US20100031689A1 - Device for the rapid freezing of substances - Google Patents

Device for the rapid freezing of substances Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20100031689A1
US20100031689A1 US12/441,606 US44160607A US2010031689A1 US 20100031689 A1 US20100031689 A1 US 20100031689A1 US 44160607 A US44160607 A US 44160607A US 2010031689 A1 US2010031689 A1 US 2010031689A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
modules
starting substances
coolant
freezing
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
US12/441,606
Inventor
Rudolf Erwin Berghoff
Joe Wijlens
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, WIJLENS, JOS
Publication of US20100031689A1 publication Critical patent/US20100031689A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • 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
    • 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
    • F25D13/065—Articles being submerged in liquid coolant

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Freezing, Cooling And Drying Of Foods (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
  • Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
  • Superconductors And Manufacturing Methods Therefor (AREA)
  • Confectionery (AREA)
  • Formation And Processing Of Food Products (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for the rapid freezing of the surface or for the complete freezing of starting substances, in particular of food or pharmaceuticals, said device comprising a treatment zone (B), through which a cryogenic liquefied gas flows as a coolant, said gas thereby freezing at least the surfaces of the starting substances and thereby causing relative movements between the starting substances, which are immersed in the coolant. The treatment zone (B) is made up of modules (M1, M2, M3, M4) and the length thereof can be changed by adding or removing one or a plurality of modules.

Description

  • The invention relates to a device for the rapid freezing of the surface or for the complete freezing of starting substances, in particular of food or pharmaceuticals, thereby freezing at least the surfaces of the starting substances and thereby causing relative movements between the starting substances.
  • The object of producing so-called IQF (Individual Quick Frozen) products, in which the frozen starting substances are available so as to be packaged in containers and being freely movable against one another, from starting substances by means of freezing occurs frequently in the food industry. When further processing IQF products, for example in the kitchen, they can be dosed simply and they make it possible to remove only a portion of the container content without having the defrost the entire content. If the starting substances are foods encompassing wet surfaces, such as prawns, berries or fungi, for example, it must be ensured that there is a relative movement of the starting substances to one another during the freezing, because the starting substances can otherwise easily freeze to one another and can form agglomerates. It is the state of the art to generate the relative movement by means of jogging units, in which the starting substances are frozen, or to fluidize them by means of a cold gas flow during the freezing process.
  • Devices are furthermore known, as they are described in patent specification EP0393078, among others, in which the starting substances are transported through a treatment zone in a turbulent or laminar flow of cryogenic liquefied gas. The starting substances are surrounded by cryogenic liquefied gas, which causes a rapid freezing of the surface and which thus prevents an adhesion of the starting substances. On the other hand, the desired relative movement between the starting substances is generated here at the surface of the starting substances by means of the turbulences in the liquefied gas flow and/or by means of a boiling liquid. At the end of the treatment zone, where the liquefied gas is separated from the starting substances, a product is available, which is possibly transformed into an IQF product by means of the subsequent treatment steps.
  • The freezing state, which can be attained in the treatment zone, depends on the type and the quantity of the used starting substances and on the time during which the coolant and the starting substances, which are to be frozen, are in contact (contact time). The device described in patent specification EP0393078 only offers few possibilities for the variation of the contact time, such as the changing of the coolant flow or the exchange of the coolant. The spectrum of the starting substances, which are treated by means of this device, is thus limited.
  • It is thus the object of the instant invention embodiments to specify a device of the afore-mentioned type, which makes it possible to vary the contact time in a simple manner and to thus adapt it to the requirements, which result from the characteristics of the starting substances, which are to be frozen, and from the demands on the product, which is produced by means of freezing.
  • The object is solved according to the invention in that the treatment zone is made up of modules and in that its length can be changed by adding or removing one or a plurality of modules.
  • The time during which the coolant and the starting substances, which are to be frozen, are in contact (contact time) can also be changed by means of the variability of the length of the treatment zone. Under otherwise the same conditions, the following applies: the longer the treatment zone, the longer the contact time. However, the contact time can only be changed in discrete steps by adding or removing one or a plurality of modules.
  • An advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention thus provides for the inclination of at least one module to be preferably continuously adjustable as compared to the horizontal (inclination). The driving force for the movement of the coolant as well as of the starting substances, which are immersed in the coolant, through the treatment zone, is mainly the force of gravity and the grade resistance, respectively. An increase of the inclination of a module thus leads to an increase of this driving force and thus to a reduction of the contact time. If the treatment zone is made up of more than one module, the modules can encompass the same or different inclinations.
  • By means of a simultaneous change of the length of the treatment zone and of the inclination of one or a plurality of modules, the device according to the invention makes it possible for the contact time to change continuously in a broad range and to thus adapt it in a specific manner to the characteristics of the starting substances (type, quantity, temperature, water content) and to the demands made on the product, which is produced by means of freezing.
  • The device according to the invention furthermore allows for the use of different coolants, because different cooling characteristics of the coolants are compensable by changing the contact time. Provision is preferably made for liquid nitrogen or liquid oxygen or a mixture of liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen as coolant.
  • So as to be able to also install a device according to the invention in small available spaces, such as they occur during the installation in existing cooling treatment devices (e.g. tunnel freezer), an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for two modules, which succeed one another in flow direction of the coolant to be arranged for the most part underneath one another, wherein the inclinations of the two modules ensure that the flow directions in the two modules are substantially oriented in opposite direction.
  • Advantageously, the modules are embodied as straight pipes or as straight chamfers, wherein the pipes preferably encompass a rectangular cross section and the chamfers preferably encompass a U-shaped cross section.
  • The device according to the invention makes it possible to produce products comprising a defined quality from different starting substances. The configuration of a plurality of modules to be located on top of one another results in a compact design of a treatment zone, whereby it is possible to integrate such a device into existing freezers, such as, e.g., in tunnel freezers.
  • The invention will be defined in more detail below by means of an exemplary embodiment, which is schematically illustrated in the FIGURE. The exemplary embodiment is a portion of a device for producing an IQF product by means of rapid freezing of chunky starting substances in a liquid coolant. The directions of substance flows are indicated by means of arrows for clarification purposes.
    •
  • The device is equipped with a feeding device Z for feeding a coolant, which is preferably a cryogenic liquid nitrogen, which is joined by the first module M1, which is embodied as a chamfer comprising a U-shaped cross section, of the treatment zone B. The coolant feed is thereby carried out in such a manner that the coolant comprising a profile, which is homogeneous across the entire flow cross section, enters into the first module M1. The starting substances, which are to be frozen, can be introduced into the device according to the invention via the loading point A and thus reach the flowing coolant, from where they are dragged along and thereby moved against one another.
  • Further modules M2 to M4, the inclinations of all of which can be changed as compared to the horizontal, are arranged underneath one another underneath the first module M1. The coolant and the starting substances, which are dragged along by the coolant, flow downward at the end of the modules M1, M2 and M3 and thus reach into the respective following module. The number of modules and the inclinations thereof are chosen in such a manner that the product at the end of the module M4 encompasses a defined degree of freezing, by means of which it falls onto the conveyor belt T, which is arranged underneath the treatment zone B and by means of which it can be fed to a further, non-illustrated cooling treatment after separation of the coolant.

Claims (5)

1. A device for the rapid freezing of the surface or for the complete freezing of starting substances, in particular food or pharmaceuticals, comprising a treatment zone through which a cryogenic liquefied gas flows as a coolant, said gas freezing at least surfaces of the starting substances and causing relative movements between the starting substances which are immersed in the coolant, the treatment zone comprising a plurality of modules to which can be added or removed one or a plurality of the modules for adjusting a length of the treatment zone, wherein at least one of the plurality of modules is inclined against the horizontal and is adjustable in its inclination with respect to the horizontal.
2. (canceled)
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein two modules of the plurality of modules which succeed one another in a flow direction of the coolant are substantially arranged underneath one another and inclinations of the two modules provide flow directions in the two modules to be substantially oriented in opposite directions.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of the modules comprise a straight pipe, the straight pipe comprising a rectangular cross section.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of the modules comprise a straight chamfer, the straight chamfer comprising a U-shaped cross section.
US12/441,606 2006-09-22 2007-09-14 Device for the rapid freezing of substances Abandoned US20100031689A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102006045324A DE102006045324A1 (en) 2006-09-22 2006-09-22 Device for rapid freezing of substances
DE102006045324.7 2006-09-22
PCT/EP2007/008000 WO2008034557A2 (en) 2006-09-22 2007-09-14 Device for the rapid freezing of substances

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20100031689A1 true US20100031689A1 (en) 2010-02-11

Family

ID=39134121

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/441,606 Abandoned US20100031689A1 (en) 2006-09-22 2007-09-14 Device for the rapid freezing of substances

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US20100031689A1 (en)
EP (1) EP2064501B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE467092T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2007299311B2 (en)
DE (2) DE102006045324A1 (en)
DK (1) DK2064501T3 (en)
ES (1) ES2345070T3 (en)
PL (1) PL2064501T3 (en)
WO (1) WO2008034557A2 (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2012074802A1 (en) 2010-11-29 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Method of applying optical film to large format display panel
WO2012075352A1 (en) 2010-12-04 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination assembly and method of forming same
WO2012075384A2 (en) 2010-12-04 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination assembly and method of forming same
WO2012116199A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Variable index light extraction layer and method of illuminating with same
WO2012116215A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination article and device for front-lighting reflective scattering element
WO2012116129A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Front-lit reflective display device
US9239417B2 (en) 2010-02-10 2016-01-19 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination device having viscoelastic layer

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3768739A (en) * 1968-07-25 1973-10-30 R George Apparatus for fragmenting scrap metal
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
US4982577A (en) * 1990-03-19 1991-01-08 I.Q.F. Inc. Cryogenic apparatus
US5522227A (en) * 1992-12-29 1996-06-04 The Boc Group, Inc. Apparatus and method of freezing food
US5692382A (en) * 1996-04-05 1997-12-02 Food Processing Equipment Corp. Modular non-cryogenic cooled auger conveyor arrangement for chilling food products, slurries and the like
US5765381A (en) * 1997-03-04 1998-06-16 Air Liquide America Corporation Multitier crossflow cryogenic freezer and method of use
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
US5878582A (en) * 1995-03-28 1999-03-09 The Boc Group, Inc. Method and apparatus for freezing food products
US6006536A (en) * 1998-05-06 1999-12-28 York International Corporation System for multi-pass thermal treating of food products
US6009719A (en) * 1998-05-06 2000-01-04 York International Corporation System for thermal treating of food products
US6076361A (en) * 1997-07-16 2000-06-20 Vomm Chemipharma S.R.L. Method and apparatus for the production of frozen, composite food products
US6216470B1 (en) * 1998-08-19 2001-04-17 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Method and apparatus for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pastry substance
US20040020749A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2004-02-05 Brian Wood Spiral immersion conveyor system, and method for use
US7062924B2 (en) * 2003-11-21 2006-06-20 Irvine J David Method and apparatus for the manipulation and management of a cryogen for production of frozen small volumes of a substance

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3768739A (en) * 1968-07-25 1973-10-30 R George Apparatus for fragmenting scrap metal
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
US4982577A (en) * 1990-03-19 1991-01-08 I.Q.F. Inc. Cryogenic apparatus
US5522227A (en) * 1992-12-29 1996-06-04 The Boc Group, Inc. Apparatus and method of freezing food
US5878582A (en) * 1995-03-28 1999-03-09 The Boc Group, Inc. Method and apparatus for freezing food products
US5692382A (en) * 1996-04-05 1997-12-02 Food Processing Equipment Corp. Modular non-cryogenic cooled auger conveyor arrangement for chilling food products, slurries and the like
US5765381A (en) * 1997-03-04 1998-06-16 Air Liquide America Corporation Multitier crossflow cryogenic freezer and method of use
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
US6076361A (en) * 1997-07-16 2000-06-20 Vomm Chemipharma S.R.L. Method and apparatus for the production of frozen, composite food products
US6006536A (en) * 1998-05-06 1999-12-28 York International Corporation System for multi-pass thermal treating of food products
US6009719A (en) * 1998-05-06 2000-01-04 York International Corporation System for thermal treating of food products
US6216470B1 (en) * 1998-08-19 2001-04-17 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Method and apparatus for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pastry substance
US20040020749A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2004-02-05 Brian Wood Spiral immersion conveyor system, and method for use
US7062924B2 (en) * 2003-11-21 2006-06-20 Irvine J David Method and apparatus for the manipulation and management of a cryogen for production of frozen small volumes of a substance
US7475554B2 (en) * 2003-11-21 2009-01-13 Irvine J David Method and apparatus for the manipulation and management of a cryogen for production of frozen small volumes of a substance

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9239417B2 (en) 2010-02-10 2016-01-19 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination device having viscoelastic layer
US9684120B2 (en) 2010-02-10 2017-06-20 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical article having viscoelastic layer
WO2012074802A1 (en) 2010-11-29 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Method of applying optical film to large format display panel
WO2012075352A1 (en) 2010-12-04 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination assembly and method of forming same
WO2012075384A2 (en) 2010-12-04 2012-06-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination assembly and method of forming same
WO2012116199A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Variable index light extraction layer and method of illuminating with same
WO2012116215A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Illumination article and device for front-lighting reflective scattering element
WO2012116129A1 (en) 2011-02-25 2012-08-30 3M Innovative Properties Company Front-lit reflective display device
US10288254B2 (en) 2011-02-25 2019-05-14 3M Innovative Properties Company Front-lit reflective display device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102006045324A1 (en) 2008-04-03
ATE467092T1 (en) 2010-05-15
DK2064501T3 (en) 2010-08-16
WO2008034557A3 (en) 2008-07-03
AU2007299311A1 (en) 2008-03-27
PL2064501T3 (en) 2010-10-29
EP2064501B1 (en) 2010-05-05
DE502007003675D1 (en) 2010-06-17
WO2008034557A2 (en) 2008-03-27
AU2007299311B2 (en) 2010-10-28
EP2064501A2 (en) 2009-06-03
ES2345070T3 (en) 2010-09-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU2007299311B2 (en) Device for the rapid freezing of substances
AU668613B2 (en) Apparatus and method of freezing food
TWI339103B (en) Apparatus and method for freezing food products
AU2009335148B2 (en) Conveyor belt having rotating drive shaft
AU2010321783B2 (en) Recirculating liquid nitrogen immersion bath and method for freezing a product therein
US6497106B2 (en) Method and apparatus for chilling a food product
US9560858B2 (en) Continuous food freezing device and continuous food freezing method
EP1785352B1 (en) Process and apparatus for cooling food articles
US7464559B2 (en) Bottle cooler and method
US20030074904A1 (en) Method and apparatus for freezing products
US20170127706A1 (en) Temperature treatment apparatus and method for solidifying portions of fluid
SE439368B (en) INFRYSNINGSANLEGGNING
KR20180036035A (en) Quick freezer for food
EP1435799B1 (en) Apparatus for continuously pasteurizing meat and food products
MX2009002457A (en) Device for refrigerating and/or freezing substances.
KR20020038166A (en) Freeze method and device dip transfer type
FR2979421A1 (en) METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CRYOGENIC COOLING OF PRODUCTS IN A TUNNEL
EP0846928A2 (en) Apparatus for continuously deep-freezing food products
US9933197B2 (en) Vertical counter-flow immersion freezer
EP2742810A1 (en) Sprinkling apparatus, particularly for container processing machines
WO2008138792A2 (en) Device for the cooling of articles and its use
JP2004198034A (en) Device for simultaneously and continuously manufacturing rapid cooling product and frozen product
JPH02219973A (en) Conveyor type refrigerating plant

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BERGHOFF, RUDOLF ERWIN;WIJLENS, JOS;REEL/FRAME:022481/0342

Effective date: 20090324

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

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