Abstract: A new method and apparatus for thawing frozen food product utilizing desuperheated gas thawing medium near its saturation point. The transfer of the latent heat of condensation from the thawing medium to the frozen food product immediately condenses the thawing medium into a condensate liquid, after which it is recycled back through the refrigeration system. Since the thawing medium quickly condenses upon giving up energy to the frozen food product, it falls away from the upper surface of the thawing deck tube interiors, being replaced by additional gaseous thawing medium near its saturation point, which in turn condenses upon giving up heat, and the process continues until the food product is completely thawed. Since the state of the thawing medium is consistent throughout the thawing deck tubes, the temperature along the length of each of the tubes is uniform.

Abstract: A new method and apparatus for freezing food products utilizing a conventional refrigeration cycle. Refrigerant is fed into an array of heat transfer tubes mounted for immersion in a container of perishable food product whereby heat is transferred from the food product to the refrigerant causing the food product to freeze within a predetermined radius of each heat transfer tube. Each heat transfer tube is comprised of an outer fluid conveying member and an inner fluid conveying member that is generally coaxial or concentric with the outer fluid conveying member. After the food product is frozen, the food product container is lowered, leaving the frozen food product suspended by the heat transfer tubes. A support is placed under the frozen product. The frozen product is removed from the apparatus by heating the tubes so as to thaw a quantity of frozen material in the immediate vicinity of the tubes, which causes the weight of the product to shift from the tubes to the support.