JP4853868B2 - Continuous refrigeration equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a continuous refrigeration apparatus for continuously freezing frozen objects such as fresh foods such as vegetables, seafood, and fruits so that no drip occurs during thawing.

  Conventionally, frozen storage is performed in order to maintain the freshness of fresh foods such as vegetables, seafood and fruits. The frozen storage is performed by rapidly freezing the object to be frozen from normal temperature to -35 ° C to -45 ° C in the freezing part. However, such a method has a problem that when the object to be frozen is thawed, a drip is generated, and the object to be frozen becomes watery. The occurrence of drip is caused by the fact that the ice crystals in the cells are enlarged and the cell membrane is destroyed during freezing. When the cell membrane is destroyed in this way, drip is generated when the water in the cell flows out from the destroyed cell membrane at the time of thawing.

  Therefore, conventionally, attempts have been made to prevent the occurrence of this drip. For example, Patent Document 1 uses a plurality of negative electrostatic generators with high output resistance to induce high-voltage negative electrostatics in a refrigerator, and provides a negative electrostatic band with a voltage between 1V and 4999V. Created, the food is primarily cooled in the ice temperature range of 0 ° C. to −3 ° C. in the freezing state in a non-freezing state, the solid temperature range of the food is stabilized in the freezing state, and then −30 ° C. to − It is described that it is transferred to a freezing part at 45 ° C. and secondarily frozen.

  In Patent Document 2, an alternating electric field is applied to an object to be frozen housed in an internal space of a freezer to rapidly freeze to a predetermined temperature of −20 ° C. to −30 ° C. while suppressing freezing of moisture. After that, a refrigeration apparatus is described in which the action of the alternating electric field is stopped and frozen at this predetermined temperature instantly. Patent Document 3 discloses the production of freshly frozen raw vegetables that are rapidly frozen to −20 ° C. to −50 ° C. in the same manner under the action of a static magnetic field and a variable magnetic field instead of or in addition to the alternating electric field. A method is described.

  Moreover, in patent document 4, the tunnel part which freezes the target object containing water and a target object are mounted in the upper surface side of a conveyance belt, and the inside of the hollow part of the tunnel part of the temperature of -20 degreeC--70 degreeC passes. A refrigeration apparatus having a belt conveyor to be installed, wherein the first magnetic field generator is installed in the tunnel portion, and the second magnetic field generator is installed on the inner peripheral side of the conveyor belt to generate an alternating magnetic field, It describes what freezes a cluster of water in an object in a fragmented state.

JP-A-9-61044 JP 2003-88347 A JP 2004-81133 A JP 2004-53244 A

  In the thing of the said patent document 1, after accommodating a target object in the closed refrigerator and performing primary cooling in this refrigerator, it transfers to the closed freezing part similarly and performs secondary freezing. is there. Therefore, each time a large amount of objects are processed, it is necessary to manually move the objects in and out of the refrigerator or transfer them from the refrigerator to the freezing unit. I can't.

  In Patent Document 1, it is not always necessary to transfer from the primary cooling chamber to the secondary cooling chamber. After confirming the end of the primary cooling, the negative electrostatic generation transformer is turned off, and the secondary cooling is performed as it is. Although it is described that it may be transferred, the temperature in the refrigerator is lowered from the primary cooling temperature to the secondary cooling temperature or increased from the secondary cooling temperature to the primary cooling temperature every time it is frozen. Because it is necessary, a large amount of objects cannot be processed continuously.

  Also in the thing of patent documents 2 and 3, since a thing is stored and frozen in a closed refrigerator, when a lot of objects are frozen like the thing of patent documents 1 Each time, it is necessary to put in and out the object manually by the operator, and a large amount of objects cannot be processed continuously.

  On the other hand, what is described in Patent Document 4 is to continuously process the object by passing it through the refrigeration apparatus while conveying the object by a belt conveyor. Since the object is cooled from room temperature to -20 ° C or less at a stretch, the effect of magnetic field treatment etc. cannot actually be exhibited sufficiently, and a temperature difference occurs between the periphery and the center of the object during freezing, and the object is frozen from the periphery. It will follow. For this reason, it is not possible to sufficiently prevent the ice crystals from being enlarged at the center, and it is difficult to completely suppress the occurrence of drip.

  Therefore, in the present invention, there is provided a continuous refrigeration apparatus capable of continuously processing a large amount of objects while being conveyed by a conveyor and capable of freezing so that no drip is generated during thawing. For the purpose.

  The continuous refrigeration apparatus of the present invention is connected to a supercooling unit that cools an object from normal temperature to a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. based on the freezing point, and is connected to the supercooling unit. A freezing part that rapidly freezes an object cooled so as not to freeze in the cooling part to a freezing point to −40 ° C. and a pair of rollers formed by an insulator, and the object placed thereon is passed. An endless annular body transported in the cooling section, a first endless annular body formed of a conductor, a high voltage supply roller to which a high voltage is applied and is brought into contact with the first endless annular body; An endless annular body that takes over an object transported by one endless annular body and transports it within the freezing section, and has a second endless annular body that is insulated from the first endless annular body.

  According to the present invention, a high voltage is applied to the first endless annular body via the high voltage supply roller that rotates in contact with the first endless annular body, and is transported by the first endless annular body. Applied to the object. Thereby, since the composition molecule of the object on the first endless annular body is activated, the temperature in the range from 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. from the normal temperature to the freezing point while being transported in the supercooling section. Even if cooled down, it is not frozen and is supercooled. And the object supercooled so that it may not freeze to this supercooling temperature is taken over by the 2nd endless annular body insulated from the 1st endless annular body, is conveyed in the freezing part, and the freezing point-- Quick frozen to 40 ° C. As described above, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus according to the present invention, the temperature is once cooled from room temperature to the supercooling temperature (temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. with reference to the freezing point), and the temperature inside the object is made uniform To do. Thereafter, by rapidly freezing to a freezing point of −40 ° C. with the temperature inside the object uniform, the water content in the cells is not enlarged and the state of fine ice crystals is maintained. Therefore, the object is frozen without destroying the cell membrane.

  Moreover, it is desirable that the continuous refrigeration apparatus of the present invention includes an insulated connecting plate between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body. Thereby, the insulation between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body can be maintained by the connecting plate. Further, since the object is supported by the connecting plate between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body, the connection of the object from the first endless annular body to the second endless annular body is performed. Is done smoothly.

  Here, it is desirable that either or both of the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body are supported by an insulator between the pair of rollers. The first and second endless annular bodies on which the object is placed are supported by an insulator between the pair of rollers, so that a large number of objects are placed on the first and second endless annular bodies. Even if a heavy object is placed, the object can be transported while maintaining the insulation state and posture of the first and second endless annular bodies.

  The first and second endless annular bodies may be formed in a belt shape or a net shape. A belt-shaped object can secure a large contact area with the object, so that a high voltage can be efficiently applied to the object. Moreover, if it is a net-like thing, the continuous refrigeration apparatus of this invention is realizable at low cost.

(1) A supercooling unit that cools an object from normal temperature to a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. with reference to the freezing point, and a supercooling unit that is connected to the supercooling unit so as not to freeze in the supercooling unit A freezing section that rapidly freezes the object cooled to a freezing point to −40 ° C. and an endless portion that is wound between a pair of rollers formed of an insulator and conveys the placed object in the supercooling section A first endless annular body formed of a conductor, a high voltage supply roller to which a high voltage is applied and brought into contact with the first endless annular body, and a first endless annular body. An endless annular body that takes over the object to be transported and transports it in the freezing part, and has a second endless annular body that is insulated from the first endless annular body, thereby allowing vegetables, seafood, fruits, etc. To transport objects such as fresh food so as not to destroy the cell membrane It can be reluctant continuously frozen to become. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a continuous refrigeration apparatus that can continuously process a large amount of objects while being conveyed by a conveyor and can be frozen so that no drip is generated during thawing.

(2) By providing an insulated connecting plate between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body, insulation between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body is achieved. It can be maintained by this connecting plate, and the apparatus can be simplified. Further, since the object is supported by the connecting plate between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body, the connection of the object from the first endless annular body to the second endless annular body is performed. Is performed smoothly, and a large amount of objects can be processed efficiently and continuously.

(3) Since the endless annular body is supported by an insulator between a pair of rollers, even a large number of objects or heavy objects can be processed continuously. .

  1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a continuous refrigeration apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the conveyor apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows details of part A of FIG. It is a perspective view.

  In FIG. 1, a continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a freezing point (a temperature at which water in the object X begins to freeze) of an object X such as fresh food such as vegetables, fish and shellfish, and fruits. And a subcooling unit 2a that cools so as not to freeze to a temperature in the range of 0 ° C to -5 ° C, and an object X that is connected to the supercooling unit 2a and is cooled so as not to freeze in the supercooling unit 2a. The freezing section 2b for rapidly freezing the refrigeration point to −40 ° C., the conveyor devices 3a, 3b, 3c for conveying the object X, the refrigeration device 4, and the air (cold air) cooled by the refrigeration device 4 as fans 6a and 6b are provided with cooling units 5a and 5b sprayed onto the respective conveyor devices 3b and 3c in the supercooling unit 2a and the freezing unit 2b.

  The conveyor devices 3a, 3b, 3c are respectively hung on a pair of rollers (hereinafter referred to as “resin insulating rollers”) 30a, 30b formed of resin as an insulator, and these resin insulating rollers 30a, 30b. It comprises a conveyor net 31 as a rotated endless annular body, a resin insulation rail 32 formed of resin as an insulator that supports the conveyor net 31 between the resin insulation rollers 30a and 30b, and the like.

  The conveyor apparatus 3a is arrange | positioned in the conveyance direction Y front side of the entrance side opening part 3a-1 of the supercooling part 2a, and comprises the input part 2c of the target object X. FIG. The conveyor apparatus 3b is installed in the supercooling part 2a. The conveyor apparatus 3c is arrange | positioned at the back side of the conveyance direction Y of the exit side opening part 3a-2 of the supercooling part 2a, and the inlet side opening part 3b-1 of the freezing part 2b. In addition, the rear end part of the conveyance direction Y of the conveyor apparatus 3c protrudes outside from the exit side opening part 3b-2 of the conveyor apparatus 3c, and comprises the extraction part 2d of the target object X.

  The resin insulating rollers 30a and 30b are pivotally supported by stainless shafts 35a and 35b, respectively. The stainless shaft 35a is a drive shaft, and the stainless shaft 35b is a driven shaft. FIG. 1 shows the drive motor 40 and the drive chain 41 that transmits the drive force of the drive motor 40 to the stainless steel shaft 35a only for the conveyor device 3c, but the same applies to the other conveyor devices 3a and 3b. A drive motor 40 and a drive chain 41 are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyor net 31 has stainless bars 31a formed of stainless steel as conductors arranged in parallel in the transport direction Y and engaged with the adjacent stainless bars 31a at the ends. , Formed in a net shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the resin insulation rail 32 contacts the lower surface of the conveyor net 31 to support the conveyor net 31.

  Further, the conveyor device 3b in the supercooling section 2 is further connected to the high voltage generator 33 that generates a high voltage of 3000 to 7000V, preferably around 3500V, and the high voltage generator 33, and contacts the conveyor net 31. And a high voltage supply roller 34 that rotates around. The high voltage supply roller 34 is provided at one end of the conveyor net 31 as shown in FIG. 2, and from the high voltage generator 33 via the wiring 36 and the leaf spring terminal 37 as shown in FIG. A high voltage is applied.

  The high voltage generator 33 and the high voltage supply roller 34 are provided only in the conveyor device 3b in the supercooling unit 2, and are not provided in the other conveyor devices 3a and 3c. The conveyor devices 3a and 3c are insulated from the conveyor devices 3a and 3c to which a high voltage is applied, and are maintained in a no-voltage state. Further, a connecting insulation plate 38 formed of an insulator is provided between the conveyor device 3b and the conveyor devices 3a and 3c. The upper surface of the connecting insulating plate 38 is set to the same height as the upper surface of each conveyor net 31 of the conveyor devices 3a, 3b, 3c.

  In the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration, the inside of the supercooling unit 2a is maintained at −5 ° C. to −10 ° C. by the cold air blown from the cooling unit 5a by the fan 6a. The object X conveyed to the supercooling unit 2a by the conveyor device 3a of the charging unit 2c and taken over by the conveyor device 3b in the supercooling unit 2a is 0 ° C. from the normal temperature to the freezing point. It is cooled to a temperature in the range of -5 ° C (for example, when the freezing point is -2 ° C, a temperature in the range of -2 ° C to -7 ° C).

  Here, a high voltage of 3000 to 7000 V is applied to the conveyor net 31 of the conveyor device 3b in the supercooling section 2a via a high voltage supply roller 34 that rotates in contact with the conveyor net 31 to convey the conveyor device 3b. All the conveyor nets 31 have this high voltage electric field. This high voltage is applied to the object X conveyed in the supercooling part 2a by the conveyor net 31, and the composition molecule | numerator of the object X is activated. Therefore, the object X is supercooled so as not to be frozen to a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. with reference to the freezing point while being conveyed in the supercooling unit 2a.

  Then, the object X that has been supercooled so as not to freeze in the supercooling section 2a is taken over from the conveyor net 31 of the conveyor apparatus 3b to the conveyor net 31 of the conveyor apparatus 3c and is conveyed in the freezing section 2b. . The freezing part 2b is maintained at −35 ° C. to −40 ° C. by the cold air blown from the cooling unit 5b by the fan 6b, and the object X is rapidly frozen here from the freezing point to −40 ° C., and the take-out part 2d It is conveyed to. In the freezing part 2b, vibration is applied to the object X. The vibration is applied by blowing wind with the fan 6b, vibrating the conveyor net 3c itself, or applying sound waves. By this vibration, the supercooled state of the object X can be solved and can be quickly frozen at a stretch.

  As described above, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the object X is transported from the charging unit 2c to the supercooling unit 2a, and once the high voltage is applied to 0 ° C. from the normal temperature to the freezing point. It cools so that it may not freeze to the temperature in the range of -5 degreeC, and internal temperature is equalized. Thereafter, the object X is transported to the freezing part 2b and rapidly frozen from a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. to a freezing point to −40 ° C. with reference to this freezing point in a no-voltage state. As a result, the object X is frozen without destroying the cell membrane because the moisture in the cell is not enlarged and maintains a fine ice crystal state.

  Therefore, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, it is possible to continuously freeze the object X such as fresh food such as vegetables, seafood, and fruits while transporting the object X without destroying the cell membrane. That is, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 in the present embodiment, a large amount of the object X can be continuously processed while being conveyed by the conveyor apparatuses 3a, 3b, and 3c, and is frozen so that no drip is generated during thawing. It is possible.

  Moreover, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, since the insulated connecting insulation plates 38 are provided between the conveyor nets 31, the conveyor net 31 in the supercooling unit 2a, the freezing unit 2b, and the charging unit 2c Since the insulation with the conveyor net 31 can be maintained by the connecting plate, the apparatus can be simplified. In addition, since the object X is supported between the conveyor nets 31 at the same height by the connecting insulating plate 38, the object X is smoothly transferred between the conveyor nets 31, and a large amount of the object X is obtained. Can be processed efficiently and continuously.

  Furthermore, in the continuous refrigeration apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, each conveyor net 31 is supported by the resin insulation rails 32 between the pair of resin insulation rollers 30a and 30b. Even if it is heavy, it can be continuously conveyed and processed while maintaining the insulated state and posture of the conveyor net 31.

  The continuous refrigeration apparatus of the present invention is useful as an apparatus for continuously freezing objects such as fresh foods such as vegetables, seafood and fruits so that no drip is generated during thawing.

It is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the continuous refrigeration apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the conveyor apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the detail of the A section of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

X Object 1 Continuous refrigeration unit 2a Supercooling unit 2b Freezing unit 2c Input unit 2d Extraction unit 3a, 3b, 3c Conveyor device 3a-1, 3b-1 Inlet side opening 3b-1, 3b-2 Outlet side opening DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 Refrigeration apparatus 5a, 5b Cooling unit 6a, 6b Fan 30a, 30b Resin insulation roller 31 Conveyor net 31a Stainless steel bar 32 Resin insulation rail 33 High voltage generator 34 High voltage supply roller 35a, 35b Stainless steel shaft 36 Wiring 37 Leaf spring terminal 38 Connection insulation plate 40 Drive motor 41 Drive chain

Claims (4)

A supercooling section for cooling the object from normal temperature to a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to −5 ° C. with reference to the freezing point;
A freezing part that is connected to the supercooling part and rapidly freezes the object cooled so as not to freeze in the supercooling part to a freezing point to −40 ° C .;
An endless annular body that is hung between a pair of rollers formed of an insulator and conveys a placed object in the supercooling unit, the first endless annular body formed of a conductor;
A high voltage supply roller that is applied with a high voltage of 3000 to 7000 V and rotates around in contact with the first endless annular body;
An endless annular body that takes over an object transported by the first endless annular body and transports it within the freezing section, and has a second endless annular body that is insulated from the first endless annular body. Continuous refrigeration equipment.   The continuous refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an insulated connecting plate between the first endless annular body and the second endless annular body. The continuous refrigeration apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first endless annular body is supported by a rail formed of an insulator between the pair of rollers. The second endless annular body is hung between a pair of rollers formed of an insulator and supported by a rail formed of an insulator between the pair of rollers. The continuous refrigeration apparatus according to any one of the above.

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