A device for the handling and the low-temperature storage of probe tubes in tube racks includes a low-temperature compartment having insulated side and bottom walls and at least one opening at a top side. The compartment is used for storing at least one tube rack at a low temperature. The device has a holder apparatus comprising a rack holder for holding a tube rack and a picker apparatus comprising a gripper adapted to remove and insert individual tubes from or into a tube rack held by the holder. The holder apparatus is adapted to displace the rack holder between an upper rack position outside low-temperature compartment above the opening and a lower rack position inside the compartment. The picker apparatus is adapted to displace the gripper between an upper gripper position outside the compartment above the opening and a lower gripper position inside the compartment below the opening.

A spiral chiller and a method of chilling a food product in a spiral chiller using a cooling medium wherein (a) the food product is conveyed within the chiller by a spiral conveyor having a plurality of spiral flutes and (b) the cooling medium is discharged either upwardly and/or downwardly within, and/or laterally into, one or more vertical gaps between adjacent pairs of spiral flutes using one or more delivery duct structures which extend inside the interior of the product chilling chamber.

A spiral chiller and a method of chilling a food product in a spiral chiller using a cooling medium wherein (a) the food product is conveyed within the chiller by a spiral conveyor having a plurality of spiral flutes and (b) the cooling medium is discharged either upwardly and/or downwardly within, and/or laterally into, one or more vertical gaps between adjacent pairs of spiral flutes using one or more delivery duct structures which extend inside the interior of the product chilling chamber.

An apparatus provides pulsed impingement jets to a sub-chamber within an impingement hood of a freezer, and includes a blower having an inlet and an outlet at an interior of the freezer; a duct having a first end in fluid communication with the outlet and a second end opening into the sub-chamber; and a flow valve disposed in the duct proximate the second end opening, the flow valve movable in repetitive open and closed positions for providing repetitive, discrete pulses of the impingement jets from the second end opening of the duct into the sub-chamber.

A freezer for a food product, includes a housing having an internal space with a processing atmosphere for reducing a temperature of the food product; and a pressure balance apparatus in communication with the processing atmosphere to restrict atmosphere external to the freezer from reaching the internal space, the pressure balance apparatus comprising at least one sensor exposed to the processing atmosphere for generating a first signal indicating an amount of oxygen (O.sub.2) sensed at the internal space, and a blower disposed to direct a pressurized flow of the processing atmosphere to the internal space responsive to the first signal. A related method is also provided.

A freezer for a food product, includes a housing having an internal space with a processing atmosphere for reducing a temperature of the food product; and a pressure balance apparatus in communication with the processing atmosphere to restrict atmosphere external to the freezer from reaching the internal space, the pressure balance apparatus comprising at least one sensor exposed to the processing atmosphere for generating a first signal indicating an amount of oxygen (O.sub.2) sensed at the internal space, and a blower disposed to direct a pressurized flow of the processing atmosphere to the internal space responsive to the first signal. A related method is also provided.

A freezer includes a plurality of shelves in an insulated payload bay; a plurality of evaporators coupled to the payload bay with a multiplicity of coolant tubes in each evaporator, wherein each tube enters and then exits the payload bay, further comprising one or more cryogenic valves coupled to the coolant tubes; a pump to force coolant flowing through the evaporators with a pressure of at least 90 psi to supply the coolant at each evaporator with at least 20 gallons per hour of coolant; and a plurality of fans to circulate cooled air in the payload bay.

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.

An equipment body of an ultrasonic rapid freezing equipment is provided with a placement cavity, and the placement cavity is provided with a first electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the first electric telescopic rod is provided with a receiving plate connected to a movable plate, and the movable plate is driven by a motor to rotate. The equipment body is provided with a first conveyor belt, and the inner end of the first conveyor belt is equipped with a second conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is located on a mounting frame, and the bottom of the mounting frame is connected to a second electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the second electric telescopic rod is connected to a moving block, the roller at the bottom of the moving block is located in the track on the top surface of the supporting block.

An equipment body of an ultrasonic rapid freezing equipment is provided with a placement cavity, and the placement cavity is provided with a first electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the first electric telescopic rod is provided with a receiving plate connected to a movable plate, and the movable plate is driven by a motor to rotate. The equipment body is provided with a first conveyor belt, and the inner end of the first conveyor belt is equipped with a second conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is located on a mounting frame, and the bottom of the mounting frame is connected to a second electric telescopic rod. The bottom end of the second electric telescopic rod is connected to a moving block, the roller at the bottom of the moving block is located in the track on the top surface of the supporting block.