Refrigeration – Liquid contacting discrete commodity – With liquid recirculating means
Patent
1990-04-16
1991-03-19
Capossela, Ronald C.
Refrigeration
Liquid contacting discrete commodity
With liquid recirculating means
62 64, 62375, F25D 1702
Patent
active
050000128
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention generally relates to a device for quick, partial or complete freezing of particulate products, such as food products, which are brought into direct contact with a refrigerant, and especially to an improved device for producing a homogeneous flow of the refrigerant directly contacting the food products.
US-A-4,008,580 discloses a device for providing a homogeneous flow of a refrigerant. This document shows a pipe for continuously feeding the refrigerant to a plurality of nozzles. The nozzles provide a substantially horizontal first flow portion. At a generally semi-circular end wall, the flow of refrigerant is turned through about 180.degree. to provide a substantially horizontal second flow portion moving in a direction contrary to that of the first flow portion. Further, this prior art device uses a baffle adapted to separate the first and second flow portions from each other. The baffle extends above and covers the nozzle outlets, but leaves a gap through which at least part of the second flow portion is recirculated so as to again join the first flow portion. The products to be frozen are supplied at the top into the pan defined by said end wall, side walls and a triangular weir. The products descend into the refrigerant and are carried by the refrigerant flow up to said weir. During this conveyance, the products are frozen, either completely or at least on the surface. Part of the refrigerant passes over the weir, entraining the products, while the rest of the refrigerant is recirculated.
The practical use of the prior art device has however met with several drawbacks. One drawback is the insufficient homogeneity of the second refrigerant flow portion. The homogeneity of this flow portion is in fact a decisive factor for correct operation of the device. The insufficient homogeneity, and thus the thickness of the layer having sufficient homogeneity, is dependent on a multitude of eddies forming without any control during the operation of the known device. These eddies adversely affect the homogeneity of the refrigerant flow and reduce both the thickness of the layer having sufficient homogeneity and the velocity of the second flow portion, at least at a distance below the surface of the flow.
This also explains another drawback of the known device, namely that part of the supplied products to be frozen is drawn down by eddies and may then freeze, for instance, onto the baffle separating the flow portions, or in the gap between the baffle and the triangular weir. A major collection of frozen products stuck in this gap may, if it comes to the worst, obstruct the recirculation of the refrigerant from the second flow portion, in which case the device will not operate properly. Furthermore, the entire freezer must be shut off at frequent intervals for cleaning the device with consequential economic losses.
One object of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved device for producing a homogeneous flow of a refrigerant, which flow is homogeneous throughout a greater length, a greater width and a greater depth as compared with the conventional technique.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a higher flow velocity of at least the homogeneous part of the refrigerant flow.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is so compact that a freezer can be supplemented afterwards without any major problems.
These and other objects are achieved by means of a device for producing a homogeneous flow of a refrigerant, which device comprises a channel defined by a bottom and side walls and having an inlet end and an outlet end for the flow of refrigerant, and which device is characterised by an elongate first space disposed underneath said bottom and extending transversely between the side walls, an elongate second space disposed substantially underneath said bottom in association with the inlet end of the channel and being parallel to said first space, means for feeding the refrigerant into said first space in a manner to cause it to rotate
REFERENCES:
patent: 1641441 (1927-09-01), Kolbe
patent: 4008580 (1977-02-01), Heber et al.
Capossela Ronald C.
Frigoscandia Contracting AB
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