Processes and devices for freezing organic products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current freezing methods for organic products result in quality deterioration and uneven freezing, leading to freezer burns and drip loss due to temperature fluctuations and cold air flow inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A process and device using a double-walled tank with a semi-rigid foam insulation and a freezing solvent, such as a dehydrated ethanol solution with antifreeze additives, maintained at a predefined temperature by a cooling unit and nitrogen circulation, ensuring uniform cooling and preventing water molecule migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cold air flow at temperatures of -20 to -40 degree Celsius is used for freezing, then the freezing process can be completed, but the cold air fails to come into contact with various portions of the products causing uneven freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a freezing solvent as an intermediary medium between the cold air and the product. The solvent absorbs heat from the product through conduction and convection, enabling uniform heat transfer to all surfaces of the product including inner portions and bottom surfaces that cold air cannot reach directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses liquid freezing solvent instead of gaseous cold air to achieve better heat transfer. The liquid solvent can flow around and contact all surfaces of the product, providing uniform freezing through hydraulic action rather than pneumatic flow.
2Productivity
If blast freezers use blower fans to force cold air across the contents for rapid freezing, then freezing speed increases, but temperature gradients create additional impetus for water molecules to move causing freezer burns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical blower fan system with a passive heat transfer system using freezing solvent. The solvent naturally circulates through conduction and convection without requiring forced air flow, eliminating temperature gradients and the mechanical components that cause them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameters of the freezing environment by using a liquid solvent with higher heat capacity and thermal conductivity compared to cold air. This allows rapid heat extraction without creating the temperature gradients that cause water migration and freezer burn.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If freezing environment has temperature fluctuations, then the freezing process can proceed, but water molecules undergo sublimation and migrate towards the surface causing dehydration and shriveled appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an inert thermal environment using freezing solvent that maintains stable, uniform temperature throughout the product. This prevents the temperature fluctuations that drive water sublimation and migration, thereby preventing quality deterioration while extending shelf life.
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 solution achieves uniform freezing of organic products to -195°C in a short time, preventing freezer burns and drip loss, and extends the shelf life of frozen products to 36 months with maintained quality.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling unit (e.g. cooling coils that circulate a refrigerant) that is coupled to the tank
Implementation Method 2
passing nitrogen in one of a gaseous and a liquid form through at least one inlet port of the tank into the freezing solvent to bring the temperature of the freezing solvent to the predefined temperature
Implementation Method 3
the freezing tank is a double walled tank insulated with a semi rigid foam material (e.g. polyurethane foam)
Implementation Method 4
water molecules present within the frozen products undergo sublimation... water molecules in a frozen product placed in a freezing environment (e.g. a freezer) vibrate and migrate towards a surface of the product
Implementation Method 5
the organic product is immersed during the freezing process... in which the organic product is at a temperature higher than the predefined temperature
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process of freezing an organic product using a freezing device. The process includes introducing an organic product inside a tank of the freezing device containing a freezing solvent set to a predefined temperature. The freezing solvent is an alcohol/aqueous based solution including at least one inhibitor. Nitrogen is passed in a form of bubbles into the freezing solvent through a gas permeable structure placed inside the tank. The freezing solvent is circulated from the tank, through a liquid transmission means and back into the tank using a pump to maintain the freezing solvent at the predefined temperature. The freezing solvent is agitated using at least one agitator placed within the tank. The steps of passing nitrogen, circulating and agitating the freezing solvent are performed until a core temperature of the organic product reaches the predefined temperature.