Apparatus and method for hyper freezing of solid substances

Abstract

An apparatus and method for rapid freezing of solid substances using a freezing chamber with a nozzle system. The inner portion of the freezing chamber comprises angular walls where CO2 fluid is projected through a nozzle system, allowing the liquid to rebound off the chamber walls to directly and indirectly freeze the food items. As such, small volumes of substances are frozen efficiency and rapidly while preserving the freshness and quality of the frozen products.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTIONApparatus and method for hyper freezing of solid substancesCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 690,688, entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RAPID FREEZING OF SOLID SUBSTANCES”, and filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office on September 4, 2024, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to freezing apparatuses and methods, specifically to a system designed for the rapid or hyper freezing of solid substances using cryogenic liquids. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatuses and method for rapidly or hyper freezing solid substances, such as food or biological tissues, using a closed chamber and indirect flows of carbonic gas to enhance the preservation of freshness and taste in food / biological tissues items.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The freezing of food items has long been a critical aspect of food preservation, particularly for maintaining freshness over extended periods. Traditional methods often involve direct spraying of cryogenic liquids such as liquid CO2 or nitrogen, which can lead to uneven freezing and potential degradation of food quality. For instance, current practices typically involve spraying liquid CO2 directly onto food items while the said food items move on a conveyor belt. The spray of liquid CO2 freezes the items over time. However, such direct methods can result in loss of taste and texture due to the harsh exposure to freezing agents and to the duration of the freezing process.

[0004] There exists a need for a method and apparatus that optimize the freezing process by reducing direct contact between the cryogenic liquid and the food items, thereby preserving the natural taste and texture of the food while still achieving hyper freezing which allows freezing at speed faster than super freezing.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The shortcomings of the prior art are generally mitigated by providing an apparatus and method for rapid freezing of solid substances, which overcomes the shortcomings of traditional direct freezing methods. The apparatus includes a freezing chamber that is typically angular, such as rectangular, and is equipped with a nozzle system at a base or at a top portion. The nozzle is adapted to project cryogenic liquids, such as liquid CO2 or nitrogen, through multiple small holes with a diameter of 0.15 millimeters each. The nozzle may operate at a standard pressure of 835 psi. As the liquid is projected upwards, the said liquid directly hits the substance to be frozen and / or rebounds off the walls of the chamber and indirectly contacts the food items placed within the chamber.

[0006] This indirect approach not only aims at accelerating the freezing process but also at preserving the quality of the frozen items by minimizing the direct impact of the cryogenic liquid. The freezing chamber may have dimensions starting from 10 cm by 10 cm by 5 cm and can be scaled up to accommodate larger volumes, with a maximum dimension of 30 cm by 30 cm by 15 cm, using the same nozzle configuration. This The apparatus is generally versatile and adaptable for various applications, from small-scale food processing to larger industrial needs. As such, it may be used for small volumes of solid substances to be frozen.

[0007] Unlike prior art methods where the cryogenic liquid directly contacts the food items, the invention’s chamber has a closed design that generally aims at facilitating indirect freezing. The liquid is initially directed towards the substance and / or the walls of the chamber to create rebounds, creating a ricochet effect that evenly distributes the cold throughout the chamber. In some aspect of the invention, the freezing liquid does not only directly hit the food items but hit the same indirectly, thus preserving the taste and texture of the substance while still achieving rapid freezing.

[0008] The system further aims at improving preservation of food freshness. Rapid freezing generally helps to maintain the freshness of the food by minimizing the time the food spends in the freezing phase, thereby reducing ice crystal formation that can damage the cell structure of the food. Such preservation of freshness is particularly important for delicate items such as fish and vegetables, where texture and taste are critical. Additionally,the apparatus can be used to freeze items directly within packaging, such as sealing fish in vacuum bags before freezing, which further protects the integrity of the food.

[0009] Moreover, in yet another aspect of the invention, the apparatus may be capable of achieving a double-freezing process. This involves initially freezing the food items rapidly, allowing them to be thawed and then re-frozen if necessary, without significant loss of quality or freshness. This capability may be particularly advantageous in scenarios where refreezing is needed, and it is made possible by the rapid and gentle freezing process facilitated by the apparatus.

[0010] In another aspect of the invention, the nozzle may be centered in a plane XY at the base or at the top of the chamber. The nozzle may comprise small holes or apertures that allow the cryogenic liquid to be projected in a controlled manner. The chamber itself comprises angles that generally help direct the rebounded liquid back towards the center, thus aiming at enhancing the efficiency of the freezing process. The centered nozzle generally ensures that the food items receive a consistent application of cold, thus maintaining uniformity in freezing.

[0011] In an aspect of the invention, an apparatus for the hyper freezing of solid substances is provided. The apparatus comprises a cryogenic fluid source, a freezing chamber comprising a fluid nozzle in fluid communication with the cryogenic fluid source and inner edges for rebounding the fluid projected out of the nozzle to rebound and indirectly lands on the solid substance placed within the freezing chamber.

[0012] The freezing chamber may comprise angular inner walls and may be a rectangular prism. The freezing chamber may comprise a bottom surface having an aperture, the nozzle being mounted to the aperture to allow passage of the fluid inside the freezing chamber.

[0013] The nozzle may comprise a plurality of openings, such as but not limited to between 4 and 8 openings. Each opening of the nozzle may have a diameter large enough to limit formation of dry ice within the openings and small enough to maintain a debit reducing waste of freezing fluid. Each of the openings of the nozzle may have a diameter between 0.15 millimetres and 0.25 millimetres.

[0014] The nozzle may have an operating pressure of about 835 psi. The freezing chamber may have a width between 10 and 30 cm, a length between 10 and 30 cm and a height between 5 and 15 cm.

[0015] The freezing chamber may further comprise a substance support tray positioned above the nozzle at a height allowing the fluid to land of the substance after rebounding in the freezing chamber. The support tray may be adapted to vary the height of the substance within the freezing chamber. The support tray may comprise opening to allow passage of the freezing fluid toward the substance to be frozen.

[0016] The apparatus may comprise a cover over the freezing chamber and at least one opening to allow freezing fluid to exhaust from the freezing chamber.

[0017] In yet another embodiment, a method of freezing a solid substance is provided. The method comprises positioning the solid substance to be frozen at an height within a freezing chamber, sealing the freezing chamber, and projecting a plurality of freezing fluid jets within the freezing chamber to indirectly land on the substance for a predetermined time until the substance is frozen.

[0018] The predetermined time may be selected based on at least one of a volume, a density, a weight, or a water-content parameter of the solid substance to be frozen. The method may further comprise varying the height of the substance to be frozen within the freezing chamber based on the type of substance to be frozen or may comprise projecting the freezing fluid jets to rebound on inner angular wall of the freezing chamber and to land on the substance to be frozen. The method may further comprise thawing and refreezing the frozen substance without significant degradation in quality.

[0019] Other and further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a photograph of the Apparatus for rapid freezing of solid substances according to the principles of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a photograph of a piece of salmon in a pressurized plastic bag inserted into the freezing chamber according to the principles of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a photograph of a piece of salmon inserted into the freezing chamber without a plastic bag according to the principles of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a photograph of the freezing chamber being set up using a knob according to the principles of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a photograph of the freezing chamber during the freezing process according to the principles of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a photograph of the opened freezing chamber after the freezing process is completed, showing the frozen piece of salmon according to the principles of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] A novel apparatus and method for Rapid Freezing of Solid Substances will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, an apparatus 100 for rapidly freezing solid substances is provided. The apparatus 100 comprises a freezing chamber 10, a CO2 fluid source 20, a fluid nozzle 30 in fluid communication with the fluid source 20 and a cover or door 40 to access the freezing chamber 10. The freezing chamber 10 is preferably angular, such as being a rectangular prism. The inner edges inside the freezing chamber 10 allows the liquid projected out of the nozzle to rebound and indirectly lands on the solid substance placedwithin the chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle 30 is positioned underneath the chamber 10 and the chamber 10 comprises one or more apertures 12 to allow passage of the fluid from the nozzle 30 to inside the chamber 10.

[0029] The freezing chamber 10 is typically made of material that can withstand extremely cold temperatures and large temperature ranges, such as stainless steel or aluminum. The freezing chamber 10 dimensions are typically reduced to allow freezing small quantities of solid substances. As an example, the size of the freezing chamber 10 may have a width of 10 cm, a length of 10 cm and a height of 5 cm combined with a nozzle operating at a pressure of 835 psi. Using the same operating pressure of the nozzle, the chamber may be dimensioned to a width of 30 cm, a length of 30 cm and a height of 15 cm. In such example, the nozzle system 30 may comprise a plurality of apertures 32, such as eight (8) apertures having a diameter of 0.15 millimeters. In yet other embodiments, the nozzle may comprise a plurality of apertures having diameter of 0.25 millimetres. The nozzle may comprise one or more apertures, such as but not limited to four (4) or eight (8). The apertures 32 are generally positioned to project the freezing fluid in a uniform and controlled pattern. The nozzle may operate at different desired pressures but preferably at 835 psi. The ratio between the inner volume of the freezing chamber and the debit of the nozzle 30 is important to maintain the consistency and efficiency of the freezing process. As such, the same pressure with a very large freezing chamber 30 would not result in rapid and consistent freezing. As such, the freezing of different volumes of substances to be frozen may be performed by adding other nozzles or by varying the volume of the freezing chamber while respecting predetermined ratios, such as the above-mentioned ratios.

[0030] The size of the apertures or openings of the nozzle 30 is important to the efficacity and speed of the apparatus 100. If the openings are too small, such as but not limited to under 0.15 millimeters, turbulence happens within the opening which create dry ice within the said opening, thus blocking or substantially limiting the flow of freezing fluid. Otherwise, if the opening have a diameter too large, such as but not limited to over 0.25 millimeters, the debit of freezing fluid is too high thus freezing fluid lands on the substance to be frozen and then overflow of freezing fluid lands on the bottom of the freezing chamber 10. As such, the efficiency is reduced as freezing fluid is wasted on the bottom of the freezing chamber 10.

[0031] The fluid source 20 is typically embodied as a bottle or canister filled with CO2 gas. Understandably, any type of bottle may be used to provide the fluid source 20 or any type of direct gas delivery system.

[0032] The apparatus may further comprise a housing 50 and a controller 60. The housing 50 may be made of any type of rigid material. The apparatus 100 may comprise a door or removable cover 40. In such embodiment, the removable cover 40 is on top of the housing and covers the freezing chamber 10 while in use. The cover 40 or housing 50 may comprise one or more apertures 42 or 52 to allow the freezing fluid or any gas to be exhausted from the freezing chamber 10 (see, as an example, FIG. 4).

[0033] In other embodiments, the freezing chamber 10 may comprise a surface 14 to maintain the substance to be frozen above the nozzle. The surface 14 may be a mesh or may comprise aperture to let the freezing fluid passthrough toward the substance to be frozen. The perforated surface 14 may be held in place with grooves formed within the freezing chamber 10 or any other means to hold the same in place. As such, the freezing chamber may comprise multiple grooves to vary the height of the surface 14 above the nozzle.

[0034] Still referring to FIGS. 1-6, a method 200 for rapidly freezing solid substances is provided. The method 200 generally comprises inserting or laying solid substance, such as food, within the freezing chamber 202, closing, and preferably sealing, the freezing chamber 10 with the inserted solid substance 204, projecting freezing fluid within the freezing chamber 10 from a central location of the freezing chamber 10 for a predetermined period of time 206 and removing the frozen solid substance from the freezing chamber 10.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the step for inserting the substance item 202 into the freezing chamber 10 is illustrated. The step may further comprise positioning the solid substance to be frozen within the freezing chamber 10. The step 202 generally aims at ensuring that the inserted solid substance item is correctly aligned with the one or more nozzle to create rebounds of the freezing fluid within inner walls of the freezing chamber 10.

[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the step to close, and preferably seal, the freezing chamber 204 is illustrated. In such embodiment, the freezing chamber is closed to create acontrolled freezing environment. The method may further comprise a user setting the freezing time, fluid debit and / or any other parameters on the freezing apparatus. The user may use knobs and buttons to set the said parameters.

[0037] The step to project CO2 fluid through using a nozzle may comprise projecting the fluid from the base of the freezing chamber or from a top inner portion of the freezing chamber. As such, the nozzle preferably projects the fluid from a central portion of the top inner portion or bottom inner portion of the freezing chamber. As such, the fluid is projected in a manner that substantially centers the flow within the freezing chamber. The liquid rebounds off the chamber walls, creating a ricochet effect that evenly distributes the cold throughout the chamber. The said indirect application ensures that the solid substance is subjected to a consistent and fast freezing environment. The expedited freezing process substantially reduces the likelihood of loss of freshness or of freezing damages associated with the freezing agent.

[0038] The steps for leaving the solid substance within the freezing chamber while the freezing fluid is projected may comprise leaving for a predetermined period calculated as a function of the volume, density, weight, proportion of water content and / or any parameter affecting the time for freezing. In the illustrated embodiment, the food item was left for between 65 and 90 seconds under a flow of freezing fluid within the freezing chamber

[0039] Referring now to FIG. 6, the steps for removing the food item from the chamber 208 is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, once the freezing process is complete or the predetermined period of time has lapsed, the food item is removed from the freezing chamber. After removal, the food or frozen solid substance can be transferred to a conventional freezer for further storage if necessary. This sequence allows for continued freezing, ensuring that the item reaches the desired level of preservation without compromising its quality.

[0040] These steps are designed to freeze items rapidly, which is crucial for maintaining the freshness and taste of the food. By minimizing the time food spends in the freezing phase, the invention reduces the formation of large ice crystals that can compromise the texture and quality of the food. This is particularly beneficial for delicate items such as fish and vegetables, where texture is a key quality attribute.

[0041] In other embodiments, the apparatus 100 and method 200 may comprise inserting the substance to be frozen within packaging, such as vacuum-sealed bags. As such, the packaging comprising the substance is inserted in the freezing chamber 10 and removed at the end of the process. In such embodiment, such as with food items, the substance may be inserted in the bag as soon as it was processed, fish, cooked, etc. As such, the lost of freshness of the inserted substance is minimized. In some embodiment, the substance may be inserted in bags and preserved immediately after harvest or catch, such as on fishing boats or in farm operations, may be transported in a sealed packaging and may be frozen at another location. In yet other embodiments, the apparatus 100 may be installed directly at the processing, harvesting, fishing, or any other type of activity and may be used to freeze food as soon as possible, thus ensure a fresh and crispy food item.

[0042] The invention also contemplates the use of this freezing method in a doublefreezing process. This involves initially freezing the food items rapidly, allowing for a subsequent thawing and refreezing without significant degradation in quality. This capability is made possible by the rapid and gentle nature of the freezing process facilitated by the apparatus.

[0043] The chamber’s design, including its angled structure, further enhances the efficiency of the freezing process. The angles in the chamber walls are specifically configured to direct the rebounded liquid back towards the center of the chamber, ensuring that the food items receive a consistent and thorough application of cold. This configuration optimizes the freezing efficiency and helps to maintain the uniformity of the frozen product.

[0044] The method 200 and apparatus 100 may be used to freeze any type of solid substances, such as but not limited to foods, such as vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, etc., biological tissues, etc. In some experiments, celeries, strawberries and salmon fillets where successfully frozen and thaw. As a result, the food items were found to be fresher and to a have kept their original texture as compared to prior art freezing methods.

[0045] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may beotherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An apparatus for the hyper freezing of solid substances comprising: a cryogenic fluid source; a freezing chamber comprising: a fluid nozzle in fluid communication with the cryogenic fluid source; and inner edges for rebounding the fluid projected out of the nozzle to rebound and indirectly lands on the solid substance placed within the freezing chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the freezing chamber comprising angular inner walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the freezing chamber being a rectangular prism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the freezing chamber comprising a bottom surface having an aperture, the nozzle being mounted to the aperture to allow passage of the fluid inside the freezing chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the nozzle comprising a plurality of openings.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, the nozzle comprising between 4 and 8 openings.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, each opening of the nozzle having a diameter large enough to limit formation of dry ice within the openings and small enough to maintain a debit reducing waste of freezing fluid.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, each the openings of the nozzle having a diameter between 0.15 millimetres and 0.25 millimetres.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the nozzle having an operating pressure of about 835 psi.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the freezing chamber having a width between 10 and 30 cm, a length between 10 and 30 cm and a height between 5 and 15 cm.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, the freezing chamber further comprising a substance support tray positioned above the nozzle at a height allowing the fluid to land of the substance after rebounding in the freezing chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the support tray being adapted to vary the height of the substance within the freezing chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the support tray comprising opening to allow passage of the freezing fluid toward the substance to be frozen.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a cover over the freezing chamber and at least one opening to allow freezing fluid to exhaust from the freezing chamber.

15. A method of freezing a solid substance, comprising: positioning the solid substance to be frozen at an height within a freezing chamber; sealing the freezing chamber; and projecting a plurality of freezing fluid jets within the freezing chamber to indirectly land on the substance for a predetermined time until the substance is frozen.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined time is selected based on at least one of a volume, a density, a weight, or a water-content parameter of the solid substance to be frozen.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising varying the height of the substance to be frozen within the freezing chamber based on the type of substance to be frozen.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising projecting the freezing fluid jets to rebound on inner angular wall of the freezing chamber and to land on the substance to be frozen.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising thawing and refreezing the frozen substance without significant degradation in quality.

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