JP3215991B2 - Article freezing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for freezing articles, and more particularly, to an apparatus for continuously freezing small frozen objects such as shrimp using a low-temperature liquefied gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various articles, for example, food such as shrimp are immersed in a low-temperature liquefied gas and frozen. As a freezing device used at this time, there is known a device in which a part of a conveyer for taking out a frozen material is immersed in a storage tank storing a low-temperature liquefied gas, for example, liquid nitrogen. In such an apparatus, an object to be frozen is put into a storage tank, frozen by a low-temperature liquefied gas, and the frozen material after freezing is taken out of the storage tank by a conveyor.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned freezing apparatus, since a part of the conveyor from which the frozen material is taken out is in contact with the atmosphere, heat infiltration is large, the amount of vaporized low-temperature liquefied gas increases, and There is a disadvantage that the loss of the liquefied gas is increased, and the frozen object adheres to the conveyor and does not easily peel off, making it difficult to collect the frozen material.

[0004] Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of efficiently contacting a frozen object with a low-temperature liquefied gas and freezing it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article freezing apparatus that can reduce the loss of low-temperature liquefied gas.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an article freezing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a liquid flow of a low-temperature liquefied gas .
A trough which forms the record, to be frozen provided in the upstream of the liquid flow
A freezing apparatus having a feeding section of the object, a low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end of the trough and separating portion for separating the frozen material, and a liquid collecting portion provided under the said separation unit, the separation unit and parallel to the direction of the flow of the liquid, and is formed by a number of rod-like members which are arranged at narrower intervals than the size of the frozen material, the
The falling direction of the frozen material on the rod-shaped member is
At the end of the gutter.
It is almost perpendicular to the flowing direction of the low temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end
It is characterized by being arranged as described above, further provided with a converging portion on the frozen matter falling side of the separating portion , and the gutter,
With a square cross section, the position where the material to be frozen is thrown deep
It is characterized by the following.

[0006]

According to the above configuration, the object to be frozen dropped into the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing through the low-temperature liquefied gas channel formed in the gutter comes into contact with the low-temperature liquefied gas, freezes, and is conveyed by the liquid flow. , after a fall from the end, it is taken is separated from the low-temperature liquefied gas in the separation unit. At this time, as described above, the separation portion is formed by a number of rod-shaped members parallel to the liquid flow direction, and the falling direction of the frozen matter is inclined so as to be on the upstream side of the liquid flow, so that the liquid flows down. The inclination direction of the separation part can be turned at a right angle to the direction,
The amount of the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing into the frozen material container together with the frozen material can be reduced to increase the liquid recovery rate.

Further, by providing a converging section on the tip side of the separating section, a minute flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas is collected at the converging section and becomes a large droplet which drops into the liquid collecting section. The rate can be further increased. In addition, the
The gutter has a square cross section, and the deep position of the material to be frozen is formed.
In this way, the object to be frozen and the low-temperature liquefied gas
A liquid depth that can be touched can be formed .

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. The freezing apparatus 1 includes a gutter 3 that forms a flow path for a low-temperature liquefied gas, for example, liquid nitrogen, supplied from a low-temperature liquefied gas supply unit 2, and a charging unit 4 for the frozen object A provided upstream of the gutter 3. And a separation unit 5 provided at the end.
And a liquid recovery container 6 for recovering the low-temperature liquefied gas separated in the separation section 5 and a frozen material container 7 for receiving the frozen material B.

The trough 3 has a rectangular cross section, and is formed at a position where the material to be frozen A is thrown deep. The shape of the gutter 3 can be arbitrarily set, such as a square cross section or a semicircular cross section. However, in relation to the amount of low-temperature liquefied gas supplied from the low-temperature liquefied gas supply unit 2, The frozen object A is formed in a shape capable of forming a liquid depth capable of sufficiently bringing the low-temperature liquefied gas into contact with the low-temperature liquefied gas, and has a flow path length capable of reliably freezing the frozen object A.

The separating section 5 is formed by arranging a large number of thin rods at intervals smaller than the size of the frozen material B to be generated, substantially in parallel with the flow direction of the liquid. , The downstream side is set high and the upstream side is set low. In other words, a number of rods forming the separation section 5 are disposed so as to be substantially parallel to the flow direction of the low-temperature liquefied gas and substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the low-temperature liquefied gas. Are formed so that the falling direction of the frozen matter is upstream with respect to the flow direction of the liquid. In addition, the inclination angle of the separation part 5 varies depending on the shape of the frozen material B and the like, but is usually 10 to 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction, and in this angle range, the falling direction of the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down. It is desirable that the angle of the surface of the separation unit 5 be set to be substantially a right angle.

Further, a convergence section 5a is provided on the separation section 5 on the falling side of the frozen matter B. This convergence part 5a
Is to collect small droplets of the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down along the rod into large droplets and drop them into the liquid recovery container 6 by their own weight.

A liquid recovery pipe 6 and a pumping means 9 are connected to a liquid recovery container 6 provided below the separation section 5. The low-temperature liquefied gas recovered in the liquid recovery container 6 is The liquid circulates from the return pipe 10 to the low-temperature liquefied gas supply unit 2 via the liquid recovery pipe 8 and the liquid pumping means 9.

The frozen object A is introduced into the flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas from the introduction section 4 of the frozen object A provided upstream of the trough 3, and once cooled while contacting with the low-temperature liquefied gas, is temporarily cooled. It sinks inside, floats on the liquid surface in a state of being cooled to some extent, flows downstream with the flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas, and flows down from the end of the gutter 3 to the separation section 5.

At this time, as described above, since the portion of the gutter 3 corresponding to the charging portion 4 of the frozen material A is formed deep, the frozen material A once submerged in the liquid after being poured is formed deep. Since it floats without contacting the bottom surface of the gutter 3 or reaches the bottom surface after being sufficiently cooled, it can be prevented from contacting the bottom surface of the gutter 3 with insufficient cooling and directly adhering to the bottom surface. Further, by forming only the charging portion deep, the required amount of liquid can be reduced as compared with the case where the entire gutter 3 is formed deep. The depth of this portion can be appropriately set according to the sinking depth of the frozen object A, the cooling speed, the floating speed, the liquid flow rate, and the like.

The low-temperature liquefied gas and the frozen matter B flowing down from the end of the gutter 3 are separated in the separation unit 5, and the low-temperature liquefied gas flows down into the liquid recovery container 6 from between the thin rods, and the frozen matter B It slides on the thin rod and falls into the frozen container 7. At this time, since a large number of rods of the separation unit 5 are provided substantially parallel to the direction of the flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas and substantially at right angles to the direction of the flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas as described above, Most of the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end of 3 passes through the separation section 5 and flows down into the liquid recovery container 6 and is recovered.
In addition, the liquid adhering to the frozen material B or adhering to a number of rods of the separation unit 5 is condensed by the converging unit 5a while flowing down the rods.
And fall into the liquid recovery container 6 as large droplets.

As described above, the separating portion 5 for separating the low-temperature liquefied gas and the frozen matter B is composed of a number of rod-like members arranged in parallel with the flow direction of the liquid and at intervals smaller than the size of the frozen matter B. By forming, the frozen material B in the separation part 5 can be prevented from being caught, the frozen material B separated from the liquid in the separation part 5 can be quickly dropped, and the rod-shaped member can be frozen. Is arranged so that the falling direction is on the upstream side of the liquid flow, so that the angle between the flowing direction of the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down and the surface of the rod-shaped member of the separation unit 5 becomes substantially a right angle. By arranging so that the low-temperature liquefied gas recovery rate can be improved, furthermore,
By providing the converging portion 5a, the liquid flowing in the direction of the frozen matter container 7 can be recovered, and the recovery rate of the liquid can be further increased.

If the direction of inclination of the separation part 5 is set to the direction of dropping the frozen matter B toward the downstream side of the liquid flow, contrary to the above, the low temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end of the gutter 3 Since the flow direction is substantially the same as the inclination direction of the rod-shaped member and the falling direction of the frozen matter B, the low-temperature liquefied gas that has flowed down is:
With the force of flowing down, it falls down along the inclination of the rod-shaped member as it is, and together with the falling frozen matter B from the tip of the separating section into the frozen matter container 7, and the amount of low-temperature liquefied gas that can be collected in the liquid collecting vessel 6 decreases. Will be.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the inclination angle of the separation portion can be appropriately set according to the distance from the end of the flow path, the flow rate of the liquid, and the like. Instead, it may be formed by a curved surface or the like. Further, by attaching another rod-shaped member or the like to the lower surface of the many rods of the separation section in a direction intersecting with the rods, the flow of the liquid flowing along the rods can be stopped to form large droplets. In addition, the object to be frozen is not limited to a solid substance, and a liquid substance can be dropped and frozen in a granular form.

[0019]

As described above, the article freezing apparatus of the present invention puts an object to be frozen into the low-temperature liquefied gas flowing through the low-temperature liquefied gas flow path and freezes it. In separating the low-temperature liquefied gas and the frozen matter in the provided separation part, the separation part is formed by a large number of rod-shaped members parallel to the flow direction of the liquid and arranged at intervals smaller than the size of the frozen matter. The rod-shaped member is dropped on the rod-shaped member.
When tilted so that the downward direction is on the upstream side of the liquid flow,
Both of the low temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end of the gutter
Since it is arranged so as to be substantially perpendicular to the direction, it is possible not only to efficiently contact the frozen object with the low-temperature liquefied gas and freeze it, but also to reduce the amount of low-temperature liquefied gas flowing along the rod-shaped member of the separation part. In addition, the recovery rate of the low-temperature liquefied gas can be improved and the loss can be reduced.

Further, by providing a converging section on the falling side of the frozen matter in the separating section, a minute flow of the low-temperature liquefied gas can be collected and made into large droplets, so that the recovery rate of the low-temperature liquefied gas is further improved. be able to. Also, the gutter has a section angle of
Forming deeply into the injection position of the object to be frozen
This ensures that the frozen object and the low-temperature liquefied gas
The liquid depth can be formed .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article freezing apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Freezing apparatus, 2 ... Low temperature liquefied gas supply part, 3 ... Gutter, 4 ...
Charging section, 5 ... separation section, 5a ... converging section, 6 ... liquid recovery container,
7: frozen product container, A: frozen product, B: frozen product

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-260276 (JP, A) JP-A-58-193679 (JP, A) JP-A-3-207406 (JP, A) JP-A-3-207 244719 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 60-28080 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A23B 4/06 501 A23L 3/36

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A gutter for forming a liquid flow of a low-temperature liquefied gas ;
A feeding section of the frozen product provided upstream of the fluid flow, the
Yusuke a low-temperature liquefied gas flowing down from the end of the trough and separating portion for separating the frozen material, and a liquid collecting portion provided under the said separation section
A freezing apparatus, wherein the separating section is formed by a number of rod-shaped members arranged in parallel with the direction of flow of the liquid and at a smaller interval than the size of the frozen material, and the rod-shaped member is formed as a rod-shaped member.
So that the falling direction of the frozen matter is on the upstream side of the liquid flow
Low-temperature liquid that has been tilted down and flowed down from the end of the gutter
An apparatus for freezing an article, wherein the apparatus is disposed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the flowing direction of the forming gas . 2. The article freezing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a converging section is provided on the frozen matter falling side of the separating section. 3. The trough has a square cross section and is used for charging an object to be frozen.
The position is formed deep, The claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned.
Is an apparatus for freezing articles according to 2 .