METHOD FOR PREVENTION OF PRODUCT WEIGHT LOSSES DURING FREEZING THEREOF AND DEVICE FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: methods for preserving meat and fish products, particularly by freezing thereof.

SUBSTANCE: method involves transporting product by conveyer belt, supplying descending cold air flow with fine hoarfrost crystals to product arranged in dense layer; grinding hoarfrost by mechanical cleaning and damage of hoarfrost layer deposited on cold heat-exchanging product surface and by generating centrifugal forces in air-and-hoarfrost flow rotating in vortex air cooler pipe which results in pressing hoarfrost to pipe wall due to difference in air and hoarfrost densities and in hoarfrost friction against pipe wall along with hoarfrost grinding. As a result turbulent boundary layer is obtained which increases heat and mass transfer. Conveyer belt is corrugated. Device for product weight reduction includes heat insulated chamber, conveyer belt for product transportation, vortex air coolers with hoarfrost removal means, axial fans for air flow swirling, two-phase flow supply means. Air and fine hoarfrost crystals are fed at angle α = 25^o - 75^o to heat exchanger tube generator. Transversal partition arranged in upper tube part forms closed air-tight circulation loop between air cooler and product so that high-speed descending flow of air containing hoarfrost crystals passes over product.

EFFECT: decreased mass losses, increased heat and mass transfer, reduced size.

3 cl, 3 dwg