Ejector Venturi Rapid Freezing for Ice Crystal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice cream production methods face challenges in controlling ice crystal growth and achieving optimal eating quality, as they often result in larger ice crystals and require lengthy freezing processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of an ejector venturi system that expands a dense gas to rapidly freeze liquid mixtures, atomizing them into droplets and freezing them instantly, resulting in smaller ice crystals and a creamy texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional scraped surface heat exchanger freezing is used, then freezing process can be continuous and scalable, but ice crystal size becomes too large (30-35 μm) affecting eating quality
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid consumable product mix is divided into numerous small droplets through atomization in the ejector venturi system. This segmentation of the liquid stream into discrete droplets increases the surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling rapid heat transfer and formation of many small ice crystal nuclei rather than fewer large crystals, thus achieving ice crystal sizes smaller than 50 μm while maintaining continuous production capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the freezing process by using expanded dense gas (such as CO2) that undergoes rapid temperature drop upon expansion. This parameter change in the refrigerant temperature and phase state enables instantaneous freezing of the atomized droplets, creating numerous fine ice crystals rather than allowing slow crystal growth that occurs in conventional heat exchangers
2Manufacturing precision
If rapid freezing with low temperature refrigeration is applied, then ice crystal nucleation rate increases, but residence time in freezer must be minimized to limit crystal growth
Solution Approach 1:
The invention rushes through the freezing process by using expanded dense gas to instantaneously freeze the atomized droplets in the ejector venturi system. This skipping of the conventional slow freezing process eliminates the need for extended freezer residence time, as the droplets are frozen in flight before entering the freezer, thereby minimizing crystal growth while maintaining high nucleation rates
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid mix is pre-atomized into fine droplets before freezing occurs. This preliminary atomization action creates numerous small droplets that will each form ice crystal nuclei, ensuring high nucleation rates. The droplets are also pre-cooled slightly before contact with the expanded dense gas, preparing them for instantaneous freezing without requiring long residence time in the freezer
3Stability of the object's composition
If air is incorporated through whipping and pressurized air introduction, then air cell formation improves texture, but ice crystal growth may be promoted during extended freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the air incorporation function and freezing function into a single ejector venturi system. As the liquid mix is atomized and frozen by the expanded dense gas, air is simultaneously incorporated into the forming ice matrix, creating air cells within the frozen structure. This combined process achieves both air cell formation for texture and fine ice crystal formation without the need for separate whipping and freezing steps that would extend processing time
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 achieves near-instant freezing and produces ice cream with ice crystals smaller than 50 μm, improving texture and quality by minimizing crystal growth and incorporating air and gas, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional scraped surface heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
releasing a pressurized inert gas into an ejector venturi system... such that the releasing of the pressurized inert gas through the at least one nozzle creates negative pressure as the inert gas expands within the interior cavity
Implementation Method 2
the liquid consumable product mix is atomized into droplets upon contact with the expanding inert gas
Implementation Method 3
releasing of the pressurized inert gas through the at least one nozzle creates negative pressure as the inert gas expands within the interior cavity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for freezing products including an ejector venture system having a housing, an interior cavity, at least one port with a valve for releasing pressurized fluid into the interior cavity, at least one channel with a valve for introducing liquid product into the interior cavity, freezing liquid product by mixing it with expanding pressurized fluid.