Rotating Water-Bath Thawing for Uniform Frozen Block Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thawing methods for block-shaped frozen articles result in uneven thawing, with earlier thawed articles being damaged and differing in quality from later thawed ones, and are either inefficient or complex in operation.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that generate a first stream of liquid to surround and rotate the frozen block within a reservoir, with secondary and tertiary streams managing the thawing process to ensure uniform thawing and separate earlier thawed articles for continuous processing, using a cylindrical configuration and adjustable flow rates to direct the streams effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If physical energy (steam, gas, high-humidity air, microwaves) is continuously supplied to thaw block-shaped frozen articles, then thawing efficiency is improved, but articles thawed in earlier periods are damaged and quality becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethawing efficiencyVSAvoidquality uniformity of thawed articles

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention separates the discharge of thawed articles into two distinct streams: an early discharge stream for articles thawed in earlier periods and a late discharge stream for articles thawed in later periods. This segmentation allows different quality articles to be discharged separately, maintaining quality uniformity within each stream while preserving overall thawing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention performs preliminary separation of thawed articles based on their thawing time before final discharge. By identifying and separating early-thawed articles from late-thawed articles, the system prepares them for different discharge destinations, preventing quality mixing and ensuring uniform quality in each discharge stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If a mechanism is added to take earlier thawed articles out before later thawed articles, then quality uniformity is improved, but device complexity and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality uniformity of thawed articlesVSAvoidcomplexity of separation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the natural convection currents and density differences that occur during the thawing process itself to separate early-thawed articles from late-thawed articles. The system requires no external complex separation mechanism; instead, it allows the thawing process to automatically create the separation needed, with articles naturally moving to different discharge streams based on their thawing state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs fluid dynamics, specifically water current patterns and density-based separation, to automatically divide thawed articles into early and late discharge streams. By manipulating water flow patterns in the thawing tank, the system achieves separation without mechanical complexity, using hydraulic principles to guide articles to appropriate discharge locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If merely convection of water is used to thaw frozen articles, then articles are less damaged, but thawing time becomes much longer and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to thawed articlesVSAvoidthawing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the gentle convection-based thawing method with the quality separation mechanism. By combining these two approaches, the system achieves both low damage to articles (through gentle convection) and high efficiency (through automated separation of early and late thawed articles into different streams, enabling continuous processing without quality compromise).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 approach efficiently thaws block-shaped frozen articles without damage, ensuring uniform quality and continuous operation by rotating the block within the reservoir and using strategically directed streams to separate and discharge thawed articles earlier, thus overcoming the inefficiencies and quality issues of previous methods.

Implementation Method 1

utilize a water current in the reservoir to rotate a block-shaped object to be thawed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

thawing the object introduced into the reservoir while it is rotated on its axis by the first stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS7550696B2Thawing method and apparatus for articles to be thawed

Publication Date: 2009.06.23 AJINOMOTO CO INC

AI summary

This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for thawing an object to be thawed. The method of thawing an object to be thawed according to the present invention comprises a step of generating a first stream (F1) inside of a reservoir (8) containing liquid by supplying additional liquid into the reservoir. The first stream flows to surround the object to be thawed introduced into the reservoir (8). The method further comprises a step of thawing the object to be thawed introduced into the reservoir (8) while it is rotated on its axis by the first stream (F1).