A horizontal plate freezer

Abstract

The invention concern a horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive a plurality of commodity holders, such as trays, said commodity holders comprising commodities to be frozen or which commodities are frozen, wherein the horizontal plate freezer further comprises: at least one first actuating arrangement configured for loading commodity holders into the freezing compartments and / or for emptying commodity holders from the freezing compartments; and at least one second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening all the commodity holders present in one freezing compartment before the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying commodity holders from said freezing compartment. The invention also concerns a method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders, such as trays comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer.

Description

[0001] A horizontal plate freezer

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The invention concern a horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments inbetween each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive a plurality of commodity holders, such as trays, said commodity holders comprising commodities to be frozen or which commodities are frozen, wherein the horizontal plate freezer further comprises: at least one first actuating arrangement configured for loading commodity holders into the freezing compartments and / or for emptying commodity holders from the freezing compartments; and at least one second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening all the commodity holders present in one freezing compartment before the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying the commodity holders from said freezing compartment. The invention also concern a method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders, such as trays comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] A large number of food items are stored, transported and sold as frozen.

[0006] Horizontal plate freezers may be used for freezing such food items. Horizontal plate freezers typically comprise a number of horizontal plates in a horizontal stack. The plates are constructed such that cooling medium may be guided through the plates. The plates are brought in close physical contact with the items to be frozen - the items may be placed in holders, such as trays. The cooling medium is usually supplied from a cooling media supply plant to the interior of the plates in the freezer via a pipe system.

[0007] After placement of trays on the plates, the plates are pushed together in a vertical direction in order to create a good thermal conductive contact between the items to be frozen and the freezing plates. Thus, the items to be frozen is brought into contact with two plates: The upper surface of the plate on which the tray is placed and the lower surface of the plate above the tray. The contact ensures rapid freezing of the items.

[0008] However, due to the plates being pushed together it is common to squeeze excess fluid out of the items to be frozen. This results in that some of the excess fluid will solidify and form ice particles and adhere to the freezing plate during the freezing phase.

[0009] The newly formed ice particles cause issues during offloading of the trays from the plate freezer. It is not always possible to gently push the frozen solid trays out of the plate freezer for further processing since the trays may be stuck to the freezing plates, and a need for a method of releasing the trays is therefore needed. Often the freezing plates are reheated allowing the trays comprising the frozen commodities to detach from the freezing plates. This allows the ice particles to melt, and enables an easier removal of the trays from the plate freezer.

[0010] However, it is important for the quality of the frozen commodities that the core temperature doesn’t vary too much and is kept low. Reheating the freezing plates therefore naturally inherits the negative side effect of at least partially heating the frozen commodities, thus raising the core temperature.

[0011] Hence, there exists a desire to improve the unloading process of a horizontal plate freezer to allow the trays to detach from the freezing plates and still maintain a low core temperature of the commodities. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a horizontal plate freezer enabling such an improved unloading process.

[0012] Summary of the invention

[0013] The invention has the purpose of providing a horizontal plate freezer enabling such an improved unloading process and a method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer.

[0014] Hence, disclosed herein is a horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments inbetween each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive a plurality of commodity holders, such as trays, said commodity holders comprising commodities to be frozen or which commodities are frozen, wherein the horizontal plate freezer further comprises: at least one first actuating arrangement configured for loading commodity holders into the freezing compartments and / or for emptying commodity holders from the freezing compartments; and at least one second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening all the commodity holders present in one freezing compartment before the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying the commodity holders from said freezing compartment.

[0015] The wording commodities and items are used interchangeably.

[0016] The wording commodity holders and trays are used interchangeably.

[0017] By frozen commodities is meant all kinds of goods that can be frozen. The goods can be non-food or food products. Non-food products can e.g. be freezing elements or cooling gel. Food products can e.g. be seafood such as fish, meat, chicken, fruit and vegetables.

[0018] By seafood is meant all form of sea life regarded as food such as commercially captured or farmed freshwater and saltwater fish.

[0019] By having a horizontal plate freezer according to the present disclosure, it is ensured that the commodity holders, such as trays are allowed to detach from the freezing plate in one freezing compartment before being emptied. This without the need to reheat the freezing plates.

[0020] In one or more examples, the one or more actuators are selected from hydraulic actuators or eccentric actuators. In one or more examples, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of less than 10 centimetres, such as less than 8 centimetres, such as less than 6 centimetres or such as less than 4 centimetres. In one or more examples, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of between 0.2 centimetres to 10 centimetres, such as between 0.2 centimetres to 8 centimetres, such as between 0.2 centimetres to 6 centimetres or such as between 0.2 centimetres to 4 centimetres. In one or more examples, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of between 0.5 centimetres to 5 centimetres, such as between 0.5 centimetres to 4 centimetres, such as between 0.8 centimetres to 4 centimetres or such as between 0.8 centimetres to 3 centimetres.

[0021] In one or more examples, the one or more actuators are configured for impacting the trays horizontally with a predetermined force. In one example, each actuator is configured for applying an impact of between 0.1 to 10 tons.

[0022] In one or more examples, the one or more actuators of the second actuating arrangement is impacting the trays horizontally with a force being greater than the force applied by the first actuating arrangement.

[0023] In one or more examples, the horizontal plate freezer comprises a plurality of said second actuating arrangements, wherein at least one second actuating arrangement is arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates.

[0024] In one or more examples, the horizontal plate freezer comprises a second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates. Each of these second actuating arrangement comprises one or more actuators.

[0025] In one or more examples, the horizontal plate freezer comprises two second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates. Each of these second actuating arrangement comprises one or more actuators. In one or more embodiments, the at least one second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates is mounted on an outer edge of the plate belonging to said freezing compartment. In one or more embodiments, it is the one or more actuators of said at least one second actuating arrangement that are mounted on an outer edge of the plate belonging to said freezing compartment.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the at least one second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates is mounted on an elevating support structure.

[0027] In one or more examples, each of the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between one and 20 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 16 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 12 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 10 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 8 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 6 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 1 and 4 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 2 and 8 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 2 and 6 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises between 2 and 4 actuators. In one or more examples, the at least one second actuating arrangement comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 actuators.

[0028] In one or more examples, where the horizontal plate freezer comprises a second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments inbetween each adjacent pair of freezing plates, each of these second actuating arrangement comprises four actuators. In one or more examples, the horizontal plate freezer comprises two second actuating arrangement arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates. In one or more examples each of these second actuating arrangement comprises four actuators.

[0029] In one or more examples, said at least one second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the plane at which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment.

[0030] In one or more examples, said at least one second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in the same plane as which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment.

[0031] In one or more examples, said at least one second actuating arrangement is incorporated into the at least one first actuating arrangement.

[0032] In one or more examples, the at least one first actuating arrangement and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement is controlled by one or more control units.

[0033] In one or more examples, the horizontal plate freezer further comprises an elevating support structure configured for supporting the at least one first actuating arrangement and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement.

[0034] Also disclosed herein is a method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders, such as trays comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer, said horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive and hold the commodity holders, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - Activating a second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening the plurality of frozen solid commodity holders present in one freezing compartment; and

[0035] - Activating a first actuating arrangement for emptying the plurality of frozen solid commodity holders from said freezing compartment; optionally subsequently emptying another selected freezing compartment by repeating the above steps for that freezing compartment.

[0036] In one or more examples of the method, cooling is still applied to the plurality of freezing plates during the step of activating the second actuating arrangement and activating the first actuating arrangement.

[0037] In the method, one freezing compartment at the time is emptied. If all the commodity holders in all the freezing compartments were loosened at the same time, some of them might re-adhere to the freezing plate before the first actuating arrangement is emptying that specific compartment.

[0038] In one or more examples of the method, the one or more actuators are selected from hydraulic actuators or eccentric actuators.

[0039] In one or more examples of the method, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of less than 10 centimetres, such as less than 8 centimetres, such as less than 6 centimetres or such as less than 4 centimetres. In one or more examples, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of between 0.2 centimetres to 10 centimetres, such as between 0.2 centimetres to 8 centimetres, such as between 0.2 centimetres to 6 centimetres or such as between 0.2 centimetres to 4 centimetres. In one or more examples, the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of between 0.5 centimetres to 5 centimetres, such as between 0.5 centimetres to 4 centimetres, such as between 0.8 centimetres to 4 centimetres or such as between 0.8 centimetres to 3 centimetres. In one or more examples of the method, the one or more actuators are configured for impacting the trays horizontally with a predetermined force. In one example, each actuator is configured for applying an impact of between 0.1 to 10 tons.

[0040] In one or more examples, the one or more actuators of the second actuating arrangement is impacting the trays horizontally with a force being greater than the force applied by the first actuating arrangement.

[0041] In one or more examples of the method, the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the plane at which the first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment.

[0042] In one or more examples of the method, the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in the same plane as which the first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment.

[0043] Brief description of figures

[0044] Aspects of the present disclosure will be described in the following with reference to the figures in which:

[0045] Figure 1 shows the steps of loosening the trays from a freezing compartment of a horizontal plate freezer.

[0046] Figure 2 shows one freezing plate comprising four actuators.

[0047] Figure 3 shows two embodiments of a horizontal plate freezer according to the present disclosure where one embodiment shows that the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the plane at which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment and where another embodiment shows that the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in the same plane as which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment. Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a horizontal plate freezer according to the present disclosure comprising an elevating support structure.

[0048] Detailed description of the invention

[0049] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a horizontal plate freezer 100 comprising a plurality of freezing plates 101 separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments 103 in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates 101. Each of the freezing compartments 103 can receive a plurality of commodity holders, such as trays 105, the trays comprising commodities to be frozen or which commodities are frozen.

[0050] The horizontal plate freezer further comprises at least one first actuating arrangement (not shown in figure 1) configured for loading trays 105 into the freezing compartments and / or for emptying trays 105 from the freezing compartments.

[0051] The horizontal plate freezer further comprises at least one second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators 111 , the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting and thereby loosening the trays 105 present in the freezing compartment 103.

[0052] In step ‘a’ of figure 1 , the second actuating arrangement is in the start position. The actuators 111 are not yet impacting the trays 105. In step ‘b’ of figure 1 , the actuators 111 gets in contact with the trays 105 and start pushing the trays 105. In step ‘c’ of figure 1 , the actuators 111 pushes the trays 105 with a force large enough to loosen the trays 105 from the freezing plate 101. In step ‘d’ of figure 1 , the actuators 111 are in max stroke and all the trays 105 impacted by the actuators 111 are loosened from the freezing plate 101. After this, the trays in the freezing compartment is ready to be unloaded. This can be done by activating the first actuating arrangement (not shown in figure 1) for emptying the trays from the freezing compartment.

[0053] Figure 2 shows a simplified drawing of one freezing plate 101 comprising four actuators 111.

[0054] Figure 3 shows two embodiments of the invention. One embodiment where there are two second actuating arrangement present in each freezing compartment in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates. Each of the second actuating arrangements comprises four actuators 111. However, any number of actuators could be chosen. This embodiment can be used in large freezers where it could be beneficial to impact the trays from both sides if e.g. there is a center barrier in the middle of the freezing compartment. The second actuating arrangements are configured for impacting the trays horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the plane at which the at least one first actuating arrangement 107 is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment. After the actuators 111 has loosened the trays in the freezing compartment, the first actuating arrangement 107 can empty said freezing compartment.

[0055] The second embodiment is an alternative, where the second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the trays horizontally in the same plane as which the at least one first actuating arrangement 107’ is activated for emptying trays from said freezing compartment. In the figure, actuators 11 T of the second actuating arrangement is mounted on the first actuating arrangement 107’, so that after the actuators 11 T has loosened the trays in the freezing compartment, the first actuating arrangement 107’ can empty said freezing compartment.

[0056] The at least one first actuating arrangement and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement is controlled by one or more control units (not shown in the figures).

[0057] Figure 4 shows a horizontal plate freezer according to the present disclosure, further comprises an elevating support structure 115 configured for supporting the at least one first actuating arrangement 107 and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement.

[0058] While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments or aspects, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments or aspects. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate in scope with the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments or aspects or combinations of the various embodiments or aspects. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.

[0059] References

[0060] 100 horizontal plate freezer

[0061] 101 freezing plates

[0062] 103 freezing compartments 105 commodity holder(s) or tray(s)

[0063] 107 and 107’ first actuating arrangement

[0064] 111 and 11 T actuator(s)

[0065] 113 center barrier

[0066] 115 elevating support structure

Claims

Claims1 . A horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive a plurality of commodity holders, such as trays, said commodity holders comprising commodities to be frozen or which commodities are frozen, wherein the horizontal plate freezer further comprises: at least one first actuating arrangement configured for loading commodity holders into the freezing compartments and / or for emptying commodity holders from the freezing compartments; and- At least one second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening all the commodity holders present in one freezing compartment before the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying commodity holders from said freezing compartment.

2. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more actuators each has a stroke length of less than 10 centimetres, such as less than 8 centimetres, such as less than 6 centimetres or such as less than 4 centimetres.

3. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of said second actuating arrangements, wherein at least one second actuating arrangement is arranged in each number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates.

4. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the commodity holders horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the plane at which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying commodity holders from said freezing compartment.

5. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one second actuating arrangement is configured for impacting the commodity holders horizontally in the same plane as which the at least one first actuating arrangement is activated for emptying commodity holders from said freezing compartment.

6. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first actuating arrangement and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement is controlled by one or more control units.

7. A horizontal plate freezer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the horizontal plate freezer further comprises an elevating support structure configured for supporting the at least one first actuating arrangement and / or the at least one second actuating arrangement.

8. A Method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders, such as trays comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer, said horizontal plate freezer comprising a plurality of freezing plates separated from each other to create a number of freezing compartments in-between each adjacent pair of freezing plates to receive and hold the commodity holders, wherein the method comprises the following steps:- Activating a second actuating arrangement comprising one or more actuators, said second actuating arrangement being configured for impacting and thereby loosening the plurality of frozen solid commodity holders present in one freezing compartment; and- Activating a first actuating arrangement for emptying the plurality of frozen solid commodity holders from said freezing compartment; optionally subsequently emptying another selected freezing compartment by repeating the above steps for that freezing compartment.

9. A method of emptying a plurality of frozen solid commodity holders comprising frozen commodities from a horizontal plate freezer according to claim 8, where cooling is still applied to the plurality of freezing plates during the step ofactivating the second actuating arrangement and activating the first actuating arrangement.

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