Thermally insulated industrial freezer structure and system
AssigneeLeprino Foods Company
InventorsJeremiah C. O'Connor, Joshua Chun, Mark Cramer, Dennis Klakring
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A freezer structure (12) includes a floor structure (20), side walls (22) and a ceiling (24), each of which includes a substantially hollow inner or upper layer or zone (30) behind or beneath which is disposed an intermediate layer or zone (32) substantially filled with insulating filler material and a bottom or outer layer or zone (34) that is substantially hollow. A monitoring system (16) monitors the temperature, moisture level and pressure of a substantially dry gas circulating through the first layer or zone to maintain the first layer or zone in substantially dry condition.
Claims20
A thermally insulated load-bearing floor system for an industrial refrigeration system, comprising:
- (a) a floor structure, comprising:
- (i) a first layer constructed to define a substantially hollow chamber and comprising load-bearing members to support an overhead load-bearing deck;
- and
- (ii) a second layer underlying the first layer and constructed to support and carry the load carried by the load-bearing deck on said first layer, said second layer being substantially occupied by a thermally insulating material;
- (b) said floor structure constructed to isolate the first layer from the second layer comprising a continuous interface between the first layer and the second layer;
- (c) a fluid circulation system to circulate selected fluids through the first layer, said selected fluids selected from a group consisting of:
- a gas or gas mixture to assist in maintaining the first layer in a substantially dry condition;
- a fluid to sterilize the first layer and/or maintain the first layer in a sterilized condition;
- and a fluid to assist in thawing ice formed in the first layer;
- and
- (d) a monitoring system for monitoring one or more of the temperature, pressure, and moisture levels in the first layer.
A thermally insulated load-bearing floor system for an industrial refrigeration system, comprising:
- (a) a floor structure, comprising:
- (i) a first layer constructed to define a substantially hollow chamber and comprising load-bearing members to support an overhead load-bearing deck;
- and
- (ii) a second layer underlying the first layer and constructed to support said first layer, said second layer being substantially occupied by a thermally insulating material, wherein:
- the second layer is substantially isolated from the first layer, at least in part by a first barrier wall between the first and second layers;
- and
- the thermally insulated material is enclosed in a fluid-impervious envelope;
- (b) said floor structure constructed to isolate the first layer from the second layer;
- (c) a fluid circulation system to circulate selected fluids through the first layer, said selected fluids selected from a group consisting of:
- a gas or gas mixture to assist in maintaining the first layer in a substantially dry condition;
- a fluid to sterilize the first layer and/or maintain the first layer in a sterilized condition;
- and a fluid to assist in thawing ice formed in the first layer;
- (d) a monitoring system for monitoring one or more of the temperature, pressure, and moisture levels in the first layer;
- and
- (e) a second barrier wall underlying the thermally insulated material, with the thermally insulated material spaced above the second barrier wall to form a substantially hollow third layer beneath the second layer.
An industrial freezer, comprising:
- (a) a first layer adjacent the interior of the freezer and constructed to define a substantially hollow chamber and carry a load applied against the interior of the freezer;
- (b) a second layer disposed outwardly from the interior of the freezer relative to the first layer, said second layer being substantially occupied by a thermally insulating material, said second layer being isolated from the first layer, said second layer constructed and positioned to support and carry the load applied to the first layer;
- (c) a fluid circulation system to circulate a substantially dry gas through the first layer at a flow rate to maintain the first layer in a substantially dry condition;
- and
- (d) a monitoring system to monitor one or more of the temperature, pressure, and moisture level in the first layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.