Blast Chiller Air Temperature Control to Prevent Surface Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blast chiller control devices fail to automatically adjust cooling conditions to prevent surface freezing of food products while ensuring food safety, as they rely on user estimation and fixed settings, leading to inconsistent results in achieving the required cooling duration and quality.
Innovation Solution
A method that periodically reads core and ambient air temperatures to dynamically set an air temperature setpoint, allowing the cooling process to adapt to the product's characteristics, packaging, and device capacity, ensuring the air temperature remains as low as possible without freezing the surface, using a control system that calculates and adjusts based on temperature differences and cooling time predictions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If low air temperature is used to achieve rapid cooling and food safety, then cooling speed is improved, but product surface freezing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The control device dynamically adjusts the air temperature setpoint during the cooling cycle based on real-time monitoring of product core temperature and cooling rate. The system transitions from aggressive cooling at high temperatures to gentler cooling as the product approaches the target temperature, preventing surface freezing while maintaining rapid overall cooling. This dynamic adjustment is achieved through continuous feedback from temperature probes and adaptive control algorithms that modify the refrigeration system's operation in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the air temperature parameter throughout the cooling process rather than maintaining a constant low temperature. The air temperature setpoint is continuously modified based on the product's thermal state, the cooling phase being executed, and predicted time to target. This parameter variation allows the system to achieve rapid initial cooling when safe, then transition to temperature-moderated cooling near the end to prevent surface freezing.
2Ease of operation
If fixed control settings are used to simplify operation, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to different products and conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs self-adjustment by automatically monitoring product temperature, assessing cooling progress, and modifying air temperature setpoints without user intervention. The system incorporates built-in algorithms that adapt to different product types, loads, and thermal characteristics by analyzing real-time temperature data and adjusting control parameters accordingly. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual setting adjustments while maintaining high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where temperature probes monitor product core temperature, the control device analyzes this data against target parameters and cooling models, and automatically adjusts refrigeration system operation. This closed-loop feedback enables the system to adapt to varying product characteristics, loads, and environmental conditions while maintaining simple operation for the user.
3Productivity
If high cooling capacity is used to reduce cooling time, then productivity is improved, but air temperature drops too rapidly causing surface freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigeration system operates in periodic cycles with varying intensity rather than continuous high-capacity operation. The control device modulates the refrigeration system's capacity throughout the cooling process, applying high cooling power when the product temperature is well above the target, then progressively reducing capacity as the product approaches the final temperature. This periodic modulation maintains productivity while preventing excessive air temperature drops that cause surface freezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts refrigeration capacity in real-time based on product thermal state and cooling phase. The control device continuously monitors temperature differentials, cooling rates, and time to target, then adaptively modifies the refrigeration system's output capacity. This dynamic capacity adjustment enables the system to achieve rapid cooling when safe, then transition to moderated cooling near the end to prevent surface freezing while maintaining overall productivity.
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
This method ensures the cooling process completes within the maximum required duration without surface freezing, adapting to various product and device conditions, thereby ensuring both food safety and quality, even at low device capacities and varying cooling capacities.
Implementation Method 1
at least one core probe that can be inserted into the core of the product
Implementation Method 2
a device for circulating indoor air
Implementation Method 3
cold production equipment with its heat exchanger placed inside the enclosure isothermal
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of controlling a cell that is used for the rapid cooling of a cooked product in order to preserve same, essentially comprising an insulated chamber, an interior air circulation device, a cold production element having a heat exchanger which is generally placed inside the insulated chamber and at least one probe which can be inserted into centre of the product. The inventive method comprises the following steps consisting in: taking a periodic measurement of the internal temperature of the product to be cooled and of the temperature of the ambient air in the chamber; and using said temperature measurements to determine a set value for the temperature of the ambient air inside the chamber regardless of the product type, product structure, product weight in the apparatus, product thickness, product packaging or the capacity of the apparatus. The set temperature value for the ambient air in the chamber is used to control the cold production element until the end of the cooling cycle in order to obtain an internal temperature at the end of the cycle that is less than a pre-determined end internal temperature using a cycle length of less than or equal to a pre-determined maximum cycle length. The invention is suitable for commercial and institutional catering and for the agri-food industry.