Cooling device and cooling method

Abstract

To provide a cooling device which can perform processes other than cooling such as the cutting, cleaning and storage of a cooled matter in addition to the cooling of the cooled matter, and a cooling method.SOLUTION: A cooling device 1 has: a cooling unit 3 for immersing a fish Q being a cooled matter into first ice slurry S1, and cools it; a cleaning unit 4 for cleaning the fish Q cooled by the cooling unit 3; a storage unit 5 for immersing the fish Q cleaned by the cleaning unit 4 into second ice slurry S2, and stores it; a first ice slurry production unit 6 for producing the first ice slurry S1, and supplying it to the cooling unit 3; and a second slurry production unit 7 for producing the second ice slurry S2, and supplying it to the storage unit 5. Also, a temperature of the first ice slurry S1 is equal to or lower than -20°, and a temperature of the second ice slurry S2 is -2 to 0°C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device and a cooling method. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling device for cooling objects to be cooled, such as vegetables and seafood. This cooling device has an artificial snow making device that produces ice flakes (flaky ice), a tank that stores ice slurry obtained by mixing the ice flakes produced by the artificial snow making device with water, and a cooling pool in which the ice slurry circulates between the tank and the device. The objects to be cooled are cooled by immersing them in the ice slurry in the cooling pool. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-108556 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the cooling device of Patent Document 1 can only cool the object to be cooled, and cannot perform processes other than cooling, such as cutting, cleaning, or storing the object to be cooled.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has an object to provide a cooling device that can perform processes other than cooling, such as cutting, cleaning, and storing the object to be cooled, in addition to cooling the object to be cooled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Such an object can be achieved by the present invention described below.

[0007] (1) a cooling unit that cools an object to be cooled by immersing it in a first ice slurry; a cleaning unit that cleans the object cooled by the cooling unit; A cooling apparatus comprising: a storage unit that immerses the object to be cooled that has been washed in the washing unit in a second ice slurry and stores it therein.

[0008] (2) a first ice slurry production unit that produces the first ice slurry and supplies it to the cooling unit; The cooling device described in (1) above, further comprising: a second ice slurry production unit that produces the second ice slurry and supplies it to the storage unit.

[0009] (3) The cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the temperature of the first ice slurry is −20° C. or lower.

[0010] (4) The cooling device according to the above (1), wherein the second ice slurry has a temperature of -2 to 0°C.

[0011] (5) The cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the first ice slurry and the second ice slurry are each produced from salt water.

[0012] (6) The cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the cleaning unit cleans the object to be cooled by spraying a cleaning liquid onto the object to be cooled.

[0013] (7) The cooling device according to the above (6), wherein the cleaning liquid has a temperature of -2 to 0°C.

[0014] (8) The object to be cooled is a fish, The cooling apparatus according to (1) above, further comprising a cutting unit for cutting the blood vessels of the fish before the fish is immersed in the first ice slurry.

[0015] (9) Immersing the object to be cooled in the first ice slurry to cool it; The cooled object is washed, A cooling method comprising: immersing and storing the washed object to be cooled in a second ice slurry. Effect of the Invention

[0016] As described above, the cooling device of the present invention has a cooling unit that immerses the object to be cooled in a first ice slurry to cool it, a cleaning unit that cleans the object to be cooled cooled in the cooling unit, and a storage unit that immerses the object to be cooled cleaned in the cleaning unit in a second ice slurry to store it, so in addition to cooling the object to be cooled, the cooling device can also clean and store the object to be cooled. This makes it a highly convenient cooling device.

[0017] Similarly, the cooling method of the present invention involves immersing the object to be cooled in a first ice slurry to cool it, washing the cooled object, and immersing the washed object to be cooled in a second ice slurry to store it, so in addition to cooling the object to be cooled, it is also possible to wash and store the object to be cooled. This makes it a highly convenient cooling method. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view of a cooling device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first ice slurry production device. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] This is a photo of flounder fillets. [Figure 6] This is a photo of flounder fillets. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second ice slurry production device. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 shows a storage unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cooling unit of the cooling device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 shows a storage unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a cooling device and a cooling method of the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0020] First Embodiment 1 is a device for cooling marine products (fish and shellfish) as an object to be cooled, in particular fish Q. However, the object to be cooled is not particularly limited.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, such a cooling device 1 includes a cutting unit 2 that cuts the blood vessels of fish Q to drain the blood, a cooling unit 3 that cools the fish Q whose blood vessels have been cut in the cutting unit 2 by immersing it in a first ice slurry S1, a cleaning unit 4 that washes the fish Q cooled in the cooling unit 3, a storage unit 5 that stores the fish Q washed in the cleaning unit 4 by immersing it in a second ice slurry S2, a first ice slurry production unit 6 that produces the first ice slurry S1 and supplies it to the cooling unit 3, a second ice slurry production unit 7 that produces the second ice slurry S2 and supplies it to the storage unit 5, and a transport unit 8 that transports the fish Q whose blood vessels have been cut in the cutting unit 2 from the cooling unit 3 → the cleaning unit 4 → the storage unit 5 in that order.

[0022] <Cutting unit 2> As shown in Figure 2, the cutting unit 2 includes a mounting platform 21 on which the fish Q is placed, a first work robot 22 that cuts the blood vessels of the fish Q placed on the mounting platform 21, a second work robot 23 that grasps and transports the fish Q whose blood vessels have been cut, a camera 24 that images the fish Q placed on the mounting platform 21, a detection unit 25 that detects information about the fish Q based on image data acquired by the camera 24, a cutting location determination unit 26 that determines the cutting location based on the detection result of the detection unit 25, and a robot control unit 27 that controls the driving of the first work robot 22 and the second work robot 23 based on the determination of the cutting location determination unit 26.

[0023] Moreover, first work robot 22 is a six-axis vertical articulated robot having six drive shafts, and has a base 221, a robot arm 222 rotatably connected to base 221, and a knife 223 as a tool attached to the tip of robot arm 222. Robot arm 222 is configured with six arms rotatably connected, and has three bending joints and three torsion joints.

[0024] Similarly, second work robot 23 is a six-axis vertical articulated robot having six drive axes, and has a base 231, a robot arm 232 rotatably connected to base 231, and a hand 233 as a tool attached to the tip of robot arm 232. Robot arm 232 is configured with six arms rotatably connected, and has three bending joints and three torsion joints.

[0025] In the cutting unit 2 configured as above, first, the fish Q is placed on the placement table 21. The fish Q may be placed on the placement table 21 by a robot or conveyor (not shown), or by an operator. Next, the camera 24 captures an image of the fish Q on the placement table 21. Next, the detection unit 25 detects the shape, type, position, posture, etc. (hereinafter also referred to as "fish data") of the fish Q based on the image data acquired by the camera 24. Next, the cutting point determination unit 26 determines a cutting point suitable for bleeding the fish Q based on the fish data detected by the detection unit 25, and identifies the coordinates of the cutting point based on the image acquired by the camera 24.

[0026] Next, the robot control unit 27 controls the driving of the first working robot 22 based on the coordinates specified by the cutting location determination unit 26, and the knife 223 cuts the cutting location determined by the cutting location determination unit 26. Since fish Q generally has thick blood vessels running along its spine, in this embodiment, one end of the blood vessel is cut behind the gills, and the other end of the blood vessel is cut at the base of the caudal fin. This enables quick bleeding. Next, the robot control unit 27 controls the driving of the second working robot 23, and the cut fish Q is grasped by the hand 233 and transported to the transport unit 8.

[0027] The detection unit 25, the cutting position determination unit 26, and the robot control unit 27 are each composed of, for example, a computer, and have a processor (CPU) for processing information, a memory communicatively connected to the processor, and an external interface for connecting to an external device. Various programs executable by the processor are stored in the memory, and the processor can read and execute the programs stored in the memory.

[0028] The above describes the cutting unit 2. However, the cutting unit 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can cut the fish Q for bleeding. Also, the cutting unit 2 may be omitted.

[0029] <First ice slurry production unit 6> The first ice slurry production unit 6 cools salt water to produce a first ice slurry S1, and supplies the produced first ice slurry S1 to the cooling unit 3. The ice slurry is sherbet-like ice in which fine ice particles are mixed in salt water, and is also called slurry ice, ice slurry, or slurry ice.

[0030] The freezing point of the salt water is not particularly limited, but is preferably -15°C or lower, and more preferably -20°C or lower. As a result, as described later, the fish Q can be cooled more rapidly in the cooling unit 3, and effective bleeding can be achieved. In particular, in this embodiment, saturated salt water is used, and its freezing point is about -21°C. By using saturated salt water, not only can the freezing point be sufficiently lowered, but the water in the first ice slurry S1 can be effectively prevented from being absorbed by the fish Q due to osmotic pressure. Therefore, the fish Q is less likely to become watery, and the deterioration of the taste and texture can be effectively prevented.

[0031] However, the raw material of the first ice slurry S1 is not limited to salt water, and for example, an aqueous calcium chloride solution, various alcohols, etc. can be used. In addition, the freezing point of the raw material of the first ice slurry S1 is not particularly limited, and may be above -15°C.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the first ice slurry production unit 6 has a refrigerant circuit 6A equipped with a compressor 61, a condenser 62, an expansion valve 63, and a cooler 64 (heat exchanger) for circulating the refrigerant N, and a liquid refrigerant circuit 6B for circulating salt water to the cooler 64. In the refrigerant circuit 6A, the refrigerant N is compressed in the compressor 61 to become a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The refrigerant N that has become a high-temperature, high-pressure gas in the compressor 61 flows into the condenser 62, where it is condensed and liquefied to become a high-pressure liquid. The refrigerant N that has become a high-pressure liquid in the condenser 62 is decompressed by the expansion valve 63 and flows into the cooler 64. The low-pressure liquid refrigerant N that has flowed into the cooler 64 is evaporated and vaporized while removing heat from the salt water in the cooler 64 to become a low-pressure gas. The refrigerant N that has become a low-pressure gas in the cooler 64 is returned to the compressor 61, compressed by the compressor 61, and discharged again as a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The refrigerant circuit 6A continuously cools the salt water in the cooler 64 by circulating the refrigerant N in such a heat exchange cycle.

[0033] The cooler 64 has an outer pipe 641 and an inner pipe 642 arranged coaxially inside the outer pipe 641. The outer pipe 641 and the inner pipe 642 are installed upright, and their axes are oriented vertically. That is, the cooler 64 is a vertically placed double-pipe evaporator. The outer pipe 641 and the inner pipe 642 each have an inlet provided on the lower end side and an outlet provided on the upper end side. The low-pressure liquid refrigerant N decompressed by the expansion valve 63 is introduced into the outer pipe 641, and saltwater is introduced into the inner pipe 642, whereby heat exchange between them occurs and the saltwater is cooled.

[0034] On the other hand, the liquid refrigerant circuit 6B has a storage tank 65 for storing salt water, a pipeline 661 for sending salt water from the storage tank 65 to the cooler 64, a pipeline 662 for sending salt water from the cooler 64 to the storage tank 65, and a liquid pump 67 provided in the middle of the pipeline 661. When the compressor 61 is driven to circulate the refrigerant N in the refrigerant circuit 6A and the liquid pump 67 is driven to circulate the salt water in the liquid refrigerant circuit 6B, the salt water is continuously cooled in the cooler 64, and fine ice is gradually generated in the salt water to generate a first ice slurry S1. The generated first ice slurry S1 is stored in the storage tank 65.

[0035] The refrigerant N is not particularly limited, and for example, natural refrigerants such as HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons), HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), HFOs (hydrofluoroolefins), propane, propylene, butane, isobutane, hexafluoropropane, heptafluoropropane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide may be used.

[0036] Although the first ice slurry production unit 6 has been described above, the configuration of the first ice slurry production unit 6 is not particularly limited as long as it can produce the first ice slurry S1. For example, in a natural gas plant, the first ice slurry S1 may be produced by cooling saltwater through heat exchange with LNG (liquefied natural gas) before it is sent to the vaporizer. Also, for example, in a petroleum gas plant, the first ice slurry S1 may be produced by cooling saltwater through heat exchange with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) before it is sent to the vaporizer.

[0037] <Cooling unit 3> The cooling unit 3 bleeds the fish Q, whose blood vessels have been cut in the cutting unit 2, by cooling it with the first ice slurry S1, that is, removing the blood from the flesh.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 4, the cooling unit 3 has a cooling tank 31 for cooling the fish Q, and a pipe 32 connecting the cooling tank 31 and a storage tank 65. The first ice slurry S1 stored in the storage tank 65 is supplied to the cooling tank 31 through the pipe 32, and the first ice slurry S1 in the cooling tank 31 is maintained at a predetermined amount or more. The fish Q is immersed in the first ice slurry S1 in the cooling tank 31, and the fish Q is cooled. Note that the first ice slurry S1 is sherbet-like ice, so it is soft and does not easily damage the fish Q. In addition, since the contact area between the fish Q and the ice is large, the fish Q can be efficiently cooled.

[0039] In addition, the cooling tank 31 is provided with an outlet 311, through which the first ice slurry S1 (mainly salt water melted by heat exchange with the fish) in the cooling tank 31 can be discharged. The first ice slurry S1 in the cooling tank 31 is dirty and smelly due to blood, peeled scales, garbage, etc., flowing out from the fish Q, so it is preferable to dispose of the first ice slurry S1 discharged from the outlet 311 after appropriate treatment. However, this is not limited thereto, and for example, the first ice slurry S1 discharged from the outlet 311 may be returned to the storage tank 65 again after appropriate treatment and reused as a raw material for the first ice slurry S1. In other words, the first ice slurry S1 may be circulated between the storage tank 65 and the cooling tank 31.

[0040] When the fish Q is immersed in the first ice slurry S1 in the cooling tank 31, the flesh (muscle) of the fish Q gradually contracts from the surface side to the inside due to cooling, and the blood in the capillaries is pushed back to the organ side, and the blood flows out of the wound formed by the cutting unit 2 into the first ice slurry S1 or is returned to the organ. This allows more blood to be removed from the flesh in a shorter time without damaging the flesh. In other words, excellent bleeding is possible. This allows the freshness of the fish Q to be effectively maintained. In particular, in this embodiment, since the temperature of the first ice slurry S1 is about -21°C, the fish Q can be cooled more rapidly. Therefore, a large temperature difference can be provided between the surface side and the inside of the fish Q at the beginning of cooling, and the flesh can be effectively contracted from the surface side to the inside. Therefore, the blood in the capillaries can be more effectively removed from the flesh, and the above-mentioned effect becomes more remarkable.

[0041] In the cooling unit 3, the fish Q is not frozen but kept in an unfrozen state. This makes it possible to prevent deterioration due to freezing. Although it depends on the type and size of the fish Q, it is preferable that the time for immersing the fish Q in the first ice slurry S1 is, for example, about 2 to 4 minutes. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the fish Q from freezing.

[0042] Although the cooling unit 3 has been described above, the configuration of the cooling unit 3 is not particularly limited as long as it can cool the fish Q and drain its blood.

[0043] Here, the photographs of flounder shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are presented as evidence that the cooling unit 3 can perform excellent bleeding. Fig. 5 shows a fillet after the blood vessels have been cut along line C in the cutting unit 2 and the fillet has been immersed for 4 minutes in the first ice slurry S1 at -21°C generated from saturated salt water in the cooling unit 3. In contrast, Fig. 6 shows a fillet after the blood vessels have been cut along line C with a knife and the fillet has been immersed for 4 minutes in seawater at 1°C containing self-generated ice. In Fig. 6, the flesh is reddish with blood, indicating that the blood has not been sufficiently drained. In contrast, in Fig. 5, the flesh is white, indicating that the blood has been effectively drained.

[0044] <Cleaning unit 4> 7, the washing unit 4 has a plurality of nozzles 41 that eject the washing liquid in a shower-like manner. The washing liquid ejected from the nozzles 41 is sprayed onto the fish Q that has been bled in the cooling unit 3 to wash the fish Q. This makes it possible to wash away blood, scales, debris, and the like attached to the fish Q.

[0045] The cleaning liquid is not particularly limited, but salt water is used in this embodiment. The temperature of the cleaning liquid is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, about -2 to 0°C. This makes it possible to effectively suppress deterioration of the fish Q. In this embodiment, salt water with a salt concentration of about 5% cooled to -1°C is used as the cleaning liquid. This makes it possible to effectively suppress the water in the cleaning liquid from being absorbed by the fish Q due to osmotic pressure. This makes it possible to effectively suppress the fish Q from becoming watery and losing its taste and texture.

[0046] Although the washing unit 4 has been described above, the configuration of the washing unit 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can wash the fish Q. For example, the fish Q may be washed by immersing it in a tank containing a washing liquid.

[0047] <Second ice slurry production unit 7> The second ice slurry production unit 7 cools the salt water to produce a second ice slurry S2, and supplies the produced second ice slurry S2 to the storage unit 5.

[0048] The freezing point of the salt water is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, below 0°C and above the freezing point of the fish Q. In this embodiment, salt water with a salt concentration of about 1% and a freezing point of about -1°C is used. This allows the fish Q to be stored at a lower temperature and in an unfrozen state in the storage unit 5, as described below. This makes it possible to prevent deterioration due to freezing and maintain high freshness for a longer period of time.

[0049] However, the raw material of the second ice slurry S2 is not limited to salt water, and for example, a calcium chloride aqueous solution, various alcohols, etc. can be used. In addition, the freezing point of the raw material of the second ice slurry S2 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be salt water having a freezing point lower than that of the fish Q. In this case, the fish Q can be stored in a frozen state.

[0050] The second ice slurry production unit 7 has the same configuration as the first ice slurry production unit 6, so it will be described briefly. As shown in Fig. 8, the second ice slurry production unit 7 has a refrigerant circuit 7A that includes a compressor 71, a condenser 72, an expansion valve 73, and a cooler 74 (heat exchanger) and circulates a refrigerant N, and a liquid refrigerant circuit 7B that circulates saltwater to the cooler 74. The liquid refrigerant circuit 6B also has a storage tank 75 for storing saltwater, a pipeline 761 that sends saltwater from the storage tank 75 to the cooler 74, a pipeline 762 that sends saltwater from the cooler 74 to the storage tank 75, and a liquid pump 77 provided in the pipeline 761. A sufficient amount of saltwater is stored in the storage tank 75 before operation. When the compressor 71 is driven to circulate the refrigerant N in the refrigerant circuit 7A and the liquid pump 77 is driven to circulate salt water in the liquid refrigerant circuit 7B, the salt water is continuously cooled in the cooler 74, and gradually fine ice is generated in the salt water to generate the second ice slurry S2. The generated second ice slurry S2 is stored in the storage tank 75.

[0051] The second ice slurry production unit 7 has been described above, but the configuration of the second ice slurry production unit 7 is not particularly limited as long as it can cool saltwater to produce the second ice slurry S2. For example, in a natural gas plant, saltwater may be cooled by heat exchange with LNG (liquefied natural gas) before being sent to a vaporizer to produce the second ice slurry S2. Also, in a petroleum gas plant, saltwater may be cooled by heat exchange with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) before being sent to a vaporizer to produce the second ice slurry S2.

[0052] Storage Unit 5 The storage unit 5 cools the fish Q washed in the washing unit 4 with the second ice slurry S2 and temporarily stores the fish Q until it is processed. The second ice slurry S2 is soft and does not easily damage the fish Q because it is sherbet-like ice. In addition, the contact area between the fish Q and the ice is large, so the fish Q can be cooled efficiently.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 9, the storage unit 5 has a storage tank 51 for cooling and storing the fish Q, and pipes 52 and 53 connecting the storage tank 51 and the storage tank 75. The second ice slurry S2 circulates between the storage tank 75 and the storage tank 51 through the pipes 52 and 53, and a predetermined amount or more of the second ice slurry S2 is always maintained in the storage tank 51. The fish Q can be stored at a low temperature by immersing the fish Q in the second ice slurry S2 stored in the storage tank 51. As described above, the second ice slurry S2 is about -1°C, which is higher than the freezing point of the fish Q. Therefore, the fish Q can be stored at a lower temperature and in an unfrozen state. Therefore, deterioration due to freezing can be prevented, and high freshness can be maintained for a longer period of time.

[0054] The storage unit 5 has been described above, but the configuration of the storage unit 5 is not particularly limited as long as it can cool and store the fish Q. For example, the temperature of the second ice slurry S2 may be set to a value equal to or lower than the freezing point of the fish Q, and the fish Q may be frozen and stored.

[0055] <Transport unit 8> As shown in FIG. 1, the transport unit 8 has a conveyor 81 that transports the fish Q from the cooling unit 3 to the storage unit 5 via the cleaning unit 4. Specifically, the fish Q with a wound formed by the cutting unit 2 is placed on the conveyor 81 by the second work robot 23. Then, the fish Q placed on the conveyor 81 is introduced into the cooling unit 3. The fish Q introduced into the cooling unit 3 is immersed in the first ice slurry S1 stored in the cooling tank 31, the blood of the fish Q is removed while it is still unfrozen, and the fish Q floats up after a predetermined time. The fish Q that floats up from the cooling tank 31 is introduced into the cleaning unit 4 and washed with the cleaning liquid discharged from the nozzle 41. The fish Q that has finished being washed in the cleaning unit 4 is immersed in the second ice slurry S2 stored in the storage tank 51 of the storage unit 5 and stored in a cooled state. In this way, according to the transport unit 8, the work in the cooling unit 3, the cleaning unit 4, and the storage unit 5 can be performed seamlessly and continuously. Therefore, high work efficiency can be achieved.

[0056] The fish Q stored in the storage unit 5 is filleted and shipped, if necessary, in an unfrozen or frozen state.

[0057] The cooling device 1 has been described above. Such a cooling device 1 includes the cooling unit 3 for immersing and cooling the fish Q in the first ice slurry S1, the washing unit 4 for washing the fish Q cooled in the cooling unit 3, and the storage unit 5 for immersing and storing the fish Q washed in the washing unit 4 in the second ice slurry S2. Therefore, in addition to cooling the fish Q, the cooling device 1 can also bleed, wash, store, and so on. This makes the cooling device 1 highly convenient. Also, a cooling method using the cooling device 1 can achieve the same effect.

[0058] <Second embodiment> Next, a cooling device 1 according to a second embodiment will be described. The cooling device 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the transport unit 8 is omitted. In the following description, the cooling device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with a focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the description of the similarities will be omitted. In the drawings of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0059] In the cooling device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the cooling unit 3 has a storage case 39 that stores fish Q. The second working robot 23 of the cutting unit 2 grasps the fish Q on which a wound has been formed by the first working robot 22 and moves it to the storage case 39. When a predetermined number of fish Q are stored in the storage case 39, the storage case 39 is immersed in the first ice slurry S1 stored in the cooling tank 31. This cools the fish Q and removes blood. This work may be performed by a robot or device (not shown), or by an operator.

[0060] After the fish Q is immersed in the first ice slurry S1 for a predetermined time, the storage case 39 is raised and removed from the first ice slurry S1. Then, the bled fish Q is transported together with the storage case 39 to the washing unit 4. This transport may be performed by a robot or device (not shown), or by an operator.

[0061] 11, in the washing unit 4, a washing liquid is discharged toward the fish Q in the storage case 39 to wash the fish Q. Then, the washed fish Q is transported together with the storage case 39 to the storage unit 5. The transport may be performed by a robot or device (not shown), or by an operator.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 12, in the storage unit 5, the fish Q are stored by immersing each of the storage cases 39 in the second ice slurry S2. This allows the fish Q to be stored in an order based on the earliest time that processing in the cooling device 1 was started. This prevents a given fish Q from being left in the second ice slurry S2 for an indefinite period without being processed.

[0063] The second embodiment as described above can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0064] Although the cooling device and the cooling method of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the configuration of each part can be replaced with any configuration that exerts the same function, and any configuration or process can be added. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1...cooling device, 2...cutting unit, 21...mounting table, 22...first work robot, 221...base, 222...robot arm, 223...knife, 23...second work robot, 231...base, 232...robot arm, 233...hand, 24...camera, 25...detection section, 26...cutting location determination section, 27...robot control section, 3...cooling unit, 31...cooling tank, 311...discharge port, 32...piping, 39...container case, 4...cleaning unit, 41...nozzle, 5...storage unit, 51...storage tank, 52...piping, 53...piping, 6...first ice slurry production unit knit, 6A...refrigerant circuit, 6B...liquid refrigerant circuit, 61...compressor, 62...condenser, 63...expansion valve, 64...cooler, 641...outer pipe, 642...inner pipe, 65...storage tank, 661...pipe, 662...pipe, 67...liquid pump, 7...second ice slurry production unit, 7A...refrigerant circuit, 7B...liquid refrigerant circuit, 71...compressor, 72...condenser, 73...expansion valve, 74...cooler, 75...storage tank, 761...pipe, 762...pipe, 77...liquid pump, 8...transport unit, 81...conveyor, N...refrigerant, Q...fish, S1...first ice slurry, S2...second ice slurry

Claims

1. a cooling unit that immerses an object to be cooled in a first ice slurry to cool it; a cleaning unit that cleans the object cooled by the cooling unit; a storage unit for immersing the object to be cooled after being washed in the washing unit in a second ice slurry and storing the object.

2. a first ice slurry production unit that produces the first ice slurry and supplies it to the cooling unit; 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second ice slurry production unit which produces the second ice slurry and supplies it to the storage unit.

3. 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the first ice slurry is −20° C. or lower.

4. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the second ice slurry has a temperature of -2 to 0°C.

5. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first ice slurry and the second ice slurry are each produced from salt water.

6. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit cleans the object to be cooled by spraying a cleaning liquid onto the object to be cooled.

7. The cooling device according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning liquid has a temperature of -2 to 0°C.

8. The object to be cooled is a fish, 2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cutting unit for severing the veins of the fish prior to immersion in the first ice slurry.

9. The object to be cooled is immersed in the first ice slurry and cooled; The cooled object is washed, A cooling method comprising: immersing and storing the washed object to be cooled in a second ice slurry.

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