case of FIG.13 (b), the change of the flow state of a cooling water flow is smaller than that case. The rotation and sinking of the poultry carcass being conveyed through the main flow path P1 is also smaller than that case. As a result, the effect obtained in the case of FIG.

  The ladder mechanism described above is not necessarily provided. However, if the ladder mechanism is provided, the feeding mechanism of the edible carcass (cooled food) can be changed without changing the number of rotations of the screw 41 or changing the opening angle of the closing plate 15b. The flow state of the cooling water flow can be appropriately changed according to the state of conveyance and cooling, which is very convenient. Actually, it is not possible to cope with changes in the state of conveyance / cooling of the poultry carcass only by adjusting the jetting strength of the cooling water flow from the jet nozzles 14a and 14b, for example, the poultry poultry slaughter put into the main channel P1 This is because when the number of bodies is large, uniform conveyance cannot be performed, and the cooling uniformity may be greatly deteriorated.

(Overflow device)
In the first embodiment, an overflow device as shown in FIG. 15 is provided in the secondary flow path P2 so that the cooling water does not overflow from the cooling tank 10 during operation. As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2A, the installation position of the overflow device is slightly upstream from the screw chamber R2 (left side in FIGS. 1B and 2A). The overflow device includes an overflow pipe 50 that is installed in the sub-flow channel P <b> 2 and can be adjusted in height, and a drain pipe 51 connected to the overflow pipe 50. The upper end of the overflow pipe 50 is a water intake 50a, and the height thereof can be changed manually as appropriate. The lower end portion of the overflow pipe 50 is fitted into the upper end portion of the drain pipe 51 and is in a nested (engaged) state, and even if the height of the (water intake port 50a) of the overflow pipe 50 changes, (Engagement) state is not canceled. The lower end of the drain pipe 51 passes through the left side plate 11b and opens to the outside of the cooling tank 10, so that the overflowing water is automatically discharged to the outside.

  When the cooling water surface exceeds the intake port 50a of the set height during the operation of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1, the overflowing cooling water enters the overflow pipe 50 from the intake port 50a and passes through the drain pipe 51 to the outside. To be discharged. For this reason, in the first embodiment, it is possible to reliably prevent a situation in which the cooling water overflows from the cooling tank 10 and becomes immersed in water, and dirt (foreign matter) floating on the surface of the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 is also automatically externalized. There is an advantage that it can be discharged.

  In addition, since the total length of the cooling / conveying device 1 is usually quite long (for example, a total length of 10 m), the conveyance work to the installation place and the installation work at the installation place are very troublesome. Therefore, for example, the entire length of the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 is divided into four parts so that each divided part can be transported by a normal size truck, and the four divided parts are easily and quickly connected and integrated at the installation site. It is preferable to be able to make it. In this way, the transfer work to the installation place and the installation work at the installation place become easy.

(Operation)
Next, the operation of the food cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment having the configuration as described above will be described. It should be noted that the poultry carcass that is the food to be conveyed and cooled in the present embodiment may be the one before or after the hollowing out.

  First, a predetermined amount of water is put into the cooling tank 10 and cooled to a predetermined temperature (for example, 1 to 3 ° C.) using the refrigerator 22 while slowly rotating the screw 41. Thereby, a cooling water flow having a predetermined temperature is generated in the cooling bath 10. In addition, the screw 41 can also be reversely rotated as necessary.

  Therefore, a predetermined amount of the poultry carcass (food to be cooled) is put into the rear end portion of the main flow path P1 of the cooling tank 10. Then, it rides on the cooling water flow in the main flow path P1 and is gradually conveyed forward (leftward in FIG. 1) and simultaneously cooled. And when it reaches the front end (the left end in FIG. 1) of the main flow path P1, the poultry carcass is automatically pulled forward by the conveyor 30 and sent to the next step.

During this time, the rotational speed of the screw 41 is adjusted according to the transport state and cooling state of the poultry carcass, and the opening degree of the closing plate 15b (spout port 14a) is adjusted to always maintain the desired transport state and the desired state. Allow to cool. Moreover, you may change the conveyance state and cooling state of a poultry carcass largely by operating a ladder mechanism as needed and forcibly changing the cooling water flow of the main flow path P1. Since the cooling water flow can be adjusted in a wide range in this way, the poultry carcass may float in the cooling water flow or sink. (Therefore, it may be a food other than a poultry carcass.)
Since the main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2 are connected to each other via the communication ports 18 and 19 and the opening 19a, the cooling water in the cooling tank 10 is always kept in the main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2 throughout the operation. It flows while circulating. In the main flow path P1, the cooling water cooled to a predetermined temperature is warmed by the poultry carcass, but the warmed cooling water enters the sub flow path P2 and is again returned by the heat exchanger 20 arranged in the sub flow path P2. After being cooled to a predetermined temperature, it is returned to the main flow path P1 and the feeding and cooling of the poultry carcass are performed. Since the heat exchange at this time is performed in direct contact with the flowing cooling water with the heat exchanger 20, the heat exchange efficiency is improved as compared with the conventional example employing the secondary cooling system using the antifreeze liquid, Heat loss associated with heat exchange is reduced. Therefore, the generation efficiency of cooling water is higher than that of the conventional example.

  As described above in detail, in the food cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the main flow path P1 and the sub flow path P2 that are in communication with each other are formed inside the cooling tank 10. Since the cooling water flow along the predetermined conveying direction is generated in the main flow path P1 by the screw 41 and the jet outlets 14a and 14b as the cooling water flow generating means, the edible carcass is added to the cooling water flow. By immersing (cooled food), these carcasses (cooled food) can be cooled while being transported in the transport direction, and the cooled carcass (cooled food) is transported. It can convey to the exterior of the cooling conveyance apparatus 1 with the conveyor 30 as. In addition, since the heat exchanger 20 in which a predetermined refrigerant flows inside is provided in the sub flow path P2, the cooling water flow flowing out from the main flow path P1 to the sub flow path P2 is passed through the heat exchanger 20 inside. After cooling by exchanging heat with the flowing refrigerant, it is possible to flow P1 again into the main flow path. For this reason, it is not necessary to install facilities, such as piping and a pump, which circulate the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank 10 with the external condenser (refrigerator) 22 outside the cooling conveyance device 1. . It is only necessary to install necessary equipment such as a pipe and a pump for returning the refrigerant whose state has been changed by heat exchange to its original state. Therefore, it is possible to realize the cooling and conveying process of the edible carcass (food to be cooled) with a simple configuration, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the cooling and conveying process of the edible carcass (food to be cooled) than the conventional cooling and conveying apparatus.

  Further, the screw 41 and the jet outlets 14a and 14b are provided as the cooling water flow generating means, and the cooling water flow along the transport direction is generated in the main flow path P1 from the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank 10. It is possible to easily change the flow state of the cooling water flow by controlling the operation of the cooling water flow generating means (screw 41 and jet port 14a). Therefore, the flow state of the cooling water flow, in other words, the conveyance / cooling state of the poultry carcass (food to be cooled) can be easily adjusted according to the number and the conveyance state.

  Furthermore, there is no need to install piping, pumps, or the like for circulating the cooling water stored in the cooling tank 10 to or from the external refrigerator (condenser) 22, and heat is added to the sub-flow channel P <b> 2. Since the exchanger 20 is provided and the cooling water flow that has flowed into the sub-flow channel P2 contacts the heat exchanger 20 and directly exchanges heat, the configuration around the heat exchanger 20 is simple, and the antifreeze liquid Etc. are also unnecessary. Therefore, maintenance work is easier than the conventional cooling conveyance device.

  In the first embodiment described above, in addition to the above effects. Furthermore, there are the following effects.

  That is, since the water flow generating means includes the screw 41 that generates the cooling water flow, and the spout 14a having a variable opening degree for jetting the generated cooling water flow into the main flow path P1, it is simple. With the configuration, the flow state of the cooling water flow in the cooling tank 10, in other words, the conveyance / cooling state of the poultry carcass (food to be cooled) can be easily adjusted.

  The spout 14b obliquely downward with respect to the bottom plate 11d of the cooling tank 10 and the spout 14a obliquely upward with respect to the bottom plate 11d of the cooling tank 10 are included. The body (food to be cooled) can be stirred to cool the entire body uniformly.

  Since a ladder mechanism (ladder 16a) as a cooling water flow adjusting member that provides resistance to the cooling water flow is provided in the main flow path P1, the cooling water flow is changed by changing the resistance of the cooling water flow by the cooling water flow adjusting member (ladder 16a). The flow state can be easily changed, and the change can be made directly and more greatly.

  The cooling water flow adjusting member (ladder 16a) can swing around the shaft 16c, and has an operation arm 17a that swings with the shaft 16c outside the cooling tank 10. Therefore, the cooling water flow adjusting member (ladder 16a) The operation of 16a) can be easily performed from the outside of the cooling bath 10, and the operation arm 17a is fixed at an arbitrary position, so that the cooling water flow adjusting member (ladder 16a) can be easily fixed at a desired position. is there.

  The conveyor 30 as the conveying means can be swung around the swing shaft 34, and the conveyor 30 is swung upward by the winch 32 as the driving means, so that the conveyor 30 is spaced from the bottom surface of the main flow path P1. Therefore, it is easy to clean the space between the conveyor 30 and the bottom surface of the main flow path P1 and to clean the conveyor 30 itself.

  Since the heat exchanger 20 is a plate coil type unit and is mounted on the exposed surface in the sub-channel P2, the heat exchanger 20 can be easily installed (built in) in the sub-channel P2. The installation work is also easy, and even when the external communication pipe 21 is connected to the heat exchanger 20, maintenance work and cleaning work around the heat exchanger 20 and its surroundings are easy.

  Since an overflow device in which the height of the water intake port 50a is variable is provided in the secondary flow path P2, the overflow of the cooling water from the secondary flow path P2 is surely prevented, and the level at which overflow occurs is easily achieved. In addition, it is possible to discharge the dirt floating on the surface of the cooling water flow to the outside.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  18 and 19 show an inner plate 11e and a plate coil heat exchanger 20A used in the food cooling and conveying apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The overall structure of the food cooling and conveying apparatus according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the food cooling and conveying apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above, except for the inner plate 11e and the plate coil heat exchanger 20A. The same effect as the cooling / cooling conveyance apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment can be obtained. Therefore, the description about the whole structure of the cooling conveyance apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different point is demonstrated.

  In the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, an inner plate 11e having the configuration shown in FIG. 19A is used in place of the inner plate 11c used in the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. The outer shape of the inner plate 11e is the same as that of the inner plate 11c of the first embodiment, but differs in that a notch portion 11f is formed at the approximate center. The shape of the notch 11f is substantially the same as the outer shape of the plate coil heat exchanger 20A having the configuration shown in FIG. In other words, the notch portion 11f corresponds to a portion in which the inner plate 11e is cut out so as to have substantially the same shape as the outer shape of the plate coil heat exchanger 20A. For this reason, the heat exchanger 20A can be fitted into and engaged with the cutout portion 11f from the side of the sub flow path P2, and can be configured integrally with the inner plate 11c. FIGS. 18A and 18B show a state in which the heat exchanger 20A is fitted and locked in the notch 11f and integrated with the inner plate 11c.

  As shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the heat exchanger 20A fitted into the notch 11f from the side of the sub flow path P2 is fitted into the notch 11f so as to close the whole. Yes. The plurality of locking portions 20e provided around the heat exchanger 20A and the plurality of locking holes 11g provided at positions corresponding to the locking portions 20e on the outer peripheral edge of the notch portion 11f of the inner plate 11e include: Support rods 20f are respectively inserted, and both ends of the support rods 20f are respectively engaged with the left side plate 11b and the inner side plate 11e. By doing so, the heat exchanger 20A and the inner plate 11c are engaged and supported so as to be integrated with each other.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 18B, one side (left side in the figure) of the heat exchanger 20A integrally engaged with the inner plate 11c is exposed to the sub-flow path P2, and the opposite side thereof. (Right side in the figure) is exposed to the main flow path P1. This is a point different from the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. For this reason, since the cooling water flow comes into contact with the heat exchanger 20A not only in the flow path P2 but also in the main flow path P1, heat exchange with the refrigerant of the heat exchanger 20A is performed in both the sub flow path P2 and the main flow path P1. Can be done. Therefore, in the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, the heat exchange efficiency can be improved as compared with the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. The heat exchanger 20A is not provided with a handle 20d like the heat exchanger 20.

  In the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 18B, in addition to the heat exchanger 20A, the same plate coil type heat exchange as that used for the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is used. A container 20 is provided in the sub-flow channel P2. The heat exchanger 20 is disposed between the heat exchanger 20A facing the heat exchanger 20A and the left side plate 11b with a space from the heat exchanger 20A. The same support rod 20f as that of the heat exchanger 20A is inserted into each locking portion 20e of the heat exchanger 20, and the heat exchanger 20 is supported by the same support rod 20f that supports the heat exchanger 20A as shown in FIG. It is held in the state shown in (b). Unlike the heat exchanger 20A, the heat exchanger 20 is entirely located in the sub flow path P2, and does not have a portion exposed to the main flow path P1.

  The connecting pipe 20b and the oil trap 20c of the heat exchanger 20A are located on the side of the sub-flow path P2 as in the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and are not shown through the connecting pipe 20b. The two heat exchangers 20 </ b> A are connected in series, and further connected to a refrigerator (condenser) 22 via an external communication pipe 21. Also, the connecting pipe 20b and the oil trap 20c of the heat exchanger 20 are connected to another heat exchanger 20 (not shown) via the connecting pipe 20b, similarly to the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. The refrigerator (condenser) 22 is connected via an external communication pipe 21 (see FIG. 9).

  In the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, similarly to the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the two heat exchangers 20A connected to each other and the two heat exchangers 20 connected to each other are connected. Although the heat exchanger 20A is fitted in the notch portion 11f of the inner plate 11e and integrated with the inner plate 11e despite being arranged in the secondary flow path P2 in two rows, The flow resistance exerted by the heat exchanger 20A on the cooling water flow flowing through the sub-channel P2 is very small, specifically, can be reduced to a level close to the case where the heat exchanger 20A does not exist. As a result, the flow resistance of the cooling water flow caused by the heat exchanger 20 and the heat exchanger 20A is reduced to a value close to that when only the heat exchanger 20 is arranged in a row in the sub-flow path P2. Therefore, it becomes possible to significantly increase the amount of the cooling water flow in the sub-flow path P2 as compared with the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. This is very preferable because it leads to an improvement in cooling efficiency of the cooling water.

  Furthermore, in the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, since the two notches 11f are cut out from the inner plate 11e, the weight of the inner plate 11e is considerably lower than that of the inner plate 11c of the first embodiment. To do. Therefore, there is an advantage that the inner plate 11e (and thus the cooling tank 10) is reduced in weight as compared with the cooling and conveying apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

  In the cooling and conveying apparatus of the second embodiment, as described above, one inner plate 11e is used, and two notches 11f are formed in the inner plate 11e at a predetermined interval to form two heat exchangers 20A. Are fitted into the two notches 11f, respectively. The present invention is not limited to this. For example, two inner plates 11e formed with one notch 11f are prepared, and one heat exchanger 20A is fitted into the notch 11f of each inner plate 11e, so that the second embodiment While assembling the cooling and conveying apparatus, the two inner plates 11e may be connected, and one heat exchanger 20A may be fitted into the notch 11f of each inner plate 11e.

(Modification)
The above-described embodiment shows an example in which the present invention is embodied. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where a poultry carcass is used as the food to be cooled is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to carcasses other than carcass carcasses, and can be transported by immersing in cooling water in any food other than carcass, specifically various foods such as poultry, meat, and seafood. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to those that require a cooling process.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the plate coil type | mold unit is used as a heat exchanger, this invention is not limited to this. Any other heat exchanger can be used as long as the heat can be directly exchanged between the cooling water and the refrigerant by bringing the cooling water into contact with the heat exchanger and allowing the cooling water to contact the heat exchanger. Also good.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although a screw and a jet nozzle are used as the said cooling water flow production | generation means, a conveyor is used as a conveyance means, and a ladder apparatus is used as a cooling water flow adjustment means, this invention is in these. It is not limited. Needless to say, other devices may be used. For example, a pump that can be installed in the cooling water can be used as the water flow generating means instead of a screw. Furthermore, without combining the screw or pump and the jet port, the jet port may be omitted, and only the screw or the pump may be used to generate a cooling water flow that can adjust the jet strength and the jet amount.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, two heat exchangers connected in series are arranged in two rows and a total of four heat exchangers are installed in the sub-flow channel, but the present invention is not limited to this. Not. It is sufficient if the cooling water contacts the heat exchanger and can exchange heat with the refrigerant of the heat exchanger, and the number of installed heat exchangers and the installation method may be different from those in the above embodiment. Needless to say.

  The present invention can be applied not only to food birds but also to all foods that need to be cooled while being immersed in cooling water and transported. The form of the food is arbitrary and may be any form that can be transported by being immersed in cooling water, and is not limited to the form of a carcass. Specifically, various foods such as poultry, meat, and seafood can be applied to any food as long as the treatment requires cooling while immersed in cooling water.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cooling conveyance apparatus 10 Cooling tank 11a Right side plate 11b Left side plate 11c Inner plate 11d Bottom plate 11e Inner plate 11f Notch part 11g Locking hole 12 Front end plate 13 Rear end plate 13a Partition plate 14a Outlet 14b Outlet 15a Closing plate 15b Closing plate 15bb Oscillating shaft 15c Fence plate 15d Lower plate 16a Ladder 16b Holding body 16c Shaft 17a Operation arm 17b Guide 17c Fixing member 18 Communication port 19 Communication port 19a Opening 20 Heat exchanger 20A Heat exchanger 20a Plate coil 20Aa Plate coil 20b Connection Pipe 20c Oil trap 20d Handle 20e Locking part 20f Support bar 21 External communication pipe 22 Refrigerator (condenser)
30 Conveyor 30a Caterpillar group 30b Pusher 30c Window 31 Support body 32 Winch 33 Chain 34 Oscillating shaft 40 Motor 40a Motor shaft 41 Screw 42 Support leg 50 Overflow pipe 50a Water intake 51 Drain pipe P1 Main flow path P2 Sub flow path R1 Screw chamber R2 Adjustment room

Claims (11)

A cooling tank containing cooling water;
A main flow path formed inside the cooling tank for transporting the food to be cooled in a predetermined transport direction;
A sub-flow channel formed so as to communicate with the main flow channel inside the cooling tank;
A cooling water flow generating means provided in the cooling tank for generating a cooling water flow along the transport direction from the cooling water accommodated in the cooling tank;
A heat exchanger provided in the sub-flow channel in which a predetermined refrigerant flows;
Transport means provided at the downstream end of the main flow path,
By immersing the food to be cooled in the cooling water flow generated in the main flow path by the cooling water flow generating means, the food to be cooled is cooled while being conveyed in the conveying direction, and the cooled food to be cooled is Conveyed outside by the conveying means,
The cooling water flow that has flowed out of the main flow path into the sub flow path is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing inside the heat exchanger, and then flows into the main flow path again. A food cooling and transporting device.   The water flow generating means is configured to generate a cooling water flow by injecting the cooling water flowing through the cooling water flowing through the cooling water flowing in the main flow path. The food cooling / conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a jet port having a variable opening degree.   The cooling / conveying apparatus for food according to claim 2, comprising two or more spouts having different spout directions with respect to the bottom surface of the cooling tank as the spouts.   The cooling and conveying apparatus for food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a cooling water flow adjusting means serving as a resistance of the cooling water flow is provided in the main channel.   5. The food product according to claim 4, wherein the cooling water flow adjusting means is swingable around a held shaft and has an operation arm swinging with the shaft outside the cooling tank. Cooling transfer device.   The transport means is swingable around a swinging shaft that is held. By swinging the transport means around the swing shaft, a gap is formed between the bottom surface of the main flow path. The food cooling / conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the food cooling / conveying device is formed.   The food cooling and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the heat exchanger is a plate coil type unit.   The food cooling and conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an overflow device having a variable intake height is provided in the sub-flow channel. The heat exchanger is disposed in the sub-flow path so as to be partially exposed to the main flow path;
The cooling / conveying apparatus for food according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cooling water flow is configured to exchange heat by contacting the heat exchanger not only in the sub flow path but also in the main flow path. . A partition member that partitions the internal space of the cooling layer to form the main flow path and the sub flow path is provided in the cooling tank,
The heat exchanger is disposed in the sub-flow path so as to penetrate the partition member and be partially exposed to the main flow path;
The cooling / conveying apparatus for food according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cooling water flow is configured to exchange heat by contacting the heat exchanger not only in the sub flow path but also in the main flow path. . A partition member that partitions the internal space of the cooling layer to form the main flow path and the sub flow path is provided in the cooling tank,
At least a part of the heat exchanger fits into a notch formed in the partition member and is integrated with the partition member, and is exposed to the main flow path through the notch. And
The cooling / conveying apparatus for food according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cooling water flow is configured to exchange heat by contacting the heat exchanger not only in the sub flow path but also in the main flow path. .

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