US20050120726A1 - Deep freezer and method of freezing products - Google Patents
Deep freezer and method of freezing products Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20050120726A1 US20050120726A1 US10/979,807 US97980704A US2005120726A1 US 20050120726 A1 US20050120726 A1 US 20050120726A1 US 97980704 A US97980704 A US 97980704A US 2005120726 A1 US2005120726 A1 US 2005120726A1
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- Prior art keywords
- conveying belt
- products
- ventilator
- liquefied
- conveying
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D13/00—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms
- F25D13/06—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space
- F25D13/067—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space with circulation of gaseous cooling fluid
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
- A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
- A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23L3/361—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling the materials being transported through or in the apparatus, with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules, or flakes
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
- A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
- A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23L3/37—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of or treatment with chemicals
- A23L3/375—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of or treatment with chemicals with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid nitrogen, at cryogenic temperature
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D13/00—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms
- F25D13/06—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space
- F25D13/062—Stationary devices, e.g. cold-rooms with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space with refrigerated conveyors
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F25D3/00—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies
- F25D3/10—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air
- F25D3/11—Devices using other cold materials; Devices using cold-storage bodies using liquefied gases, e.g. liquid air with conveyors carrying articles to be cooled through the cooling space
Definitions
- the invention relates to a device for the cooling of products, having a conveying device which conveys the products through a cooling zone in which the products are exposed to an atmosphere which, by means of low-temperature gases, is brought to a temperature required for cooling the products.
- the invention also relates to a method of cooling the products.
- cooling describes the cooling to temperatures above the freezing point, for example, the cooling of heat-treated food products from +70° C. to +2° C.
- cooling comprises particularly also freezing and deep freezing.
- Deep freezing means that the food products are subjected to an atmosphere of a sufficiently low temperature for a sufficient period of time, so that, following the freezing process, a core temperature exists which is clearly below the freezing point of water; as a rule, below a temperature of ⁇ 18° C.
- This atmosphere or environment can be brought to the desired temperature, for example, by low-temperature gas (liquefied or gaseous) or by cooled air.
- the heat exchange essentially takes place by way of convective processes.
- liquefied gas it also takes place by way of heat conduction by direct contact of the cooling medium with the product to be cooled.
- the gas is therefore introduced into the cooling device in a liquefied state and is vaporized by a thermal transfer from the product to be cooled to the cooling medium.
- the then warmer and gaseous cooling medium is discharged from the cooling device.
- the discharge should normally not take place into environment of the facility because some of the suitable gases displace the air and thereby would endanger people in the surroundings of the facility.
- a removal of the gas has to be ensured from the working environment of such a cooling device.
- Devices for cooling are known as passage facilities, for example, as tunnel-type deep freezers and as cabinet-type deep freezers.
- immersion deep freezers are also customary for freezing products to be frozen.
- These immersion deep freezers have a bath of a cryogenic liquid through which a conveying belt travels which conveys the products to be frozen out of the bath.
- the products to be frozen are either dropped directly into the bath or are placed on a belt which conveys the products to be frozen into the bath.
- An immersion deep freezer of this type is described, for example, in Gastage , Messer Griesheim GmbH, Volume 29, June 1985 Edition, Page 10.
- problems may occur in the case of such immersion deep freezers when the density of the products to be frozen is such that the products to be frozen float on the surface.
- the products to be frozen cannot be conveyed through the bath during a predetermined period of time.
- problems also occur in the case of those products which tend to accumulate material. For example, fats or sugars may become glued to one another or to the conveying belt so that, also in this case, no defined dwell time of the products to be frozen can be observed in the bath, or a lumpy undefined product is created.
- tunnel-type deep freezers are known, in the case of which only the unloaded belt immerses into an immersion bath of low-temperature liquefied gas.
- this creates a non-homogeneous temperature distribution in the device.
- this object is achieved according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, in that the conveying belt ( 10 ) leads partially through an immersion bath ( 2 ) consisting of liquefied low-temperature gas, and in that at least one ventilator ( 6 ) is mounted below the conveying belt ( 10 ) such that it causes the temperature distribution in the cooling zone to be more uniform, and injection devices ( 1 , 3 , 4 ) for liquefied low-temperature gas are provided, the injection devices ( 3 ) being arranged in the proximity of the placing of the product (P) onto the conveying belt ( 10 ) below the part of the conveying belt ( 10 ) loaded with the product, with a spraying direction aimed onto the conveying belt ( 10 ).
- the ventilator further operates to (i) to refrigerate the conveying belt (steel band) which absorbs heat from the product while traveling through the freezing zone, and (ii) to precool the conveying belt on its return to the immersion bath in order to minimize the temperature difference of the immersion bath resulting in energy savings and avoidance of the Leiden frost effect.
- injection devices ( 3 ) are arranged such below the part of the conveying belt ( 10 ) loaded with the product (P) that the liquefied low-temperature gas is in a heat-conducting contact with the underside of the conveying belt ( 10 ).
- At least one ventilator ( 6 ) is constructed as an axial-flow ventilator, according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
- At least one ventilator ( 6 ) has an axis situated in a plane parallel to the conveying belt ( 10 ).
- At least one ventilator ( 6 ) advantageously has an axis which is oriented essentially perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the products on the conveying belt ( 10 ).
- the orientation of the ventilator ( 6 ) permits the temperature in the cooling zone to be more uniform and allows an improved utilization of the gaseous cold gas.
- the conveying belt ( 10 ) is essentially made of special steel.
- the above-mentioned object is achieved in that, by the immersion into low-temperature liquefied gas and by the injection of low-temperature gases into the device and by the cold atmosphere circulated by at least one ventilator ( 6 , 8 ), the conveying belt is brought to a temperature by which the products are cooled.
- low-temperature liquefied gas is sprayed from below onto the conveying belt ( 10 ) and arrives on the underside of the conveying belt ( 10 ), so that a heat-conducting contact is established between the low-temperature liquefied gas and the underside of the conveying belt ( 10 ).
- a hinge plate belt with lateral chains is provided as the conveying system according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
- This conveying system is distinguished by a homogeneous surface.
- the hinge plate belt is advantageously equipped with additional webs which increase the surface for the heat transfer from below.
- the single drawing figure schematically illustrates a freezing tunnel with the arrangement of the injection devices and the ventilators according to preferred embodiments of the invention.
- the injection of the low-temperature liquefied gas takes place by way of a special-steel vat 2 , controlled by a solenoid valve or a ball valve for cooling the conveying belt 10 .
- a solenoid valve or a ball valve for cooling the conveying belt 10 .
- the injection is only switched off during the operation of the freezing tunnel when the LIN collecting vat becomes too full.
- the LIN collecting vat 2 is used for precooling the belt 10 and collecting the nitrogen of the actual belt cooling. When the freezing tunnel is opened, this vat 2 folds away downward. For cleaning purposes, a heater can advantageously be installed for evaporating the nitrogen.
- the vat 2 is equipped with a level monitoring device.
- the bottom belt injection 3 for the conveying belt 10 is used for the first aftercooling after the product has been placed on the belt. Possibly dripping-down nitrogen will drip into the LIN collecting vat 2 .
- the control takes place by way of a control valve.
- the resulting temperature is measured by means of a temperature measuring device 7 .
- the top belt injection 4 is used for the surface-type heat removal from the product.
- the control also takes place by way of a control valve.
- the resulting temperature is measured by means of the temperature measuring device 5 , for example, by means of a Pt-100 thermoelement 5 over the belt 10 , which determines the temperature of the atmosphere above the conveying belt 10 .
- the ventilators 6 which below the belt 10 , provide an increased heat transfer onto the belt, are used for the effective utilization of the cold nitrogen gas.
- the PT-100 thermoelement 7 is used for measuring the atmospheric temperature below the belt 10 (in the case of the ventilators 6 ) is used for apportioning the injection quantity of the injection 3 .
- the ventilators 8 which, above the belt 10 , provide an increased heat transfer onto the product, permit an effective utilization of the cold nitrogen gas.
- An exhaust air system sucks off the expanding cold nitrogen and mixes it with the ambient air.
- the immersion bath vat 2 is filled using drip/ooze injection nozzle 1 , whereby the liquid nitrogen drips down onto the inside of the belt 10 and then spills into the bath vat 2 .
- the bath vat 2 level of liquid nitrogen is preferably monitored by means of a leveling control arrangement, including a bath level detector operable to give a signal to a control device which controls the drip injection nozzle 1 .
- normal flap or center body spray injection nozzles may be used in place of the drip injection nozzles 1 .
- This arrangement would lead to a direct spraying upon the band with a very high heat transfer.
- the immersion bath vat 2 does not normally get filled up, but only serves as a collection pan.
- the various functions can be separately controlled and dependence on the desired operating freezing products as desired.
- the freezer generally operates following the parallel flow principle.
- the immersion bath operation will automatically be stopped as the tunnel is opened so as to avoid deposits during the cleaning process.
- an electrical heating means is provided in the immersion bath so as to allow for vaporization of the liquid nitrogen.
- the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention is a cooling device which mainly cools the belt 10 on which the product travels through the freezing zone.
- a cooling device which mainly cools the belt 10 on which the product travels through the freezing zone.
- the deep freezer according to preferred embodiments of the invention is preferably used as a preliminary deep freezer for the initial hardening of the underside or of the entire surface of the product.
- a deep freezer according to preferred embodiments of the invention is also suitable to be used as a stand-alone unit in which the product is frozen through in one step, so that also the core temperature of the product is cooled to below zero degrees centigrade.
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Thermal Sciences (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Nutrition Science (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
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Abstract
A device and method is provided for cooling products, with a conveying belt which conveys the products through a cooling zone in which the products are exposed to an atmosphere which, by means of low-temperature gases, is brought to a temperature required for cooling the products. The conveying belt leads partially through an immersion bath consisting of liquefied low-temperature gas. At least one ventilator is mounted below the conveying belt such that it causes the temperature distribution in the cooling zone to be more uniform. Injection devices for liquefied low-temperature gas are provided, the injection devices being arranged in the proximity of the placing of the product onto the conveying belt below the part of the conveying belt loaded with the product, with a spraying direction aimed onto the conveying belt.
Description
- This application claims the priority of 103 51 246.2 filed in Germany on Nov. 3, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
- The invention relates to a device for the cooling of products, having a conveying device which conveys the products through a cooling zone in which the products are exposed to an atmosphere which, by means of low-temperature gases, is brought to a temperature required for cooling the products. The invention also relates to a method of cooling the products.
- The term “cooling”, on the one hand, describes the cooling to temperatures above the freezing point, for example, the cooling of heat-treated food products from +70° C. to +2° C. However, “cooling” comprises particularly also freezing and deep freezing. “Deep freezing” means that the food products are subjected to an atmosphere of a sufficiently low temperature for a sufficient period of time, so that, following the freezing process, a core temperature exists which is clearly below the freezing point of water; as a rule, below a temperature of −18° C.
- This atmosphere or environment can be brought to the desired temperature, for example, by low-temperature gas (liquefied or gaseous) or by cooled air. The heat exchange essentially takes place by way of convective processes. When liquefied gas is used, it also takes place by way of heat conduction by direct contact of the cooling medium with the product to be cooled.
- Preferably, the gas is therefore introduced into the cooling device in a liquefied state and is vaporized by a thermal transfer from the product to be cooled to the cooling medium. The then warmer and gaseous cooling medium is discharged from the cooling device. The discharge should normally not take place into environment of the facility because some of the suitable gases displace the air and thereby would endanger people in the surroundings of the facility. Thus, for reasons of safety, a removal of the gas has to be ensured from the working environment of such a cooling device.
- Devices for cooling (deep freezers) are known as passage facilities, for example, as tunnel-type deep freezers and as cabinet-type deep freezers. In the case of tunnel-type deep freezers, immersion deep freezers are also customary for freezing products to be frozen. These immersion deep freezers have a bath of a cryogenic liquid through which a conveying belt travels which conveys the products to be frozen out of the bath. The products to be frozen are either dropped directly into the bath or are placed on a belt which conveys the products to be frozen into the bath. An immersion deep freezer of this type is described, for example, in Gas aktuell, Messer Griesheim GmbH, Volume 29, June 1985 Edition,
Page 10. - Problems may occur in the case of such immersion deep freezers when the density of the products to be frozen is such that the products to be frozen float on the surface. In this case, the products to be frozen cannot be conveyed through the bath during a predetermined period of time. Problems also occur in the case of those products which tend to accumulate material. For example, fats or sugars may become glued to one another or to the conveying belt so that, also in this case, no defined dwell time of the products to be frozen can be observed in the bath, or a lumpy undefined product is created.
- Furthermore, tunnel-type deep freezers are known, in the case of which only the unloaded belt immerses into an immersion bath of low-temperature liquefied gas. However, this creates a non-homogeneous temperature distribution in the device.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of the initially mentioned type which has a simple construction and permits an effective cooling of the products and an efficient utilization of the used cooling medium, as well as to indicate a method which achieves the above-mentioned object.
- On the device side, with reference to the single drawing figure, this object is achieved according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, in that the conveying belt (10) leads partially through an immersion bath (2) consisting of liquefied low-temperature gas, and in that at least one ventilator (6) is mounted below the conveying belt (10) such that it causes the temperature distribution in the cooling zone to be more uniform, and injection devices (1, 3, 4) for liquefied low-temperature gas are provided, the injection devices (3) being arranged in the proximity of the placing of the product (P) onto the conveying belt (10) below the part of the conveying belt (10) loaded with the product, with a spraying direction aimed onto the conveying belt (10). In certain preferred embodiments, the ventilator further operates to (i) to refrigerate the conveying belt (steel band) which absorbs heat from the product while traveling through the freezing zone, and (ii) to precool the conveying belt on its return to the immersion bath in order to minimize the temperature difference of the immersion bath resulting in energy savings and avoidance of the Leiden frost effect.
- According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, injection devices (3) are arranged such below the part of the conveying belt (10) loaded with the product (P) that the liquefied low-temperature gas is in a heat-conducting contact with the underside of the conveying belt (10).
- Particularly preferably, at least one ventilator (6) is constructed as an axial-flow ventilator, according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
- Particularly advantageously, according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one ventilator (6) has an axis situated in a plane parallel to the conveying belt (10).
- According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one ventilator (6) advantageously has an axis which is oriented essentially perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the products on the conveying belt (10). The orientation of the ventilator (6) permits the temperature in the cooling zone to be more uniform and allows an improved utilization of the gaseous cold gas.
- According to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, as a result of two axial-flow ventilators (6) and a partition wall between the two axial-flow ventilators (6), a further improvement is achieved of the temperature distribution of the atmosphere in the cooling zone.
- Particularly advantageously, according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, for example, for the food products to be cooled, the conveying belt (10) is essentially made of special steel.
- On the method side, the above-mentioned object is achieved in that, by the immersion into low-temperature liquefied gas and by the injection of low-temperature gases into the device and by the cold atmosphere circulated by at least one ventilator (6, 8), the conveying belt is brought to a temperature by which the products are cooled.
- Advantageously according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, low-temperature liquefied gas is sprayed from below onto the conveying belt (10) and arrives on the underside of the conveying belt (10), so that a heat-conducting contact is established between the low-temperature liquefied gas and the underside of the conveying belt (10).
- Preferred embodiments of the invention offer one or more of the following number of advantages:
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- Not only vaporization heat but also the residual gas heat is utilized.
- The underside of the product is not cooled directly but by way of a special-steel band.
- The heat transfer from below takes place as heat conduction (significantly better than convection).
- The facility does not have to be disassembled for cleaning and drying.
- The special-steel belt is cooled from below along the entire length by means of ventilators and injection.
- Before the product is placed on it, the special-steel belt is cooled in liquid nitrogen.
- For example, a hinge plate belt with lateral chains is provided as the conveying system according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention. This conveying system is distinguished by a homogeneous surface. The hinge plate belt is advantageously equipped with additional webs which increase the surface for the heat transfer from below.
- The invention as well as additional details of the invention will be explained in detail in the following by means of the embodiment illustrated in the single drawing figure.
- The single drawing figure schematically illustrates a freezing tunnel with the arrangement of the injection devices and the ventilators according to preferred embodiments of the invention.
- The injection of the low-temperature liquefied gas (such as liquid nitrogen “LIN”) takes place by way of a special-
steel vat 2, controlled by a solenoid valve or a ball valve for cooling theconveying belt 10. As a result of the flow, there is no Leiden frost effect. The injection is only switched off during the operation of the freezing tunnel when the LIN collecting vat becomes too full. - The LIN collecting
vat 2 is used for precooling thebelt 10 and collecting the nitrogen of the actual belt cooling. When the freezing tunnel is opened, thisvat 2 folds away downward. For cleaning purposes, a heater can advantageously be installed for evaporating the nitrogen. Thevat 2 is equipped with a level monitoring device. - The
bottom belt injection 3 for theconveying belt 10 is used for the first aftercooling after the product has been placed on the belt. Possibly dripping-down nitrogen will drip into the LIN collectingvat 2. The control takes place by way of a control valve. The resulting temperature is measured by means of a temperature measuring device 7. - The top belt injection 4 is used for the surface-type heat removal from the product. The control also takes place by way of a control valve. The resulting temperature is measured by means of the
temperature measuring device 5, for example, by means of a Pt-100thermoelement 5 over thebelt 10, which determines the temperature of the atmosphere above theconveying belt 10. The ventilators 6, which below thebelt 10, provide an increased heat transfer onto the belt, are used for the effective utilization of the cold nitrogen gas. The PT-100 thermoelement 7 is used for measuring the atmospheric temperature below the belt 10 (in the case of the ventilators 6) is used for apportioning the injection quantity of theinjection 3. - The
ventilators 8 which, above thebelt 10, provide an increased heat transfer onto the product, permit an effective utilization of the cold nitrogen gas. An exhaust air system sucks off the expanding cold nitrogen and mixes it with the ambient air. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
immersion bath vat 2 is filled using drip/ooze injection nozzle 1, whereby the liquid nitrogen drips down onto the inside of thebelt 10 and then spills into thebath vat 2. - In preferred embodiments, the
bath vat 2 level of liquid nitrogen is preferably monitored by means of a leveling control arrangement, including a bath level detector operable to give a signal to a control device which controls thedrip injection nozzle 1. - According to alternative preferred embodiments of the invention, normal flap or center body spray injection nozzles may be used in place of the
drip injection nozzles 1. This arrangement would lead to a direct spraying upon the band with a very high heat transfer. With this arrangement, theimmersion bath vat 2 does not normally get filled up, but only serves as a collection pan. - By utilizing an appropriate control of the nozzles and the ventilators in conjunction with the movement of the
belt 10, the various functions can be separately controlled and dependence on the desired operating freezing products as desired. - In preferred embodiments, the freezer generally operates following the parallel flow principle.
- In preferred embodiments, the immersion bath operation will automatically be stopped as the tunnel is opened so as to avoid deposits during the cleaning process.
- It is preferred to not allow for lifting of the freezer as long as there is liquid nitrogen present in the
immersion bath vat 2. - In certain preferred embodiments, an electrical heating means is provided in the immersion bath so as to allow for vaporization of the liquid nitrogen.
- The illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention is a cooling device which mainly cools the
belt 10 on which the product travels through the freezing zone. By means of the precooling with liquid nitrogen in thevat 2 and the aftercooling by gaseous cold nitrogen, by means of the axial-flow ventilators 6 below the belt, a heat transfer is generated which leads to a considerable cooling of the product. - The deep freezer according to preferred embodiments of the invention is preferably used as a preliminary deep freezer for the initial hardening of the underside or of the entire surface of the product. A deep freezer according to preferred embodiments of the invention is also suitable to be used as a stand-alone unit in which the product is frozen through in one step, so that also the core temperature of the product is cooled to below zero degrees centigrade.
- The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Claims (38)
1. Device for cooling products, comprising:
a conveying belt which conveys the products through a cooling zone in which the products are exposed to an atmosphere which, by means of low-temperature gases, is brought to a temperature required for cooling the products,
wherein the conveying belt leads partially through an immersion bath of liquefied low-temperature gas,
wherein at least one ventilator is mounted below the conveying belt such that it causes the temperature distribution in the cooling zone to be more uniform, and
wherein injection devices for liquefied low-temperature gas are provided, the injection devices being arranged in a proximity of placing of products onto the conveying belt below the part of the conveying belt loaded with the product, with a spraying direction aimed onto the conveying belt.
2. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the injection devices are arranged such below the part of the conveying belt loaded with the product that the liquefied low-temperature gas is in a heat-conducting contact with the underside of the conveying belt.
3. Device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one ventilators is provided as a lower ventilator disposed under the conveying belt which is constructed as an axial-flow ventilator.
4. Device according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of said at least one ventilators is provided as a lower ventilator disposed under the conveying belt which is constructed as an axial-flow ventilator.
5. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has an axis situated in a plane parallel to the conveying belt.
6. Device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has an axis situated in a plane parallel to the conveying belt.
7. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has an axis which is oriented essentially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the products on the conveying belt.
8. Device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has an axis which is oriented essentially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the products on the conveying belt.
9. Device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has an axis which is oriented essentially perpendicular to a conveying direction of the products on the conveying belt.
10. Device according to claim 1 , wherein two lower axial-flow ventilators are provided under the conveying belt, and
wherein a partition wall is provided between the two axial flow ventilators.
11. Device according to claim 2 , Device according to claim 1 , wherein two lower axial-flow ventilators are provided under the conveying belt, and
wherein a partition wall is provided between the two axial flow ventilators.
12. Device according to claim 10 , wherein rotational axes of the ventilators extend in a plane parallel to the conveying belt.
13. Device according to claim 11 , wherein rotational axes of the ventilators extend in a plane parallel to the conveying belt.
14. Device according to claim 12 , wherein said axes extend essentially perpendicularly to a conveying direction of the conveying belts.
15. Device according to claim 13 , wherein said axes extend essentially perpendicularly to a conveying direction of the conveying belts.
16. Device according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
17. Device according to claim 2 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
18. Device according to claim 3 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
19. Device according to claim 5 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
20. Device according to claim 7 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
21. Device according to claim 10 , wherein the conveying belt is essentially made of special steel.
22. Method of cooling products, the products being conveyed on a conveying belt through a cooling zone in which the products are exposed to an atmosphere which, by means of low-temperature gases, is brought to a temperature required for cooling the products,
wherein, by the immersion into low-temperature liquefied gas and by the injection of low-temperature gases into the device and by the cold atmosphere circulated by at least one ventilator, the conveying belt is brought to a temperature by which the products are cooled.
23. Method according to claim 22 , wherein low-temperature liquefied gas is sprayed from below onto the conveying belt and arrives on the underside of the conveying belt, so that a heat-conducting contact is established between the low-temperature liquefied gas and the underside of the conveying belt.
24. An assembly for cooling products comprising:
a movable conveying belt traveling through a cooling zone where low temperature gases are applied to cool products carried by the conveying belt,
an immersion bath disposed in a travel path of the conveying belt and containing liquefied low temperatures gas to pre-cool the conveying belt at a position upstream of a location where products to be cooled are placed on the conveying belt,
at least one lower ventilator mounted below the conveying belt and operable to improve the uniformity of exposure of the low temperature gas to the conveying belt, and
a plurality of injection devices for spraying liquefied low temperature gas onto the conveying belt at a location carrying products to be cooled.
25. An assembly according to claim 24 , wherein the injection devices are disposed to spray the liquefied low temperature gas onto the conveying belt at locations intermediate the immersion bath and the at least one ventilator in the travel path of the conveying belt.
26. An assembly according to claim 24 , comprising at least one upper ventilator disposed above the conveying belt along portions of its product carrying path.
27. An assembly according to claim 25 , comprising at least one upper ventilator disposed above the conveying belt along portions of its product carrying path.
28. An assembly according to claim 24 , wherein said low temperature gas is nitrogen gas.
29. An assembly according to claim 24 , wherein the injection devices are disposed and configured so that the liquefied low temperature gas is in a heat conducting contact with the underside of the conveying belt.
30. An assembly according to claim 24 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator is constructed as an axial flow ventilator.
31. An assembly according to claim 30 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator has a rotational axis disposed in a plane parallel to the conveying belt product carrying travel path.
32. An assembly according to claim 24 , wherein the at least one lower ventilator comprises two lower ventilators separated by a partition wall.
33. An assembly according to claim 32 , wherein the injection devices are disposed to spray the liquefied low temperature gas onto the conveying belt at locations intermediate the immersion bath and the at least one ventilator in the travel path of the conveying belt.
34. An assembly according to claim 33 , comprising at least one upper ventilator disposed above the conveying belt along portions of its product carrying path.
35. A method for cooling products comprising:
feeding products to a movable conveying belt traveling through a cooling zone where low temperature gases are applied to cool products carried by the conveying belt,
immersing the conveying belt in an immersion bath disposed in a travel path of the conveying belt and containing liquefied low temperatures gas to pre-cool the conveying belt at a position upstream of a location where products to be cooled are placed on the conveying belt,
providing at least one lower ventilator mounted below the conveying belt and operable to improve the uniformity of exposure of the low temperature gas to the conveying belt, and
injecting liquefied low temperature gas utilizing a plurality of injection devices for spraying liquefied low temperature gas onto the conveying belt at a location carrying products to be cooled.
36. A method according to claim 35 , wherein the injection devices are disposed to spray the liquefied low temperature gas onto the conveying belt at locations intermediate the immersion bath and the at least one ventilator in the travel path of the conveying belt.
37. A method according to claim 35 , wherein said low temperature gas is nitrogen gas.
38. A method according to claim 35 , wherein the injection devices are disposed and configured so that the liquefied low temperature gas is in a heat conducting contact with the underside of the conveying belt.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE10351246A DE10351246A1 (en) | 2003-11-03 | 2003-11-03 | Freezer and freezing process |
DE10351246.2 | 2003-11-03 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20050120726A1 true US20050120726A1 (en) | 2005-06-09 |
Family
ID=34399658
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/979,807 Abandoned US20050120726A1 (en) | 2003-11-03 | 2004-11-03 | Deep freezer and method of freezing products |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20050120726A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1528340B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE527508T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE10351246A1 (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20090183642A1 (en) * | 2007-12-22 | 2009-07-23 | Sollich Kg | Tempering Channel for Confectioneries and Method of Operating It |
WO2009151191A1 (en) * | 2008-06-11 | 2009-12-17 | Topgreen Tech Co., Ltd. | Multifloor tunnel type freezing method and the refrigerant |
US20110120150A1 (en) * | 2009-11-23 | 2011-05-26 | Braithwaite David C | Recirculating Liquid Nitrogen Immersion Bath and Method for Freezing A Product Therein |
JP2015200461A (en) * | 2014-04-08 | 2015-11-12 | 東芝キヤリア株式会社 | Cold temperature load assortment work bench |
US9933197B2 (en) | 2013-12-31 | 2018-04-03 | Air Liquide Canada, Inc. | Vertical counter-flow immersion freezer |
US20180103661A1 (en) * | 2016-10-17 | 2018-04-19 | Michael D. Newman | Apparatus and method for freezer gas control |
CN115014027A (en) * | 2022-05-26 | 2022-09-06 | 黑龙江浩荣科技发展有限公司 | Rice seed temperature hot water disinfection cooling device |
WO2023010786A1 (en) * | 2021-07-31 | 2023-02-09 | 广东海洋大学 | Energy-saving quick-freezing method for trachinotus ovatus |
GB2623685A (en) * | 2021-07-31 | 2024-04-24 | Univ Guangdong Ocean | Energy-saving quick-freezing method for Trachinotus ovatus |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102008008827A1 (en) * | 2008-02-12 | 2009-08-27 | Hupfer Metallwerke Gmbh & Co. Kg | Device for distributing refrigerated food, in particular for commercial kitchens |
PL2241202T3 (en) | 2009-04-15 | 2013-07-31 | Messer Group Gmbh | Device and method for cooling or freezing elongated products |
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-
2003
- 2003-11-03 DE DE10351246A patent/DE10351246A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
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- 2004-10-29 EP EP04025708A patent/EP1528340B1/en not_active Not-in-force
- 2004-10-29 AT AT04025708T patent/ATE527508T1/en active
- 2004-11-03 US US10/979,807 patent/US20050120726A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US4912943A (en) * | 1988-12-14 | 1990-04-03 | Liquid Air Corporation | Method and apparatus for enhancing production capacity and flexibility of a multi-tier refrigeration tunnel |
US5460015A (en) * | 1994-04-28 | 1995-10-24 | Liquid Carbonic Corporation | Freezer with imperforate conveyor belt |
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Cited By (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20090183642A1 (en) * | 2007-12-22 | 2009-07-23 | Sollich Kg | Tempering Channel for Confectioneries and Method of Operating It |
US8056470B2 (en) * | 2007-12-22 | 2011-11-15 | Sollich Kg | Tempering channel for confectioneries |
WO2009151191A1 (en) * | 2008-06-11 | 2009-12-17 | Topgreen Tech Co., Ltd. | Multifloor tunnel type freezing method and the refrigerant |
KR100942034B1 (en) * | 2008-06-11 | 2010-02-11 | 주식회사 탑그린테크 | Multifloor tunnel type freezing method and the refrigerant |
US20110120150A1 (en) * | 2009-11-23 | 2011-05-26 | Braithwaite David C | Recirculating Liquid Nitrogen Immersion Bath and Method for Freezing A Product Therein |
US9151532B2 (en) | 2009-11-23 | 2015-10-06 | Air Liquide Industrial U.S. Lp | Recirculating liquid nitrogen immersion bath and method for freezing a product therein |
US9933197B2 (en) | 2013-12-31 | 2018-04-03 | Air Liquide Canada, Inc. | Vertical counter-flow immersion freezer |
JP2015200461A (en) * | 2014-04-08 | 2015-11-12 | 東芝キヤリア株式会社 | Cold temperature load assortment work bench |
US20180103661A1 (en) * | 2016-10-17 | 2018-04-19 | Michael D. Newman | Apparatus and method for freezer gas control |
WO2023010786A1 (en) * | 2021-07-31 | 2023-02-09 | 广东海洋大学 | Energy-saving quick-freezing method for trachinotus ovatus |
GB2623685A (en) * | 2021-07-31 | 2024-04-24 | Univ Guangdong Ocean | Energy-saving quick-freezing method for Trachinotus ovatus |
CN115014027A (en) * | 2022-05-26 | 2022-09-06 | 黑龙江浩荣科技发展有限公司 | Rice seed temperature hot water disinfection cooling device |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1528340B1 (en) | 2011-10-05 |
DE10351246A1 (en) | 2005-06-02 |
ATE527508T1 (en) | 2011-10-15 |
EP1528340A1 (en) | 2005-05-04 |
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Legal Events
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AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LINDE AG, GERMANY Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:KAMM, VOLKER;REEL/FRAME:016254/0427 Effective date: 20041101 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE |