A reconfigurable freezer includes a housing having an internal space therein, and first and second openings each in communication with said internal space; and an infeed assembly and an outfeed assembly, the infeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to the housing at one of the first and second openings for being in communication with said internal space, and the outfeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to another of the first and second openings for being in communication with said internal space, wherein the infeed and outfeed assemblies are interchangeable at the first and second openings.

A method of reducing a temperature of at least one item including: transporting the at least one item on a moving substrate within an enclosure, the enclosure including at least one impingement apparatus; providing a coolant to at least one of a high pressure zone or a low pressure zone of the enclosure; circulating the coolant through the high and low pressure zones using a variable-speed gas circulation device of the impingement apparatus; directing impingement jets through openings in at least one impinger of the impingement apparatus toward the moving substrate disposed within the low pressure zone; and intermittently performing an operation on the at least one impingement apparatus during said transporting including: (i) reducing a speed of the variable-speed gas circulation device; (ii) vibrating the at least one impinger; and (iii) increasing the speed of the variable-speed gas circulation device.

A particles object freezing device includes an air-permeable belt configured to support conveyance of a particles object, and an injection plate which includes a plurality of injection holes configured to inject a cooling gas for fluidizing the particles object toward the belt from below. The injection plate includes a first injection part and a second injection part which are disposed along a width direction of the belt, and are different in opening ratio. A first boundary between the first injection part and the second injection part is along a traveling direction of the belt.

A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.

An impinger for cooling or freezing products includes an impingement plate containing openings for directing impingement jets of a mixture of gas and solid or liquid cryogen toward the products transported on a conveyor, wherein the openings in aggregate have an open area of about 7% to about 12% of the total surface area of the impingement plate, the impingement plate providing a back pressure restriction of about 220 to about 475 Pa. A process for cooling or freezing products within a housing chamber includes transporting the products, particularly IQF food products, on a moving substrate within the chamber, mixing a gas with solid or liquid cryogen to form a mixture, directing the mixture to the aforementioned impinger; and selectively directing the pressurized impingement jets of the mixture from the impingement plate toward the products transported on the substrate.

An impingement apparatus associated with a conveyor includes: (a) a shell supporting an impinger; and (b) a coolant delivery apparatus enclosed by the shell, the coolant delivery apparatus including a gas circulation device for directing a coolant to the impinger; the impinger including: (i) an impingement plate including openings for directing impingement jets toward the conveyor; (ii) at least one non-circular cam in mechanical communication with the at least one conveyor and rotatable when the conveyor is in motion; and (iii) at least one connector in mechanical communication with the at least one cam and the impingement plate, the connector displaceable during rotation of the at least one cam to elevate and lower the impingement plate.

The efficiency of a device for cooling or heating objects on a belt that moves through a path of a helix, in which gaseous cooling or heating medium is circulated within the device, is improved by positioning fans that circulate the cooling or heating medium so that the fans are distanced from the top of the helix.

The present invention relates to a temperature treatment apparatus (1) for solidifying portions of fluid. The apparatus comprises an endless product conveyor belt (7) comprising a plurality of moulds (8) made of elastic material, each of the plurality of moulds having an open end and each of the plurality of moulds being arranged to convey a portion of fluid during solidifying of the same, a first impingement temperature treatment device (4) arranged in a first temperature treatment zone (A), a second impingement temperature treatment device (5) arranged in a second temperature treatment zone (B), wherein the first temperature treatment zone is arranged upstream the second temperature treatment zone with regard to a direction of movement of the portions of fluid during use of the apparatus, wherein the first temperature treatment zone is arranged to solidify a crust on the portions of fluid at least on a surface of the fluid closest to the open end of the moulds when the moulds comprising portions of fluid are conveyed through the first temperature treatment zone, and wherein the second temperature treatment zone is arranged to further solidify each portion of foodstuffs such that at least partly solidified portions are formed when the moulds comprising portions of fluid are conveyed through the second temperature treatment zone.

A fluidized bed conveyor belt freezer system including at least one wire mesh conveyor belt in a freezer housing with a plurality of coil arrays and centrifugal fan assemblies that produce a high volume of cold air directed directly upward to a plurality of adjustable vanes mounted under the belt. The vanes are longitudinally aligned and evenly distribute the volume of cold air through the conveyor belt to efficiently fluidize, freeze the product transported on the conveyor belt. The volume of cold air in the fan chamber is produced by a plurality of fan assemblies that draw cold air from the coils, uniformly mixed and delivered to the entire length of the bottom of the conveyor belt. The vanes are adjusted to distribute the cold air in the fan chamber through the conveyor belt to prevent blowouts. The fan motors are mounted externally on the freezer housing for easier servicing.

A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.