Apparatus for cooling products includes a cooling chamber with a conveyor for conveying the products through the chamber, at least one circulator for circulating a cooling gas within at least a part of the chamber, a first guiding element for guiding the cooling gas on a first conveyor side, and a second guiding element for guiding the cooling gas on a second conveyor side, wherein the first and second guiding elements are arranged within the chamber such that the cooling gas can impinge the first side, and the first and second guiding elements are oriented obliquely compared to the conveyor.

A slender and funnel-shaped jet nozzle structure includes a plurality of slender tapered diversion channels, a plurality of slender jet nozzles and a conveyer belt. The wall thickness of the slender tapered diversion channel is 1-5 mm. The wall thickness of the slender jet nozzle is 1-5 mm. A thickness of the conveyer belt is 1-5 mm. The slender tapered diversion channel is a hollow slender truncated cone and includes an upper opening and a lower opening. The upper opening of the slender tapered diversion channel is substantively elliptic, and the lower opening of the slender tapered diversion channel is connected to an inlet of the slender jet nozzle. The slender jet nozzle is a hollow slender elliptic cylinder.

A reconfigurable freezer includes a housing having an internal space therein, and first and second openings each in communication with the internal space; an infeed assembly and an outfeed assembly, the infeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to the housing at one of at the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, and the outfeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to another of the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, wherein the infeed and outfeed assemblies are interchangeable at the first and second openings; a conveyor belt transiting the internal space from the infeed assembly to the outfeed assembly; and a drum disposed at the internal space for supporting movement of the conveyor belt about the drum between the infeed and outfeed assemblies.

A reconfigurable freezer includes a housing having an internal space therein, and first and second openings each in communication with the internal space; an infeed assembly and an outfeed assembly, the infeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to the housing at one of at the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, and the outfeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to another of the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, wherein the infeed and outfeed assemblies are interchangeable at the first and second openings; a conveyor belt transiting the internal space from the infeed assembly to the outfeed assembly; and a drum disposed at the internal space for supporting movement of the conveyor belt about the drum between the infeed and outfeed assemblies.

The invention relates to a process for cooling the neck of bottles, wherein the neck of the bottle, positioned in the inverted position, is submerged in a mass of a solid heat-transfer medium, for example copper shot, which mass is cooled using a cryogenic fluid, for example liquid nitrogen, or else liquid CO.sub.2 or else a mixture of such fluids.

The invention relates to a process for cooling the neck of bottles, wherein the neck of the bottle, positioned in the inverted position, is submerged in a mass of a solid heat-transfer medium, for example copper shot, which mass is cooled using a cryogenic fluid, for example liquid nitrogen, or else liquid CO.sub.2 or else a mixture of such fluids.

A method and a cryogenic sample positioning system are provided which include: a sample holder cassette that is vertically coupled to a carousel gear through a first shaft. Each sample holder cassette has a first degree of rotation about the first shaft. A first planet drive gear underlies and is vertically coupled to the carousel gear through a second shaft that extends from the carousel gear through the first planet drive gear. The carousel gear has a second degree of rotation about the second shaft that is different from the first degree of rotation. A planet gear that is laterally connected to a second planet drive gear is interposed between each of the carousel gear and the first planet drive gear. Each of the planet gear and the second planet drive gear selectively define the first degree of rotation, without affecting the second degree of rotation of the carousel gear.

A method and a cryogenic sample positioning system are provided which include: a sample holder cassette that is vertically coupled to a carousel gear through a first shaft. Each sample holder cassette has a first degree of rotation about the first shaft. A first planet drive gear underlies and is vertically coupled to the carousel gear through a second shaft that extends from the carousel gear through the first planet drive gear. The carousel gear has a second degree of rotation about the second shaft that is different from the first degree of rotation. A planet gear that is laterally connected to a second planet drive gear is interposed between each of the carousel gear and the first planet drive gear. Each of the planet gear and the second planet drive gear selectively define the first degree of rotation, without affecting the second degree of rotation of the carousel gear.

A rotary separation apparatus is deployed in a process for separating resinous trichomes rich in flavoring, aromatic and/or medicinal components produced in plant trichome glands from unwanted plant matter. A liquid freezing agent is introduced into a container of the plant matter to fragment the undesirable matter while the desired portion rich in trichome remain intact.

A frozen condiment selected from the group consisting of sauces, pastes, p?t?s, creams and pizza toppings, having hygienic and organoleptic features comparable with those of a corresponding fresh condiment, which is in the form of granules having a porous surface, having an average weight of 6.0 g or less and essentially homogeneous in size having a diameter comprised between 1 mm and 20 mm, and apt to determine a rapid and uniform thawing of the deep-frozen condiment.