Abstract:
A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.
Abstract:
A method for reducing a temperature of a product in a freezer includes providing a product to a chamber of the freezer; dividing a portion of the chamber disposed between a pair of baffle assemblies in the freezer into an intake zone and an outflow zone; moving each baffle assembly of the pair of baffle assemblies in the chamber 90° degrees out of phase with each other for directing a gas flow in the chamber; oscillating the gas flow within the chamber between the intake zone and the outflow zone during the moving the pair of baffle assemblies; injecting a cryogen substance into the chamber for cooling the gas flow; and contacting the product with the cooling gas flow.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a treatment device for treating food products using conditioned treatment fluid, comprising a housing (10), which defines a treatment space (18) and is provided with an inlet (12) for introducing products to be treated into the treatment space, and an outlet (14) for discharging treated products from the treatment space, with the treatment space (18) being in open communication with the environment, a conveying means (16, 20) for conveying the food products from the inlet through the treatment space to the outlet, with the conveying means (16; 20) between the inlet and outlet following a helical conveying path (26) comprising several turns one above the other, circulation means (40) for circulating treatment fluid through the treatment space, conditioning means (56; 57) for conditioning the treatment fluid.
Abstract:
A method and device for chilling food products by jets blasted into a tunnel, said tunnel comprising/a conveyor for conveying products into a tunnel, at least one plate, located opposite the conveyor, and provided with through holes, the plate or plates being located above and/or below the conveyor; and at least one means of blowing a cold fluid through the through holes and towards the products, characterized in that, during all or part of the periods of operation of the tunnel and/or during all or part of the periods of stoppage of the tunnel, there takes place an operation to clear all or part of said through holes, using a network of channels allowing a blow gas to be distributed opposite all of said through holes.
Abstract:
A freezer includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber; a pair of baffle assemblies spaced apart and disposed in the chamber, a first one of the pair movable 90° degrees out of phase from a second one of the pair; a plate disposed in the chamber and extending between the first and second baffle assemblies for dividing a portion of the chamber into an intake zone and an outflow zone; a fan disposed in the chamber between the first and second baffle assemblies and in communication with the intake and outflow zones for providing a gas flow from the intake zone to the outflow zone; and a delivery apparatus in communication with the chamber for delivering a chilling substance to the chamber for reducing a temperature of a product. A method is also provided.
Abstract:
A high capacity, continuous production blast freezer includes an insulated enclosure, a refrigeration system supplying cold air to the enclosure and a plurality of trays containing comestibles to be frozen. A tray advancement or pusher mechanism advances a first tray into the enclosure and then advances a second tray into the enclosure, pushing the first tray further into the enclosure. Gradually a first level of the enclosure is filled with trays. An elevator mechanism at both ends of the enclosure allows the trays reaching the end of the enclosure to advance to a second level, and the tray advancement mechanism advances the tray out of the elevator onto the second level. Eventually, as additional trays are pushed into the enclosure, the second level and then optionally further levels of the enclosure are filled with trays. After the enclosure is completely filled with trays, for every tray entering the enclosure a tray exits carrying frozen comestibles, resulting in continuous production of frozen comestibles. The trays travel back and forth through the insulated enclosure on a passive tray guide in the form of rails, rollers or other device, preferably without requiring a conveyor or other active electro-mechanical tray transport system inside the enclosure.
Abstract:
A freezer includes a housing having a space therein for receiving a cryogenic gas, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the space; a conveyor belt having an outer edge and being arranged for movement through the space for transferring a product from the inlet through to the outlet; a solid longitudinal member disposed in the space adjacent the outer edge for segregating the space into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and a transfer duct operatively associated with the housing and having a first opening in communication with the upper chamber for receiving the cryogenic gas from the upper chamber and a second opening in communication with the lower chamber for expelling the cryogenic gas into the lower chamber.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a treatment device for treating food products using conditioned treatment fluid, comprising a housing (10), which defines a treatment space (18) and is provided with an inlet (12) for introducing products to be treated into the treatment space, and an outlet (14) for discharging treated products from the treatment space, with the treatment space (18) being in open communication with the environment, a conveying means (16, 20) for conveying the food products from the inlet through the treatment space to the outlet, with the conveying means (16; 20) between the inlet and outlet following a helical conveying path (26) comprising several turns one above the other, circulation means (40) for circulating treatment fluid through the treatment space, conditioning means (56; 57) for conditioning the treatment fluid.
Abstract:
The invention proposes a device for chilling or deep-freezing by impacting jets which consists of a tunnel comprising a moving belt, at least one plate and preferably at least two plates located parallel to each other on either side of said moving belt, at least one plate, and preferably both plates, being provided with through-holes, and at least one means for injecting a cold fluid, said tunnel having a zone under pressure P1 and a zone under pressure P2, the pressure P1 being greater than the pressure P2, characterized in that it includes means for varying the pressure in the zone under pressure P1 and/or means for cooling the plate or plates down to a temperature below about −80 DEG C, preferably below −90 DEG C and more preferably still below −100 DEG C and for maintaining that temperature; and a method for chilling or deep-freezing food products by impacting jets.
Abstract:
An apparatus for the efficient cooling of produce directed to the cooling of freshly picked produce in containers on pallets. The apparatus has a first opening for the entrance of stacks of containers to be moved through cooling enclosure. The stacks of containers are moved through to a first cooling area wherein the containers are exposed to cooling air provided in a first direction. The stacks of containers are then moved through to a second cooling area wherein the containers are exposed to cooling air in a second direction. Isolation of the containers and routing of the air flow is supplemented with air inflatable seals which abut the containers. A method for the efficient cooling of produce utilizing an apparatus as described.