Abstract: The operation of a prior art freezer installation for freezing food can be improved by:(1) providing air curtains at the doors of the freezer;(2) using a pulse bag filter for separating ice from the air leaving the freezer; and(3) ensuring that the air leaving the freezer is colder than -80.degree. F.

Abstract: The operation of a prior art freezer installation for freezing food can be improved by:(1) improved refrigeration techniques;(2) providing air curtains at the doors of the freezer;(3) using a pulse bag filter for separating ice from the air leaving the freezer; and(4) ensuring that the air leaving the freezer is colder than -80.degree. F.

Abstract: Articles of food to be frozen are delivered to an article conditioning conveyor and are maintained in a fluidized state by refrigerated air flowing upwardly therethrough. The conveyor is driven forwardly but is interrupted by at least one downward stepping movement, causing a thinning of the product bed and a rapid increase in air velocity to thus cool and separate the food articles preventing them from freezing to one another. The food articles are thereafter subjected to deep bed mass fluidization by flowing freezing air therethrough in a fluidized state.

Abstract: A rotary freezer for cooling resilient golfball centers to a uniform, substantially rigid state is provided with a dispenser to permit dispensing of rigid centers in one-at-a-time fashion from a large batch of frozen centers in the freezer at a rate indepenent of the residence time. As the freezer drum rotates, paddles on the inner circumference serve to lift randomly-selected centers from the batch to a predetermined height for gravity loading onto an inclined rack forming a part of the dispenser. Centers on the rack are arranged in a rectilinear series leading to an outlet port where a metering assembly controls dispensing of the centers from the drum in one-at-a-time fashion at a rate determined by the operator. A gravity conveyor exterior of the freezer drum transports each dispensed center from the outlet to a work station where the winding process is to be initiated before the center returns to its resilient state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling operation of a semi-frozen product dispensing machine. The control system includes a viscosity sensing mechanism for sensing the viscosity of the product in the freezing chamber and for shutting off flow of refrigerant to the freezing chamber evaporator when the product reaches the desired viscosity. The control system also includes a refrigerant pressure sensing mechanism for sensing the pressure on the refrigerant in the freezing chamber evaporator when the supply of refrigerant is shut off and for restarting the refrigerating mechanism when the refrigerant pressure in the evaporator rises to a preselected value. The control system also includes circuitry for restarting the refrigerating mechanism when the dispensing valve is opened.

Abstract: A device for solidifying a layer of a liquid that solidifies upon cooling, such as agar, the liquid being contained in a row of petri-dishes or the like. The device utilizes a horizontally rotatable disc for receiving the dishes, a mechanism for supplying dishes to the disc, and a mechanism for removing the dishes, with solidified liquid, from the disc. A cooling mechanism is positioned below the disc to cool the disc and thereby cool the dishes. A mechanism is provided for slowly rotating the disc so that surfaces of materials in the dishes solidify in a non-rippled manner.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cooling of a thread between a heating device and false twist spindle of a texturing machine. A part of the cooling medium (30) is guided in the direction of the thread transport and another part is guided against the direction of the thread transport through parts of a duct (11). The duct (11) is provided with rectangular chambers (14), arranged mutually offset, causing repeated flow of the cooling medium (30) across the thread (1) under vigorous vortex formation.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for the cooling of articles or materials in which the objects to be cooled are passed in succession through a precooling zone and a deep-cooling zone. A first cold-gas stream traverses the precooling zone in counterflow to the objects and is cooled by indirect heat exchange with a refrigerant while the objects in the deep cooling zone are cooled by direct heat exchange with a second gas stream produced by gasification of a liquefied gas. The second cooling-gas stream, after at least partial heat exchange with the objects or materials in the deep-cooling zone, is fed to the first gas stream prior to the cooling thereof by the indirect heat exchange.

Abstract: A device for cooling heated textile yarns derived from thermoplastic material includes a cylindrical cooling pipe (1) through which the yarn (2) is passed, the pipe (1) being filled with a cooling fluid and having a curved plate (3) inside it which covers the entire length of the pipe (1). A coaxial jacket (5) encloses the pipe and defines an annular cooling zone between the pipe and jacket. At the exit end of the pipe (1) is located a removable sealing plug which has an inlet and outlet for cooling fluid, and an air inlet. Cooling fluid and cooling air can pass into the pipe (1) via the sealing plug and circulate in the pipe and the annular zone so as to cause rapid cooling of the yarn.

Abstract: A device in the form of a double-walled pipe for cooling continuous profiles includes a core pipe of a cross section corresponding to the profile being cooled and which is interchangeably inserted in a jacket pipe with at least one low-boiling liquified gas injection orifice in the core pipe near the intake opening for feeding vaporized gas into the cavity formed by the core pipe and the continuous profile.

Abstract: The specification discloses a system and process for producing discrete chilled products having preselected weights from a semi-fluid mixture. The semi-fluid mixture is pumped along a distribution path to an extrusion manifold which extrudes a continuous sheet of the mixture. The continuous sheet is directed through a chilling station where it is chilled and firmed such that the sheet maintains its extruded cross-sectional configuration. A plurality of slicers continuously slice the continuous sheet of material into continuous lengths. A cutter periodically severs the continuous lengths at predetermined intervals to provide a plurality of discrete products having predetermined weights. The pumping rate, rate of travel through the freezer and periodic severing of the continuous lengths may be selectively varied in order to maintain any desired weight of the discrete products.

Abstract: A method and system for preparing comestibles for frozen storage in which pressurized freezing air is utilized in conjunction with a substantially flat conveyance surface, both to aid in or contribute to the conveyance of the packages or containers as well as to effectuate the rapid freezing of the comestibles therein during the course of such conveyance through the system. In the preferred embodiment, the elongated conveyance deck is of space saving substantially helical form with successive descending turns underlying one another and with the space surrounded by the turns forming part of a plenum chamber into which pressurized freezing air is blown for admission into a laterally open plenum duct underlying the deck throughout its length. Such elongated plenum duct is tapered transversely beneath the deck for uniform distribution of pressurized freezing air to the discharge apertures in the deck by means of a transversely inclined duct-forming panel cooperating with the deck.

Abstract: A cryogenic freezer is disclosed for embrittling scrap material, such as random size pieces of automobile tires, prior to fragmentation of the embrittled scrap material in an impact mill. The freezer includes a product discharge gas lock which is designed to minimize the loss of cryogenic refrigerant while, at the same time, accomodating unusually large pieces of scrap material.

Abstract: A fast-freeze system comprises an insulating housing for a product conveyor of the vertical helix or spiral-type wherein the upper and lower loops (or tiers) respectively, of the helix discharge or receive the product, as the case may be, at product openings (or ports) in the housing; a multiple-spray nozzle array on a header receives a regulated supply of liquid nitrogen according to a preset freezing temperature through a modulating servo-valve control; the header subtends a restricted sector only of an upper conveyor tier for producing heat transfer by direct liquid nitrogen-to-product contact to establish a single very cold zone substantially in advance of the discharge port, and the exhaust nitrogen vapor is discharged by blower action through the product entrance port.

Abstract: Loose particulate material to be frozen is supplied to a rising current of refrigerating fluid such as cold air. The velocity of the refrigerating fluid is such that the particulate material to be frozen is supported dynamically, or substantially suspended, by the refrigerating fluid so that the particulate material to be frozen settles slowly through the rising refrigerating fluid, or is slowly transported by such refrigerating fluid either upward or translationally. The refrigerating fluid may carry the material to be frozen through successive freezing chambers through which the refrigerating fluid rises. Such chambers may be vertical or may be inclined upwardly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an installation for the refrigeration by discontinuous charges of objects in bulk which occupy a long thermally-insulated zone, the method comprising essentially the steps of: carrying out the complete refrigeration of the objects located in a longitudinally-restricted portion of the thermally-insulated zone by circulating a main flow of cooling gas longitudinally inside the restricted portion, partly re-cycling the cooling gas outside the thermally-insulated zone to an injection station for frigorific energy such as refrigerated gas in the liquid or solid state, precooling the objects located in a remaining portion of the insulated zone by the longitudinal circulation of an excess flow of non-re-cycled cooling gas through the remaining portion followed by evacuation to the atmosphere, circulating all the main flow of cooling gas longitudinally through the remaining portion of the insulated zone, and re-cycling an excess flow of said cooling gas outside said zone to the f

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for continuously processing seafood products, to rapidly chill such products for subsequent freezing or for fresh shipment. Container means are provided for receiving the food product together with an aqueous bath for enveloping such product. The container means, which may comprise a plurality of trays or buckets, are carried by a conveyor belt means from the input to output end of the apparatus. Means overlying the moving containers deposit a frozen CO.sub.2 cloud into the aqueous enveloping bath to thereby render such bath an ice-water slurry. Means are further provided for agitating the ice-water slurry in the container means during movement through the apparatus, to promote uniformity in the enveloping bath and to promote cooling contact between the food product and the enveloping slurry. Food products are thereby chilled at typical rates in the range from about 1.degree. F per half-second to 1.degree. F per 8 seconds, with e.g. a relatively optimal rate of about 1.

Abstract: Material is fed into a revolving drum which has an interior configuration, preferably in the form of a helical blade, to convey the material at a controlled rate through the drum. A low temperature gas, such as nitrogen, is introduced into the drum downstream when viewed in the direction of travel of the material, in a liquid state at a controlled rate through a spray nozzle system, thereby continuously exposing the material to the cooling effect of the gas. A portion of the gas is recirculated from the upstream end to the downstream end of the drum. The material is pre-cooled in the upstream portion of the drum. After exiting from the drum, the material may be crushed or impacted and separated.

Abstract: An isothermal cryogenic freezer tunnel for supplying cryogenic gas to the food to be frozen at a temperature which is substantially uniform along a major portion of the length of the freezer tunnel. The freezer tunnel is equipped with an overhead duct having downwardly-directing flow apertures. A foraminous conveyor is located below the duct for accommodating the conveyorized passage of food through the tunnel. Spray nozzle means are mounted in the tunnel adjacent the inlet of the duct for ejecting cryogenic gas into the tunnel. The tunnel further includes fans positioned in vertical alignment with the flow apertures for propelling the gas through the duct onto the conveyorized food where the gas at a substantially constant temperature, blankets, impinges and freezes the food.

Abstract: A method of chilling articles and materials, especially for the embrittlement thereof prior to comminution, wherein a cooling-gas stream is produced from a deep-cooled liquefied gas and the cooling-gas stream is passed into direct contact with the materials to chill the same. The invention comprises evaporating the liquefied gas to produce a first cold gas stream into indirect heat exchange with an evaporating fluid (of an independent refrigerating cycle) to cool the further gas stream and generate therefrom a second cold gas stream, and mixing the first and second cold gas streams to form a mixture which is brought into direct contact with the materials as part of the cooling thereof.

Abstract: A method for refrigerating food. This method, preferably applicable to a food refrigerating apparatus of a corkscrew belt conveyor system, discloses the provision of an air cooler for said apparatus without a limit on where to dispose it but any suitable position in or out of said apparatus. Said air cooler sprays freezing air over the food placed on the moving belt conveyor until the completion of its predetermined distance of trip, the air along said belt conveyor being dehumidified through its gradual cooling in this process thereby enabling the prevention of accommodated constituents from developing frosting of freezing on their surfaces. Said air cooler functions on coolant gas supplied from a container subject to the control of a valve and a thermostat according to temperatures required for the food refrigeration.

Abstract: Water-cooling tubes are extensively used for cooling hot moving strands, for instance hot-rolled rod. In order to avoid the braking action of the water within the tubes, the invention provides for the water to be expelled from the tubes before the leading end of the strand passes through the tubes, by blowing air into the tubes.

Abstract: A cooling system for cooling steel slabs or the like comprises an elongated tank with parallel rollers for conveying the heated slab horizontally beneath the surface of a water bath. Water curtains from angularly directed upper and lower nozzles seal the entry opening in the end of the tank through which the slab is introduced into the tank and also supply cooling water to the tank. The rollers have axially spaced disk portions for supporting the slab in spaced relation above guide plates or aprons extending between the rollers. Inlet cooling water from the lower water curtain impinges against the lower surface of the slab and is diverted into and flows at high velocity through the restricted cooling channel defined between the guide plates or aprons and the underside of the slab. In a continuous form of the cooling system, a water curtain sealed outlet opening for the slabs is also provided in the opposite end of the tank. Intermediate cooling water nozzles may also be provided between the ends of the tank.

Abstract: An I.Q.F. system for deep freezing of food articles and the like employing a deep bed fluidization second stage freezer and an article conditioning first or input stage wherein the initially moist unrefrigerated articles massed in a relatively thin deposit are subjected to through-flow of subfreezing gas, preferably under fluidization conditions, for a predetermined period which removes substantially all of the sensible heat above freezing without removing the latent heat from the articles, whereupon, articles thus in condition compatible for deep bed fluidization freezing in the second stage are delivered from the first to the second stage.

Abstract: In a method of conditioning preforms to be molded into containers which includes feeding them in groups to a temperature-conditioning zone where they are reduced to orientation temperature for immediate molding into containers, improvements are provided which involve diverting other groups away from the temperature-conditioning zone to an adjacent cooling zone wherein they are reduced to a temperature whereat sticking together cannot occur, prior to collecting them for later molding.

Abstract: Methods for providing an expendable refrigerant which is emitted from a snow horn at a low velocity thereby enabling snow agglomeration at a close proximity to the horn exit and accurately delivering a charge of snow with minimum vapor loss. The desired snow is produced by introduction of the relatively warm liquid refrigerant into an insulated compartment and in heat exchange relation with a tube therein having a plurality of length/diameter ratios. The liquid refrigerant is effective to warm the tube walls and results in a slight cooling of such liquid which is then passed to a sub-cooler and returned to the tube inlet for expansion in several stages therein to form the snow. The product snow is emitted from this horn at a relatively low velocity and may be accurately directed into cavities of such products as eviscerated fowl.