JP7274172B2 - TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE, METHOD OF TEMPERATURE PROCESSING TO OBJECT, AND FROZEN PRODUCT MANUFACTURING METHOD - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides a temperature adjustment device for adjusting the temperature of a liquid in which an object is immersed, a method for temperature-treating an object by immersing the object in the liquid, and a method for producing frozen products using the adjustment method. Regarding.

For example, a method of immersing an object such as food in a liquid and freezing the object is known (Patent Document 1).

JP 2015-223164 A

To provide a technique capable of making the temperature of a liquid in which an object is immersed more uniform.

A temperature control device according to the present invention includes a container having a reservoir for storing liquid, a chiller for supplying a refrigerant to the container, and a bubble generator for generating bubbles in the liquid by sending gas into the reservoir. and

A method for subjecting an object to temperature treatment according to the present invention includes the steps of immersing an object in a liquid, changing the temperature of the liquid using a coolant, and generating bubbles by sending gas into the liquid. and generating.

A method for producing a frozen product according to the present invention produces a frozen product by using the above-described method of subjecting an object to temperature treatment.

According to the above configuration, the temperature of the liquid in which the object is immersed can be made more uniform.

It is a temperature adjustment device in a 1st embodiment. Figure 2 shows the structure of the chiller shown in Figure 1; 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIa-IIIa shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(b) is an enlarged view of IIIb shown in FIG. 3(a). It is a figure which shows the immersion part and introduction part shown by Fig.3 (a). FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of producing frozen food by adjusting the temperature of the liquid shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of thawing frozen food by adjusting the temperature of the liquid shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 6(a) is a diagram showing a state in which bubbles are released from the bubble generating portion shown in FIG. 3(a), and FIG. Fig. 6(c) shows a state in which the bubbles discharged from the bubble generating portion shown in Fig. 3(a) reach the outside of the liquid; It is a diagram showing. FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing a first modification of the water immersion section and the introduction section shown in FIG. 3(a), and FIG. 8(b) is a cross section taken along line VIIIb-VIIIb in FIG. 8(a). It is a diagram. It is a figure which shows the 2nd modification of the water immersion part and introduction part which were shown by Fig.3 (a). It is a figure which shows the container and bubble generation part in 2nd Embodiment.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the explanation, left and right refers to the left and right with respect to the state where the container is arranged on the left side of the chiller, and front and back refers to the state where the container arranged on the left side of the chiller is facing the front. Say. In the figure, Le indicates left, Ri indicates right, Fr indicates front, Rr indicates rear, Up indicates upper, and Dn indicates lower. It should be noted that the drawings to be referred to are schematic representations, and details may be omitted. .

In describing the present invention, expressions representing directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down are used here and there in the detailed description. These representations are used for convenience in connection with the figures and are not intended to limit the invention.

[Embodiment]
(Temperature control device)
Please refer to FIG. FIG. 1 shows a temperature control device 10 in which liquid Li in which food (hereinafter referred to as object Ob) is immersed is stored. For example, the temperature adjustment device 10 cools the liquid Li or warms the liquid Li. As one aspect, the object Ob can be frozen by immersing the object Ob in the liquid Li cooled by the temperature adjustment device 10 . As a result, frozen products in a frozen state can be transported to various places. The object Ob can be delivered to various places while maintaining freshness. The object Ob can be thawed at the destination.

The temperature adjustment device 10 uses a refrigerant to cool the liquid Li to freeze (cool) the object Ob. Alternatively, the temperature adjustment device 10 uses the refrigerant to warm the liquid Li to thaw the frozen object Ob. The liquid Li and the refrigerant will be described below, and then the structure of the temperature control device 10 will be described. In order to facilitate understanding of the invention, these descriptions focus on the case where the object Ob is frozen. Defrosting an object will be described after the structure of the temperature control device 10 is explained.

(liquid)
For example, the temperature adjustment device 10 can cool the liquid Li in which the object Ob is immersed. When the object is immersed in the cooled liquid Li, for example, the object Ob is frozen. The object Ob may be immersed in the liquid Li while being covered with vinyl or the like, or may be immersed directly in the liquid Li.

The liquid Li used in the temperature adjustment device 10 has a freezing point lower than the temperature at which the object Ob freezes. Examples of the liquid Li include salt water in which salt (salt) is dissolved in water (H ₂ O), alcohol, and an aqueous solution containing this alcohol. The salt referred to above is to be interpreted broadly. The salt may be a normal salt, a basic salt or an acid salt.

Normal salts include, for _example , NaCL, _CaCL2 , _Na2CO3 , _CH3COONa , _NH2COONa , _CuSO4 and _NH4Cl . Basic salts include, for example, MgCl(OH) and _MgCl2.Mg (OH) ₂ . Acid salts include, for example, NaHCO ₃ , NaHSO ₄ , Na ₂ HPO ₄ and NaH ₂ PO ₄ .

When the liquid Li is salt water, the salt contained in the salt water can be a component contained in sea water or a mixture of those selected from these components contained in sea water. Examples of components (salts) contained in seawater include NaCl, MgCl ₂ (bittern), MgSO ₄ , CaSO ₄ , KCl and CaCl ₂ . Apart from overdose, these ingredients can be said not to be additives harmful to health under the Food Sanitation Law. It is also possible to select NaCl from among these components and directly immerse the object Ob in the liquid Li.

The salinity of salt water is, for example, higher than that of seawater (approximately 3.5%). The salt concentration of the salt water may be, for example, 5% or more, 10% or more, 15% or more, or 20% or more. The salt concentration of the salt water may be 30% or less. By increasing the salt concentration to a predetermined concentration, the freezing point of salt water can be lowered. The salt concentration may be the salt concentration before the object Ob is put in, or the salt concentration after the object Ob is put in salt water. The salt concentration can be calculated by dividing the mass of salt contained in liquid Li by the total mass of water and salt in liquid Li.

When liquid Li is alcohol, liquid Li is, for example, ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerin, and the like.

(Refrigerant)
The refrigerant is, for example, compressed, condensed, and expanded by the temperature control device 10 (chiller 30 described later) to cool the liquid Li. Examples of the refrigerant include gases such as freon, argon, krypton, etc., and gases obtained by mixing these gases at an appropriate ratio. The temperature of the refrigerant is arbitrarily changed by the temperature adjustment device 10 . For example, the temperature of the refrigerant varies from -40°C to -20°C and also from 0°C to 10°C.

Please refer to FIGS. The temperature adjustment device 10 includes a container 20 that stores liquid Li, a chiller 30 that delivers the refrigerant supplied to the container 20, a supply unit 11 connected to the chiller 30 and through which the refrigerant flows, and the container 20. A bubble generating part 60 that is partly located inside and feeds gas into the container 20 to generate bubbles in the liquid Li, and a first temperature that is fixed to the container 20 and detects the temperature of the liquid Li stored in the container 20 It has a sensor 12 and a controller 13 that controls the chiller 30 based on the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 .

(container)
Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3(a). The container 20 shown in FIG. 1 has a cuboid shape. However, the container 20 is arbitrary. The container 20 may have, for example, a cylindrical shape. A container 20 shown in FIG. 3A stores a liquid Li (freezing liquid) for freezing the object Ob. The container 20 is provided with an opening 20a opening at the top, and the object Ob can be put into the liquid Li through this opening 20a.

In the example shown in FIG. 3( a ), the container 20 is fixed with the supply part 11 that is wound many times in the circumferential direction. The container 20 is in contact with the supply section 11 and is cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the supply section 11 . Thereby, the liquid Li stored in the container 20 is cooled. The material of the container 20 can have high heat conductivity. Materials with high heat conductivity include, for example, metals. Examples of metals include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, and alloys containing these. From the viewpoint of rust resistance, stainless steel may be used as the material of the container 20 .

Please refer to FIG. A container 20 shown in FIG. 3A has a bottom portion 21 and a wall portion 22 extending upward from the bottom portion 21 . Furthermore, the container 20 has a storage part 23 in which liquid Li is stored.

The storage part 23 constitutes the inside of the container 20 and includes part of the surfaces of the wall part 22 and the bottom part 21 . The volume of the storage part 23 can be appropriately set according to the size of the object Ob and/or the number of the objects Ob. The volume of the reservoir 23 may be, for example, 20 L or more, 100 L or more, 200 L or more, 400 L or more, or 1000 L or more. The volume of the reservoir 23 may be 20 L or less.

The surface roughness of the reservoir 23 may be greater than the surface roughness of the outer surface of the container 20, or may be less than the surface roughness of the outer surface of the container. For example, when the surface roughness of the reservoir 23 is large, the contact area between the container 20 and the liquid Li is increased. Thereby, the cooling speed of the liquid Li by the refrigerant can be increased.

(chiller)
Please refer to FIGS. The chiller 30 shown in FIG. 1 supplies refrigerant to the container 20 via the supply section 11 . When the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 is supplied to the container 20, the liquid Li stored in the container 20 is cooled. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerant is sent out from the chiller 30, flows along the direction in which the supply section 11 extends (the direction of the arrow), and returns to the chiller 30 again. In the temperature control device 10, heat exchange is performed between the supply unit 11 wound in a coil and fixed to the container 20 after the refrigerant is sent out and before it returns to the chiller 30. Li is cooled.

The amount of refrigerant and the temperature of the refrigerant delivered by the chiller 30 can be set appropriately. The amount of coolant and the temperature of the coolant can also be changed according to the temperature of the liquid Li obtained by the first temperature sensor 12 . For example, when the temperature of the liquid Li is high (eg, 2° C.), the chiller 30 delivers a large amount of cold refrigerant, and when the liquid Li is cooled by this (eg, the temperature of the liquid Li is −51° C. to −5° C. ), the temperature of the supplied coolant may be the same as the temperature of the liquid Li so that the temperature of the liquid Li is maintained.

The refrigerant sent out from the chiller 30 returns to the chiller 30 again and is cooled by the chiller 30 . The cooled refrigerant is sent out from the chiller 30 and supplied to the container 20 via the supply section 11 . By repeating this, the chiller 30 can bring the liquid Li to a desired temperature and maintain this temperature.

Please refer to FIG. The chiller 30 shown in FIG. 2 has a cubic chiller case 31 and a channel 50 housed in the chiller case 31 and through which a refrigerant flows. The chiller case 31 covers the channel 50 through which the coolant flows. When the chiller 30 is viewed from the outside, a viewer cannot visually recognize the flow path 50 . As a result, it is possible to suppress the possibility of touching the flow path 50 during operation of the chiller 30 (for example, when the refrigerant is being sent out from the chiller 30).

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the chiller case 31 has a sight glass 31a through which the refrigerant flowing through the flow path 50 can be visually recognized from the outside. The sight glass 31a is, for example, a portion in which a transparent glass or the like is fitted in an opening on the surface of the chiller case 31 . By looking into the sight glass 31a, the refrigerant flowing through the flow path 50 can be visually recognized. In the chiller 30 shown in FIG. 2, the refrigerant flowing through the portion of the main flow path 51 sandwiched between the dryer 35 and the expansion valve 36, which will be described later, can be visually recognized.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the flow path 50 includes a main flow path 51 through which the coolant flows, a hot flow path 52 connected to the main flow path 51 and capable of adjusting the temperature of the coolant, and a hot flow path 52 connected to the main flow path 51 and connected to the temperature and It has a self-cooling channel 53 whose pressure can be adjusted, and a pressure channel 54 connected to the main channel 51 and capable of decompressing the inside of the main channel 51 . The main channel 51, the hot channel 52, the natural cooling channel 53, and the pressure channel 54 will be described below in this order.

(Main flow path)
Please refer to FIGS. The main flow path 51 has a delivery port 51a for delivering the coolant and an introduction port 51b for introducing the coolant delivered from the delivery port 51a. The delivery port 51 a is connected to one end of the supply section 11 . The introduction port 51b is connected to the other end of the supply section 11 . As a result, the coolant sent from the delivery port 51a can exchange heat with the liquid Li through the supply portion 11 and return to the main flow path 51 from the introduction port 51b.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the main flow path 51 includes a first accumulator 32 into which the refrigerant introduced from the inlet 51b flows, a compressor 33 that compresses the refrigerant sent out from the first accumulator, and this compressor A condenser 34 for condensing the refrigerant compressed to 33, a dryer 35 for removing moisture from the refrigerant condensed by the condenser 34, an expansion valve 36 for expanding the refrigerant passing through the dryer 35, and the expansion valve and a thermostat 37 that controls the opening and closing of 36 . A second temperature sensor 38 is arranged between the condenser 34 and the dryer 35 to detect the temperature of the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 34 .

The first accumulator 32 temporarily holds the refrigerant flowing through the main flow path 51 and separates the refrigerant into liquid and gas. The separated gaseous refrigerant is delivered from the first accumulator 32 and flows into the compressor 33 . By arranging the first accumulator 32 between the introduction port 51 b and the compressor 33 , it is possible to suppress the liquid refrigerant from flowing to the compressor 33 . Thereby, the load applied to the compressor 33 can be reduced.

The compressor 33 compresses the refrigerant (gas refrigerant) delivered from the first accumulator 32 and delivers the compressed refrigerant. By being compressed by the compressor 33, the refrigerant becomes high temperature and high pressure. The type of the compressor 33 may be, for example, a turbo compressor or a positive displacement compressor. The strength of compression applied by the compressor 33 can be arbitrarily set.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the condenser 34 has a radiator 34a through which a refrigerant flows and a fan 34b that blows air toward the radiator 34a. As the refrigerant flows through the radiator, it exchanges heat with the outside air and is cooled to become a liquid. In other words, it can also be said that the condenser 34 is a device that condenses and cools the refrigerant that has passed through the compressor 33 . The outside air warmed by heat exchange is discharged to the outside of the chiller case 31 by blowing air from the fan 34b.

The expansion valve 36 expands the refrigerant (liquid refrigerant). By expanding the refrigerant, the refrigerant is vaporized to a low temperature and a low pressure. In other words, the expansion valve 36 can also be said to be a device that expands and cools the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser 34 .

Please refer to FIGS. The thermostat 37 adjusts the opening/closing degree of the expansion valve 36 based on the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the second temperature sensor 38 so that the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 reaches a desired temperature. For example, when the expansion valve 36 is opened wide, the expansion of the refrigerant by the expansion valve 36 increases, and the refrigerant can be cooled to a lower temperature. For example, if the expansion valve 36 can be opened slightly, the expansion of the refrigerant by the expansion valve 36 is reduced, and cooling of the refrigerant can be weakened. The “desired temperature” mentioned above may be calculated by the controller 13 based on the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 . Furthermore, the “desired temperature” may be calculated by the thermostat 37 based on the temperature of the liquid Li input via the controller 13 . The calculated desired temperature may be recorded in the control unit 13, may be recorded in the thermostat 37, or may be stored in the control unit 13 and the thermostat 37, for example.

Further, thermostat 37 regulates the amount of coolant flowing from main flow path 51 to hot flow path 52, for example. A specific description will be given when describing the hot flow path 52, which will be described later. By adjusting the amount of refrigerant flowing from the main flow path 51 to the hot flow path 52, the temperature of the refrigerant delivered from the chiller 30 can be adjusted.

(hot channel)
In one aspect, one end of hot flow path 52 is connected between compressor 33 and condenser 34 in main flow path 51 . At this time, the other end of the hot channel 52 is connected in the main channel 51 between the expansion valve 36 and the delivery port 51a. The hot flow path 52 is provided with a hot valve that can adjust the flow of the refrigerant by opening and closing it. Opening the hot valve 41 causes refrigerant to flow through the hot flow path 52 from one end to the other. In other words, a high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant is caused to flow into the hot flow path 52 from one end of the hot flow path 52, and the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant flows into the main flow path 51 (the expansion valve 36 and the expansion valve 36) connected to the other end of the hot flow path 52. 51a). Thereby, the temperature of the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 can be adjusted. For example, thermostat 37 regulates the opening and closing of this hot valve 41 together with expansion valve 36 . As a result, the amount of refrigerant flowing through the hot channel 52 is adjusted,
Together with the expansion valve 36, the refrigerant delivered from the chiller 30 can be adjusted to the desired temperature. The temperature of the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 may be raised by opening and closing the hot valve 41 widely, and the temperature of the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 may be slightly raised by opening and closing the hot valve 41 small. good too.

(Natural cooling channel)
In one aspect, one end of the natural cooling channel 53 is connected between the condenser 34 and the expansion valve 36 in the main channel 51 . At this time, the other end of the self-cooling channel 53 is connected between the introduction port 51 b and the first accumulator 32 in the main channel 51 . The self-cooling flow path 53 is provided with a self-cooling valve 42 that adjusts the flow of the refrigerant by opening and closing it. For example, by opening the self-cooling valve 42, the refrigerant can flow in the self-cooling channel 53 from one end to the other end. As a result, the refrigerant remaining between the condenser 34 and the expansion valve 36 can be made to flow into the compressor 33 again, thereby smoothing the flow of the refrigerant. As a result, it is possible to reduce the load on the main flow path 51 caused by the retention of the refrigerant between the condenser 34 and the expansion valve 36 .

The self-cooling flow path 53 is provided with a self-cooling expansion valve 43 that adjusts the flow rate of the refrigerant. The self-cooling expansion valve 43 is arranged downstream of the self-cooling valve 42 in the refrigerant flow direction.

(pressure channel)
In one aspect, one end of the pressure channel 54 is connected between the condenser 34 and the expansion valve 36 in the main channel 51 . At this time, the other end of the pressure channel 54 is connected between the inlet 51 b and the first accumulator 32 in the main channel 51 . The self-cooling flow path 53 is provided with a refrigerant reservoir 44 that reservoirs refrigerant and a first pressure gauge 45 that detects the pressure of the refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant reservoir 44 .

The refrigerant storage unit 44 shown in FIG. 2 includes a second accumulator 44a that stores the inflow refrigerant and can deliver the stored refrigerant, and a first on-off valve 44b that adjusts the inflow of the refrigerant to the second accumulator 44a by opening and closing. and a second on-off valve 44c that allows the refrigerant sent from the second accumulator 44a to flow into the main flow path 51 by opening and closing.

The first pressure gauge 45 shown in FIG. 2 detects the pressure at a portion within the pressure flow path 54 from one end of the pressure flow path 54 to the first on-off valve 44b (hereinafter also referred to as a first point 54a). Further, the first pressure gauge 45 detects the pressure at a portion within the pressure channel 54 from the second on-off valve 44c to the other end of the pressure channel 54 (hereinafter also referred to as a second point 54b).

For example, if the pressure difference between the first point 54a and the second point 54b becomes large enough to exceed a boundary value, refrigerant will flow into the second accumulator 44a. Thereby, the pressure in the main flow path 51 (between the condenser 34 and the expansion valve 36) can be lowered. For example, when the pressure difference between the first point 54a and the second point 54b becomes small and this pressure difference falls below a boundary value, refrigerant flow into the first accumulator 32 is inhibited. The above boundary value can be set arbitrarily.

(supply part)
One end of the supply unit 11 is connected to the delivery port 51 a of the chiller 30 . The other end of the supply part 11 is connected to the introduction port 51 b of the chiller 30 . Also refer to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, the supply portion 11 has a passage formed therein from one end (the delivery port 51a) to the other end (the introduction port 51b) so that the coolant flows therein. For example, the supply unit 11 is made of a material with high heat conductivity. A material with high heat conductivity is, for example, a metal. Examples of metals include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, and alloys containing these. From the viewpoint of rust resistance, stainless steel may be used as the material of the container 20 .

In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the supply unit 11 spirally extends along the outer surface of the container 20 and is fixed so as to wrap around the outer surface (side surface) of the container 20 . The spiral portion of the supply portion 11 is, for example, entirely in contact with the outer surface of the container 20 . As a result, the liquid Li stored in the container 20 can efficiently exchange heat with the coolant flowing through the supply section 11 . It should be noted that the method of winding the supply portion 11 around the container 20 is arbitrary. The supply unit 11 may extend, for example, in a spiral or meandering shape along the outer surface of the container 20 and may be fixed to the container 20 in contact with the outer surface. Alternatively, it may be a combination of spiral, spiral and meandering. The supply unit 11 may also contact the upper and lower surfaces of the container 20 .

The outer diameter and inner diameter of the supply portion 11 can be set as appropriate. Furthermore, in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the supply portion 11 extends, the supply portion 11 may have, for example, a rectangular frame shape, a circular frame shape, or an elliptical frame shape. It may have a triangular frame shape. For example, the contact area with the container 20 can be increased by making the cross section of the supply part 11 have a rectangular or triangular frame shape.

(bubble generating part)
Please refer to FIG. The tip side of the bubble generating part 60 shown in FIG. The bubble generating portion 60 is formed with a passage through which air (gas) flows toward the distal end side. The bubble generating section 60 generates buoyant bubbles in the liquid Li, for example, by discharging (injecting) air flowing therein into the liquid Li (storage section 23). The gas that the bubble generating section 60 sends into the liquid Li can be arbitrarily set, and may be gas other than air (eg, inert gas (eg, nitrogen) or oxygen). The temperature of the air is arbitrary and may be chilled air or may be the same as the temperature of the outside air.

In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the bubble generating portion 60 includes a body portion 70 for releasing air, an introduction portion 63 connected to the body portion 70 and through which the air released from the body portion 70 flows, and and a flooded portion 80 in which the air that has passed through the introduction portion 63 flows and at least a portion of which is submerged in the liquid Li.

The body portion 70 includes a body portion case 71, a pump 72 that is housed in the body portion case 71 and sends out air from the body portion case 71 to the outside, and a gas adjustment portion 73 that adjusts the amount of air sent out from the pump 72. , a first connection portion 74 connected to the body portion case 71 and through which the air sent by the pump 72 flows, and a second connection portion 75 connected to the first connection portion 74 . The body portion 70 introduces air into the submerged portion 80 via the introduction portion 63 .

The main body case 71 has, for example, a first opening 71a through which outside air can be introduced, and a second opening 71b through which the air introduced from the first opening 71a passes. The pump 72 makes the pressure of the air introduced into the main body case 71 higher than the hydraulic pressure of the liquid Li at the location where the submerged portion 80 is located, and the air is discharged from the second opening 71b to the outside (first connecting portion 74a).

The pump 72 has a motor as a drive source. The pump 72 is driven by the rotation of the motor, which is the driving source, and discharges the air introduced from the first opening 71 a to the outside of the main body case 71 . The air inside the main body case 71 is discharged from the second opening 71b. The gas regulator 73 includes, for example, an inverter that changes the voltage and frequency applied to the motor of the pump 72 . The gas adjustment unit 73 adjusts the amount of air discharged from the second opening 71b (the submerged portion 80), for example, by controlling the inverter. It is also possible to manually adjust the inverter included in the gas adjustment section 73 to adjust the amount of air released from the submerged section 80 . In the example shown in FIG. 3( a ), the gas adjustment section 73 is housed inside the body section case 71 . However, in other aspects, the gas adjustment portion 73 may be partly exposed outside the main body case 71 , or may be wholly located outside the main body case 71 .

The first connecting portion 74 shown in FIG. 3A extends vertically along the outer surface of the container 20, has a lower end inserted into the second opening 71b, and is connected to the second connecting portion 75 at an upper end. The first connecting portion 74 is formed with a first connecting portion passage 74a through which the air Ga released from the body portion 70 flows. The material of the first connection portion 74 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the material of the first connecting portion 74 may be metal, ceramic, rubber, resin, or the like. The shape of the first connecting portion 74 in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the first connecting portion 74 extends is arbitrary. For example, the first connecting portion 74 has a circular frame shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the first connecting portion 74 extends.

A second connecting portion passage 75a through which the air Ga that has passed through the first connecting portion 74 flows is formed in the second connecting portion 75 shown in FIG. 3(a). The shape of the second connection portion 75 in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the second connection portion 75 extends is arbitrary. For example, the second connecting portion 75 has a circular frame shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the second connecting portion 75 extends. The material of the second connecting portion 75 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the material of the second connection portion 75 is metal or the like. The inner diameter of the second connecting portion passage 75a can be arbitrarily set together with the inner diameter of the first connecting portion passage 74a.

Further, the second connecting portion 75 includes a passage opening/closing valve 75b that adjusts the flow of air passing through the second connecting portion passage 75a by opening and closing, and a second pressure valve that detects the pressure of the air flowing through the second connecting portion passage 75a. A total of 75c and are provided. A known on-off valve and pressure gauge can be used for the passage on-off valve 75b and the second pressure gauge 75c, respectively. The passage opening/closing valve 75b may be a manual opening/closing valve, or may be a driven opening/closing valve that is opened/closed by a signal input. The connecting portion between the second connecting portion 75 and the first connecting portion 74 may be provided with a seal to prevent air leakage.

(Introduction part constituting the bubble generating part)
Please refer to FIG. 3(a) and FIG. The introduction part 63 shown in FIG. 3A extends vertically along the inner surface of the container 20, and the submerged part 80 is connected to the lower end side thereof. Also refer to FIG. The introduction portion 63 is provided with a detachable portion 63a that is detachable from the main body portion 70 and a connected portion 63b that is connectable (connectable) to the submerged portion 80 . The introduction portion 63 is connected to the main body portion 70 via the detachable portion 63a. In the example shown in FIG. 3A, the detachable part 63a is arranged outside the container 20 (liquid Li). More specifically, the detachable part 63 a is arranged above the container 20 . As one aspect, the detachable part 63 a is a screw formed at the end of the introduction part 63 and screwed into the second connecting part 75 . In this case, the attachment/detachment portion 63a may have a male thread shape or a female thread shape. The detachable portion 63a may be connected to the second connecting portion 75 via a seal that prevents air leakage. The connected portion 63b is, for example, a female screw hole formed in the introduction portion 63. As shown in FIG. However, the to-be-connected portion 63b may be, for example, a substantially cylindrical external screw protruding from the outer surface of the introduction portion 63 . Note that the detachable portion 63 a may have a structure in which it is attached by being fitted or inserted into the second connecting portion 75 .

Please refer to FIG. 3(a) and FIG. 4 only. The introduction portion 63 is formed with an introduction portion passage 63c through which the air sent from the main body portion 70 flows from the upper end to the lower end. For example, in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the introduction portion 63 extends, the introduction portion 63 may have a circular frame shape, an elliptical frame shape, or a rectangular frame shape. may have a triangular frame shape. The inner diameter of the introduction passage 63c can be arbitrarily set according to the inner diameters of the first and second connection portions 74 and 75 and the amount of air to be sent into the stored liquid Li.

The material of the introduction part 63 can be set arbitrarily. Examples of materials for the introduction portion 63 include metal, ceramic, and resin. Examples of metals include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, and alloys containing these. When the material of the introduction portion 63 is metal, stainless steel may be used from the viewpoint of rust resistance.

Examples of resins include acrylic resins, polycarbonate resins, polyacetal resins, polypropylene resins, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamide resins, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, phenolic resins, and unilate. By the way, the introduction part 63, at least part of which is immersed in the liquid Li, is required to be made of a material that is highly resistant to cold. Therefore, the introduction part 63 has cold resistance that can withstand temperatures lower than -30° C., for example.

The introduction portion 63 shown in FIG. 3A is supported by a fixing member Fi fixed to the wall portion 22 of the container 20 . The fixing member Fi is, for example, a fixing fitting made of metal such as stainless steel.

(Water immersion part that constitutes the bubble generating part)
Please refer to FIG. The shape of the submerged portion 80 can be set arbitrarily. The submerged portion 80 shown in FIG. 4 has a rod shape and has a length extending from one end (left end) to the other end (right end). However, the submerged portion 80 may have a shape other than the bar shape, for example, having a shape branching into a plurality of parts at an intermediate position extending in the left-right direction.

The submerged portion 80 has, for example, a rectangular frame shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the submerged portion 80 extends. Alternatively, the submerged portion 80 may have, for example, a circular frame shape, an elliptical frame shape, or a triangular frame shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the submerged portion 80 extends. It may have a frame shape.

The material of the submerged portion 80 can be set arbitrarily. Examples of the material of the submerged portion 80 include metals, ceramics, and resins. Examples of metals include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, and alloys containing these. When the material of the submerged portion 80 is metal, stainless steel may be used from the viewpoint of rust resistance.

Examples of resins include acrylic resins, polycarbonate resins, polyacetal resins, polypropylene resins, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamide resins, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetheretherketone, phenolic resins, and unilate. By the way, the submerged part 80, at least part of which is submerged in the liquid Li, is required to be made of, for example, high cold resistance. Therefore, the submerged portion 80 has cold resistance that can withstand temperatures lower than -30° C., for example.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the submerged portion 80 includes a submerged portion main portion 81 that releases the gas Ga introduced from the introduction portion 63, and a submerged portion main portion 81 that protrudes from the end surface of the submerged portion main portion 81 and is connected to the connected portion 63b. and a submerged portion connecting portion 82 . In the example shown in FIG. 4 , the submerged portion main portion 81 occupies most of the submerged portion 80 .

The submerged portion 80 is detachable from the connected portion 63b and has a submerged portion connecting portion 82 screwed to the connected portion 63b. The submerged portion connecting portion 82 shown in FIG. 4 is a cylindrical male screw that is screwed into the connected portion 63b that is a screw hole. A seal that prevents the liquid Li from entering may be provided between the submerged portion connecting portion 82 and the connected portion 63b. Incidentally, the method of connecting the submerged portion 80 to the introduction portion 63 can be set as appropriate. For example, the submerged portion 80 (submerged portion connecting portion 82) may be joined to the introduction portion 63 by welding.

In the submerged portion 80 shown in FIG. 4, water is flooded from one end of the submerged portion 80 (the end surface of the submerged portion connecting portion 82) to the other end (the end surface of the submerged portion main portion 81 opposite to the submerged portion connecting portion 82). A partial passage 83 is formed. The submerged portion passage 83 opens at the end surface of the submerged portion connecting portion 82 . The air that is released from the main body 70 and has passed through the submerged portion passage 83 flows through the submerged portion passage 83 . Further, a plurality of through holes 84 extending from the outer surface of the submerged portion 80 to the submerged portion passage 83 are formed in the submerged portion 80 (submerged portion main portion 81) shown in FIG. The through hole 84 is a hole through which the air flowing through the submerged portion passage 83 can be discharged to the outside of the submerged portion 80 . The through-holes 84 may be formed in, for example, the side surface of the submerged portion and/or the lower surface of the submerged portion 80 in addition to the upper surface of the submerged portion 80 .

The number of through-holes 84 formed in the submerged portion main portion 81 and the diameter of these through-holes 84 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the number of through holes 84 formed in the submerged main portion 81 may be 2 or more, 5 or more, 10 or more, or 20 or more. It may be 50 or more. Alternatively, the number of through-holes 84 formed in the submerged portion main portion 81 may be only one. The diameters of the plurality of through holes formed in the submerged portion main portion 81 may be the same size, or may be different sizes. The plurality of through-holes formed in the submerged portion main portion 81 may be composed of two types of through-holes 84, 84 having different hole diameters. The diameter of the through hole 84 may be, for example, 0.1 mm or more, 0.5 mm or more, 1 mm or more, 2 mm or more, or 5 mm. or more. The diameter of the through hole 84 may be 1 mm or less. Furthermore, the through hole 84 may have a shape that widens from the inside toward the outside. As a result, when manufacturing the submerged portion 80, the through hole 84 can be easily formed by pressing a rotating body with a sharp tip. Thereby, the improvement of production efficiency can be aimed at.

Please refer to FIG. The through hole 84 shown in FIG. 5 has a circular shape in plan view. However, the through hole 84 may have an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, or a polygonal shape of pentagon or more in plan view. good too. The shape of the through hole 84 is arbitrary.

Please refer to FIG. 3(a) and FIG. When a plurality of through-holes 84 are formed in the submerged portion main portion 81, the pitch between adjacent through-holes 84 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the pitch L<b>1 may be longer than the diameter of the through hole 84 , shorter than the diameter of the through hole 84 , or may be the same size as the diameter of the through hole 84 . For example, by lengthening the pitch L1, it is possible to prevent the bubbles discharged from the through holes 84, 84 from merging (including bubbles that appear to be merged when visually confirmed). For example, by shortening the pitch L1, the bubbles discharged from the respective through-holes 84, 84 can be integrated. Thereby, large bubbles can be generated in the liquid Li.

Looking at all of the through holes 84 drilled in the submerged portion main portion 81, the pitch L1 between these adjacent through holes 84, 84 varies from one end (left end) to the other end (right side) in the submerged portion main portion 81. end), each may be the same, or each may be different. When these pitches are different, these pitches may decrease from one end to the other end of the submerged portion main portion 81 . This can increase the amount of air released into the liquid Li at the other end where the pressure tends to be low. Alternatively, the amount of bubbles generated by the bubble generating portion 60 can be made uniform from one end to the other end of the submerged portion main portion 81 .

Also, looking at all of the through holes 84 drilled in the submerged portion main portion 81, the pitch L1 between these adjacent through holes 84, 84 at an intermediate position between one end and the other end of the submerged portion main portion 81 is: It may be the shortest. As a result, the amount of air discharged from the intermediate position of the submerged main portion 81 can be increased. As a result, the amount of bubbles emitted to the center of the container 20 can be increased, and the object Ob (see FIG. 1) immersed in the liquid Li can be moved away from the center of the container 20 by the bubbles moving upward at the center. can. Thereby, for example, when a plurality of objects Ob are put in the container 20, it is possible to reduce contact between the objects Ob.

Please refer to FIG. The submerged portion 80 shown in FIG. 3A is arranged on the bottom 21 side of the container 20 rather than the middle position of the container 20 in the vertical direction (the depth direction of the container 20). When the distance from the top of the container 20 to the submerged portion 80 is D1 and the distance from the submerged portion 80 to the bottom portion 21 of the container 20 is D2, D1>D2. The submerged portion 80 may be in contact with the bottom portion 21 or may not be in contact with the bottom portion 21 . The submerged portion 80 shown in FIG. 3( a ) is supported by a fixing member Fi fixed to the bottom portion 21 . The fixing member Fi is, for example, a fixing fitting made of metal such as stainless steel.

(first temperature sensor)
Please refer to FIG. The first temperature sensor 12 has a detector (not shown) including, for example, a thermocouple, a resistance temperature detector, or a thermistor. The detector is immersed in liquid Li. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first temperature sensor 12 is located above the middle position of the container 20 in the vertical direction, and partially protrudes from the liquid Li. However, for example, the first temperature sensor 12 may be positioned below the middle position of the liquid Li in the vertical direction, and may be entirely submerged in the liquid Li.

(control part)
The control unit 13 includes, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM, external storage device, and the like. The control unit 13 performs various controls by executing programs recorded in the ROM and/or the external storage device by the CPU. Also refer to FIG. As one aspect, the control unit 13 controls, for example, each device constituting the chiller 30 including the thermostat 37 (for example, devices provided in the main channel 51, the hot channel 52, the self-cooling channel 53, and the pressure channel 54 ) to change the temperature and/or the amount of refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 so that the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 reaches a target value. For example, when the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 is higher than the target value, the controller 13 lowers the temperature of the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 . For example, when the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 is lower than the target value, the controller 13 raises the temperature of the refrigerant sent from the chiller 30 . For example, when the temperature of the liquid Li detected by the first temperature sensor 12 reaches a target value (eg, −51° C. to −5° C.), the control unit 13 keeps the temperature of the liquid Li at the target value. The temperature and/or amount of refrigerant delivered from the chiller 30 is controlled to drip.

The target temperature of the liquid Li can be arbitrarily set according to the type (component) of the liquid Li. As one aspect, when the liquid Li is an aqueous solution containing NaCl as a main component (for example, an aqueous solution in which NaCl accounts for 90% or more in the added base), the target temperature of the liquid Li is set to -21°C to -5°C. can be set to As one aspect, when the liquid Li is an aqueous solution containing MgCl2 as a main component (for example, an aqueous solution containing 90% or more of _MgCl2 in the added base), the target temperature of the liquid Li is set to −35° C. to −10° C. °C may be set. As one aspect, when the liquid Li is an aqueous solution containing CaCl ₂ as a main component (for example, an aqueous solution in which CaCl ₂ accounts for 90% or more in the added base), for example, the target temperature of the liquid Li is -51 ° C. It may be set to ~ -15°C. In one embodiment, liquid Li is an aqueous solution containing two or more bases selected from NaCl, MgCl ₂ and CaCl ₂ as main components (for example, an aqueous solution in which each of the bases as main components accounts for 30% or more). In some cases, the target temperature of liquid Li may be set to -45°C to -21°C, or the target temperature of liquid Li may be set to -24°C to -18°C. The target temperature of the liquid Li can be set within the range similar to that described above even when the liquid Li contains a base other than the above as a main component.

Next, a method of manufacturing a frozen product by immersing an object in a liquid will be described.

Please refer to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a method 100 of making a frozen product by immersing an object Ob in liquid Li (a frozen product manufacturing method 100). The object Ob is immersed in the liquid Li stored in the container 20 . In the liquid preparation step 101, the liquid Li in which the object Ob is immersed is put into the container 20 (storage section 23). The liquid Li is, for example, salt water (an aqueous solution containing NaCl as one aspect), and the first temperature sensor 12 is filled to a position where the temperature of the liquid Li can be detected. Since the liquid Li is salt water, the object Ob can be directly immersed in the liquid Li.

Also refer to FIG. In the liquid preparation step 101 , the container 20 is filled with an amount of liquid Li such that at least part of the submerged portion 80 is submerged. Specifically, the liquid Li is put into the container 20 until the through hole 84 formed in the submerged portion 80 is immersed in the liquid Li. This completes the liquid preparation step 101 and enters the refrigerant supply step 102 .

In the coolant supply step 102 (the step of changing the temperature of the liquid using the coolant), a target temperature is set so that the liquid Li is adjusted to a desired temperature. In order to freeze the object Ob in a short time (for example, within 6 minutes), the target temperature is set to -51°C to -5°C, for example. By setting the temperature at which the object Ob can be frozen in a short time, for example, the freshness of the object Ob can be maintained. After setting the target temperature, the chiller 30 is operated and the refrigerant is supplied to the container 20 from the delivery port 51 a of the chiller 30 . The refrigerant continues to be supplied even in the liquid temperature adjustment step 103 and the object freezing step 104, which will be described later. After the refrigerant supply is started, the liquid temperature adjustment step 103 is entered.

Please refer to FIG. 3(a) and FIG. In the liquid temperature adjustment step 103 (the step of generating bubbles by sending gas into the liquid Li), the bubble generating section 60 is operated to generate bubbles by sending air into the liquid Li. Bubbles are generated in the liquid Li to make the temperature of the entire liquid Li more uniform. Thereafter, object freezing step 104 is entered. As described above, even after entering the object freezing step 104, the bubble generating section 60 is maintained in operation to constantly adjust the temperature of the entire liquid Li. The timing of performing the liquid temperature adjustment step 103 may be after the liquid Li is cooled by the supply of the coolant (for example, after reaching the target temperature), or immediately after the supply of the coolant is started. may be when the liquid Li is not cooled.

Please refer to FIGS. In the object freezing step 104, the object Ob is placed in the liquid Li adjusted in the liquid temperature adjusting step 103 to freeze the object Ob. For example, the object Ob may be sealed with vinyl or the like and placed in the liquid Li, or may be directly placed in the liquid Li in a living state. In the example shown in FIG. 1, raw oysters, which are objects Ob, are placed in a mesh box and immersed in liquid Li. The object Ob freezes, for example, in about 1 to 6 minutes. Once the object Ob is frozen, the frozen product is completed. This completes the object freezing step 104 .

Next, a method for thawing a frozen object will be described.

Please refer to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows a method 110 of thawing a frozen object by immersing the frozen object in liquid Li. So far, the description has been given of freezing the object Ob by immersing the object Ob in the liquid Li. However, in the present invention it is also possible to thaw a frozen object Ob. A method of decompressing the object Ob will be described below. The object Ob is immersed in the liquid Li stored in the container 20 of the temperature adjustment device 10 and thawed. Similar to the liquid preparation step 101 (see FIG. 5), in the liquid preparation step 111, the liquid Li in which the object Ob is to be immersed is put into the container 20. FIG. This liquid preparation step 111 is omitted because it overlaps a lot with the liquid preparation step 101 when freezing the object Ob.

The desired temperature of the liquid Li set in the coolant supply step 112 is the temperature at which the frozen object Ob can be thawed. The temperature is set in consideration of the load on the object Ob and the time required to thaw the object Ob. Although the thawing time differs depending on the type of the object Ob, for example, if you want to thaw the object Ob slowly, the temperature may be set in the range of 1 to 6°C. , the temperature may be set at 6° C. or higher. The refrigerant continues to be supplied even in the liquid temperature adjustment step 113 and the object thawing step 114, which will be described later. After starting the supply of the coolant, the liquid temperature adjustment step 113 is entered. The liquid temperature adjustment step 113 has many parts that overlap with the liquid temperature adjustment step 103 in FIG. 5, so description thereof will be omitted.

In the object thawing step 114 (the step of immersing the object in the liquid Li), the object Ob is placed in the liquid Li adjusted in the liquid temperature adjustment step 113 to thaw the object Ob. For example, the object Ob may be sealed with vinyl or the like and placed in the liquid Li, or may be directly placed in the liquid Li in a living state. When the object Ob is thawed, the thawed product is completed. This concludes the object decompression step 114 . The operation of the bubble generating section 60 in the liquid temperature adjustment step 113 is maintained until the target object thawing step 114 ends. Thereby, for example, the temperature of the liquid Li around the surface of the object Ob can be made more uniform.

Please refer to FIGS. In the coolant supply step 112, the coolant may be delivered from the delivery port 51a and supplied to the container 20, as in the case of freezing the object Ob. That is, the refrigerant introduced from the inlet 51b may flow through the compressor 33, the condenser 34, and the expansion valve 36 in this order, and be delivered from the delivery port 51a. However, in another aspect, in the refrigerant supply step 112, the refrigerant may be introduced from the delivery port 51a, flow through the expansion valve 36, the condenser 34 and the compressor 33 in this order, and be delivered from the introduction port 51b. .

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained.

Please refer to FIG. The temperature adjustment device 10 is a device that feeds gas (for example, air) into the liquid Li stored in the container 20 . The temperature adjustment device 10 has a main body 70 (see FIG. 3A) that releases gas Ga. The gas Ga released from the main body 70 passes through the introduction section passage 63 c formed in the introduction section 63 and flows into the submerged section passage 83 formed in the submerged section 80 . The gas Ga that has flowed into the submerged section passage 83 flows, for example, through the submerged section passage 83 that is formed from one end of the submerged section 80 toward the other end. After that, the gas Ga is released to the outside of the submerged portion 80 through a through hole 84 formed in the submerged portion 80, and released as Ga bubbles into the liquid Li.

Refer to FIG. 7(b). The bubbles Ga generated from the bubble generating portion 60 have buoyancy and rise in the direction of the buoyancy. Liquid Li is agitated by rising bubbles. By the way, the object Ob immersed in the liquid Li exists at the point where the bubbles Ga rise. Therefore, the bubble Ga sometimes comes into contact with the object Ob and is forced downward. However, the bubble Ga has buoyancy in the liquid Li, and even if it is forced downward, it will rise further.

Refer to FIG. 7(c). The bubbles Ga generated from the bubble generating section 60 eventually reach the surface of the liquid Li stored. As a result, the liquid Li is stirred from the bottom 21 to the top of the container 20 .

Please refer to FIG. The temperature adjustment device 10 has a bubble generating section 60 that generates bubbles Ga in the liquid Li by sending gas Ga into the storage section 23 . Therefore, when the liquid Li is stored in the storage part 23, the bubble generating part 60 can generate (release) the bubbles Ga having buoyancy in the stored liquid Li. The bubbles Ga generated from the bubble generator 60 have buoyancy and move in the direction of the buoyancy. Thereby, the stored liquid Li is stirred. Furthermore, in a state where the object Ob is immersed in the liquid Li, the bubbles Ga can move in the direction of the buoyant force and reach the outside of the liquid Li even if they are urged by the object Ob. As a result, the bubble generator 60 can stir a wide range of liquid Li. That is, it is possible to provide the temperature adjustment device 10 that can make the temperature of the liquid Li in which the object Ob is immersed more uniform.

Please refer to FIG. 3(a) and FIG. The submerged portion 80 has a through hole 84 through which the gas Ga (see FIG. 7A) can be released to the outside of the submerged portion 80 . By forming the through hole 84 in the submerged portion 80 , the bubble generating portion 60 can send the gas Ga into the submerged portion 80 and release the sent gas Ga from the through hole 84 to the outside. As a result, the stored liquid Li can be stirred by the bubble generator 60 having a simple structure as described above. That is, an inexpensive temperature control device 10 can be provided.

The bubble generating section 60 has an introduction section 63 that is connected to the main body section 70 and introduces the gas Ga into the submerged section 80 . Further, the introduction portion 63 is connected to the body portion 70 via a detachable portion 63a that can be detached from the body portion 70 . By providing the detachable portion 63 a , the introduction portion 63 can be detached from the main body portion 70 together with the submerged portion 80 . As a result, for example, even if the introduction part 63 and/or the submerged part 80 need to be replaced or cleaned due to long-term use, the introduction part 63 and the submerged part 80 can be removed from the main body 70 as a unit, and these It can be replaced or cleaned. It is possible to provide the temperature control device 10 that is easy to maintain.

In addition, since the introduction part 63 has the detachable part 63a, the introduction part 63 can be removed together with the submerged part 80, and another submerged part 80 can be easily attached. This makes it possible to easily change the hole diameter of the through hole 84 in the water immersion portion 80 . As a result, it is possible to easily generate an amount of bubbles suitable for the size, amount, properties, etc. of the object Ob.

The detachable part 63 a is arranged outside the container 20 . Since the desorption part 63a is arranged outside the container 20, even if the liquid Li is stored in the container 20, the desorption part 63a is prevented from being immersed in the liquid Li. As a result, the body portion 70 is prevented from being immersed in the liquid Li. That is, the load applied from the liquid Li to the main body 70 can be suppressed.

In addition, since the detachable portion 63a is arranged outside the container 20, only the immersion portion 80 and the introduction portion 63 which are immersed in the liquid Li can be removed from the main body portion 70 and washed.

The submerged portion 80 is arranged closer to the bottom surface of the container 20 than the intermediate position of the container 20 in the depth direction of the container 20 . By arranging the submerged portion 80 on the bottom surface 21 side of the container 20, the bubbles Ga can be generated from the deeper side of the liquid Li. Thereby, the liquid Li can be stirred over a wide range. As a result, it is possible to provide the temperature adjustment device 10 that can make the temperature of the liquid Li in which the object Ob is immersed even more uniform.

In addition, by arranging the immersion part 80 on the bottom surface 21 side of the container 20, more objects Ob can be immersed in the liquid Li. That is, freezing and/or thawing of a large number of objects Ob can be processed with a small number of temperature adjustment devices 10 . As a result, it is possible to provide the temperature adjustment device 10 with higher productivity.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3(a). The amount of gas Ga fed into the liquid Li from the bubble generator 60 can be adjusted. For example, when the strength of the object Ob to be immersed is weak, the amount of generated bubbles can be adjusted to reduce the load applied to the object Ob. For example, when the strength of the immersed object Ob is high, the amount of generated bubbles can be adjusted to further stir the liquid Li. That is, the amount of generated bubbles Ga can be adjusted according to the size of the container 20, the amount of liquid Li stored, the type of object Ob to be immersed, the amount of object Ob to be immersed, and the like. A temperature control device 10 can be provided.

Please refer to FIGS. The method of temperature treatment for the object Ob includes steps of generating bubbles Ga by feeding gas into the liquid Li (liquid temperature adjusting steps 103 and 113). As a result, the liquid Li is agitated in the container 20 while being supplied with the cooling medium to change its temperature. This makes the temperature of the liquid Li more uniform. As a result, the object Ob can be immersed in the liquid Li having a more uniform temperature at any location. That is, it is possible to suppress the difference in processing conditions due to the temperature of the object Ob caused by the difference in the immersed locations.

Liquid Li is salt water. When the liquid Li is salt water, for example, the liquid Li in which the object Ob is immersed can be made close to the components of seawater. Thereby, for example, the object Ob such as marine products can be directly immersed in the liquid Li.

In the method of temperature treatment, a refrigerant is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at -51°C to -5°C. As a result, the temperature of the liquid Li is maintained at −51° C. to −5° C. even after the object is immersed, and the immersed object Ob can be quickly frozen.

The immersed object Ob is food. As a result, food can be frozen and frozen food can be thawed. As a result, it is possible to transport food that maintains its freshness (preserved state) to various places. Please refer to FIG. The diameter of bubble Ga is larger than 0.1 mm. As a result, the ratio of bubbles Ga in the liquid Li increases. As a result, the stored liquid Li can be further stirred.

Please refer to FIG. The frozen material manufacturing method 100 manufactures the frozen material using the above-described temperature treatment method for the target object Ob (see FIG. 1). As a result, the object Ob can be immersed in the liquid Li having a more uniform temperature at an arbitrary location to produce a frozen product.

[First modification]
Please refer to FIG. FIG. 8(a) shows an introduction portion 63A and a submerged portion 80A in the first modified example. 63 A of introduction parts in a 1st modification have relationship with the introduction part 63 (refer FIG. 4) of 1st Embodiment, and the whole shape differs. The submerged portion 80A in the first modified example differs in shape and connection position from the submerged portion 80 (see FIG. 4) of the first embodiment. Other basic structures are common to the temperature adjustment device 10 in the first embodiment. For parts common to the first embodiment, reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

(introductory part)
Also refer to FIG. The introduction portion 63A (the overall shape of the introduction portion 63A) shown in FIG. 8A has a substantially L shape. In the example shown in FIG. 8(a), the introduction portion 63A includes a first portion 64A extending downward with one end (upper end) connected to the second connection portion 75, and the other end of the first portion 64A ( and a second portion 65A located on the lower end side and integrally formed with the first portion 64A. Further, the introduction portion 63A is formed with an introduction portion passage 63c extending along the first portion 64A and the second portion 65A and through which the gas (air) released from the body portion 70 passes. The first portion 64A and the second portion 65A are continuous.

The first portion 64A shown in FIG. 8A extends from the second connecting portion 75 along the wall portion 22 of the container 20. As shown in FIG. The second portion 65A shown in FIG. 8A extends in the left-right direction along the bottom portion 21 of the container 20. As shown in FIG. The left end of the second portion 65A is connected to a portion near the lower end of the first portion 64A.

The first portion 64A may have, for example, a circular frame shape, an elliptical frame shape, or a rectangular frame shape in a cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the first portion 64A extends. It may have a triangular frame shape. The cross-sectional shape of the second portion 65A perpendicular to the direction in which the second portion 65A extends may be the same as or different from the cross-sectional shape of the first portion 64A perpendicular to the direction in which the first portion 64A extends. may

Further, the second portion 65A shown in FIG. 8A is formed with a plurality of connected portions 63Ab to which a plurality of submerged portions 80B, 80B, 80B (three in FIG. 9) can be connected. These connected portions 63Ab are, for example, female screw holes that open to the outer surface of the second portion 65A.

(Flooded part)
A plurality of submerged portions 80B, 80B, 80B are connected to the second portion 65A shown in FIG. 8(a). The submerged portion 80A shown in FIG. 8 has an outer diameter that increases from the bottom to the top. The number of submerged parts 80 connected to the introduction part 63B is arbitrary. The number of submerged portions 80 connected to the introduction portion 63B may be one, two, or four or more.

In the example shown in FIG. 8(a), the submerged portion 80A includes a submerged portion main portion 81A for releasing the gas Ga introduced from the introduction portion 63A to the outside, and a submerged portion main portion 81A to the introduction portion 63A. and a submerged portion connection portion 82A that protrudes toward and is screwed to the introduction portion 63A.

Please refer to FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b). The substantially box-shaped flooded portion main portion 81A is formed with a flooded portion passage 83A that opens to the lower end surface of the introduction portion 63A and extends from this opening to the inside of the flooded portion main portion 81A. The submerged portion passage 83A shown in FIG. 8B has an inner diameter that increases upward from the opening of the introduction portion 63A.

A flooded portion main portion 81A shown in FIG. 8A is provided with a plurality of through holes 84A penetrating from the outer surface of the flooded portion main portion 81A to the flooded portion passage 83A. A plurality of through-holes formed in the submerged portion main portion 81A are holes capable of discharging the air flowing through the submerged portion passage 83A to the outside of the submerged portion 80A. The through holes 84A may have the same diameter, or may have different diameters. Furthermore, each of the submerged portions 80A shown in FIG. 8A may have a different diameter of the through hole 84A formed in the submerged portion main portion 81A. The size of the diameter of the through hole 84A can be set arbitrarily.

[Second modification]
See FIG. FIG. 9 shows a main body portion 70B, an introduction portion 63B, and a submerged portion 80B in the second modified example. In the second modified example, two each of the first connection portion 74B, the second connection portion 75B, the introduction portion 63B, and the submerged portion 80B are provided. Through holes 84B and 84B having different diameters are formed in the two submerged portions 80B and 80B, respectively. Other basic structures are common to the temperature adjustment device 10 in the first embodiment. For parts common to the first embodiment, reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

(bubble generating part)
Also refer to FIG. The bubble generating portion 60B includes a main body portion 70B that releases gas, a plurality of (two) introduction portions 63B and 63B that are connected to the main body portion 70B and through which the air released from the main body portion 70B flows, and a plurality of these ( and a plurality (two) of submerged portions 80B, 80B in which air flows through the introduction portions 63B, 63B, and at least a portion of which is submerged in the liquid Li.

(main body)
In the example shown in FIG. 9, the main body 70B includes a main body case 71B, a pump 72B that is housed in the main body case 71B and sends out air from the main body case 71B, and a pump 72B that controls the amount of air sent out from the pump 72B. A gas adjustment portion 73B to be adjusted, a plurality of (two) first connection portions 74B, 74B connected to the body portion case 71B and through which the air sent out by the pump 72B flows, and the first connection portions 74B, 74B connected to the first connection portions 74B, 74B. It has a plurality (two) of second connection portions 75B, 75B.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, the main body case 71B is provided with a plurality of (two) second openings 71Bb, 71Bb through which the air introduced from the first opening 71Ba passes. First connection portions 74B, 74B are connected to these two second openings 71Bb, 71Bb, respectively. As a result, the air sent out from the pump 72B flows through the second openings 71Bb, 71Bb into the first connecting portions 74B, 74B.

The gas adjustment unit 73B, for example, adjusts the amount of air sent from the pump 72B and flowing to each of the first connection portions 74B, 74B. For example, the gas adjustment section 73B can also adjust the amount of air sent out from the pump 72B so that the air flows only in one of the first connection sections 74B. As one aspect, the gas adjustment section 73B includes two inverters, and the amount of air flowing to the first connection sections 74B, 74B is adjusted via the respective inverters.

(introductory part)
The two introduction portions 63B, 63B have detachable portions 63a, 63a (see FIG. 3) that can be detached from the second connection portions 75B, 75B, respectively. The detachable parts 63a, 63a are arranged outside the container 20 (liquid Li). The detachable portion 63a is, for example, a screw formed at the end of the introduction portion 63B and screwed into the second connecting portion 75B.

(Flooded part)
The bubble generating section 60B shown in FIG. 8 has two submerged sections 80B, 80B connected respectively to the two introduction sections 63B, 63B. Through holes 84B, 84B having different hole diameters are formed in these submerged portions 80B, 80B. The hole diameter of the through hole 84B drilled in one of the submerged portions 80B is larger than the hole diameter of the through hole 84B formed in the other submerged portion 80B. When the hole diameter of one through-hole 84 is A and the hole diameter of the other through-hole 84 is B, A>B. As a result, for example, by switching the submerged portion 80B that releases gas between the two submerged portions 80B, 80B, the diameter of the generated bubbles can be changed. Specifically, by switching so that the gas is released from the submerged portion 80B having a through hole 84B with a large hole diameter, bubbles with a large diameter can be generated. On the other hand, by switching to discharge gas from the submerged portion 80B having a through hole 84B with a small diameter, bubbles with a small diameter can be generated. Accordingly, even when the object Ob to be immersed in the liquid Li changes, the submerged portion 80B does not need to be replaced, and productivity can be improved.

When the distance between two adjacent large through-holes 84B, 84B is L2 and the distance between two adjacent small through-holes 84B, 84B is L3, the relationship between L2 and L3 is L2=L3. , L2>L3, or L2<L3.

In addition, in FIG. 9, the example in which the two submerged portions 80B and 80B are provided in one bubble generating portion 60B has been described. However, the number of submerged portions 80B provided in one bubble generating portion 60B may be three or more. In this case, the numbers of the first connecting portions 74B, the second connecting portions 75B, the introducing portions 63B, etc. can be increased according to the number of the submerged portions 80B. For example, the same applies to the number of inverters included in the gas adjustment section 73B.

[Second embodiment]
Please refer to FIG. FIG. 10 shows a temperature adjustment device 10C according to the second embodiment. In the temperature control device 10C of the second embodiment, the material, shape, etc. of the container 20C for the stored liquid Li are different. Other basic structures are common to the temperature adjustment device 10 in the first embodiment. For parts common to the first embodiment, reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

(Temperature control device)
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. The temperature adjustment device 10C includes a container 20C in which liquid Li is stored, and a supply unit 11C connected to the container 20C and supplied from the chiller 30 to the container 20C.

(container)
Please refer to FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a container 20C includes a bottom portion 21, a wall portion 22 extending upward from the bottom portion 21, a projecting portion 24C projecting outward from the outer surface of the wall portion 22, and the bottom portion 21C. , and a cover portion 25C covering the outer surfaces of the wall portion 22 and the projecting portion 24C.

The bottom portion 21, the wall portion 22, and the projecting portion 24C are each made of a material with high heat conductivity. A material with high heat conductivity is, for example, a metal. Examples of metals include aluminum, iron, stainless steel, copper, and alloys containing these.

The protruding portion 24C protrudes outward from the outer surface of the wall portion 22, for example. Inside the projecting portion 24C, an in-container flow path 24Ca is formed that spirally extends along the outer surface of the wall portion 22 along the circumferential direction. However, in other aspects, the in-container flow path 24Ca may extend along the outer surface of the wall portion 22 in a spiral shape or in a meandering shape along the circumferential direction. Or you may extend by these combinations. The in-container flow path 24Ca may have, for example, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a rectangular shape in the cross section of the container 20C perpendicular to the direction in which the in-container flow channel 24Ca extends. It may have a triangular shape.

The cover portion 25C is made of a material with low heat conductivity. Materials with low heat conductivity include, for example, ceramics and foamed plastics (expanded polystyrene). The cover part 25C suppresses heat exchange between the liquid Li stored in the container 20C and the outside air.

(supply part)
Also refer to FIG. The supply unit 11C is connected to the inlet and outlet of the in-container channel 24Ca through which the refrigerant flows. Thereby, the refrigerant sent out from the chiller 30 can be introduced into the in-container flow path 24Ca via the supply portion 11C and can return to the chiller 30 again.

It should be noted that the temperature adjusting device, the temperature treatment method for the object, and the frozen product manufacturing method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications. Some examples of modified forms of the temperature adjusting device, the temperature treatment method for the object, and the frozen product manufacturing method will be introduced below.

For example, in the embodiments, the introduction section and the water immersion section are described as separate parts. However, the introduction part and the submerged part may be continuous and integrally formed, and may be integral parts that cannot be separated from each other.

For example, in the first embodiment, the present invention has been described with an example in which the control unit is arranged outside the chiller (chiller case). However, in the present invention, the controller may be arranged inside the chiller. When the control unit is arranged inside the chiller, the control unit 13 and the thermostat may be integrally formed and may be indistinguishable from each other.

For example, in the embodiments, the liquid is stirred only by the bubbles generated from the bubble generator. However, the liquid may be agitated by using bubbles generated from the bubble generator and a stirring device including a propeller. Furthermore, in the embodiments, examples have been described in which the liquid is cooled while being stored in the storage section. However, the liquid may be cooled at locations other than the reservoir.

For example, in the first embodiment, the present invention has been described with an example in which the object to be immersed in liquid is food. However, the object to be immersed in liquid in the present invention is not limited to food. For example, objects other than food can include cells taken out from the human body, bacteria, and the like.

Also, the structure of the chiller is not limited to the structure shown in the embodiment. For example, a chiller consists mainly of a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve. Therefore, the parts other than the compressor, the condenser and the expansion valve included in the chiller 30 can be arranged differently, or can be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, new parts can be added to the elements that make up the chiller.

Furthermore, the chiller may cool another refrigerant (secondary refrigerant) by, for example, the refrigerant (primary refrigerant) that has passed through the compressor, the condenser and the expansion valve, and supply this secondary refrigerant to the container. The secondary refrigerant may be, for example, the same as the primary refrigerant, or may be different from the primary refrigerant (for example, cooling water).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A, 10B, 10C... Temperature adjustment device 30... Chiller 60, 60A, 60B... Bubble generation part 63, 63C... Introduction part 63a... Detachment part 70, 70C... Main body part 80, 80A, 80B... Immersion part 84, 84A , 84B... Through hole 100... Frozen product manufacturing method 102... Refrigerant supply step 103... Liquid temperature adjustment step 104... Object freezing step 112... Refrigerant supply step 113... Liquid temperature adjustment step 114... Object thawing step Ga... Gas (bubble )
Li...Liquid Ob...Object

Claims (10)

a container having a reservoir for storing a liquid;
a channel extending along a wall of the reservoir and surrounding the reservoir;
a chiller that supplies a coolant to the flow path ;
a bubble generator that generates bubbles in the liquid by sending gas into the reservoir;
has
The bubble generating part has a submerged part submerged in the liquid,
The submerged portion is positioned on the bottom side of the storage portion and extends in a second direction crossing the first direction on the center side of the storage portion in the first direction in a plan view,
The submerged portion is provided with a plurality of through holes at a plurality of positions in the second direction, through which the gas can be released to the outside of the submerged portion.
temperature control device. The bubble generating section has a main body section for releasing the gas, and an introduction section connected to the main body section for introducing the gas into the submerged section,
The temperature control device according to claim 1 , wherein the introducing section is connected to the main body via a detachable section that is detachable from the main body. The temperature adjustment device according to claim 2 , wherein the attachment/detachment section is arranged outside the container. The temperature adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the bubble generation section has a gas adjustment section capable of adjusting the amount of the gas sent into the storage section. A temperature treatment method using the temperature adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
immersing an object in the liquid;
changing the temperature of the liquid using the refrigerant ;
generating the bubbles by forcing the gas into the liquid;
A method of temperature treatment to an object. 6. The method of temperature treatment of an object according to claim 5 , wherein said liquid is salt water. 7. The method of subjecting an object to temperature treatment according to claim 5 , wherein the temperature of the liquid is maintained at -51° C. to -5 ° C. using the refrigerant. The method of subjecting an object to temperature treatment according to any one of claims 5 to 7 , wherein the object is food. The method of subjecting an object to temperature treatment according to any one of claims 5 to 8 , wherein the bubble has a diameter greater than 0.1 mm. A method for producing a frozen product, comprising producing a frozen product by using the method for subjecting an object to temperature treatment according to any one of claims 5 to 9 .

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