Vertical Plate Freezer Spacers for Easy Block Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vertical plate freezers face issues with frozen blocks adhering to sidewalls, requiring high pressure for ejection and necessitating extensive rebuilding to accommodate varying object sizes, leading to operational inefficiencies and delays.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating releasable spacers between freezing plates that can be easily replaced to adjust compartment size, allowing for efficient ejection of blocks and adaptation to different object sizes without disassembling the freezer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If freezing plates are pushed close together to compress material for contact freezing, then freezing efficiency is improved, but block adherence to sidewalls increases requiring high ejection pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall structure is segmented into modular spacers that can be independently positioned and removed. Each spacer creates a localized gap between freezing plates, preventing block adherence at critical points while maintaining overall compression for efficient freezing. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high freezing efficiency and easy block ejection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If freezing compartment size is increased to accommodate larger objects, then versatility is improved, but extensive rebuilding of the freezer is required causing operational downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The freezer configuration becomes dynamic through the use of adjustable spacers that can be quickly installed and removed. This allows the freezing compartment size to be changed on-demand without permanent modifications or extensive rebuilding. Operators can adapt the freezer to different object sizes by simply adjusting spacer positions or quantities, maintaining high operational availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameters of the freezing compartment (specifically the spacing between plates) are made changeable through modular spacers. By changing the spacer configuration, the compartment size parameter can be adjusted to accommodate different object sizes. This parameter change capability provides versatility without requiring structural rebuilding or causing operational downtime.
3Strength
If freezing plates are connected permanently for structural stability, then mechanical strength is improved, but adjustment of plate distance becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into permanent structural elements and removable adjustable elements. The spacers provide stable, strength-tested connections when installed, while their removable nature allows for configuration changes. This segmentation enables the system to achieve both structural stability during operation and adaptability when configuration changes are needed.
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
Enables easy adjustment of freezing compartment size, reduces operational downtime, and prevents block adherence to sidewalls, ensuring smooth ejection and increased flexibility in handling both small and large objects.
Implementation Method 1
The movement of the freezing plates are often carried out by a hydraulic actuator fastened to one of the plates at the end of the freezer and in such a way that the plates are pulled to and from each other by activating the actuator
Implementation Method 2
a cooling agent is let into the freezing plates in such a way that the freezing starts, this is called contact freezing
Implementation Method 3
warm gas is led into the freezing plates in such a way that a surface of the blocks of frozen material thaws towards the freezing plates
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is related to a vertical plate freezer comprising a number of freezing plates 1 being arranged vertically side by side with intervening freezing compartment 2. The freezing plates 1 are moveable in the longitudinal direction of the freezer, and are mutually connected to each other via intervening, releasable spacers 3 constituting sidewalls in the freezing compartment 2. The invention also concerns such spacers.