Freezing facility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing freezing facilities do not effectively convey frozen materials from the first vertical plate freezer to the second while freezing is in progress in the subsequent freezer, leading to inefficiencies in the transfer process.
Innovation Solution
An additional conveyor is introduced that can move between active and inactive positions, bridging the gap between the two freezers to continuously transfer discharged contents from the first freezer to the second, allowing the second freezer's bottom to move from its first position to its second position for emptying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the second vertical plate freezer's bottom is moved to the second position for emptying, then the freezing chambers are opened downwards for content discharge, but the gap between freezers prevents continuous conveyance of frozen materials from the first freezer
Solution Approach 1:
The additional conveyor is designed to be movable between an active position (bridging the gap) and an inactive position (allowing freezer bottom movement). This dynamic repositioning enables the system to switch between continuous conveyance mode and emptying mode, resolving the contradiction between maintaining productivity during freezer bottom movement and ensuring ease of emptying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional conveyor acts as an intermediary element that temporarily bridges the gap between the first and second freezers. When positioned in the active state, it mediates the transfer of frozen materials during the emptying operation of the second freezer, ensuring continuous productivity while the freezer bottom moves to the second position.
2Productivity
If an additional conveyor is introduced to bridge the gap and enable continuous transfer, then productivity is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additional conveyor is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a gap-bridging conveyor during emptying operations and as part of the continuous conveyance system during normal operation. This universal design reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional conveyor's ability to dynamically reposition between active and inactive positions allows a single component to fulfill multiple functions: bridging the gap during emptying and enabling continuous conveyance during normal operation. This dynamic design reduces the number of permanent structural elements needed, thereby limiting complexity increase.
3Productivity
If the additional conveyor is positioned in the active state to bridge the gap, then continuous conveyance is enabled, but the freezer bottom movement is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The additional conveyor is designed with dynamic repositioning capability, allowing it to switch between an active position (bridging the gap for continuous conveyance) and an inactive position (allowing freezer bottom movement). This dynamic adaptability ensures that the system can alternate between continuous conveyance mode and emptying mode, resolving the contradiction between maintaining productivity and preserving operational versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system operates in periodic cycles where the additional conveyor alternates between active and inactive positions synchronized with the freezer bottom's movement cycles. During emptying operations, the conveyor is inactive to allow bottom movement; during normal operation, it is active to bridge the gap. This periodic action pattern enables both continuous conveyance and freezer bottom movement capability to be maintained at different times in the operational cycle.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A freezing facility (1), comprising a first vertical plate freezer (A) and a second vertical plate freezer (B), which second vertical plate freezer (B) is placed after the first plate freezer (A) in a longitudinal direction (L), forming a gap (M), wherein the freezing facility comprises an additional conveyor (60) adapted to be moved between: a) an active position, wherein it bridges the gap (M) to continuously transfer said discharged contents (F) away from the conveyor (45) of the first vertical plate freezer (A) to the conveyor (45) of the second vertical plate freezer (B), and b) an inactive position, wherein the additional conveyor (60) allows for movement of the freezer bottom (35) of the second vertical plate freezer (B) from its first position towards its second position..