Chiller with improved product distribution
US7174724B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 2005 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 27, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25D2400/28
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The chiller includes a semi-cylindrical tank (36) that conforms to the perimeter of its auger (38) so that the water can be raised to a water level (68) high above the auger shaft (44). Streams of water (84) are directed from the pulling side (80) across the lower portion of the tank beneath the auger shaft (44) to the dead side 82 of the tank at intervals along the tank so as to disperse the lower portion of the masses (23) of buoyant birds (22) from the more crowded pulling side (80) of the tank, beneath the auger shaft (44) toward the more vacant dead side (82) of the tank, thereby distributing the products more evenly throughout the tank and causing more water turbulence in the tank, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the birds and avoiding having the birds cross over the auger shaft moving backward in chiller into a following flight of the auger.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.