module for performing heat treatment on products and installation equipped with such modules

Abstract

The invention relates to a module (1) for performing heat treatment on products (300), the module comprising an enclosure (7) adapted to receive a trolley (200) equipped with several receiving levels (201) for said products (300). The module (1) comprises a body (2) defining said enclosure (7) and having at least one vertical wall (4, 5) which includes openings (11) spaced apart and extending to different heights on the vertical wall. The openings (11) are adapted to be positioned near a vertical side of a trolley (200) when said trolley (200) is positioned in the enclosure (7). The body (2) comprises another wall having at least one opening (9). The invention also relates to an installation comprising such modules (1). Figure for the abstract: Figure 7

Description

Title of the invention: Module for performing heat treatment on products and installation equipped with such modules. Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a module for carrying out heat treatment on products, for example to cool, freeze, deep-freeze, defrost, heat or cook them.

[0002] The invention will be implemented by manufacturers of industrial equipment intended for heat treatment of products, in particular manufacturers of industrial equipment for the food industry where it is necessary to cool, freeze, deep-freeze, defrost, heat or even cook food products. State of the art

[0003] In the field of carrying out heat treatment on food products, in particular for the purpose of rapidly cooling, freezing or deep-freezing them, trolleys are used to receive and transport food products, for example, chilling trolleys on which poultry are placed or trolleys with tiers or slides allowing the reception of trays or containers on several levels, these trays or containers receiving various types of food products, for example yogurts or cheeses.

[0004] These trolleys are placed in cooling cells generally allowing the reception of one to four trolleys, depending on their capacities, or in cooling chambers allowing the reception of a larger number of trolleys, these cooling cells and cooling chambers being equipped with a cooling system allowing the enclosure of the cell or chamber to be cooled and a ventilation system allowing the circulation of cooled ambient air in this enclosure, in order to cool the food products more easily and more quickly.

[0005] These aforementioned cooling methods may result in food products cooling too slowly to allow them to reach a defined temperature, which may have the effect of reducing the use-by date of these food products.

[0006] In other industrial fields, for example the manufacture of mechanical parts, it is sometimes necessary to heat these parts, for example, to bring them to an ambient temperature in order to guarantee dimensional, assembly or machining accuracy, to reach a temperature that facilitates their drying after being painted parts, for firing or other reasons. The time required to reach the desired temperature can vary, which can sometimes slow down production or lead to non-conformities. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by implementing a module for carrying out heat treatment on products which makes it easier and faster to reach a desired temperature for these products.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a module for carrying out heat treatment on products. The module comprises an enclosure capable of receiving at least one trolley equipped with one or more receiving levels for said products. The trolley may be, for example, a chilling trolley configured to receive poultry on one or more levels or a sliding trolley for receiving trays or containers on one or more levels. Of course, the trolley may have only one level for receiving one or more products, depending on the use made of said module.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the invention, the module comprises a body defining said enclosure and having at least one vertical wall which includes lights spaced apart and extending at different heights along the vertical wall, across the width of said vertical wall. These lights preferably extend horizontally along the vertical wall, but a slight inclination from the horizontal could be envisaged, particularly depending on the design of the trolleys that said module is intended to accommodate. The vertical positions of these lights on the vertical wall will be defined to correspond more or less with the positions of the levels on the trolley(s) when the trolley(s) are placed within the module enclosure.The lights are suitable for placement near a vertical side of at least one trolley, so as to allow a gaseous fluid circulating through the lights to be directed towards one or more products placed on one or more levels of the trolley, when the trolley is positioned within the enclosure. This gaseous fluid may be air, but other gaseous fluids are possible depending on the intended use of the module, for example, gaseous fluids used in the food industry such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or oxygen, pure or mixed.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the invention, the body comprises another wall, preferably an upper wall, which includes at least one opening configured to allow the gaseous fluid entering the enclosure through the openings on at least one vertical wall of the body, to exit this enclosure. The circulation of the gaseous fluid at The interior of the enclosure will be created by drawing air through at least one opening in the other wall, preferably the upper wall. This will create a negative pressure within the enclosure, allowing the ambient gaseous fluid, in which the module is located, to be drawn into the enclosure through openings in at least one vertical wall and come into contact with the products placed on the trolley(s) before exiting the enclosure through at least one opening in the module body. Thus, the ambient gaseous fluid, at a controllable temperature, passes through the openings and comes into direct and rapid contact with the product(s) placed on one or more levels of the trolley(s) within the module enclosure, enabling the products to reach the desired temperature in a short time.The depressurization of the enclosure, obtained by creating suction through at least one opening on this other wall of the body, preferably the upper wall, may be generated by means of a suction device integrated into the module, at the level of at least one opening, or forming part of an installation defining a chamber filled with the gaseous fluid and in which said module is located, the suction device then being configured in the chamber to generate suction through at least one opening on this other wall of the body, preferably the upper wall, the module being placed in this chamber.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the module of the invention, the body comprises two facing vertical walls, each comprising openings spaced apart and extending at different heights along the width of each of the two vertical walls, preferably horizontally. The openings on the two vertical walls are suitable for being positioned respectively near two facing vertical sides of at least one trolley when said trolley is positioned within the enclosure. In other words, the module can be configured to receive a single trolley, in which case the two facing vertical walls of the body will be juxtaposed respectively with two facing vertical sides of the trolley placed within the enclosure.Conversely, the module can be configured to accommodate several trolleys arranged side-by-side within the enclosure. In this configuration, the two facing vertical walls of the body will be juxtaposed, one to a vertical side of the first trolley and the other to a vertical side of the second trolley, with these vertical sides facing each other. One or more trolleys can be placed between the first and second trolleys, depending on the module's capacity. Preferably, the module will be configured to accommodate only one or two trolleys to maintain precise control over the cooling of all products placed on the trolley(s) within the enclosure, in a short timeframe.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, said at least one vertical wall is a lateral wall of the body, which is adapted to be positioned near a lateral side of at least one trolley when it is positioned within the enclosure. This vertical wall could be a back wall or a front wall of the body, said front wall being configured to constitute an access door to the enclosure.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, each light comprises a deflector configured to direct a gaseous fluid entering the enclosure through the vertical wall. This allows the gaseous fluid entering the enclosure through the lights to be precisely directed towards the products placed on a trolley. In one embodiment, the deflector may have a means for adjusting its angle of orientation, in order to best adapt the module to the positions of the shelves on the trolley that is placed in the enclosure, which advantageously allows the module to accommodate different types of trolleys while maintaining optimal efficiency.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, the body comprises an upper wall provided with at least one opening. Furthermore, the module comprises at least one fan arranged on the upper wall at the level of at least one opening, said fan being configured to depressurize the enclosure so as to force the circulation of a gaseous fluid from the outside to the inside of the enclosure by passing through the openings on the vertical wall(s) of the body. Other suction devices may be envisaged, for example by providing at least one duct connected to at least one opening, a gaseous fluid extractor being located away from the module and connected to said at least one opening by means of said at least one duct.The body may also include on its upper wall only at least one opening, i.e. one or more openings on the upper wall which do not have a fan or are not connected to a duct, in which case the gaseous fluid extractor will be placed directly in a chamber of an installation so as to generate a suction of the gaseous fluid through the at least one opening on the upper wall of the module body placed in this chamber filled with said gaseous fluid.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, the body comprises two opposing side walls, a back wall, a top wall, and a door positioned opposite the back wall, said door providing access to and closure of the enclosure. Preferably, the two side walls have lights, but these lights could also be placed on the back wall and / or on the door, either in addition to or instead of the lights on the side walls.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the module that is the subject of the invention, it comprises at least one measuring element configured to measure the temperature of the products placed on at least one trolley inside the enclosure. This could involve, for example, one or more temperature probes measuring the temperature within the enclosure near the trolley shelves that receive products, or one or more thermal cameras measuring the temperature of the products placed on the trolley shelf(s) within the enclosure. This will allow for precise control of the temperature reached by the products within a defined timeframe.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, the body includes a set of casters configured to allow the module to be moved on a support surface. This facilitates the module's mobility, particularly for cleaning the environment in which the module is located and which contains the gaseous fluid, for example, a cooling chamber designed to receive one or more modules according to the invention. This is especially important for facilitating the cleaning of the installation in the food industry, where strict hygiene standards are implemented for food safety reasons.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the module of the invention, at least one vertical wall equipped with openings comprises a thermal element configured to generate a controlled temperature at the openings of the vertical wall so as to modify the temperature of a gaseous fluid as it passes through said openings. Thus, the gaseous fluid, which is at a first temperature in the environment receiving the module, is drawn into the module enclosure by passing through the openings on the vertical wall(s) of the body. The temperature at said openings on the vertical wall(s) is modified by the presence of the thermal element, which allows the gaseous fluid entering the enclosure to change temperature to reach a second temperature, higher or lower than the first temperature.This can allow the products within the enclosure to reach a desired temperature more quickly or in a more controlled manner, within a desired timeframe. This thermal element can be, for example, a coil through which a heat transfer fluid circulates, the coil winding around the openings, or a heating element in the shape of a coil or another shape. The thermal element could also form the vertical wall itself and have openings allowing the passage of the gaseous fluid; for example, a finned heat exchanger coil which, by design, includes openings defined between the fins, through which a gaseous fluid can flow.

[0019] According to two embodiments of the module that is the subject of the invention, the enclosure is configured to receive a single trolley (first embodiment) or two trolleys (second embodiment). Embodiments with a capacity of more than two trolleys could be considered, but this would require sizing the gaseous fluid suction device accordingly so that the gaseous fluid is at a temperature controlled within the enclosure may reach all products placed on trolleys within that enclosure, without any real guarantee of achieving this result.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the module that is the subject of the invention, it comprises at least one reading device configured to identify products placed on at least one trolley within the enclosure. This reading device may be, for example, an optical reader or a camera capable of reading a code, such as a barcode or a QR code, or even of transmitting images to a data processing unit that will identify the products. This will enable traceability of the products and their heat treatment processes (cooling, freezing, deep-freezing, thawing, cooking, drying, etc.).

[0021] According to one embodiment of the module which is the subject of the invention, the latter comprises an electronic management box configured to receive information from the measuring organ(s) and the reading organ(s) present on said module and from a control unit, to transmit information to the control unit and to control actuators present on said module, for example the suction device and the thermal organ.

[0022] The invention also relates to an installation for carrying out heat treatment on products, which comprises a main chamber and at least one module placed within the main chamber, said main chamber being filled with a gaseous fluid at a given temperature, said at least one module having at least the essential characteristics defined above, preferably the characteristics of one or both of the embodiments of said module described above. The module may be placed in the main chamber in a removable or fixed manner, preferably in a removable manner to allow cleaning of the entire surface of this main chamber, which is essential in the food industry where strict hygiene standards are implemented for food safety reasons.The main enclosure can, for example, be a room of varying size, a space within a building, a cooling chamber in a building or refrigeration unit, or a cooking chamber in a building or cooking unit.

[0023] According to one embodiment, said installation comprises a control unit, a terminal, and means of communication between the control unit and at least one module, on the one hand, and between the control unit and the terminal, on the other hand. The control unit may comprise a programmable logic controller (PLC) or an electronic card equipped with a microprocessor, which includes a computer program configured to control actuators on the module(s), or even on the main enclosure, for example, to control the temperature of the gaseous fluid in the main enclosure, the temperature setting of the thermal element on the vertical wall(s) of the module(s), The flow rate of the suction device located on the main chamber and / or on the module(s) is monitored by the control unit, which retrieves data from the measuring and reading devices to ensure real-time monitoring of the heat treatment process on the products. This also allows for the detection of any anomalies and the adjustment of the actuators accordingly, in order to correct the heat treatment process. This also enables the provision of data for traceability of the heat treatment process on the products. Communication between the control unit and the terminal can be wired or wireless, using, for example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or 5G technology. The same applies to communication between the control unit and the module(s).The terminal can be a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone, allowing for on-screen display of the returned data, recording of this returned data to files, and also for modifying settings or parameters as needed, depending on the products to be heat-treated. The control unit can be located at least one module away or integrated into the electronic management unit of said module or one of said modules.

[0024] According to one embodiment, said installation comprises a plurality of modules, one of which is a master module and the others are slave modules. In this case, the master module is connected and communicates with the slave modules, on the one hand, and with the control unit, on the other.

[0025] The module according to the invention will be electrically powered either by being connected to an external electrical power source, in particular a public or private electrical network or a backup generator, in the event of failure of the electrical network, or to an internal power source of the rechargeable battery type. Brief description of the figures

[0026] The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is supported by figures, including: Fig. 1 illustrates an overview of a module for carrying out a heat treatment according to a first embodiment of the invention, said module allowing to accommodate a single trolley; Figure [Fig.2] illustrates the module of Figure [Fig.1] from another viewpoint; Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the module according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2; Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the module according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3; Fig. 5 illustrates a partial view of a vertical wall on the module according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4; Figure 6 illustrates a second variant of the module according to the invention with a similar viewing angle to Figure 2, allowing for a single trolley to be accommodated and showing in particular an access door in the open position, as well as the implementation of a thermal element at the level of the lights on the vertical wall; Figure 7 illustrates a third variant of the module according to the invention with a similar viewing angle to that of Figure 2 or Figure 6, allowing two trolleys to be accommodated and showing in particular a door in the open position; Figure 8 schematically shows a trolley positioned in a module according to the invention, said module being designed to receive a single trolley; Figure 9 schematically illustrates two trolleys arranged side by side in a module according to the invention, said module being designed to receive one or two trolleys; Figure 10 schematically illustrates an installation for carrying out a heat treatment, which comprises a plurality of modules. Detailed description

[0027] In the rest of the description: - the module for carrying out a heat treatment is called a module; - the same references are used to describe the same characteristics on the module and for the various implementation variants of the module, unless otherwise indicated in the text; - terms such as "top", "bottom", "lower", "upper", "front", "rear", "lateral"... which could be used, will be in consideration of the normal operating position of the module resting on a horizontal support surface, for example a slab or a base, the door of the module allowing access to its enclosure, being placed facing a user.

[0028] Figures 1 to 5 refer to a first embodiment of a module 1 according to the invention. As schematically shown in Figure 8, this module 1 is designed to receive a single trolley 200 which has several shelves 201 on which products 300, for example food products, are placed. This trolley 200 can, for example, be a chilling trolley allowing the reception of poultry on several shelves, a shelf trolley, or a sliding trolley that can receive trays or containers on several shelves.

[0029] Module 1 comprises a body 2 which includes four vertical walls, namely a bottom wall 3, two side walls 4, 5 and a front wall 6. The front wall 6 is hinged to one of the two side walls 4 by means of a hinge (not shown), so as to form a door on module 1 providing access to an enclosure 7 defined by body 2. Body 2 also comprises a top wall 8 which has three openings 9 at which are respectively arranged Three fans 10 generate negative pressure within the enclosure 7 during their operation. These three openings 9 are aligned in a single row along the depth of the body 2. The number of openings 9 and fans 10 could be different from three, for example, two or four, depending on the depth of the enclosure 7. Preferably, the body 2 does not include a floor wall, particularly when the module 1 is used in the food industry, but it would be possible to provide such a floor wall and possibly an access ramp to facilitate the entry of a trolley 200 into the enclosure 7. The body 2 comprises a frame 28 that receives the bottom wall 3, the two side walls 4, 5, the front wall 6, and the top wall 8.

[0030] The side walls 4, 5 each include lights 11 which extend horizontally over the width of the wall 4, 5, i.e. in the direction of the depth of the enclosure 7, these lights 11 being arranged at different heights on the wall 4, 5. In [Fig.1] to [Fig.4], the side walls 4, 5 each include seven lights 11, this number being able to differ according to the height of the body 2 and / or the number of floors 201 defined on the trolley 200. Preferably, a single light 11 is provided at a defined height on the side wall 4, 5, this light 11 extending over the entire width of the side wall 4, 5, as shown in [Fig.1] to [Fig.4]; However, several lights could be provided at a defined height on the side wall 4, 5, arranged side by side at the same height.The opening 11 could also be replaced by other means of passage through the side wall 4, 5, for example a multitude of openings arranged side by side at the same height, this multitude of openings being duplicated at different heights of the side wall 4, 5. These openings 11 allow the passage of a gaseous fluid through the side walls 4, 5 during a depression in the enclosure 7 generated by the activation of the fans 10, this gaseous fluid being in the environment where the module 1 is located. The gaseous fluid will preferably be air, but other heat transfer gases could be considered.

[0031] With reference to [Fig. 3] to [Fig. 5], the side walls 4, 5 include, on their inner faces 4a, 5a, at the level of the openings 11, deflectors 12 which direct the gaseous fluid as it passes through the side walls 4, 5, from the outside to the inside of module 1. When a trolley 200 is placed in the enclosure 7 of module 1, as shown schematically in [Fig. 8], the side sides 202, 203 of the trolley 200 are positioned close to the inner faces 4a, 5a, the deflectors 12 being positioned corresponding to the stages 201 of the trolley 200. Thus, when the fans 10 are activated, generating a negative pressure in the enclosure 7, the gaseous fluid from the environment flows in the direction of arrows F1, F2, F3, entering enclosure 7 by lights 11, heading towards products 300 on floors 201 from the trolley 200 thanks to the deflectors 12, then exiting the enclosure 7 through the openings 9. Depending on the temperature of the gaseous fluid, the products 300 can be rapidly cooled or, on the contrary, heated, depending on the heat treatment required.

[0032] On [Fig.1], [Fig.2] and [Fig.4], the front wall 6 includes additional openings 13 which will allow the front wall 6 to be gripped for its opening, the latter acting as a door, and will contribute to the penetration of the gaseous fluid into the enclosure 7. It is however possible to provide a front wall 6 without these additional openings 13.

[0033] In [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 4], module 1 includes four casters 14 arranged in the lower part of the frame 28, more or less aligned with the side walls 4, 5. These casters facilitate the movement of module 1 for cleaning the floor 401 in the environment 400 where module 1 is located. A variant without these casters 14 remains possible, however, particularly for applications that do not require regular movement of module 1 to clean the surrounding area. For applications in the food industry, module 1 will preferably include these casters 14 to facilitate thorough cleaning of the floor surface 401 and thus comply with very strict food hygiene regulations and reduce the risk of food contamination.

[0034] The deflectors 12 on the side walls 4, 5 could be implemented by means of hinged flaps configured to allow adjustment of the angle of inclination a (illustrated [Fig. 5]) of these deflectors 12, so as to modify the direction of the gaseous fluid when it enters the enclosure 7 and thus ensure optimal orientation of the gaseous fluid towards the products 300 on the floors 201 of the trolley 200. This would allow the module 1 to accommodate different trolley designs with floors 201 arranged at different heights, while remaining equally efficient thanks to the adaptation of the angle of inclination a of each deflector 12.

[0035] The variant of module 1 illustrated in [Fig. 6] incorporates the features described previously for the embodiment of [Fig. 1] to [Fig. 5], with the additional lights 13 on the front wall 6 arranged differently. The fans 10 are not shown at the openings 9 on the upper wall 8, but these will preferably be provided. However, other suction devices could be provided, for example, extraction ducts connected respectively to the outlets 15 at these openings 9, these ducts being connected to an extractor which discharges the gaseous fluid into the environment 400 after drawing it from the enclosure 7.

[0036] In this [Fig. 6], the side walls 4, 5 include a thermal element 16 which, depending on the application, allows the temperature in the vicinity of the openings 11 to be increased or decreased, thereby modifying the fluid temperature gaseous at the moment it enters enclosure 7. This will allow precise control of the heat treatment on the products 300. The thermal element 16 is implemented by means of a coil 17 which can carry a heat transfer fluid or which can be a thermal resistance, depending on the application of module 1. Other thermal elements 16 besides a coil 17 may be considered. It would also be possible to provide side walls 4, 5 made up of finned heat exchanger coils, which would allow the gaseous fluid to enter enclosure 7 by passing through the openings formed between the fins and to heat said gaseous fluid during its passage between said fins.

[0037] The variant of module 1 illustrated in [Fig.7] allows the reception in enclosure 7 of two trolleys 200, as shown schematically in [Fig.9]. The upper wall 8 of the body 2 comprises two rows 18a, 18b of three openings 8 at which fans 10 will be fitted, like those described previously, the two rows 18a, 18b being arranged respectively above the two trolleys 200, 200' when they are placed in the enclosure 7. The number of fans 10 on the two rows 18a, 18b may be different from three, for example two or four, depending on the depth of the enclosure 7. The inner face 4a of the first side wall 4 is then placed near a side 202 of the first trolley 200 and the inner face 5a of the second side wall 5 is then placed near a side 203' of the second trolley 200', the deflectors 12 being arranged corresponding to the levels 201, 201' of these trolleys 200, 200'.The lateral side 203 of the first carriage 200 is juxtaposed with the lateral side 202' of the second carriage 200'. The front wall 6 of the body consists of two panels 19, 20 which are hinged respectively to the two lateral walls 4, 5 and form a door providing access to the enclosure 7. It can also be seen in this [Fig. 7], by looking through the openings 11 on the lateral wall 5, that the back wall 3 includes additional openings 21 which will allow the gaseous fluid to enter the enclosure 7 during the operation of the fans 10 or any other suction device. Similarly to the module illustrated in [Fig. 6], the two panels 19, 20 of the front wall 6 include additional openings 13 on module 1 of this [Fig. 7]. A variant without the additional lights 13 on the leaves 19, 20 and without the additional lights 21 on the back wall 3, is also conceivable.

[0038] According to one embodiment of module 1, it may include one or more measuring elements 22, shown schematically in [Fig. 10], for example temperature probes or thermal cameras, which will allow the temperature of the products 300 on the shelves 201 of the trolley(s) 200 to be measured, or even the temperature in the vicinity of these products 300. Module 1 may also include one or more reading elements 23, shown schematically in [Fig. 10], for example optical readers or cameras, which will allow the reading of a barcode or QR code to identify the 300 products and ensure their traceability. Similarly, the module may include an electronic control unit 24 that can collect data from the measuring device(s) 22 and / or the reading device(s) 23 and that can control the fans 10 or other suction devices and the thermal components 16, when present. The electronic control unit 24 will include a programmable logic controller (PLC) programmed according to the application of module 1.

[0039] An installation 100 is schematically shown in [Fig. 10], which could be, for example, a cold room or a cooking room, or even a room exposed to ambient air and whose temperature can be controlled, depending on the application to which the module 1 will be put. This installation 100 comprises a main enclosure 101 defining an environment filled with a gaseous fluid, for example air, in which one or more modules 1 are placed, depending on the size of this main enclosure 101. In [Fig. 10], several modules 1 are placed in the main enclosure 101, the electronic control units 24 of these modules 1 being connected to each other by a connecting cable 25. Each module 1 is connected to a power supply 102 by a power supply cable 26 which will, for example, be plugged into a power outlet or directly into an electrical cabinet.It is, however, possible to provide for modules 1 each comprising a rechargeable battery (not shown). Preferably, one of the electronic control units 24 is a master unit 24a, the others being slave units 24b, the master unit 24a being connected by a link cable 27 to a control unit 103. An alternative could provide for connecting all the electronic control units 24 directly to the control unit 103.

[0040] The control unit 103 retrieves data from the electronic management units 24, 24a, 24b, in particular on the temperature of the products 300 in the modules 1 and on the identification of these products 300, and outputs this data, for example in the form of files, spreadsheets, graphs, to a terminal 104 which can communicate with the control unit 103 via a computer cable 105 connected to the Internet or via a wireless transmission network 106 using, for example, BLUETOOTH, WIFI or 5G technology. The terminal 104 could be a computer, a tablet computer or a smartphone, for example.The control unit 103 includes a microprocessor 107 which may contain a computer program which, depending on the data received, for example those on the temperature of the products 300 in the modules, on the temperature of the gaseous fluid in the main enclosure 101 or on the humidity level, transmits data to the master box 24a which communicates them to the slave boxes 24b, in order to control the activation of the fans 10 and their speed and, thus, to modify the flow of the gaseous fluid circulating in the. enclosures 7 of modules 1 and possibly to control the thermal elements 16 in their presence, which will allow to modify the temperature of the gaseous fluid entering said enclosures 7. The installation also includes a thermal production device allowing to regulate the temperature of the gaseous fluid in the main enclosure 101 to a temperature desired for carrying out the heat treatment.

[0041] In one application, the modules 1 will be used in a cold room-type installation 100 for cooling, freezing, or deep-freezing food products 300, for example, poultry, cheese, or fish. In another application, the modules 1 will be used in a cooking chamber-type installation 100 for drying or cooking products 300, for example, composite products or freshly painted products. In yet another application, the modules 1 will be used in a room-type installation 100 at ambient temperature to accelerate the cooling or heating process of the products 300 so that they reach the ambient temperature of the main enclosure 101 more quickly.

[0042] The embodiments described above are not limiting, and variations remain possible. For example, the number, positions, and shape of the lights 11 could differ, depending on the height of the side walls 4, 5 and the position of the floors 201 on the trolley(s) 200 that the module 1 can receive. The lights 11 that extend across the entire width of the side wall 4, 5 could each be replaced by several lights arranged one after the other at the same height so as to cover the width of the side wall 4, 5, or even by a plurality of openings arranged side by side across the width of the side wall 4, 5.

Claims

Demands

1. Module (1) for carrying out a heat treatment on products (300), the module comprising an enclosure (7) capable of receiving at least one trolley (200, 200') equipped with several levels (201, 201') for receiving said products (300), characterized in that said module (1) comprises a body (2) defining said enclosure (7) and comprising at least one vertical wall which includes lights (11) spaced apart and extending at different heights on the vertical wall, said lights (11) being capable of being arranged near a vertical side of at least one trolley (200, 200'), when positioning said at least one trolley (200, 200') in the enclosure (7), said body (2) comprising another wall equipped with at least one opening (9).

2. Module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the body (2) comprises two vertical walls arranged opposite each other and each comprising lights (11) spaced apart and extending to different heights on the wall, said lights (11) on the two vertical walls being able to be arranged respectively near two vertical sides opposite the at least one trolley (200, 200'), when the at least one trolley (200, 200') is positioned in the enclosure (7).

3. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said at least one vertical wall is a side wall (4, 5) of the body (2), which is able to be positioned near a side (202, 203, 203') of at least one trolley (200, 200') when positioned in the enclosure (7).

4. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each light (11) comprises a deflector (12) configured to direct a gaseous fluid entering the enclosure (7) through the vertical wall.

5. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body comprises an upper wall (8), the module (1) comprising at least one fan (10) arranged on the upper wall (8) at the level of at least one opening (9) and configured to depressurize the enclosure so as to force a circulation of a gaseous fluid from the outside to the inside of the enclosure by passing through the lights (11).

6. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body comprises two side walls (4, 5) facing each other, a bottom wall (3), a top wall (8) and a door arranged opposite the bottom wall (3), said door providing access to and closure of the enclosure (7).

7. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which includes at least one measuring element (22) configured to measure the temperature of products (300) placed on at least one trolley (200, 200') inside the enclosure (7).

8. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the body (2) comprises a set of casters (14) configured to permit movement of said module (1) on a support surface.

9. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one vertical wall provided with lights (11) comprises a thermal element (16) configured to generate a controlled temperature at the level of the lights (11) of the vertical wall so as to modify the temperature of a gaseous fluid as it passes through said lights (11).

10. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the enclosure (7) is configured to receive a single trolley (200) or two trolleys (200, 200').

11. Module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which includes at least one reading device (23) configured to identify products (300) placed on at least one trolley (200, 200') in the enclosure (7).

12. Module (1) according to any one of claim 11, which includes an electronic management unit (24) configured to receive information from the measuring element (22) and the reading element (23) present on said module (1) and from a control unit (103), to transmit information to the control unit (103) and to control actuators present on said module (1).

13. Installation (100) for carrying out heat treatment on products, which includes at least one module (1) having the characteristics of any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. Installation (100) according to claim 13, which comprises a control unit (103), a terminal (104) and means of 16 communication between the control unit (103) and at least one module (1), on the one hand, and between the control unit (103) and the terminal (104), on the other hand.

15. Installation (100) according to any one of claims 13 or 14, which comprises a plurality of modules (1) of which one is a master module and the others are slave modules.

Images