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US 12,696,907 B2Granted
Thawing-apparatus and method to thaw a substance
AssigneeGea Food Solutions Bakel B.V.
InventorJoost Van Erp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a thawing-apparatus, in which a substance is preferably heated. The present invention further relates to a method to thaw a substance with radio-frequency waves.
Claims20
A thawing apparatus, in which a frozen substance is heated to a temperature in a vicinity of 0° C., wherein the thawing apparatus comprises:
- a product chamber, in which the substance is heated;
- a plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources that are located around a circumference of the product chamber;
- a plurality of chambers disposed around the circumference of the product chamber, one or more of which contain one of the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources;
- a microwave tube/sphere that is disposed around the circumference of the product chamber and that separates the product chamber from the plurality of chambers, wherein a material of the microwave tube/sphere is transparent for microwaves;
- a conveyor to transport the substance past the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources, the conveyor being at least partially transmittable for RF-radiation (Radio Frequency-radiation);
- wherein the thawing apparatus comprises a housing in which the product chamber is located, the housing comprises a plurality of openings defined around its circumference, each of the plurality of openings lead to one of the plurality of chambers in which one of the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources are located, and
- a waveguide covering one or more of the plurality of openings and configured to direct the RF-radiation in a direction of the substance.
4 more elements
A thawing apparatus in which a frozen substance is heated to a temperature in a vicinity of 0° C., wherein the thawing apparatus comprises:
- a product chamber, in which the substance is heated;
- a plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources that are located around a circumference of the product chamber;
- a conveyor to transport the substance past the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources, the conveyor being at least partially transmittable for RF-radiation (Radio Frequency-radiation),
- wherein the thawing apparatus has at least one configuration selected form a group consisting of:
- a) a plurality of chambers disposed around the circumference of the product chamber, one or more of which contain one or more of the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources;
- b) a microwave tube/sphere that is disposed around the circumference of the product chamber, that separates the product chamber from the plurality of chambers;
- and optionally a material of the microwave tube/sphere is transparent for microwaves;
- and optionally the substance is in contact with an inner circumference the microwave tube/sphere, at least locally;
- c) the thawing apparatus comprises a housing in which the product chamber is located, the housing comprises a plurality of openings defined around its circumference, one or more of the plurality of openings lead to one of the plurality of chambers;
- and optionally the plurality of openings are spaced about 72 degrees apart or about 90 degrees apart;
- d) a waveguide covering one or more of the plurality of openings and configured to direct the RF-radiation in a direction of the substance.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.