APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COOLING PRODUCTS

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling products includes a cooling chamber with a conveyor for conveying the products through the cooling chamber, at least one circulator for circulating a cooling gas within at least a part of the cooling chamber, and guiding elements for guiding a flow of the cooling gas. The guiding elements are arranged such as to form at least one backflow channel from the second side of the conveyor to the at least one circulator, and wherein the cooling gas can be directed into an impingement section via the at least one circulator.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling products, comprising: a cooling chamber with a conveyor for conveying the products through the cooling chamber; at least one circulator adapted and configured to circulate a cooling gas within at least a part of the cooling chamber; and guiding elements for guiding a flow of the cooling gas, wherein: the guiding elements are arranged within the cooling chamber such that an impingement section is formed adjacent to a first side of the conveyor, in which the cooling gas can impinge the first side of the conveyor having a first pressure, the conveyor is designed such that the cooling gas can penetrate through the conveyor so as to have a second pressure at a second side of the conveyor opposite the first side, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure, the guiding elements are arranged such as to form at least one backflow channel from the second side of the conveyor to the at least one circulator, and the cooling gas can be directed into the impingement section via the at least one circulator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor comprises a plurality of perforation openings.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyor is designed such that a pressure gradient between the first side of the conveyor and the second side of the conveyor is generated when the first side of the conveyor is impinged with the cooling gas.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pressure is between 10 Pa and 300 Pa larger than the second pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is designed such that the products can be received at the first side of the conveyor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guiding elements are arranged such that the cooling gas can flow concurrently through the impingement section and the at least one backflow channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two circulators are provided and wherein at least one of the guiding elements is arranged between the circulators.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impingement section has a rectangular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a conveying direction of the conveyor.

9. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the at least one backflow channel is confined at least by at least one respective guiding element and a boundary of the cooling chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a flow path of the cooling gas between the at least one circulator and the first side of the conveyor is free of obstacles.

11. A method for cooling products, comprising the steps of: conveying the products through a cooling chamber with a conveyor; with at least one circulator, generating a flow of a cooling gas within the cooling chamber, wherein: the flow is generated in such a way that the cooling gas impinges a first side of the conveyor at a first pressure, the conveyor is designed such that the cooling gas can penetrate through the conveyor so as to have a second pressure at a second side of the conveyor opposite the first side, and the second pressure is lower than the first pressure; and guiding the cooling gas through at least one backflow channel from the second side of the conveyor to the at least one circulator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the flow of the cooling gas is guided by at least one guiding element.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one backflow channel is formed between at least one respective guiding element and a boundary of the cooling chamber.

14. The method of the claim 11, wherein the cooling gas impinges the first side of the conveyor concurrently to a flow of the cooling gas through the at least one backflow channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0049] FIG. 1: a cross sectional view of an apparatus for cooling products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 1 for cooling products 2. The apparatus 1 comprises a cooling chamber 3 with a conveyor 4 for conveying the products 2 through the cooling chamber 3. The conveyor has a first run 12 and a second run 13. The products 2 can be received at a first side 8 of the conveyor. The conveyor 4 comprises a plurality of perforation openings and is designed such that a pressure gradient between the first side 8 of the conveyor 4 and a second side 9 of the conveyor 4 is generated when the first side 8 of the conveyor 4 is impinged with a cooling gas. The conveyor 4 is designed such that the cooling gas can penetrate through the conveyor 4 so as to have a second pressure at the second side 9 of the conveyor 4. The second pressure is lower than the first pressure. In this example, the first side 8 of the conveyor 4 is an upper side and the second side 9 of the conveyor 4 is a lower side. Also, the apparatus 1 comprises circulators 5 for circulating the cooling gas within the cooling chamber 3. Each circulator 5 has a motor 11. Further, guiding elements 6 are provided for guiding a flow of the cooling gas. The guiding elements 6 are arranged within the cooling chamber 3 such that an impingement section 7 is formed adjacent to the first side 8 of the conveyor 4, in which the cooling gas can impinge the first side 8 of the conveyor 4 having a first pressure. The impingement section 7 has a rectangular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a conveying direction of the conveyor 4. The conveying direction of the conveyor 4 is perpendicular to the drawing plane in FIG. 1.

[0051] The guiding elements 6 are arranged to form two backflow channels 10 from the second side 9 of the conveyor 4 to the circulators 5. The cooling gas can be directed into the impingement section 7 via the circulators 5. The guiding elements 6 are arranged such that the cooling gas can flow concurrently through the impingement section 7 and the two backflow channels 10. The backflow channels 10 are confined by guiding elements 6 and a boundary of the cooling chamber 3. One guiding element 6 is shown that is arranged between the circulators 5. A flow path of the cooling gas between the at least one circulator 5 and the first side 8 of the conveyor 4 is free of obstacles.

[0052] In the cross section view of FIG. 1 two circulators 5 can be seen. Further circulators 5 can be provided at other positions e. g. in the conveying direction. Respective further guiding elements 6 may also be provided.

[0053] With the apparatus 1 products 2 such as food products can be cooled using a cooling gas such a gas comprising nitrogen. With guiding elements 6 a flow of the cooling gas can be guided. Thereby, the products 2 can be cooled particularly energy efficiently. Preferably, the apparatus 1 is used for freezing products 2.

[0054] While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. The present invention may suitably comprise, consist or consist essentially of the elements disclosed and may be practiced in the absence of an element not disclosed. Furthermore, if there is language referring to order, such as first and second, it should be understood in an exemplary sense and not in a limiting sense. For example, it can be recognized by those skilled in the art that certain steps can be combined into a single step.

[0055] The singular forms a, an and the include plural referents, unless the context dearly dictates otherwise.

[0056] Comprising in a claim is an open transitional term which means the subsequently identified claim elements are a nonexclusive listing i.e. anything else may be additionally included and remain within the scope of comprising. Comprising is defined herein as necessarily encompassing the more limited transitional terms consisting essentially of and consisting of; comprising may therefore be replaced by consisting essentially of or consisting of and remain within the expressly defined scope of comprising.

[0057] Providing in a claim is defined to mean furnishing, supplying, making available, or preparing something. The step may be performed by any actor in the absence of express language in the claim to the contrary.

[0058] Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described event or circumstances may or may not occur. The description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not occur.

[0059] Ranges may be expressed herein as from about one particular value, and/or to about another particular value. When such a range is expressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value, along with all combinations within said range.

[0060] All references identified herein are each hereby incorporated by reference into this application in their entireties, as well as for the specific information for which each is cited.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0061] 1 apparatus

[0062] 2 product

[0063] 3 cooling chamber

[0064] 4 conveyor

[0065] 5 circulator

[0066] 6 guiding element

[0067] 7 impingement section

[0068] 8 first side

[0069] 9 second side

[0070] 10 backflow channel

[0071] 11 motor

[0072] 12 first run

[0073] 13 second run