Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080199576 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING TREATMENT TO A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF FOOD PRODUCT USING A VACUUM - An apparatus and method for providing treatment to a continuous supply of food product using a vacuum process includes compartments for receiving, treating and expelling food products that are delivered to the apparatus on a continuous basis. The compartments have different pressures therein and in a preferred embodiment are separated from each other within the apparatus to treat the food product on a continual basis, as opposed to a batch-by-batch basis. | 08-21-2008 |
20090047404 | CROSS-FLOW SPIRAL HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM - A heat transfer system for refrigeration and/or heating of products includes a housing having an internal chamber, a baffle, a spiral pathway around the baffle, a gas flow pathway and a blower to circulate gas along the gas flow pathway. The baffle separates the chamber into upper and lower portions. The spiral pathway includes an upper spiral pathway within the upper portion, and a lower spiral pathway within the lower portion. The gas flow pathway includes an upper gas flow pathway across the upper spiral pathway and a lower gas flow pathway across the lower spiral pathway in which gas flow in the upper and lower gas flow pathways defines a circulation loop. The width of the upper gas flow pathway and upper spiral pathway are similar, and the width of the lower gas flow pathway and lower spiral pathway are similar. | 02-19-2009 |
20100139297 | AIR CYCLE REFRIGERATION CAPACITY CONTROL SYSTEM - The present invention describes a method and apparatus for controlling the operating pressure of a Reverse Brayton type refrigeration device | 06-10-2010 |
20100162729 | Liquid CO2 Passive Subcooler - A refrigeration process including supplying chilled CO | 07-01-2010 |
20100162734 | Self-Chilling Container - A self-chilling container, including an outer wall and an inner wall defining at least one adsorption chamber in a space provided between the outer wall and the inner wall, the adsorption chamber adapted to contain adsorbent material in heat transfer contact with at least the inner wall; the inner wall further defining at least one cooling chamber adjacent to the adsorption chamber, the cooling chamber being in heat transfer contact with the inner wall; at least one inlet disposed at the outer wall for introduction of a gas subliming solid material into the adsorption chamber for adsorption of sublimed gas onto the adsorbent material; and a valve in communication with the adsorption chamber for controlled release of the gas from the adsorption chamber. | 07-01-2010 |
20100163370 | Conveyor Belt Having Rotating Drive Shaft - An apparatus and method for processing products by chilling or freezing includes a conveyor for conveying the products along a plane of travel; lifting means disposed for intermittent contact with the conveyor during processing; cam means rotatable for contacting and displacing the lifting means to contact and displace the conveyor from the plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor to prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor and other of the products; and drive means operatively associated with the cam means to impart rotational movement to the cam means for intermittently contacting and displacing the lifting means. | 07-01-2010 |
20100166929 | CONVEYOR BELT HAVING ROTATING DRIVE SHAFT - An apparatus and method for processing products by chilling or freezing includes a conveyor for conveying the products along a plane of travel; lifting means disposed for intermittent contact with the conveyor during processing; cam means rotatable for contacting and displacing the lifting means to contact and displace the conveyor from the plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor to prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor and other of the products; and drive means operatively associated with the cam means to impart rotational movement to the cam means for intermittently contacting and displacing the lifting means. | 07-01-2010 |
20100223934 | Thermoacoustic Refrigerator For Cryogenic Freezing - A refrigeration system includes a cooler or freezer enclosure; a heat exchanger within the enclosure; a bulk storage tank in fluid communication with the heat exchanger; a sound generator in fluid communication with the heat exchanger; a thermoacoustic refrigerator in acoustic communication with the sound generator; and an indirect heat exchange loop in heat transfer contact with the thermoacoustic refrigerator. The heat exchanger is adapted to receive pressurized fluid from the bulk storage tank, and to provide pressurized gas to the sound generator. | 09-09-2010 |
20110000231 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRASONIC FREEZING - An apparatus for reducing a temperature of a product includes a housing in which cryogenic fluid is provided for being exposed to the product, and at least one ultrasonic transducer assembly disposed in the housing for generating ultrasonic energy to contact the cryogenic fluid and a surface of the product to facilitate heat transfer at the surface of the product. The cryogenic fluid can be selected from nitrogen and carbon dioxide. | 01-06-2011 |
20110126583 | LIQUID CO2 PASSIVE SUBCOOLER - A heat exchanger associated with a duct for a first fluid including: a central duct portion in fluid communication with the duct having an interior space and an exterior surface; a valve having opened and closed positions engageable within the interior space of the central duct portion; at least one coiled conduit for a second fluid positioned about at least a portion of the exterior surface of the central duct portion; upper and lower duct portions in fluid communication with the central duct portion including stationary upper and lower duct portions and movable upper and lower duct portions having opened and closed positions; and an at least partially movable and/or removable shell engaged with the stationary upper duct portion and the stationary lower duct portion and enclosing the coiled conduit; and, a refrigeration apparatus and process including the same. | 06-02-2011 |
20110146302 | CRYOGENIC HEAT EXCHANGER FOR THERMOACOUSTIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM - A heat exchanger and related method for a thermoacoustic refrigeration system are provided, which includes a warm end of the heat exchanger, a cryogen passing through the warm end to remove heat generated by a thermoacoustic wave generator, and a cool end through which a cooling medium passes to be cooled by the heat transfer at the warm end, wherein cryogenic gas is exhausted from the warm end, and a cooling gas is exhausted from the cool end at a lower temperature than a temperature of the warm end. | 06-23-2011 |
20110247355 | CROSSFLOW SPIRAL HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEM WITH SELF-STACKING SPIRAL CONVEYOR BELT - A refrigeration system includes a housing having a top, a bottom, first and second opposed sides, and containing an atmosphere; a conveyor apparatus including a self-stacking, self-supported, spiral conveyor belt and a drive mechanism, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of tiers and is at least partially disposed within the housing such that the conveyor belt can travel within the housing from the bottom towards the top of the housing or from the top towards the bottom of the housing; and an atmosphere circulation apparatus having at least one blower in communication with the atmosphere for circulating at least a portion of the atmosphere within the housing from proximate the first opposed side to the second opposed side and back towards the first opposed side, wherein the portion of the atmosphere circulated passes over the conveyor belt in a crossflow manner at least once. | 10-13-2011 |
20110265492 | FREEZER WITH CRYOGEN INJECTION CONTROL SYSTEM - A freezer for reducing the temperature of product is provided which includes a controller in communication with and for receiving signals from the cryogen delivery assembly, the cryogen flow assembly, the conveyor, the product measurement assembly and the first heat sensor, the controller responsive to the signals for controlling the cryogen flow assembly to provide an amount of the cryogen to the cryogen delivery assembly for application to the product. | 11-03-2011 |
20120018281 | CONVEYOR BELT WITH ARTICULATING TRANSPORT SURFACE - A product support surface for a conveyor belt includes a pair of side links spaced apart by a rod connected therebetween; and a longitudinal member attached to the rod between the pair of side links, the longitudinal member having a surface to support a product thereon during a conveying mode and to be pivoted with respect to the pair of side links during a cleaning mode. | 01-26-2012 |
20120024676 | ARTICULATED FLAT SURFACE CONVEYOR BELT WITH SIDE LINK - A conveyor belt for transporting a product, includes a plurality of transport assemblies, each one of the plurality of transport assemblies comprising a side link assembly; a support assembly connected to the side link assembly; a product support member supported on the support assembly and adapted for displaceable movement with respect to the side link assembly and the support assembly; and an actuation member supporting the product support member with respect to the side link assembly and the support assembly, the actuation member coacting with the side link assembly for moving the product support member between a first position wherein the product support member is in a first plane of travel with respect to the side link assembly for conveying the product, and a second position wherein the product support member transitions to a second plane of travel with respect to the side link assembly different from the first plane of travel for providing a space between the product support member of each one of the plurality of transport assemblies. | 02-02-2012 |
20120043187 | CONVEYOR BELT WITH ARTICULATING MEMBERS - A conveyor belt includes a conveying surface comprising a plurality of rod-shaped members each of which is constructed and arranged for vertical displacement with respect to each other for providing a space between adjacent ones of the plurality of rod-like members. The conveyor belt may also include a side link disposed at opposed ends of each one of the plurality of rod-shaped members, each one of the side links having at least one central aperture therein for receiving a corresponding end of the rod-shaped member for vertical displacement therein. | 02-23-2012 |
20120145279 | DOSING OF SUBCOOLED LIQUIDS FOR HIGH VOLUME FLOW APPLICATIONS - A sub cooled liquid delivery system includes at least one feed tank, at least one pressure building apparatus in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank, at least one weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of the at least one feed tank and a liquid present in the at least one feed tank, at least one fill conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for providing the liquid to the at least one feed tank, at least one feed conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for delivering a subcooled liquid to at least one liquid utilizing process, and at least one pressure building conduit in fluid communication with the at least one feed tank for increasing the pressure within the at least one feed tank. A method is also included to subcool liquid delivery using the system. | 06-14-2012 |
20120273165 | CROSS-FLOW SPIRAL HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS WITH SOLID BELT - A heat transfer apparatus for a product includes a housing having an internal chamber; a solid conveyor belt disposed within the internal chamber and arranged in a spiral configuration having upper and lower portions, the spiral configuration including an upper pathway within the upper portion, a lower pathway within the lower portion; a gas flow having an upper gas flow across the upper pathway, a lower gas flow across the lower pathway and in counter-flow to the upper gas flow, wherein the upper gas flow and the lower gas flow define a circulation loop; and a gas circulation device to induce the upper and lower gas flows along the circulation loop. | 11-01-2012 |
20120318884 | ELECTROSTATIC IMPINGEMENT PLATE ATOMIZER APPARATUS AND METHOD - An impingement plate atomizer apparatus includes an electrostatically charged longitudinal member having an upper surface sized and shaped to receive a liquid cryogen thereon, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and at least one hole extending through the longitudinal member; an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the longitudinal member for providing ultrasonic energy thereto for atomizing the liquid cryogen into an electrostatically charged cryogen fog. A method is also provided for providing an electrostatically charged cryogen fog. | 12-20-2012 |
20120324939 | CRYOGENIC EXHAUST GAS AIR CONDITIONER - An air conditioner apparatus includes an exhaust pipe having a first end in communication with exhaust gas from an exhaust generating device disposed in a first atmosphere with a first temperature, and a second end discharging the exhaust gas to a second atmosphere with a second temperature; an inlet pipe substantially surrounding the exhaust pipe, the inlet pipe spaced apart from the exhaust pipe for providing a space therebetween and having a first end in communication with the first atmosphere and a second end in communication with the second atmosphere and through which the second atmosphere is introduced into the space; and a guide assembly disposed in the space for guiding the second atmosphere through the space for heat transfer with the exhaust gas moving through the exhaust pipe. | 12-27-2012 |
20130008185 | CRYOGEN CYLINDER - A cryogen cylinder includes a tank having a side wall defining a chamber for containing a cryogenic substance in the tank; and a plate assembly mounted in the chamber, the plate assembly constructed and arranged to provide a passageway for vapor from the cryogenic substance to be introduced into the passageway. | 01-10-2013 |
20130008188 | CRYOGEN HEAT PIPE HEAT EXCHANGER - A cryogen heat exchanger includes a container having a sidewall defining a chamber in the container for containing a cryogen, and at least one heat exchange assembly having a first portion disposed in the chamber and extending through the sidewall to a second portion disposed in an atmosphere of a space external to the chamber and at an opposite side of the sidewall for providing heat transfer to the atmosphere. | 01-10-2013 |
20130008631 | LNG (LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS) AND LIN (LIQUID NITROGEN) IN TRANSIT REFRIGERATION HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEM - A heat exchanger includes a housing disposed in a first atmosphere and having an upstream end, a downstream end and a chamber within the housing; a metallic block disposed in the chamber and having a passageway therethrough and through which a cryogen can flow; and a heat pipe assembly in contact with the metallic block and extending to a second atmosphere which is separate from the first atmosphere for providing heat transfer at the second atmosphere. | 01-10-2013 |
20130098070 | PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR CRYOGENIC STORAGE TANKS - A pressure control apparatus for a cryogenic storage tank includes a heat pipe extending into the storage tank and having a first end in contact with liquid cryogen in the storage tank, and a second end exposed to an atmosphere external to the storage tank such that heat flux occurs in the liquid cryogen proximate the first end of the heat pipe for providing a cryogenic gas and pressure to the liquid cryogen in the storage tank. Another embodiment includes a sleeve for the second end to control the heat flux in the liquid cryogen. | 04-25-2013 |
20130125562 | ULTRASONIC IMPINGEMENT PLATE ATOMIZER APPARATUS - An impingement plate atomizer apparatus includes a longitudinal member having an upper surface sized and shaped to receive a liquid cryogen thereon, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and at least one hole extending through the longitudinal member; and an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the longitudinal member for providing ultrasonic energy thereto for atomizing the liquid cryogen at the upper surface into a cryogen fog. | 05-23-2013 |
20130125576 | FREEZER APPARATUS - A freezer for a product includes a housing having a space therein, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the space; a conveyor having a first side for conveying the product through the space, and a second side opposite to the first side; an agitating apparatus disposed proximate the conveyor for contacting the conveyor at select intervals to agitate the conveyor and displace the product at the first side; a first longitudinal member disposed proximate the first side of the conveyor and having at least one hole extending therethrough; and at least one circulation device disposed in the space proximate the longitudinal member for directing a cryogenic substance through the at least one hole onto the product. | 05-23-2013 |
20130152618 | VARIABLE SURFACE AREA HEAT EXCHANGER - A heat exchanger apparatus includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber in the housing for containing a cryogen; and a first insulation member movably mounted for coaction with the sidewall, the first insulation member moveable to a position to expose or cover a select portion of the sidewall to provide a heat transfer effect. | 06-20-2013 |
20130180265 | METHOD FOR REFUELING AND OPERATING NATURAL GAS FUELED TRUCK - A method for operating a vehicle that provides refrigeration and is powered by an engine for burning liquefied natural gas. The vehicle contains on-board storage tanks for liquefied natural gas and liquid nitrogen. These two tanks are in thermal communication with each other and natural gas from the liquefied natural gas storage tank will periodically contact the liquid nitrogen and return as liquefied natural gas. | 07-18-2013 |
20130255295 | SPIRAL FREEZER WITH PRECOOLER - A freezer includes a housing having a space therein for receiving a cryogenic gas, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the space; a conveyor belt having an outer edge and being arranged for movement through the space for transferring a product from the inlet through to the outlet; a solid longitudinal member disposed in the space adjacent the outer edge for segregating the space into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and a transfer duct operatively associated with the housing and having a first opening in communication with the upper chamber for receiving the cryogenic gas from the upper chamber and a second opening in communication with the lower chamber for expelling the cryogenic gas into the lower chamber. | 10-03-2013 |
20130263615 | OSCILLATING FLOW FREEZER - A freezer for a product includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber in the housing, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber; and a pair of pistons operatively associated with the housing and in communication with the chamber, the pair of pistons operable out of phase with each other for oscillating a gas flow within the chamber. A method is also provided for reducing a temperature of a product in a freezer. | 10-10-2013 |
20140130525 | BAFFLE CONTROLLED OSCILLATING FLOW FREEZER - A freezer includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber; a pair of baffle assemblies spaced apart and disposed in the chamber, a first one of the pair movable 90° degrees out of phase from a second one of the pair; a plate disposed in the chamber and extending between the first and second baffle assemblies for dividing a portion of the chamber into an intake zone and an outflow zone; a fan disposed in the chamber between the first and second baffle assemblies and in communication with the intake and outflow zones for providing a gas flow from the intake zone to the outflow zone; and a delivery apparatus in communication with the chamber for delivering a chilling substance to the chamber for reducing a temperature of a product. A method is also provided. | 05-15-2014 |
20140161604 | AIRFLOW DIFFUSER FOR IN-TRANSIT REFRIGERATION - A diffuser apparatus for a space of a refrigeration container includes a housing having an internal chamber extending to a nozzle portion comprising a height less than a height of the internal chamber and a width greater than a width of the internal chamber, a fan disposed for operation in the internal chamber, and a heat exchanger disposed for operation in the internal chamber between the fan and the nozzle portion. | 06-12-2014 |
20140260401 | HOT PRODUCT IMPINGEMENT FREEZER WITH IMPINGEMENT BELT APPARATUS - An impingement apparatus for use with a freezer includes a flexible belt having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of impingement holes extending through the belt between the first and second surfaces, wherein a passageway is formed in each one of the plurality of impingement holes and through which a cooling medium can pass. | 09-18-2014 |
20150059365 | BAFFLE CONTROLLED OSCILLATING FLOW FREEZER - A method for reducing a temperature of a product in a freezer includes providing a product to a chamber of the freezer; dividing a portion of the chamber disposed between a pair of baffle assemblies in the freezer into an intake zone and an outflow zone; moving each baffle assembly of the pair of baffle assemblies in the chamber 90° degrees out of phase with each other for directing a gas flow in the chamber; oscillating the gas flow within the chamber between the intake zone and the outflow zone during the moving the pair of baffle assemblies; injecting a cryogen substance into the chamber for cooling the gas flow; and contacting the product with the cooling gas flow. | 03-05-2015 |