Modular apparatus for cooling and freezing of a food product on a moving substrate
US6434950B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 10, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 20, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 10, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D3/11
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus for the chilling or freezing of items, particularly food items includes an entrance module, an exit module and may include one or more intermediate modules. Each module includes a portion of a belt for conveying items and a motor driven impeller for circulating a stream of cryogenic gas around the items. The velocity of the stream of cryogenic gas is increased through the use of one or more impingers creating impingement jets above and below the belt. The impinger may be a plate having a series of holes or it may be a series of channels. The impinger effects the rate of heat transfer from the cryogen to the items. A sprayer for spraying liquid cryogen into the impingement jets provides an immediate freezing of the surface of an item. A pneumatically actuated ball valve is used to vibrate the impingers to remove snow and ice on the impingers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.