Through-flow Freezer Startup with Blocking Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing through-flow freezers for ice cream production face challenges in reducing the time and waste ice cream material required to reach stable continuous production conditions during startup.
Innovation Solution
A through-flow freezer configuration with inlet and outlet blocking devices, allowing air to be introduced to entrap mix and air at desired overrun levels within the freezing cylinder, coupled with a method that involves blocking pipe passages to ensure air-tight conditions and controlled pressure, enabling immediate achievement of desired overrun and viscosity during startup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the freezing cylinder is filled with mix before cooling and air is added during startup, then the desired overrun can be achieved, but it takes several minutes to reach stable production conditions and waste ice cream is produced
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet and outlet blocking devices are closed before air is introduced into the freezing cylinder during startup. This preliminary blocking action prevents mix leakage and allows air to be trapped effectively, enabling the desired overrun to be achieved immediately from the start of production rather than requiring several minutes to stabilize.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking devices act as intermediaries that control the timing of air introduction and mix flow. By closing these blocking devices during startup, the system mediates between the need to add air for overrun and the need to maintain continuous flow, allowing stable conditions to be reached immediately.
2Manufacturing precision
If air is introduced during startup to achieve desired overrun, then product quality is improved, but waste ice cream material is produced during the stabilization period
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking devices are closed preliminarily before air introduction during startup. This ensures that air is trapped effectively and the desired overrun is achieved from the very beginning of production, eliminating the need to discard ice cream produced during a stabilization period and thus preventing waste.
3Reliability
If the inlet and outlet blocking devices are closed during startup, then air-tight conditions and controlled pressure are achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking devices serve multiple functions: they block mix during normal operation, enable air introduction during startup, and maintain pressure control. By making these existing components multi-functional, the system achieves reliable pressure control during startup without adding separate dedicated devices, thus limiting the increase in system complexity.
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 significantly reduces the time and waste ice cream material needed to achieve stable continuous production, ensuring the correct mixture and pressure are maintained from the outset, thereby enhancing production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun in the freezing cylinder can be entrapped in the freezing cylinder by introducing air via the air inlet
Implementation Method 2
a freezing cylinder for making ice cream by freezing an ice cream mix
Implementation Method 3
cooling the freezing cylinder from its outside using a liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising a freezing cylinder, an inlet pipe, an inlet blocking device, an air inlet, an outlet pipe and an outlet blocking device, wherein, at least in one operational mode of the through-flow freezer, the inlet blocking device and the outlet blocking device are closed such that a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun in the freezing cylinder can be entrapped in the freezing cylinder by introducing air via the air inlet. Furthermore, a method for starting up a through-flow freezer is disclosed comprising the step of adding air through the air inlet until a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to a desired overrun is entrapped in the freezing cylinder and a certain cylinder pressure is reached in the freezing cylinder before starting the cooling of the freezing cylinder.