Material cooling / freezing system

Abstract

A heat exchange module for an in-line freezing / cooling system for freezing / cooling a material, comprising: a body forming a conduit having: an inner wall defining an interior space for cooling / freezing the material contained therein, the interior space extending along a length of the body; and an outer wall spaced apart from the inner wall to define at least one channel therebetween extending along the length of the body; the inlet manifold is connected to the inlet end of the body so as to seal the inlet end, and the inlet manifold is provided with at least one inlet used for introducing a heat exchange medium into the at least one channel and controllably introducing materials to be frozen / cooled into the inner space of the body; and an outlet manifold connected to the outlet end of the body to seal the outlet end, the outlet manifold having at least one outlet for discharging the heat exchange medium from the at least one channel and controllably receiving frozen / cooled material from the interior space of the body.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2022903914, filed on December 20, 2022, and Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2023903481, filed on October 31, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention generally relates to a system and method for processing organic materials, and more particularly to a system and method for receiving and cooling / freezing organic materials for further processing. Background Art

[0004] In food processing facilities, particularly pet food processing facilities, there is a need to continuously receive and process raw organic materials so that they can be stored and further processed. For this purpose, online cooling systems have been developed through which organic materials such as animal offal and other internal organs are received and cooled for storage or further processing into pet food products.

[0005] Plate freezers are an online cooling system that has successfully achieved this purpose. Plate freezers typically include a plurality of refrigeration plates mounted within a frame, with a space defined between the plates into which organic materials are conveyed for freezing. Refrigerant is conveyed into the plates such that the plates act as evaporators to absorb heat energy from the organic materials, thereby rapidly freezing the organic materials. Once frozen, the refrigerant circuit can be reversed to supply hot gas to the plates to defrost the contact zone between the frozen product and the plate surface, facilitating removal of the frozen product from the plates. In most commercial plate freezing installations, it is necessary to be able to rapidly load the organic materials to be frozen into the space formed between the plates and to be able to rapidly remove the resulting frozen materials as required.

[0006] One problem with traditional plate freezers is that organic materials must be supplied into the space between the plates through a filling device, which typically requires a significant amount of manual labor. In addition, such plate freezers require the removal of frozen blocks after freezing is complete. Removal is typically achieved by manually transferring the frozen blocks to a tray or conveyor, which requires a significant amount of manual labor since unloading each plate freezer can take up to 10 minutes depending on the number of plates used. In addition, since the blocks are frozen to -15°C and can weigh up to 70 kg, manually handling these blocks can pose a significant safety hazard and requires a high level of skill and physical strength. Additionally, there is a risk of bacterial contamination of the product through handling these blocks. At the same time, most existing commercial applications use conveyors that extend parallel to the plate freezer units, which is an inefficient use of space.

[0007] In some food processing facilities, a scraped surface heat exchanger is employed to provide more continuous processing of viscous materials, capable of continuously cooling (or heating) the moving materials. Such a device typically includes an inner tube surrounded by a jacket through which a heating or cooling medium circulates to create a low or high temperature on the inner surface of the tube. A central shaft is provided within the tube and is driven to rotate such that the scraper blades attached to the shaft rotate on the inner surface of the tube. The material to be processed is conveyed into the tube and flows therein, bringing it into contact with the inner surface of the tube to facilitate heat exchange between the material and the tube at its inner surface. When the material is frozen, the function of the scraper blades is to remove the frozen material from the inner surface of the tube to ensure the flow of the material therein and enhance product mixing.

[0008] This type of scraped surface heat exchanger can process liquids and viscous fluids without fibrous substances well. In cases where the material contains fibrous substances, such as animal viscera and entrails, the central shaft and the rotating scraper blades are often blocked or entangled by the fibrous substances, resulting in the heat exchanger being unable to operate properly.

[0009] In certain applications, an in-line heat exchange system similar to the scraped surface heat exchanger but without internal scraper blades has also been proposed. The working principle of such a system is also to convey the material to be processed into the tube and make it flow therein, bringing it into contact with the inner surface of the tube to facilitate heat exchange between the material and the tube at its inner surface. Since the material continuously moves in the tube, it flows continuously from one end of the tube to the other. However, if the material freezes and becomes a more solid mass due to contact with the inner surface of the tube, the material may "get stuck" inside the tube and the material flow may stop, which requires maintenance of the system, discharging the refrigerant from the system and flushing with a heating fluid to melt the frozen material and remove the material from the tube. Such a process may result in a large amount of downtime for the system, and it is costly and time-consuming.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need to provide an alternative heat exchange system that can simply and effectively process fibrous substances and can address at least some of the drawbacks of the existing systems.

[0011] The above references and descriptions of prior solutions or products are not intended to be, nor should they be construed as, a statement or admission of ordinary general knowledge in the field. In particular, the above discussion of the prior art does not cover what is common or well-known to those skilled in the art, but rather helps to understand the inventiveness of the present invention, where the identification of relevant prior art solutions is only a part of it. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heat exchange module for an in-line freezing / cooling system for freezing / cooling materials, comprising:

[0013] A body forming a pipe, having:

[0014] An inner wall that defines an internal space for cooling / freezing the material contained therein, the internal space extending along the length of the body; and

[0015] An outer wall that is spaced apart from the inner wall to define at least one channel extending along the length of the body between the inner wall and the outer wall;

[0016] An inlet manifold that is connected to the inlet end of the body to seal the inlet end, the inlet manifold having at least one inlet for introducing a heat exchange medium into the at least one channel and controllably introducing the material to be frozen / cooled into the internal space of the body; and

[0017] An outlet manifold that is connected to the outlet end of the body to seal the outlet end, the outlet manifold having at least one outlet for discharging the heat exchange medium from the at least one channel and controllably receiving the frozen / cooled material from the internal space of the body.

[0018] In one embodiment, the body can be formed by metal extrusion and can include a plurality of channels extending along the length of the body.

[0019] In another embodiment, the body can include an inner tube that defines an internal space for cooling / freezing the material and a housing formed on the inner tube to form the at least one channel between the inner tube and the housing.

[0020] The inlet manifold can include one or more valve assemblies for controlling the introduction of the material to be cooled / frozen into its internal space.

[0021] The outlet manifold can include cutting means, a cutting machine and / or a robotic handling system for receiving and processing the frozen / cooled material into a predetermined size.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the body can be substantially circular. In another embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the body can be any shape.

[0023] Thus, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for cooling / freezing organic materials, comprising:

[0024] An inlet for receiving organic materials;

[0025] A pump for applying positive pressure to the organic materials to promote the flow of the organic materials;

[0026] At least one module in fluid communication with the pump for receiving an organic material and storing the material therein for a predetermined time, the at least one module having an inner wall in contact with the material stored therein, the inner wall being adapted to apply a low temperature to the material to at least partially freeze the material, and being adapted to apply heat to the material to defrost the material at the interface between the material and the inner wall; and

[0027] An outlet for receiving at least partially frozen material from the at least one module;

[0028] Wherein the at least partially frozen material is conveyed from the at least one module to and received by the outlet under the action of the pump after the material is defrosted.

[0029] The at least one module may include a tube having a housing formed on its outside to define a space for receiving a heat exchange medium between the tube and the housing.

[0030] The tube may receive an organic material from the pump.

[0031] The system may include a plurality of modules arranged in parallel, and these modules may be controlled to operate in different cycles.

[0032] Thus, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for freezing / cooling a material, comprising:

[0033] Collecting the material to be frozen / cooled;

[0034] Conveying the material to a module, causing the material to flow into the module to substantially fill the module;

[0035] Introducing a refrigerating heat exchange medium into the module to at least partially freeze the material present in the module;

[0036] After a predetermined time, introducing a defrosting heat exchange medium into the module to replace the refrigerating heat exchange medium, causing at least partial melting of the material at the interface of the module;

[0037] Conveying fresh material into the module, causing the material present in the module to flow out of the module and be replaced by the fresh material; and

[0038] Collecting the material flowing out of the module for further processing.

[0039] The material may be collected in a collection hopper for processing.

[0040] The material may be conveyed to the module under pressure to flow into the module to substantially fill the module. The material may be conveyed to the module under the pressure provided by a pump.

[0041] The module may include an elongated space into which the material may be conveyed and into which the material may flow to substantially fill the elongated space.

[0042] The module may include one or more channels extending along the elongated space such that a refrigerating heat exchange medium is introduced into the one or more channels to at least partially freeze the material present in the elongated channel.

[0043] After the predetermined period of time, the refrigerating heat exchange medium in the one or more channels may be replaced by a defrosting heat exchange medium such that the material present at the interface of the elongated space may at least partially melt.

[0044] The fresh material may be conveyed into the module under pressure to cause the material present in the module to flow out of the module. The pressure may be provided to the fresh material by a pump.

[0045] The material flowing out of the module may leave the module through an outlet manifold. The outlet manifold may include cutting means, a guillotine, and a robotic handling system for receiving and processing the material into slabs of a predetermined size for further processing. Description of the Drawings

[0046] The present invention may be better understood from the following description of non - limiting preferred embodiments, in which:

[0047] Figure 1 is a side view of a processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 is along Figure 1 the cross - sectional view of the apparatus along the A - A axis of

[0049] Figure 3 is Figure 1 the top cross - sectional view of the apparatus of

[0050] Figure 4 is a side view of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 is along Figure 4 the cross - sectional view of the apparatus along the B - B axis of

[0052] Figure 6 is a side view of an apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 7 is a side view of a processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 8 is Figure 7Stereogram of the heat exchange module of the device;

[0055] Figure 9 is the end cross-sectional view of the heat exchange module along Figure 7 line A-A of ;

[0056] Figure 10 is along Figure 7 line B-B of the heat exchange module; and

[0057] Figure 11 is Figure 8 the end cross-sectional view of the heat exchange module body of. Detailed implementation mode

[0058] The present invention will be described hereinafter with respect to its application in manufacturing frozen strips of animal protein substances (such as animal offal and viscera) for pet food production. However, it should be understood that the present invention can equally be used for processing various other substances, such as fish, fruit and vegetable pulp, water (block ice), beef trimmings, chicken, mechanically deboned meat (MDM), dairy products, and waste organic products that need to be cooled before disposal or further processing. In addition, the device of the present invention can be used to form frozen or partially frozen material strips as required.

[0059] Referring to Figure 1 , a processing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The device 10 includes an inlet 12 for receiving the material to be processed and a pump 14 for pressurizing the material to pass through the device 10. The pump 14 can be a mechanical positive displacement pump or a pneumatic pump, and its operation mode will be described in more detail hereinafter.

[0060] The heat exchange module 16 is in fluid communication with the inlet 12 to receive the material to be processed, which is conveyed under the pressure of the pump 14. The module 16 is as shown in the cross-sectional view as Figure 2 shown, in the form of a tube 17, having a housing 18 extending around it, and a space 19 for introducing a heat exchange medium is defined between the tube 17 and the housing 18.

[0061] The heat exchange medium will initially be a refrigerant introduced into the space 19 for cooling and partially freezing the material in the tube 17. Since the material in the tube will start to freeze from the wall (contact zone) of the tube 17 and then gradually freeze towards the core inside of the tube 17, the temperature of the material can be monitored to ensure that the material reaches the desired temperature. This can be achieved in various ways, including using sensors and managing the residence time of the material in the tube 17. When the material reaches the desired temperature or after a predetermined period of time in the tube, the refrigerant will be discharged from the space 19 and replaced by a hot fluid, such as a hot gas or liquid, which will cause the material in the contact zone to defrost and be released from the inner surface of the tube 17, as Figure 3 shown.

[0062] Then, pump 14 will be started to push new material into module 16 to replace the processed material present therein. The processed material will then flow out of module 16 and be removed by the outlet manifold 20. The release of the processed material can also be assisted by the expansion of tube 17 due to the replacement of the refrigerant by the hot fluid, which will cause the temperature in the contact zone to vary from (-30 °C) to (+8 °C). The outlet end of tube 17 leading to the outlet manifold 20 may also be outwardly tapered to facilitate the flow of the processed material from the tube to the outlet manifold.

[0063] The working principle of this system for processing materials is to freeze a certain percentage of a given amount of organic material and then mix the unfrozen portion with the frozen portion when the material leaves module 16 to create the final cooled product. The temperature of the final cooled product can be determined by the percentage of frozen material relative to unfrozen material in the mixture. The freezing efficiency of module 16 can be determined by the size of the tubes (the larger the size, the lower the efficiency) and the residence time of the material within the tubes (i.e., the refrigeration time).

[0064] It should be understood that the system of the present invention is intended for batch processing of raw materials, and the process includes a freezing step and a defrosting step to facilitate the batch removal of the frozen / cooled material for further processing. To form a continuous on-line cooling system for large-scale processing of materials, multiple modules 16 can be configured in parallel, and these modules operate at different cycle stages to ensure a continuous output of material batches from the modules for processing. One embodiment of such an arrangement is as Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown.

[0065] In this embodiment, system 30 includes a cylinder 32 that houses multiple modules 16. Each module is connected in parallel to inlet 12 and supply pump 14 through a distribution manifold 34, and this distribution manifold 34 has an automatically activated supply valve (not shown) to individually fill each module.

[0066] As Figure 5 shown, in this embodiment, each module 16 is configured to extend in parallel within cylinder 32 and is isolated from each other by insulating material 35 that fills the space therebetween. Module 16 is individually piped to allow for the maximum supply of refrigerant to achieve the shortest freezing time and the supply of hot gas for rapid defrosting.

[0067] It should be understood that by controlling pump 14 and the supply valve of each module, module 16 can be automatically controlled to keep up with the requirements of the incoming raw material. In this regard, module 16 can be controlled at different stages or cycles of the process through a simple microcontroller, such that system 30 can operate as a continuous processing system by individually and sequentially filling, freezing / cooling, mixing the hot and cold portions, and then removing the cooled final product for storage.

[0068] Figure 6Depicts another embodiment of a system 40 having a plurality of modules 16. In this system 30, each module 16 is arranged in a vertically stacked manner between an inlet manifold 42 and an outlet manifold 44, and each module 16 is separated to operate independently of the other modules 16. It should be understood that the modules 16 can also be arranged horizontally or in various other configurations according to the requirements of the available space in the system.

[0069] Each module 16 can adopt different configurations according to the different materials to be processed. In this regard, the diameter of the tube 17 of the module 16 can be adjusted according to the material being processed and the particle size in the material mixture. For example, lung lobes can be processed in a tube 17 with a diameter of 150 mm, while a tube 17 with a diameter of 100 mm can be used for processing kidney slices, ground whole sheep, and pig offal. Other pipe sizes and configurations can be used to process other materials according to the needs of the application.

[0070] Referring to Figure 7 , an alternative embodiment of a processing device 50 according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The device 50 will be described below with respect to a device for freezing materials; however, it should be understood that the device can be used for partially freezing or cooling materials as needed.

[0071] The device 50 includes an inlet 52 for receiving the material to be processed supplied under the pressure of a pump (not shown). The device 50 also includes a collection area 56 for receiving the processed material.

[0072] A plurality of heat exchange modules 54 are arranged in fluid communication with the inlet 52 to receive the material to be processed. The material is conveyed under pressure into the inlet manifold 55 of the heat exchange module 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchange modules can be arranged in an array, including ten vertically spaced groups of parallel heat exchange modules 54, each group having eight horizontally spaced modules 54. However, it should be understood that the arrangement of the modules 44 can vary according to the space requirements and other array configurations can also be adopted.

[0073] The inlet manifold 55 of each heat exchange module 54 can be connected to the inlet 52 through a pinch valve 53, which is controlled to release the material to the heat exchange module 54 as needed. To avoid system short-circuiting, during operation, the inlets and / or outlets of all modules except the module 54 being filled are restricted. As will be described in more detail below, after the material is received into the heat exchange module 54, a heat exchange medium (such as a refrigerant) is supplied to the module 54, and the material is exposed to the freezing temperature of the heat exchange medium through the wall of the module 54.

[0074] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in order to assist in determining when to release the frozen material from module 54 into the collection area 56 and replace it with fresh material for freezing, a temperature sensor may be provided in module 54 to determine the temperature of the material. Additionally, in order to determine when the frozen / cooled product has been completely unloaded and module 14 is filled with fresh uncooled / uncryogenized material, as the material passes each temperature sensor, the temperature change from frozen (approx. -14°C) to fresh (approx. +25°C) may be recorded. Generally, it is not necessary to record the actual temperature of the material, and the system only needs to detect a temperature change of approximately 2 - 3°C that occurs when the frozen material is replaced by fresh material. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor may be replaced by a time measurement system that calculates the exposure time of the material within the module to determine when to release the material. Based on an understanding of the material properties of the material being processed and the system temperature conditions, various other systems for controlling product release and determining the status of the material being processed are also envisioned.

[0075] For example, in a variant of the above-described embodiment of apparatus 50, two temperature sensors may be provided. The first sensor may be located within module 54 approximately 800 millimeters from the outlet of the collection area 56, and the second sensor may be located adjacent to the outlet of module 54 leading to the collection area 56. When the material is supplied to module 54 under pressure, the fresh material may move within module 54 at a speed of approximately 600 millimeters per second. Thus, detecting a temperature change at the first sensor will alert the system to control the pinch valve associated with that module 54 to close the switching valve immediately when the second sensor records a temperature change and activate the switching valve of the adjacent module 54. In this regard, when the first sensor records a temperature change, the adjacent module 54 may be immediately opened so that when the second sensor detects the change, this module may be closed and the adjacent module opened for filling. This will avoid dead-heading of each module pinch valve at the inlet 52. It should be understood that other ways of coordinating the delivery of fresh material to the modules are also envisioned.

[0076] It should be understood that when fresh material is delivered into module 54 and exposed to the freezing temperature therein for a predetermined time, the refrigerant will subsequently be replaced by a heat source to facilitate the release of the frozen material under pressure. This may be accomplished by performing a defrost step by supplying a warm liquid or gas to module 54.

[0077] In order to discharge the frozen / semi-frozen material "bars" from each module 54, fresh product is pumped into the module 54 behind the frozen / semi-frozen "bars". This serves to push the frozen / semi-frozen product out of the module 54 after the defrosting step. This can significantly reduce the turnaround time until the next freezing cycle as it combines the unloading and loading functions into a single step. It should be understood that in another embodiment, a compressed air supply can also be used to assist in discharging the frozen / semi-frozen "bars" from the module 54. Other means for discharging the frozen / semi-frozen "bars" under pressure from the module 54 are also contemplated.

[0078] It should be understood that the discharge of the frozen / semi-frozen material "bars" benefits from the different behaviors of metal and high-moisture material products during temperature transitions. In this regard, during the freezing step, the metal module 54 contracts while the product within the module 54 expands. During the defrosting step, the metal module 54 expands, and at the surface of the frozen material inside the module, the ice turns to liquid causing the product volume to decrease and creating lubrication at the material / module interface. Thus, the frozen / semi-frozen material "bars" can be freely discharged from the module. To assist this process, the ends of the module near the collection area may have an outwardly tapered inner wall to enhance the flow of the frozen / semi-frozen "bars" out of the module 54.

[0079] The collection area 56 will receive the elongated frozen material discharged from the module 16. The collection area may include cutting devices, cutters, and robotic handling systems for receiving and processing the frozen material into blocks of a predetermined size, which can then be conveyed to a processing station for further processing or palletizing.

[0080] In some embodiments, the individual pipes forming the module 54 may be insulated and covered with a waterproof sheath (not shown). The waterproof sheath can be made of metal (such as stainless steel) or plastic material. The provision of such an insulating sheath provides a higher energy efficiency that cannot be achieved by other systems such as plate freezer systems.

[0081] Furthermore, the on-line nature of the system allows for in-situ cleaning (CIP) of the cleaning circuit with a minimum amount of water usage compared to other systems such as plate freezer systems. Additionally, the freezing / defrosting process ensures that the inner walls of the pipes are cleaned during each use cycle, avoiding the complex and labor-intensive cleaning processes synonymous with scraped surface heat exchange systems. Moreover, the present invention provides the ability to cool / freeze liquid products within the on-line pipes. This avoids any fluid leakage common in plate freezer systems as plate freezer systems require opening and closing of the plates, which can result in the release of fluid therefrom.

[0082] While module 54 can be made of stainless steel tubing to form a circular frozen material strip, such a tubular system cannot provide frozen materials of other shapes, such as blocks that may have a square or rectangular cross-section, etc. Providing frozen material blocks with a flat cross-section allows for stacking of the blocks, which can be used to replace the currently industry-standard frozen trays formed by traditional plate freezing methods without causing significant disruption to the end-user's production system. However, due to the pressure vessel requirements of the module, manufacturing module 54 with a flat cross-section in stainless steel is practically infeasible.

[0083] Accordingly, a module 54 as Figures 8 - 11 shown is proposed. Module 54 has an elongated body 60 formed from an extruded metallic material, such as aluminum, in which built-in refrigeration channels 62 are formed during the extrusion process for receiving refrigerant for freezing and warm liquid / gas for defrosting, while meeting the required pressure vessel requirements. It should be understood that although body 60 of module 54 has a substantially square or rectangular cross-section, the body can be formed in any of a variety of cross-sectional shapes as needed.

[0084] Referring to Figure 11 , a cross-sectional view of body 60 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Body 60 has a continuous inner wall 64 that defines an internal space 65 for receiving the material to be frozen. The outer wall 63 is spaced apart from the inner wall 64 and is supported by spaced-apart support struts 66 that extend between the inner wall 64 and the outer wall 63. Channels 62 are formed between the support struts 66 and the inner wall 64 and the outer wall 63 and extend along the length of body 60. These channels are capable of receiving refrigerant from a refrigerant supply source to facilitate freezing of the material within internal space 65 and can be connected to a heat source to facilitate defrosting of the frozen material within space 65 at the interface with the inner wall 64 to facilitate removal of the frozen material from the body in the manner described above.

[0085] The dimensions of body 60 will vary depending on the requirements of the material being processed. In one embodiment, body 60 can have an outer width of 300 - 350 millimeters and a height of 90 - 110 millimeters. Channels 62 can have a height and width of 10 - 15 millimeters. These dimensions are merely examples of one embodiment of the present invention and these dimensions can vary depending on system requirements and the material being processed.

[0086] Referring to Figures 8 - 10 , module 54 is shown alone. Module 54 generally includes a body 60 that extends between an inlet manifold 55 and an outlet manifold 57. In a preferred embodiment, body 60 can have a length of approximately 6000 millimeters, but those skilled in the art will understand that other lengths are also contemplated.

[0087] The inlet manifold 55 has an inlet port 59 that is connected to a refrigerant source and a heat source for selectively supplying a heat exchange fluid to the channel 62 as needed. The outlet manifold 57 has an outlet port 58 for discharging the heat exchange fluid as it passes through the channel 62 along the length of the body 60. It should be understood that the system may include a microcontroller for controlling and coordinating the supply of the heat exchange fluid to each module 54 as needed. During use, when defrosting the module 54, the outlet port 58 will be used to supply a heating liquid or gas, and the inlet port 59 will be used to discharge the heating liquid or gas, such that the flow direction is opposite to the supply of the refrigerant liquid.

[0088] The body 60 functions as a sealed body and has extruded inner and outer walls that define an internal space 65 and a longitudinal channel 62 extending along the length of the body. The body 60 is open at opposite ends to mate with the inlet and outlet manifolds 55, 57, thereby sealing the internal space 65 and the channel 62 and allowing the delivery of a heat exchange medium to the channel 62. As previously mentioned, due to the extruded nature of the body 60, the channel 62 is a pressure-rated refrigeration channel, and the body 60 can be made in any cross-sectional shape as needed. These shapes include standard geometries, including circular and oval derivatives, square and rectangular with / without rounded corners. A flower-shaped cross-section and other more irregular shapes are also contemplated.

[0089] It should be understood that providing such an extruded closed tube with variable shape and size, having appropriately positioned refrigeration channels with the required pressure rating along its length, enables an on-line freezing / cooling system for the rapid and efficient processing of frozen materials in food and other related applications.

[0090] The system of the present invention is capable of processing any pumpable meat or offal product, where the size of the particles is limited only by the pump. In most embodiments, a basic pre-grinding of the material prior to processing will ensure the most efficient results. In this regard, traditional scraped surface heat exchangers cannot process whole meat or organ products due to fouling and retention problems with the internal scraper mechanism.

[0091] It should be understood that the present invention can also be used to process animal products that are typically difficult to process in traditional scraped surface heat exchangers. In this regard, omental fat is traditionally difficult to cool due to its state change from warm (slippery) to cooled (solid and viscous), and with this system, it can be pneumatically pumped directly from the slaughter line to the module for processing. Omental fat will easily fill the modules of this system when warm, and after cooling, during the defrosting step, the omental fat will easily melt at the pipe interface to facilitate the easy release and removal of the cooled product from the module under the action of the pump.

[0092] It should be understood that the system of the present invention provides an easily cleanable refrigeration / cooling system as it does not have the retention problems of traditional scraped surface heat exchangers. The system of the present invention is also capable of cooling products, including offal and fat from sheep, cattle, pigs, and chickens, without adding ice, carbon dioxide, etc. Due to the modular design of this system, the system is scalable and can simply adapt to the needs of users by adding / reducing modules as required. The system can also be configured to have a minimum footprint and can adapt to a specific location as the modules can be aligned in any direction / angle to fit the available space.

[0093] The system of the present invention is also very suitable for use as an in - place cleaning (CIP) system, especially compared to traditional scraped surface heat exchangers that require the removal of scraper elements before cleaning. In the present invention, at the end of each processing cycle, all products are removed from the pipeline as the processed product is discharged through the system. CIP technology can be simply applied to the filling pump, conveying pipeline, and take - off manifold system. Downstream of the pump, once the CIP process is established, no part of the system needs to be opened for manual cleaning.

[0094] As previously mentioned, although the system of the present invention has been described for the cooling / freezing of offal and related animal products, the system can also be used for fully freezing specific applicable products that do not necessarily require traditional blocks, such as freezing fish (e.g., sardines) on board for fish farming feed. In such an example, the sardines can be pumped into the module, processed, and then fully frozen and discharged into a large hopper for storage in frozen storage. Other similar applications of the system are also envisioned.

[0095] In the specification and claims, the word "comprising" and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than an exclusive meaning, unless the contrary is explicitly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word "comprising" and its derivatives will be understood to include not only the listed components, steps, or features directly referred to, but also other components, steps, or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is explicitly stated or the context requires otherwise.

[0096] Directional terms used in the specification and claims, such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper, and lower, should be interpreted as relative and based on the premise that the component, article, product, device, equipment, or instrument will generally be considered in a specific orientation, usually with the device at the top.

[0097] Those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications and variations can be made to the method of the present invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat exchange module for an on-line freezing / cooling system for freezing / cooling materials, comprising: A body forming a pipe, having: An inner wall that defines an internal space for cooling / freezing the materials contained therein, the internal space extending along the length of the body; and An outer wall that is spaced apart from the inner wall to define at least one channel formed between the inner wall and the outer wall, the channel extending along the length of the body; An inlet manifold that is connected to the inlet end of the body to seal the inlet end, the inlet manifold having at least one inlet for introducing a heat exchange medium into the at least one channel, and controllably introducing the materials to be frozen / cooled into the internal space of the body; And An outlet manifold that is connected to the outlet end of the body to seal the outlet end, the outlet manifold having at least one outlet for discharging the heat exchange medium from the at least one channel, and controllably receiving the frozen / cooled materials from the internal space of the body.

2. The heat exchange module according to claim 1, wherein, The body is formed by metal extrusion and includes a plurality of channels extending along the length of the body.

3. The heat exchange module according to claim 1, wherein, The body includes an inner tube that defines an internal space for cooling / freezing materials, and an outer shell formed on the inner tube to form the at least one channel between the inner tube and the outer shell.

4. The heat exchange module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The inlet manifold includes one or more valve assemblies for controlling the introduction of the materials to be cooled / frozen into its internal space.

5. The heat exchange module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The outlet manifold includes cutting means, a cutting machine and / or a robotic handling system for receiving and processing the cooled / frozen materials into a predetermined size.

6. The heat exchange module according to claim 1, wherein, The cross-sectional shape of the body is substantially circular.

7. The heat exchange system according to claim 2, wherein, The cross-sectional shape of the body can be any shape.

8. A system for freezing / cooling materials, comprising: An inlet for receiving materials; A pump for applying positive pressure to the materials to promote the flow of the materials; At least one module in fluid communication with the pump for receiving the materials and storing the materials therein for a predetermined time, the at least one module having an inner wall in contact with the materials stored therein, the inner wall being adapted to apply a low temperature to the materials to at least partially freeze the materials, and being adapted to apply heat to the materials to defrost the materials at the interface between the materials and the inner wall; And An outlet for receiving at least partially frozen materials from the at least one module; Wherein, the at least partially frozen materials are conveyed from the at least one module to and received by the outlet under the action of the pump after the materials are defrosted.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein The at least one module includes a tube having an outer shell formed on its outside to define a space for receiving a heat exchange medium between the tube and the outer shell.

10. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The tube receives the materials from the pump.

11. The system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein, The system includes a plurality of modules arranged in parallel, and the modules are controlled to operate in different cycles.

12. A method for freezing / cooling materials, comprising: Collecting the materials to be frozen / cooled; Conveying the materials to a module, causing the materials to flow into the module to substantially fill the module; Introducing a refrigerating heat exchange medium into the module to at least partially freeze the materials present in the module; After a predetermined time, a defrost heat exchange medium is introduced into the module to replace the refrigeration heat exchange medium, causing at least a portion of the material at the interface of the module to melt; Fresh material is conveyed into the module so that the material present in the module flows out of the module and is replaced by the fresh material; and The material flowing out of the module is collected for further processing.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein The material is collected in a collection hopper for processing.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The material is conveyed to the module under pressure to flow into the module to substantially fill the module.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein The material is conveyed to the module under the pressure provided by a pump.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The module includes an elongated space, the material is conveyed to the elongated space, and the material flows into the elongated space to substantially fill the elongated space.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The module includes one or more channels extending along the elongated space such that the refrigeration heat exchange medium is introduced into the one or more channels to cause at least a portion of the material present in the elongated channel to freeze.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, After the predetermined time period, the refrigeration heat exchange medium in the one or more channels is replaced by a defrost heat exchange medium such that at least a portion of the material present at the interface of the elongated space melts.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The fresh material is conveyed into the module under pressure so that the material present in the module flows out of the module.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The pressure is provided to the fresh material by a pump.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The material flowing out of the module leaves the module through an outlet manifold.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, The outlet manifold includes cutting means, a cutting machine and a robotic handling system for receiving and processing the material into blocks of a predetermined size for further processing.

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