Blast Cell Suction Channels to Prevent Air Flow Short Cycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blast freezing technologies face inefficiencies in air circulation, leading to high energy consumption and uneven cooling, particularly in large-scale applications where turbulence and short cycling of air flow through pallets hinder effective temperature uniformity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a blast cell system with suction channels and air flow guides, such as turning vanes and ramps, to create independent fluid pathways and streamline air flow, preventing short cycling and reducing turbulence, thereby enhancing air circulation efficiency and temperature uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional air blast freezing is used for large-scale cooling, then large volumes of goods can be cooled, but high energy consumption occurs due to turbulence and short cycling of air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The blast cell is divided into multiple independent fluid pathways, with each pathway serving a specific pallet position. This segmentation prevents air flow short cycling by ensuring that air drawn from one pathway does not immediately re-enter the same pathway, thereby reducing turbulence and improving energy efficiency while maintaining the ability to cool large volumes of goods across multiple pallets simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the blast cell are assigned different functions through localized air flow control. Air intake pathways are positioned to draw air from specific locations, while air discharge pathways are strategically located to release air in a manner that prevents short cycling. This local differentiation of air flow characteristics reduces overall turbulence and energy consumption while maintaining effective cooling across the entire volume of goods
2Temperature
If conventional air circulation is used in blast cells, then cooling can be performed, but uneven temperature distribution occurs due to turbulence and short cycling
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the air circulation system into independent fluid pathways for each pallet position, the patent ensures that air flow is distributed evenly across all cooling zones. Each pathway operates independently, preventing turbulence-induced short cycling that would cause temperature variations, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution throughout the blast cell
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate air flow guidance structures that mediate between the air source and the pallets. These intermediaries direct air flow along predetermined paths, preventing direct short cycling and ensuring that air reaches all pallet positions with consistent velocity and temperature, thereby improving temperature uniformity while maintaining stable air flow conditions
3Ease of manufacture
If simple blast cell design is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but air flow efficiency is reduced due to turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a segmented air circulation design where multiple independent fluid pathways are created using simple structural elements. This segmentation approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving cooling efficiency by eliminating turbulence and short cycling, allowing the system to cool large volumes of goods effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates curved air flow guides and rounded corners in the air pathways to reduce turbulence. These curved elements are integrated into the simple overall design, maintaining ease of manufacture while significantly improving air flow efficiency and cooling productivity by preventing eddy currents and flow separation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in lower energy costs, faster cooling, and more uniform temperature distribution across different levels in the blast cell, improving overall cooling efficiency and scalability without requiring additional electric devices or complex operations.
Implementation Method 1
Convective air blast freezing is a process by which freezing of items like foodstuffs is facilitated by flowing very cold air over the items via mechanical force
Implementation Method 2
The suction channels can be designed to provide independent fluid pathways that are in fluid communication with different levels in a bay space of a blast cell, such that air flow that has passed through the respective levels is partitioned and pulled through the independent channels to a fan that operates to draw air from the bay space in the blast cell
Implementation Method 3
The turning vanes are configured to be curved so that the air passing through the turning vanes are streamlined
Data Source
AI summary
A blast cell system is provided with simple and scalable designs that prevent short cycling of air flow through any pallets in blast cells. The blast cell includes a plurality of suction channels that provide independent fluid pathways for directing the air drawn from different rows in the blast cell into the fan.