Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contact freezing a food product. A conveyor belt or other support may have an active region that supports materials on an outer surface. Liquid cryogen may be provided in bulk contact with an inner surface of the active region via splashing, agitation, pumping, gravity feed, and the like.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contact freezing a food product. A conveyor belt or other support may have an active region that supports materials on an outer surface. Liquid cryogen may be provided in bulk contact with an inner surface of the active region via splashing, agitation, pumping, gravity feed, and the like.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for contact freezing a food product. A conveyor belt or other support may have an active region that supports materials on an outer surface. Liquid cryogen may be provided in bulk contact with an inner surface of the active region via splashing, agitation, pumping, gravity feed, and the like.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for moving liquid cryogen at relatively low pressures and at high volumes. An axial rotor pump may have housing with a substantially vertical tubular space. The axial rotor pump may pump liquid cryogen from an inlet near a bottom of the housing to an outlet near a top of the housing. A seal may not be required between a pump drive shaft and the top of the pump housing by using an extended neck or a magnetic coupling arrangement.

Abstract: A liquid carbon dioxide refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration system may include a storage tank arranged for storing liquid carbon dioxide, and a vessel arranged to separate carbon dioxide into a vapor carbon dioxide portion and a liquid carbon dioxide portion. A first conduit is coupled to the storage tank and the first vessel such that liquid carbon dioxide can pass from the storage tank to the first vessel. A second conduit is coupled to the first vessel such that the liquid carbon dioxide portion can pass into a refrigeration device, and a third conduit is coupled to the first vessel and the first conduit to recycle the vapor carbon dioxide portion back to the first conduit.