Abstract: A method determines a potential poisoning of a sensor of an electronic nose by a volatile compound following an exposure of the sensor to a gaseous sample including at least this volatile compound. If there is poisoning, the method determines whether the sensor is still functional such that the sensor is still capable of carrying out one or a plurality of reliable measurements, or on the contrary, whether the sensor is saturated and must no longer be used. The method may be used with any type of electronic nose.

Abstract: A method and device for chilling food products by jets blasted into a tunnel, said tunnel comprising/a conveyor for conveying products into a tunnel, at least one plate, located opposite the conveyor, and provided with through holes, the plate or plates being located above and/or below the conveyor; and at least one means of blowing a cold fluid through the through holes and towards the products, characterized in that, during all or part of the periods of operation of the tunnel and/or during all or part of the periods of stoppage of the tunnel, there takes place an operation to clear all or part of said through holes, using a network of channels allowing a blow gas to be distributed opposite all of said through holes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flowmeter for two-phase gas/liquid cryogenic fluids, comprising: a liquid/gas phase separator, preferably consisting of a tank, into the top part of which the cryogenic liquid is admitted; a liquid flow-rate sensor, located in a liquid duct in fluid communication with the bottom part of the tank, the tank being placed in a high position in space relative to the liquid flow-rate sensor; a gas duct, in fluid communication with the top part of the tank equipped with the gas valve; and a device for measuring the level of liquid in the tank, preferably comprising two level sensors: a lower level sensor and an upper level sensor.

Abstract: A vehicle for the refrigerated transport of products comprising at least one products storage chamber, characterized in that:—one or more panels made from a material of so-called “phase-change” type have been incorporated into the structure of all or part of the walls of at least one of the storage chambers of the lorry;—the phase-change material has a melting point that is just a few degrees higher than the target datum temperature for the chamber in question, preferably 2 to 10° C. higher than said datum temperature and more preferably still 3 to 5° C. higher than said datum temperature.

Abstract: A method and installation using liquid CO2 as a cryogenic fluid for transferring cold energy to products, wherein liquid CO2 is sent into a heat exchanger system including first and second heat exchangers connected in series. The liquid CO2 is supplied to the first heat exchanger where it evaporates. Gaseous CO2 from the first exchanger is supplied to the second heat exchanger. The atmosphere surrounding the products is blown across the heat exchangers to provide a cooled atmosphere with which to cool the products. The latent heat of vaporization of the liquid CO2 in the first heat exchanger and the sensible heat of the gaseous CO2 in the second heat exchanger satisfies the cooling requirement of the products. The first exchanger is kept at a pressure higher than the triple point pressure for CO2, whereas the second exchanger is held at atmospheric pressure or at a pressure between the triple point of the fluid and atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method implementing liquid CO2 as a cryogenic fluid for transferring negative calories to products, said method being of a so-called indirect injection type wherein the liquid CO2 is sent into a heat exchanger system where same evaporates, the method being characterized in that, prior to reaching the exchanger system, the liquid CO2 undergoes an expansion operation, at a pressure selected to obtain a gas/solid mixture at the output of the expansion operation.

Abstract: The invention proposes a device for chilling or deep-freezing by impacting jets which consists of a tunnel comprising a moving belt, at least one plate and preferably at least two plates located parallel to each other on either side of said moving belt, at least one plate, and preferably both plates, being provided with through-holes, and at least one means for injecting a cold fluid, said tunnel having a zone under pressure P1 and a zone under pressure P2, the pressure P1 being greater than the pressure P2, characterized in that it includes means for varying the pressure in the zone under pressure P1 and/or means for cooling the plate or plates down to a temperature below about ?80 DEG C, preferably below ?90 DEG C and more preferably still below ?100 DEG C and for maintaining that temperature; and a method for chilling or deep-freezing food products by impacting jets.

Abstract: Method of sequentially spraying a cryogenic liquid comprising sequentially applying a dose of a propellant gas to a dose of the cryogenic liquid and sequentially spraying this liquid, the pressure of the propellant gas being greater than that of the cryogenic liquid.

Abstract: The invention concerns the surface cooling of food products.Nozzles project particles of carbon dioxide snow in the direction of a conveyor. The nozzles have sufficiently fine sections (0.2 sq mm / 1.13 sq mm) to create fine particles having sizes of less than 300 microns.