Cryogenic Strand Freezing and Chopping for High-Throughput Ground Food

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food processing methods fail to achieve an optimal combination of rapid temperature reduction and high throughput for extruded, stranded, frozen, and chopped ground food products, which is crucial for controlling microbial growth and ensuring food safety.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a cooling unit with a conveyor belt, a cryogen source, a feeder, a shearing plate, and a chopper, where the cryogen is dispensed at a controlled flow rate to lower the temperature of extruded and stranded ground food products to below freezing, and the shearing plate and chopper are used to cut and chop the products into desired lengths and sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional freezing methods are used for ground food products, then temperature reduction can be achieved, but the throughput rate is slow and cannot meet high-volume production requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature reduction rateVSAvoidthroughput rate

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The freezing process is segmented into multiple zones along the conveyor belt path, with different cryogen application rates and types in each zone. This allows simultaneous optimization of temperature reduction in early zones and throughput maintenance in later zones, resolving the contradiction between fast freezing and high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous freezing along the entire conveyor belt path rather than batch processing. Cryogens are continuously applied at controlled rates throughout the freezing zone, maintaining both rapid temperature reduction and uninterrupted high-volume throughput of ground food products

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If rapid freezing is applied to ground food products, then microbial growth is inhibited, but the processing time and throughput are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrobial growth inhibitionVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system utilizes phase transitions of cryogens (liquid to gas) for rapid heat extraction. This phase change mechanism enables extremely fast freezing that quickly passes through the critical temperature zone where microbial growth occurs, achieving both microbial inhibition and reduced processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The ground food products are pre-cooled before entering the main freezing zone, and cryogens are applied in progressively varying rates along the conveyor. This preliminary and staged approach achieves rapid microbial inhibition while optimizing total processing time for high throughput

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 system efficiently reduces the temperature of ground food products to desired levels within a short time, effectively inhibiting microbial growth and enabling rapid production of safe, frozen, and chopped food products, with the ability to handle large quantities and varied food types.

Implementation Method 1

a cryogen source for feeding cryogen into the cooling region, wherein the cryogen source is adapted to dispense the cryogen at a flow rate sufficient to lower the temperature of the extruded and stranded pieces to a desired temperature at or below freezing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCryogen cooling: Freezing

Implementation Method 2

a conveyor belt for continuously urging extruded and stranded pieces of the ground food product from the inlet through a cooling region in the enclosure and out of the outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConveyor transport:

Implementation Method 3

a shearing plate provided to cut extruded pieces of the ground food product, while being extruded, into strands

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear cutting:

Implementation Method 4

a chopper provided adjacent the outlet of the enclosure and feed by the conveyor belt for chopping the extruded and stranded pieces of the food product after passing through the cooling zone of the enclosure into smaller pieces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical chopping:

Data Source

PatentUS7374579B2System for extruding, cutting in strands, freezing, and chopping a ground food product and method thereof

Publication Date: 2008.05.20 CARGILL INC

AI summary

Disclosed are a method and a system for extruding, cut into strands, cooling, and chopping a ground food product. The system comprises a cooling unit, a conveyor belt urging the pieces through the unit, and a chopper for cutting the pieces exiting the unit. A cryogen source provides cryogen to the cooling unit. A feeder feeds the ground food product onto the conveyor belt adjacent an inlet of the unit. The feeder also extrudes the ground food product through a nozzle to place the stranded pieces onto the conveyor belt. A shear plate cuts the stranded pieces, while being extruded. A hydraulic system moves the shearing plate. The system is adapted to dispense cryogen to the cooling region at a rate sufficient to lower the temperature of the cut stranded pieces to a desired temperature when they exit the unit. A chopper cuts the extruded and stranded pieces immediately after freezing.