JPS63502612A - Refrigeration equipment and freezing method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Refrigeration equipment and freezing method The present invention relates to a freezing device and a freezing method, and more specifically to dairy products (cream, milk, yogurt, etc.). liquid eggs, soups, medicines, microbiological cultures, blood and plasma, proteins, Related to equipment and methods for converting materials such as plastic into solid particulate products It is.

Various proposals have been made regarding methods of freezing dairy products and turning them into microparticles. For example, British patent no. It discloses a technique for making popcorn-like pieces by contacting them. Also UK patent No. 1,376.972 cools eggs ejected from a nozzle with liquefied gas to make an egg base. Small-scale installation W1 (2.26 K9 (5 bons per hour per nozzle)) (d))).

Furthermore, British Patent No. 2.092.880 discloses that liquids, preferably creams, are The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for liquefying a liquid into a liquefied gas. is to be dripped onto it. Also, British Patent No. 2,117,222 Dispersion by pulsating liquid such as ream into or onto a stream of liquefied gas Discloses an apparatus and method for obtaining frozen liquid. The present invention is based on this type of conventional technology. The aim is to improve technology and provide technology that enables large-scale, low-cost industrial production.

The present invention provides an apparatus for granulating raw material liquid by bringing it into direct contact with a liquid refrigerant. The device includes at least one groove-shaped conduit for conveying a refrigerant liquid and a feedstock liquid flow. The source material is injected from one or more injection nozzles into each of the groove-shaped conduits. a separation device for separating the solid particulate product from the liquid refrigerant; and a refrigerant circulation device for circulating the removed refrigerant, so that each groove-shaped conduit is configured to circulate the raw material liquid. one or more contact grooves for simultaneously passing a liquid refrigerant and a circulating refrigerant; one or more contact grooves for liquid refrigerant to exchange heat with at least one contact groove; It is characterized by having upper cooling grooves.

The selection of refrigerant liquid is determined mainly by the type and boiling point of the raw material liquid, and also by the type and boiling point of the raw material liquid. Immiscible refrigerants are usually used. Dairy products such as milk, liquid eggs, microbiological cultures and The preferred liquid refrigerant for blood and blood is liquid nitrogen.

Flowing liquid refrigerant in a smooth laminar flow along a plurality of contact grooves as described above. This is important in making uniform and controlling the particle size of the product and the depth of the frozen layer of the product. I discovered that this is an element. In addition, various characteristics of groove-shaped conduits make this type of uniform This further improves unification and controllability.

That is, the first requirement is to control the evaporation of the refrigerant in the contact grooves, and this In addition to the contact groove as a countermeasure, there is also a cooling jacket that acts as a cooling jacket for the contact groove It has grooves. In this case a defining wall defining each groove and a liquid passing through the contact groove. Preferably, all of the refrigerants are maintained at a substantially constant temperature. When the liquid medium reaches its boiling point When the temperature reaches around the point, the refrigerant passing through the cooling groove evaporates and its latent heat causes the contact groove to In order to absorb heat from That will happen.

On the other hand, inside the groove-shaped dedicated pipe, the liquid refrigerant flows in one direction along the cooling groove. However, it is preferable to arrange the flow in the opposite direction in the contact groove.

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, a groove-shaped conduit is provided at the point of injection of the raw liquid. The raw material liquid and refrigerant are separated by a separation device along the contact groove. Flowing down in the direction of. In such a configuration, a tilt adjustment lever is placed at the top end of the groove-shaped conduit. The contact time between the raw material liquid and the refrigerant can be adjusted by simply changing the tilt angle. It is preferable.

If we look at the cross section of each groove-shaped conduit, we can see that it has a single, smooth curved surface as an integral structure. This curved surface forms contact grooves, cooling grooves, and joints between these grooves. Each of them consists of multiple images. In this way, the conduit has an integral structure and a smooth curved surface. If the shape is formed, the flow of the injected fluid will be uniform, and the conduit will be easier to clean. It has the effect of making The simplest method for forming groove-shaped conduits is circular. Shape gold j! The material is a metal tube, and a formed rod with a smaller cross-sectional area than a metal tube is made of the metal tube. Press parallel to the axis to deform a portion of the tube wall into a dent, that is, a U-shape, and This leaves tubular portions at both ends and forms an open U-shaped contact groove. child If the groove-shaped special tube formed as shown in the figure is further bent inward to form a narrow U-shape, , the number of groove-shaped conduits that can be accommodated increases for a given width of the refrigeration equipment, and at the same time, the number of cooling grooves increases. Depth can be expanded. In addition, the tubular parts left at both ends of the groove-shaped conduit are It is also possible to form it into an oval shape by compression processing.

On the other hand, another configuration of the conduit consists of two cylindrical shapes with an inner tube groove housed in an outer tube groove. In this case, the inner cylinder groove is used as a contact groove, and the flow flows into the outer circumference groove. It is preferable to maximize the cooling effect of the liquid refrigerant. The preference of these cylindrical grooves is The new cross section is circular or oval.

If a groove-shaped conduit is formed from a tubular material, it will be stable at freezing temperatures regardless of whether there is a recess or not. The result is a strong, self-supporting member that can withstand torsion.

Depending on the desired flow rate of the refrigerant, the contact groove has a straight section ( Usually 10α) is preferable, and this upstream straight section is for removing nitrogen gas. It is preferable to have a vent. This vent is formed as part of the outer end cover. Alternatively, the outer end cover and vent can be formed as an extension of a straight section and It is also possible to form a chimney by bending it (with a narrower cross-section if desired). child By arranging the vent as shown in the figure, the cooling groove always has a specified amount of liquid refrigerant. This ensures complete heat absorption in the contact grooves.

Straight sections of contact grooves to further promote uniform daily flow of liquid refrigerant in the conduits It is preferable to provide a vane member on the member, and the vane member may be a flat plate or a curved member, It can be formed from a cylindrical member. In addition, the vane member has a plurality of pieces for fixing the vane. Preferably, it has a pend flap.

A preferred embodiment of the refrigeration system of the present invention includes a plurality of groove-shaped conduits, each having a The groove-shaped pipe has a contact groove and a cooling groove, and both grooves are arranged parallel to each other. Both are connected by a common refrigerant supply manifold installed at both ends of the conduit. There is. In another embodiment, instead of a plurality of groove-shaped IJ tubes, the surface may be corrugated. A single shaped conduit member can be provided. This conduit member runs along almost its entire length. a plurality of open contact grooves and a cavity defined by the contact grooves; is used as a common cooling groove.

The size and number of contact grooves, as well as the external dimensions of the refrigeration equipment, mainly depend on the target product. Select according to specifications. If the target product is fine particles (4 shoes or less in diameter), contact may occur. As the width becomes correspondingly narrower, the number of conduits that can be stored in the refrigeration equipment increases, and all of them can be accommodated. The width also needs to be relatively small. On the other hand, when the particle size of the target product is large, with a diameter of 4 or more choose a small refrigeration unit with a small number of wide grooves or a large number of wide grooves. It is necessary to choose between using several large devices. Contact groove The sizing of each external component depends on the type of intended product and the raw material for the separation equipment. This is done depending on the amount of input.

All types of refrigeration equipment have a header for supplying liquid refrigerant to the channel conduit. It is preferable to provide a tank.

A preferred refrigerant circulation system involves pumping liquid refrigerant separated from the frozen product into a head tank. The refrigerant pumps are fixed to each other and the head The auger includes a screw pump and a casing located close to the tank. is preferable. Although the screw vanes usually extend the entire width of the casing, , this is not necessarily a requirement. This screw vane has double or more vines. If it is formed by winding, the throughput of the raw material liquid will increase and the flow rate will also become more uniform. Easy configuration In order to Ru. Pumps with helical feeding devices have lower power costs and rotate at lower speeds. Ideal for use in refrigeration equipment, and cavitation does not occur in the supplied liquid refrigerant. There are advantages such as

A separator for separating the solid particulate product from the refrigerant is used to collect the solids and Although any type of filter capable of removing refrigerant can be used, the preferred In an embodiment, this separating device is a separate screw conveyor.

Direct connection with liquid refrigerants, as disclosed in British Patent No. 2,117,222. The freezing depth of the raw material liquid due to contact is such that the outer periphery of the granular product is frozen. The inside of the particles is frozen again in a separate process. The refrigeration system of the present invention uses evaporation of refrigerant vapor. The separator is equipped with a separator to optimally utilize the cooling effect of the granular product. The product is introduced into the flow path and is brought into complete contact with the refrigerant vapor while passing through the flow path, and then the product is removed. Excrete into mouth.

The optimal separation device has several different processing sections arranged along a common axis and a single It is formed as a single rotating body. Following the grooved vessel, the separating device should preferably be conical. An open drum with a small diameter section facing the direction of the container tube and a wide pitch screw blade. and a first porous cylindrical drum containing one or more. This many The perforated cylindrical drum not only functions as a separator sieve, but also collects particles transferred from the groove-shaped container tube. Acts as a high-speed conveyor for shaped products. Furthermore, the separation device is equipped with a second It has a cylindrical drum, and this second cylindrical drum has a lower speed than the first cylindrical drum. A device with one or more screw vanes for carrying the product, with the downstream end (usually The product is discharged from the outlet provided at the upper end). The screw blade of this second drum is It can extend over the entire width inside the ram, i.e. from the outer casing to the central axis. Preferably, the refrigerant vapor remains in contact with the granular product in the drum for a long time. It passes through a spiral passage. These screw vanes are used for tampling of granular products. Equipped with helical ribs to facilitate operation and increase contact between particles and refrigerant vapor has been done.

The helical rib abuts or is attached to the inner surface of the casing and It is arranged longitudinally, ie parallel to the axis. However, preferred practice In examples, spiral ribs are used to further enhance the tampling action of granular products. It is arranged at an angle significantly less than 90° to the flow direction. This spiral rib A flexible metal rod is used to extend the entire length of the screw vane and to extend it along the outside of the screw vane. It is passed through a notch provided on the edge.

Preferably, the screw vanes of the second cylindrical drum are supported on a perforated central tube; This makes it possible to inject cleaning liquid through the central pipe when the freezing process is finished. Become.

On the F side of the separator, there is a refrigerant tank (usually It is preferable to provide a refrigerant reservoir), and a filter is placed above this refrigerant reservoir. ing. This filter is a liquid refrigerant that passes through the liquid refrigerant discharge hole drilled in the separator. Preferably, a filter is arranged to retain the sized particulate product.

In addition, a particle size filter is installed at the product outlet of the separator to prevent undersize or oversized products. size particles can be removed.

All parts in a refrigeration system through which liquid refrigerant passes, i.e. groove-shaped container pipes , the refrigerant circulation system, and the product separation system may be located within an insulating jacket. Preferably, an insulating jacket is also used to utilize cryogenic liquid refrigerants such as liquid nitrogen. It is preferable to have a double-wall type vacuum insulated structure. A jacket with this kind of structure Because the kit has excellent structural strength, it serves as the chassis of the refrigeration equipment, and all other parts are Another advantage is that the lever can be supported on or within the chassis.

The device of the invention has a central part containing a refrigerant tank and two arms extending outwardly from the central part. The introduction arm has a vacuum insulating jacket with injection device and only for conveying liquid refrigerant extending over at least 4 parts of its total length. The outlet arm contains one or more solid particles. A separator for separation from the liquid refrigerant and a device for removing granular products near the outer end. It is equipped with. Preferably, both arms are slanted upward from the center, and the guide The angle of inclination of the input arm is usually 1/2 to 5 degrees with respect to the horizontal position, but the angle of inclination of the input arm Similarly, the angle of inclination is normally 5° to 30° with respect to the horizontal position.

In a preferred configuration of the channel tube and separation device, the two arms are in the same vertical plane. so that the granular product passing through the groove-shaped tube enters the separator The direction in the plane hardly changes. Such a configuration is suitable for the continuous flow property of the present invention. This is an important factor that prevents damage to the freshly frozen particles and promotes homogenization of the product. let Also, with this configuration, a central part containing the refrigerant tank is provided, and two arms are connected to each other. A balanced (cantilever) structure extends in opposite directions from the central part. This reduces floor space requirements and simplifies cleaning and maintenance.

In addition, the vacuum insulation jacket structure prevents evaporated refrigerant vapor from surrounding the built-in parts of the jacket. The coolant and densest refrigerant vapor descends to the bottom of the refrigeration system and cools down. Since it provides a hot steam bath, it has the effect of suppressing the consumption of liquid refrigerant. difference Furthermore, by reducing the openings in the jacket to a minimum, the heat conduction path between the inside and outside of the jacket is improved. reduce.

When the liquid refrigerant evaporates, a slight vapor pressure is generated inside the jacket, which traps air and impurities. Prevent intrusion.

The source of heat intrusion in refrigeration equipment is the drainage and cleaning drain installed at the bottom of the refrigerant reservoir. It is still possible. Although it is possible to use a simple stopper, vacuum insulating A relatively long drain pipe is installed between the outer and inner walls of the container and at the bottom of the refrigerant tank. Furthermore, a spring-loaded stopper is provided on the inlet side of the drain pipe, and the stopper is bent. Preferably, it is connected to a cable. This flexible cable is inside the drain pipe. Once inserted, the spring-loaded stopper can be opened and closed by operating it from outside the jacket. place If desired, the flexible cables can be stored in plastic sleeves to protect the refrigeration system. It becomes possible to transmit electrical signals from the internal control device.

In normal operation, the only outlet of the refrigeration system is the outlet for frozen granular products; The outlet is also equipped with a ventilation station to prevent evaporation from being discharged from this outlet. This prevents refrigerant vapor from entering the atmosphere inside the device. Also, this outlet has a certain weight. Provide a spring-loaded flap that opens only when there is a large amount of product or steam pressure in the equipment. can be done. Typically, a ventilation system contains an exhaust duct and an exhaust ff, and its control The control device consists of a speed regulator and a detection switch placed on the cap of the removable cover. Preferably, the controller is configured to control the blower in response to the removal of the cover. Switch to high-speed ventilation.

Since the operating temperature of the refrigeration equipment is lower than the temperature of the raw material liquid, the materials used for the component parts are By taking advantage of the different expansion rates of metals and plastics, parts will hold up well at freezing temperatures. Although they stick together, they can be constructed in such a way that they can be easily decomposed when the temperature of the raw material liquid reaches. Ru.

Some of the components of refrigeration equipment are made of such metal parts (usually stainless steel). and a plastic part (usually polyethylene). , the plastic material contracts when cooled to form a cold fit with the metal. A configuration like this Parts include groove-shaped container pipes, separation devices, refrigerant supply manifolds, and manifolds. Includes mounting part. Installation of all coupling devices and conduits in groove-shaped pipes The groove is formed from a combination of such different materials. Also, the refrigerant supply manifold Installation of the refrigerant supply pipe and the manifold and each groove-shaped container pipe, as well as the installation of the manifold and the refrigerant supply pipe. It is done in a similar way. In addition, in product separation equipment, metal screw blades are replaced with plastic It is enclosed in a manufactured fastening band, and the band is in a shrink fit state with the screw blade when cooled. It is configured to In another embodiment, the screw vanes are made of a sheet metal casing. Enclose and hold in place using a plastic ring or band. these Plastic bands can be formed integrally in the width direction or have elongated holes in the longitudinal direction. Mouth can be formed. This elongated hole terminates near both ends of the band, and Both ends of the cable are connected to the spigot attached to the casing through this elongated hole. be grasped.

Shrink fit assembly is an important feature of the invention and provides a simple and low cost construction. . This shrink fit and other features help simplify cleaning and maintenance of all equipment. .

The ease of cleaning is at the highest level when the refrigeration equipment of the present invention is used for food or pharmaceutical processing. This is particularly important in maintaining sanitary standards for Because there are no joints, there are no gaps that can be a hindrance to cleaning, which is a useful feature. .

On the other hand, in order to prevent deformation of the refrigeration equipment due to expansion and contraction of metal parts, lead-out arms etc. A bellows type expansion joint can be provided.

In addition, to prevent metal-to-metal contact, bearing blocks for metal parts are made of plastic or or ceramic, or vice versa.

The raw material liquid is homogeneous and in a free-flowing state and can be injected into the refrigeration equipment. child Therefore, depending on the condition of the raw material liquid, it is necessary to mix or preheat it before injection. occurs.

Although the raw liquid stream tends to decompose into dispersed liquid particles when it comes into contact with the liquid refrigerant, , this decomposition action is preferably promoted by arranging a pulsating device such as a pulsating pump; The periodic pulsation helps to equalize the particle size. The main advantage of the invention is that The solution is to inject the solution from each injection nozzle into the contact groove at high speed. typical pulse The moving speed is in the range of 5 to 30 pulses per second, and this speed is The injection rate is at least 10 times higher than that of a raw material liquid injection device equipped with a liquid injection system. suitable A typical example of a pulsating device is (a) a pulsating device equipped with a roller bearing on a flexible supply line. pump, (b) using oversized rollers to provide long-period pulses; pulsating pump, (C) pulsating pump with pulsating fluid line in addition to rollers, (d ) a gear transmission pump with a pulsating fluid line; and (e) a flexible line, the machine The pipe is repeatedly compressed by manual operation, solenoid operation, or pneumatic operation. Contains.

Each groove-shaped pipe has its own raw material liquid supply pipe, and each raw material liquid supply pipe has its own raw material liquid supply pipe. Both are equipped with a raw material liquid supply device.

The raw material liquid supply conduit was installed outside the Hironto arm in order to be able to retreat from the injection port. Preferably, it is slidably mounted on the guide. Each conduit should be sleeved or thermally insulated. This prevents direct contact between the evaporated refrigerant and the raw material liquid in the refrigeration equipment, Prevent the raw material from freezing until it reaches the channel. The injection nozzle is a liquid refrigerant It is preferable to align the raw material liquid to be injected in substantially the same direction as the flow.

Preferably, the drive parts of the refrigeration device are carried on a tubular frame. electric motor is professional It is housed in a suitable housing together with the process control and instruments. The drive shaft of the electric motor is a tube. The irises can be supported on a shaped frame. If all electric motors are equipped with a transmission , can be adapted to the flow rates of refrigerant, raw material liquid, and granular products, and the product particle size, This is preferred because a wide range of throughput and freezing layer depth can be obtained.

Inspection covers with degassed are installed at the raw material intake and the center to prevent freezing work. Direct monitoring of progress is preferred.

All cover caps are fitted with suitable elastic seals to prevent leakage of refrigerant vapor. (Recon rubber seal ring, etc.) must be installed.

In a preferred device according to the invention, the standard dimensions are that both the channel tube and the separating device are The diameter of the central part is 75α, and the inner diameter of the introduction arm and extraction arm is 30α. . In addition, the angle of inclination of the refrigerant pump with respect to the horizontal position is approximately 35°, and the separation device is The slope is about 20". All parts used have sufficient mechanical strength and are lightweight. It is. The stainless steel outer plate of the vacuum insulation jacket has a thickness of 3 mm and the inner plate has a thickness of 1 mm. The thickness of the head tank and separation device are both 1.25 mm. The casing of the device is 0.7 m.

When freezing cream using such a freezing device, the flow rate of liquid nitrogen is Normally 81 per minute for the groove and 1121 per minute for the cream inlet. Ru.

Therefore, in the case of a refrigeration system with 5 grooves, the refrigerant pump is 40. e/min The refrigerant is circulated, and the separator removes approximately 150 tons of frozen cream per hour. put out

Since the particle size of the product obtained by the device and processing process of the present invention is uniform, it can be sold on the market. With excellent appeal, we always provide customers with a wide selection of products with uniform particle sizes. do.

Next, a detailed description will be given using examples of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the refrigeration system of the present invention, and FIG. Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the freezing equipment; Figure 4 is a detailed vertical cross-sectional view showing a mass production model of the freezing equipment; The figure is a plan view showing a part of the mass-produced model of the refrigeration equipment shown in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional plan view. An enlarged sectional view of the coupling device shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 along line ■-■ in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the upper end of the groove-shaped conduit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the lower end of the groove-shaped conduit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevational view showing the product separation conveyor of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 7; FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the retaining band used in the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 8; FIG. 0 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the groove-shaped fathom tube along the line v--■ in FIG.

The device according to the invention has the same central part (2) and an introduction arm (4) with a circular cross section. The lead-out arm (6) has a circular cross section, and these three parts are connected to the inner plate (6). 10) and an outer skin (12). . The introduction arm (4) has five groove-shaped conduits (14) built-in, and the corresponding miso-shaped conduit (14) is inclined at a small angle with respect to the horizontal position and passed through the introduction arm (4) in the center. Part (2) is reached.

Each groove-shaped pipe (14) has a concave (U-shaped cross-section) groove (2 0), a cooling groove (32) sealed therein, and both grooves (20), (32). and a coupling device (34) for connecting the two at their upper ends.

The raw material liquid inlet (1) communicates with the pulsating pump (22), and the pulsating pump (22) A pulsating flow of raw material liquid is passed through the raw material supply pipe (16) and the nozzle (18) into each contact groove (2). 0). Each raw material supply pipe (16) is arranged inside the sleeve (11). These raw material supply assemblies (16), (17), and (18) are It is slidably mounted on a guide (23) with a stop (15).

The supply pipe (16), sleeve (11), and nozzle (18) all have seals inserted. Mounting on the insulating cover (7) (not shown in Figures 1 and 2, described later) is inserted into the Hirojin arm (4) through the hole. This mounting hole has a cap ( 9), the cap (9) being a dispensing assembly (16), (17).

(18) from the introduction arm (4) to prevent refrigerant from leaking. It is. The cover (1) also has an inspection tube (18) for monitoring the injection status of the raw material liquid. ).

On the other hand, the supply assemblies (16), (17), and (18) shown in Figure 3 are the introduction arms. (4) When attached to the outside and before operation (Figures 1 and 2 are The supply assembly is shown attached to the side of the arm (4), and the outside of the introduction arm (4) is shown. with only an end cover (58) and a side inlet (56) leading to the supply tube (16). ).

A groove-shaped conduit (14) extends along the entire length of the introduction arm (4) and passes through the central part (2). The lower end is pivoted, while the upper end is attached to a spring-loaded lever (2 1) (Fig. 3) It is placed on top.

The lever (21) holds the channel conduit (14) in position during pauses in the refrigeration process. The refrigerant is tilted at a relatively sharp angle with respect to the horizontal position, and the flow velocity of the liquid refrigerant is increased. This makes it easier to clean the residue of the raw material liquid. Therefore, supply assemblies (16), (17) .

When (18) is moved to the operating position, the groove-shaped conduit (14) is pushed downward and the spring the feeding assembly finally comes into contact with the stopper (15). The groove-shaped conduit (14) is then held in position B.

Both the upper and lower ends of each groove-shaped conduit (14) have a circular cross-section rather than a U-shaped cross-section. It holds its face. There is a circular button around the top edge where the cross section changes from circular to groove-shaped. The seat (33) is arranged. Vanes further equipped with anti-deflection flaps (41) The type coupling device (34) connects the circular boat (33) along the same axis as the groove-shaped conduit (14). ), and above is the upper part of the groove-shaped conduit (14) and below it is in contact It has reached groove (20). There is a nitrogen gas vent at the top of the groove-shaped conduit (14). Manifold (19) with @@ is connected to (38).

On the other hand, the lower end of the conduit (14) communicates with the central part (2), and each conduit (14) ) near the lower end of the conduit (1 4) is bent downward to form a circular bent portion (31) (Fig. 7).

The outer surface of this bent portion (31) has a notch for supporting a flat inclined trough (39). (35), and the inclination angle of the trough (39) is that of the conduit (14). It is set slightly larger than that. The upper end of this trough (39) has five conductors. It extends across the entire width of the tube (14) and is cut into five notches by metal springs (not shown). (35) is firmly pressed. Also, the trough (39) is narrower towards the lower end. , which leads to the conical inlet section (40) of the product separation device (5). Separation The device (5) extends along the entire length of the lead-out arm (6) starting from the central part (2). ing. The lowest end of each conduit (14) is connected to a common manifold (30). The manifold (30) is connected to the head tank via the refrigerant supply pipe (29). It communicates with (28). Note that the head tank (28) is connected to the upper end of the conduit (14). They are placed at the same height.

The manifolds (19), (30) and each end of the conduit (14) are fastened by shrink fit. This method is used (as shown in cross section in Figures 6 and 7). For this purpose a conduit (14 ) The tubular end (86) of the manifold (19), the tubular protrusion (81) of (30) It is formed so that it can be inserted. Furthermore, the surface of this connection part shrinks at freezing temperatures. Then, a polyethylene ring (88) serving as a sealing seal is attached.

The refrigerant pump (24) is a screw pump with screw blades arranged inside a rotating casing. and is interposed between the cold i-tank (26) and the head tank (28). .

In addition, the product power l11 device (5) is composed of three parts, but when operating, it is integrated. It is shaped so that it rotates. This separation device eif (5) has a conical shape. An open drum (4o) and a first screw blade (4o) installed inside the first cylindrical drum (44). 2) one helix m> and a second screw blade installed in the second cylindrical drum (4B) (46) (one helical winding). The first screw blade (42) is the second Although the length is shorter than the screw blade (46), it uses a wide pitch screw blade of 2M. Therefore, processing G of raw materials is large. The first drum (44) transfers liquid nitrogen to the refrigerant tank (26). ) is equipped with a drain hole for draining water. Furthermore, the open drum (40) and the A filtration tray (43) is disposed at the bottom of one drum (44). 3) is inclined in the direction of recovery device 1 (45) installed at the bottom of the central part (2). Ru.

The second screw blade is wound on the perforated solid shaft (81), and the second screw blade is wound on the perforated solid shaft (81), and ) is attached to the hub (57) at both ends of the second screw vane (46). ) holds the relative position of

The hub (57) on the upper end side of the second drum (48) is made of plastic. A ring (18) is attached and contracts against the hub (51) when the temperature reaches freezing. It becomes a loose fit. The inner surface of this thrust ring (78) acts as a bearing. (forms a gas seal against the end of the vacuum jacket (8). The outer edge of the string (78) connects the upper end of the separating device (5) to the circular shape of the lead-out arm (6). The two metal bearings are supported on the block (79) in order to be centered in the cross section. It is. Similarly, the lower end of the separation bag w (5) is connected to the second drum (48) and the end hub (5). 7) The two plastic bearings are placed on the block (14) at the point where they abut. Supported. The lead-out arm (6) is equipped with a silicone sealing (γ2). The outer end cover (71) is attached to the swing arm (73) (Fig. 3). The bar (71) incorporates a product outlet (11) and a hollow central shaft C83).

This center shaft (83) is a drive shaft that reaches from the gear box (85) to the end hub (57). Not only does it function as a cleaning fluid inlet when the outer end stopper (not shown) is removed, Become. A cleaning liquid for cleaning the separation device (5) at the end of the freezing operation is supplied to the perforated pipe (8). 1) Inject.

The refrigerant tank [2B] is equipped with a flexible cable (93 ) containing a drain pipe (92) with a spring-loaded stop (95) operated by There is. The stopper (95) is opened and closed by turning the screw fitting M (94) against the spring action. This is done by rotation operation.

The second drum (48) is for dispersing the granular product to facilitate the tampling action. A plurality of spiral ribs (50) (Fig. 8) are attached.

The central part (2) is equipped with an inspection pipe (63) for monitoring the progress of refrigeration and is insulated. The cover (62) has a slidable swinging arm (62). 9) (Figure 3).

The vacuum insulation jacket (8) is placed directly above the introduction arm (4) and the extraction arm (6). It is equipped with a bellows type flexible joint to accommodate the expansion and contraction of metal. Guidance A band clamp (61) is arranged on the input arm (4) and the output arm (6), Tubular frame for carrying externally mounted parts of the insulation jacket (8) (51) is held. This external fitting guides the feed assembly vertically. A sliding guide (23) for the outer end cover (11) and a swinging arm (73) for , the drive motor (66) of the pulsating pump (22) and its drive shaft (59), and the refrigerant port. Electric m (6g) for driving the pump (24), its drive shaft (60), and product separation device (5) drive motor (10) and a drive shaft (69) leading to the 6i car box (85). Contains. Electric ja (66), (68), (70) and process The control device is housed in a control box (67).

Figure 9 shows tightening the casings of the product separation device (5) and refrigerant pump (24). The structure of the plastic band (75) used for this purpose is shown. this van The door (15) is made of flexible polyethylene and has an elongated notch along its axis. (76). The band (75) is adjusted to the required size according to the dimensions of the target part. Cut to length. The band (15) has one end attached to a metal sprocket on the outer surface of the casing. After hooking it on the got (77), wrap the band (75) around the outer circumference of the casing. Then, the other end is hooked with the spigot (71). Band (15) length can be easily hooked onto the spigot (11) at room temperature, but at liquid nitrogen temperature set to tighten and tighten the casing around the screw vanes.

FIG. 10 shows in cross section another embodiment of a groove-shaped conduit (14), with the groove shape shown The conduit (14) forms three contact grooves (20) and a common cooling groove (32) on the upper side. has been completed. With this kind of conduit structure, the contact groove can be closed without changing the width of the refrigeration rack. This has the advantage of increasing the number of items that can be accommodated.

In all embodiments of the refrigeration system, a conduit (3) supplying liquid refrigerant and a control valve ( 91) (Fig. 4) is arranged in the central part (2).

The effect of using liquid nitrogen as a refrigerant in the refrigeration equipment shown in Figures 1 to 9 will be explained. Ru. Using the refrigerant pump (24), liquid nitrogen is pumped from the refrigerant tank (26) to the head tank ( 28) and then through the manifold (30) to the cooling channel (3) of the conduit (14). 2). The pressure head of the head tank (28) directs the flow of liquid nitrogen into the cooling channel. (32) and reaches the manifold (19), as well as the broken line (37) (6th The liquid nitrogen is supplied to the contact groove (20) uniformly. You will be killed.

When the liquid nitrogen cools the refrigeration equipment and reaches working temperature, the raw material supply assembly (16), ( 17), (1g) is moved to the operating position. Next, the raw material liquid (e.g. cream) ) is injected from the nozzle (18), it breaks down into droplets, and these droplets are mixed with liquid nitrogen. While passing through the contact groove (20), the outer periphery thereof is frozen. Frozen droplets are liquid It is led to the product separation device (5) through the trough (39) together with the body nitrogen, but liquid nitrogen is separated there and becomes refrigerant 1! (26). At this time, along with liquid nitrogen The undersized product particles transported are collected by the filter tray (43) and recycled. Concentrate on the collection device (45). The first screw vane (42) transfers the frozen droplets to the second screw vane (42). Delivered at high speed to the root (46), the droplet is transferred to the second threaded wing t! 1 (46) Tampling is performed at low speed in the presence of warm nitrogen gas. This tampling work is carried out by rotating the separating device (5) and is further facilitated by the action of the spiral rib (50). .

The temperature of the separator (5) tends to increase from the inlet to the outlet as the freezing process progresses. be. , that is, the product temperature is usually -110℃ at the inlet and -150℃ at the outlet. rises with

The frozen droplets that have passed through the second screw vane (46) fall naturally from the outlet (11) and are stored in a suitable container. The outlet (11) is an air duct equipped with a variable speed blower (as shown). (without).

The refrigerant pump (24) is constantly transporting liquid nitrogen to the head tank (28). In addition, when liquid nitrogen is insufficient and needs to be replenished, the liquid level gauge (84) will detect it and the supply pipe will be refilled. (3) Activate the control valve (91) provided at step (3). One advantage of this refrigeration device is that the liquid It has high nitrogen utilization efficiency and only requires a small amount of replenishment.

The reason for such high efficiency is that liquid nitrogen and raw material liquid are smoothly connected in the contact groove (20). Vacuum insulation jacket with minimal openings (8 ) is adopted to reduce heat intrusion, and a device (5) is used to separate low temperature nitrogen gas and small droplets ), and since all metal parts have a small mass, it is difficult to make contact during startup. The reason is that nitrogen consumption can be suppressed.

The refrigeration system of the present invention is configured to facilitate cleaning and maintenance at the end of operation. There is. First inject the warm cleaning solution and the metal plastic retracts all by the spring. The joints of are loosened. The cleaning liquid is circulated through the refrigerant circulation system (24, 28° 14.40. 42 etc.), it can be effectively cleaned without disassembling the entire device. Become. The used cleaning liquid is discharged from the drain (92).

If the device is to be disassembled for cleaning, the size of all internal parts should be It is configured so that it can be easily removed through the adjacent opening formed in the jacket (8). There is.

In addition, because the plastic and metal are cold-fitted, parts cannot be removed using a spanner or special tool. It has the advantage of being easy to do without using special tools.

Copy and translation of written amendment) Submission form (Article 184-7, Paragraph 1 of the Patent Act) October 1988 23rd of the month Mr. Kunio Kogawa, Commissioner of the Patent Office 1 Display of patent application PCT/GB87100135 2 Name of the invention Refrigeration equipment and freezing method Inkberrow, Wrench Farm (no street address) Mr. Gipson, Peter 8 Roldo 4 agent Address: 1-11-28 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Scope of request 1 An apparatus for producing solid particles by directly contacting a raw material liquid with a liquid refrigerant, , at least one channel-shaped conduit carrying a liquid refrigerant and one or more channel-shaped conduits carrying a liquid refrigerant; into one or more grooves formed in said groove-shaped conduit through an injection nozzle of A raw material supply device for feeding and a separation device to separate solid particles and liquid refrigerant. place, and a circulation device for the removed liquid refrigerant, and the groove-shaped conduit is connected to the raw material liquid. one or more contact grooves for simultaneously passing the liquid refrigerant; one or more for heat exchange with at least one contact groove during circulation of the refrigerant; A device characterized by having the cooling grooves described above.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the groove-shaped dedicated pipe is an injection point for raw material liquid. The liquid refrigerant intake is located at the lower end of the cooling section groove. A connecting device is further provided at the upper end of the cooling groove and the contact groove. By doing so, the liquid refrigerant passes from the cooling groove to the contact groove via the coupling device. A device characterized in that it is transported.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove-shaped conduit is A device characterized by a monolithic structure with a groove-shaped cross section.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is formed in the groove-shaped conduit. The above-mentioned groove has a U-shaped cross section, and the depth of the groove is larger than the width. A device that does this.

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inclination angle of the groove-shaped conduit is The equipment M is characterized by being adjustable.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a liquid is A circular boat is placed near the upper end of the contact groove to promote laminar flow of the refrigerant. A device characterized by:

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel-shaped conduit is a gas vent. A device characterized in that it has a manifold with a vent.

8. The device according to any one of the above claims, which comprises: The liquid refrigerant removed from the refrigerant is fed to the head tank connected to the groove-shaped S pipe. A device characterized in that it includes a screw pump type refrigerant pump for.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the separating device comprises a screw. - conveyors, said screw conveyors abutting each other and moving around a common axis A device characterized by a perforated first drum and a non-perforated second drum that rotate together. Place.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the separation device is one or more. or larger screw vanes and tamps the particulate product as it passes through. A screw conveyor with inwardly directed ribs to provide a ring effect. A device characterized by:

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of spiral ribs are Curves arranged at an angle significantly less than 90° to the flow direction of the particulate product A device characterized by being a linear rod.

12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a liquid refrigerant reservoir. a central part connected to the central part and inclined upward from the central part; It has an insulating jacket with It includes a supply device and has the groove-shaped conduit arranged above at least part of its entire length. , and the other geometric arm houses a product separation device.

13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more of the above. The upper groove-shaped conduit, the refrigerant pump and product separation device, and the plurality of manifolds The combination of the metal part and the plastic part is formed by shrink fit. Featured device.

14. Using the device according to any one of the above claims, the raw material liquid is directly mixed with a liquid refrigerant. A method for producing solid particles by contact.

15. Using the device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 above. , or solid particles produced by the method according to claim 14.

international search report menmM-^-a1mt N also PCT/GB 8110O135 [TOTH E! ! 1fTERNAT! 0NAL 5EARCHREPORT ON

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 An apparatus for producing solid particles by directly contacting a raw material liquid with a liquid refrigerant, , at least one channel-shaped conduit carrying a liquid refrigerant and one or more channel-shaped conduits carrying a liquid refrigerant; into one or more grooves formed in said groove-shaped conduit through an injection nozzle of A raw material supply device for feeding and a separation device to separate solid particles and liquid refrigerant. place, and a circulation device for the removed liquid refrigerant, and the groove-shaped conduit is connected to the raw material liquid. one or more contact grooves for simultaneously communicating the liquid refrigerant; one or more for heat exchange with at least one contact groove during circulation of the refrigerant; A device characterized by having the cooling grooves described above. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the groove-shaped conduit is an injection point for raw material liquid. The liquid refrigerant intake is located at the lower end of the cooling groove. A connecting device is further provided at the upper end of the cooling groove and the contact groove. By doing so, the liquid refrigerant passes from the cooling groove to the contact groove via the coupling device. A device characterized in that it is transported. 3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove-shaped conduit is A device characterized by a monolithic structure with a groove-shaped cross section. 4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is formed in the groove-shaped conduit. The above-mentioned groove has a ∪-shaped cross section, and the depth of the groove is larger than the width. A device that does this. 5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inclination angle of the groove-shaped conduit is A device characterized in that it is adjustable. 6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a liquid is A circular port is located near the top of the contact groove to promote laminar flow of the refrigerant. A device characterized by: 7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the channel-shaped conduit is a gas vent. A device characterized in that it has a manifold with a vent. 8. A device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of devices are connected to each other. A device characterized in that it has a groove-shaped conduit. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, which removes the particles from the atomized product. A space for feeding the liquid refrigerant to the head tank connected to the groove-shaped conduit mentioned above. A device characterized in that it includes a creu pump type refrigerant pump. 10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the product separation device comprises: A screw conveyor with one or more screw blades. equipment. 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the product separation device is It is equipped with a first drum and a second drum, and the two drums are brought into contact with each other and are connected to a common shaft. A device that rotates integrally along a line. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, which separates the product. The device has multiple units to promote the tumbling action on the above-mentioned particulate product. A device characterized in that it has a spiral rib. 13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of spiral ribs are Curves arranged at an angle significantly less than 90° to the flow direction of the particulate product A device characterized by being a linear rod. 14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a liquid refrigerant reservoir; a central part connected to the central part and inclined upward from the central part; It has an insulating jacket with It is possible to include the supply device and arrange the groove-shaped conduit over at least a part of the entire length. , and the other outlet arm houses a product separation device. 15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the jacket includes an outer panel and an inner panel. A device characterized by being a vacuum jacket with a double wall structure. 16. The device according to claim 15, which is inserted between the outer plate and the inner plate. a refrigerant drain pipe, and a spring-loaded stopper provided at an inner end of the drain pipe. and a flexible cable that is inserted into the drain pipe and reaches the outside of the jacket. A device characterized in that the stopper is opened and closed by a bull. 17. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 16. an arrangement characterized in that the two arms are aligned with each other on the same vertical plane; Place. 18. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more of the above. The upper groove-shaped conduit, the refrigerant pump and product separation device, and the plurality of manifolds The combination of the metal part and the plastic part is formed by shrink fit. Featured device. 19 Apparatus substantially similar to the apparatus disclosed in the specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings The device according to item 1. 20. Using the apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the raw material liquid is directly mixed with a liquid refrigerant. A method for producing solid particles by contact. 21 Claim No. 2 substantially similar to the method disclosed in the specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings Apparatus according to paragraph 20. 22 The device according to claims 1 to 19, or the device according to claims 20 and 19 Solid particles produced using the method according to any of Item 21.