US20050241331A1 - Method and device for refrigerating and/or freezing articles - Google Patents

Method and device for refrigerating and/or freezing articles Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050241331A1
US20050241331A1 US11/110,795 US11079505A US2005241331A1 US 20050241331 A1 US20050241331 A1 US 20050241331A1 US 11079505 A US11079505 A US 11079505A US 2005241331 A1 US2005241331 A1 US 2005241331A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
conveyor belt
articles
refrigerant
beneath
treatment zone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/110,795
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Rudolph Berghoff
Ulf Jagaeus
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Linde GmbH
Original Assignee
Linde GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Linde GmbH filed Critical Linde GmbH
Assigned to LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT reassignment LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BERGHOFF, RUDOLF ERWIN, JAGAEUS, ULF
Publication of US20050241331A1 publication Critical patent/US20050241331A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • 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
    • A23L3/362—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 with packages or with shaping in form of blocks or portions
    • 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
    • F25D2500/00—Problems to be solved
    • F25D2500/02—Geometry problems

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method for refrigerating and/or freezing articles, the articles being conveyed by means of a conveyor belt through a treatment zone in which a refrigerant is sprayed on them from above.
  • this invention relates to a device for refrigerating and/or freezing articles, having a conveyor belt arranged in a treatment zone for conveying the articles through said treatment zone and having spray equipment mounted above the conveyor belt for spraying refrigerant onto the articles.
  • a refrigerant is usually a liquid gas, in particular liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide or liquid oxygen.
  • continuous freezing of foodstuffs is often performed in tunnel freezers in which the foodstuffs are conveyed through the freezer on a conveyor belt and are refrigerated and/or frozen in the process.
  • liquid nitrogen is used as the refrigerant, it is sprayed through spray nozzles from above onto the foods to be frozen in the rear area of the tunnel freezer, for example.
  • Liquid nitrogen evaporates mainly directly on the foodstuffs. However, some of the sprayed liquid nitrogen does not strike the foodstuffs directly or it drips off of the foodstuffs. This lost nitrogen then passes through the conveyor belt, usually made of a mesh belt, into the bottom part of the tunnel freezer, where it makes little contribution to the refrigeration capacity.
  • the object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of refrigerating and/or freezing articles, and a device for implementing the method, so that the refrigerant is better utilized.
  • This object is achieved according to this invention in terms of the process by the fact that the refrigerant dripping off of the articles and/or the refrigerant sprayed onto the conveyor belt is collected beneath the conveyor belt so that the refrigerant cools the bottom side of the conveyor belt and the articles.
  • the object of this invention is achieved by the fact that a reflector level for collecting refrigerant is mounted beneath the conveyor belt.
  • This invention is based on the finding that the efficacy of refrigeration or freezing equipment may be increased if the liquid gas losses are reduced.
  • a reflector is installed beneath the conveyor belt conveying the articles, preferably in the area of the liquid gas injection. This reflector level keeps the refrigerant that goes below the conveyor belt in contact with the conveyor belt from beneath and in this way cools the articles lying on the conveyor belt from beneath.
  • the liquid gas evaporates, cooling the conveyor belt and the articles. Therefore, as much heat as possible is removed from the articles to be refrigerated and/or frozen. Furthermore, the articles are cooled as uniformly as possible from all sides. Refrigerant dripping down without being used is thus used to improve the refrigeration process according to the invention.
  • This invention is particularly interesting for refrigeration and/or freezing equipment having a conveyor belt, e.g., a mesh belt, that is permeable for the refrigerant.
  • the refrigerant which is sprayed from above and does not come in contact with the articles to be refrigerated and/or frozen but instead would pass through the conveyor belt is now captured by the reflector level and collected.
  • the refrigerant collected here makes a specific contribution toward cooling the articles from beneath the articles. With traditional refrigeration or freezing equipment, however, the refrigerant passes through the conveyor belt into the bottom part of the equipment, where it evaporates more or less without being used.
  • the reflector level is preferably designed as a plate. Depending on the design of the refrigeration or freezing equipment, other forms of the reflector level are also conceivable.
  • the reflector level is expediently arranged at a distance of 0 mm to 40 mm beneath the conveyor belt. If the conveyor belt is deflected at both ends of the refrigeration or freezing equipment, resulting in an upper conveyor belt conveying articles to be refrigerated or frozen and a lower return conveyor belt, then the reflector level is mounted directly beneath the upper conveyor belt.
  • the spray equipment for supplying the refrigerant is connected to a liquid gas source which is designed in particular as a liquid nitrogen tank, a liquid carbon dioxide tank or a liquid oxygen tank.
  • a liquid gas source which is designed in particular as a liquid nitrogen tank, a liquid carbon dioxide tank or a liquid oxygen tank.
  • this invention manifests its advantages in particular. More enthalpy of evaporation is utilized for cooling the product per kilogram of nitrogen sprayed into the system. The efficiency of the refrigeration or freezing equipment is thus improved significantly. Furthermore, the specific refrigerant consumption (kg N 2 /kg product) is also reduced.
  • the reflector level closes part of the flow cross section of the refrigeration or freezing equipment for cold gas circulation. This reduces the cold gas circulation in the area of the nitrogen spraying. Less nitrogen evaporates on the path between the spray nozzles and the articles to be frozen, which increases the amount of liquid available and thus additionally increases the cooling capacity on the articles.
  • the product is cooled intensely not only from above (through direct spraying of liquid nitrogen) but now is also cooled from beneath through the evaporation on the reflector level beneath the articles to be frozen.
  • the refrigeration and/or freezing take(s) place much more uniformly, more rapidly and results in a better product appearance after refrigeration/freezing.
  • This invention may be used with all conceivable refrigeration or freezing equipment in which the articles to be refrigerated or frozen are conveyed on a conveyor belt through a treatment zone and a refrigerant is sprayed from above onto the articles.
  • This invention may be used to particular advantage for refrigerating or freezing foodstuffs in refrigerating tunnels.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a tunnel refrigerator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the figure illustrates a tunnel refrigerator for freezing foods.
  • the tunnel freezer has a housing 1 in which is arranged a conveyor belt 2 for conveying the foodstuffs.
  • the foodstuffs 3 lie on the conveyor belt 2 as they are conveyed through the cooling tunnel.
  • On the path through the refrigerating tunnel they are sprayed with liquid nitrogen from above through liquid nitrogen spray nozzles 4 .
  • the nitrogen gas atmosphere formed due to the evaporation of liquid nitrogen within the housing 1 is circulated by a fan 5 .
  • the conveyor belt 2 is deflected downward at the rear end of the cooling tunnel over a deflector roller 6 and returns as the bottom return conveyor belt 7 .
  • the conveyor belt 2 consists of a mesh belt that is permeable for the liquid nitrogen.
  • a reflector level 9 is mounted directly beneath the upper belt 2 .
  • the liquid nitrogen passing through the conveyor belt 2 is captured by the reflector level 9 , which may be designed as a simple reflector plate, for example, and is collected so that the underside of the conveyor belt 2 remains in contact with liquid nitrogen. This ensures that the conveyor belt 2 and thus the foodstuffs 3 are additionally cooled from beneath.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
US11/110,795 2004-04-22 2005-04-21 Method and device for refrigerating and/or freezing articles Abandoned US20050241331A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102004020180A DE102004020180A1 (de) 2004-04-22 2004-04-22 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Kühlen und/oder Gefrieren von Gegenständen
DE102004020180.3 2004-04-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050241331A1 true US20050241331A1 (en) 2005-11-03

Family

ID=34935195

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/110,795 Abandoned US20050241331A1 (en) 2004-04-22 2005-04-21 Method and device for refrigerating and/or freezing articles

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US20050241331A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1589306A3 (de)
AR (1) AR048871A1 (de)
BR (1) BRPI0501354A (de)
DE (1) DE102004020180A1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115303801A (zh) * 2022-09-06 2022-11-08 佛山大匠流体科技有限公司 一种用于玻璃冷却的传输装置

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102007022113A1 (de) * 2007-05-11 2008-11-13 Air Liquide Deutschland Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Kühlen von Objekten
EP2535675A1 (de) 2011-06-17 2012-12-19 Messer France S.A.S. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Kühlen von Produkten
CN107883631A (zh) * 2017-12-12 2018-04-06 广州鲜之源生态冷链技术有限公司 一种多节点温度调控装置及调控方法

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1969418A (en) * 1930-04-24 1934-08-07 Wilson & Co Inc Apparatus for quick freezing of articles
US2080103A (en) * 1934-04-10 1937-05-11 Processes Inc Z Method and apparatus for refrigerating food products
US2332367A (en) * 1940-04-27 1943-10-19 Mechanical Res Inc Freezing food products
US2447249A (en) * 1944-10-13 1948-08-17 Marison Company Method of refrigerating an article by contact with a vaporizable refrigerant
US2974497A (en) * 1956-07-16 1961-03-14 Process Equipment Company Inc Apparatus and method of rapid freezing
US3006774A (en) * 1957-12-16 1961-10-31 Johnson Co Gordon Method of freezing food products
US3238736A (en) * 1963-05-16 1966-03-08 Elmwood Liquid Products Inc Liquid nitrogen freezing system
US3302423A (en) * 1965-01-12 1967-02-07 Elmwood Products Inc Method and apparatus for freezing perishable material
US5522227A (en) * 1992-12-29 1996-06-04 The Boc Group, Inc. Apparatus and method of freezing food
US5813237A (en) * 1997-06-27 1998-09-29 The Boc Group, Inc. Cryogenic apparatus and method for spraying a cryogen incorporating generation of two phase flow
US20080196437A1 (en) * 2004-05-10 2008-08-21 Glaxosmithkline Apparatus for Shell Freezing a Liquid Content in a Container

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1241061A (en) * 1968-08-01 1971-07-28 Air Prod & Chem Apparatus for cooling articles to low temperatures
JP3653143B2 (ja) * 1996-05-17 2005-05-25 大陽日酸株式会社 食品凍結装置
DE19840037B4 (de) * 1998-09-02 2016-12-08 Air Liquide Deutschland Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Gefrieren von Gefriergut

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1969418A (en) * 1930-04-24 1934-08-07 Wilson & Co Inc Apparatus for quick freezing of articles
US2080103A (en) * 1934-04-10 1937-05-11 Processes Inc Z Method and apparatus for refrigerating food products
US2332367A (en) * 1940-04-27 1943-10-19 Mechanical Res Inc Freezing food products
US2447249A (en) * 1944-10-13 1948-08-17 Marison Company Method of refrigerating an article by contact with a vaporizable refrigerant
US2974497A (en) * 1956-07-16 1961-03-14 Process Equipment Company Inc Apparatus and method of rapid freezing
US3006774A (en) * 1957-12-16 1961-10-31 Johnson Co Gordon Method of freezing food products
US3238736A (en) * 1963-05-16 1966-03-08 Elmwood Liquid Products Inc Liquid nitrogen freezing system
US3302423A (en) * 1965-01-12 1967-02-07 Elmwood Products Inc Method and apparatus for freezing perishable material
US5522227A (en) * 1992-12-29 1996-06-04 The Boc Group, Inc. Apparatus and method of freezing food
US5813237A (en) * 1997-06-27 1998-09-29 The Boc Group, Inc. Cryogenic apparatus and method for spraying a cryogen incorporating generation of two phase flow
US20080196437A1 (en) * 2004-05-10 2008-08-21 Glaxosmithkline Apparatus for Shell Freezing a Liquid Content in a Container

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115303801A (zh) * 2022-09-06 2022-11-08 佛山大匠流体科技有限公司 一种用于玻璃冷却的传输装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102004020180A1 (de) 2005-11-17
EP1589306A3 (de) 2007-07-25
BRPI0501354A (pt) 2005-12-06
EP1589306A2 (de) 2005-10-26
AR048871A1 (es) 2006-06-07

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BERGHOFF, RUDOLF ERWIN;JAGAEUS, ULF;REEL/FRAME:016765/0322

Effective date: 20050530

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION