# US 2014/0196476 A1 · Through-flow freezer and a method for starting up the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196476 A1 - Document ID: US20140196476A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/127,116 - Filed: 2012-08-09 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-12 - Assignees: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. - Applicants: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. - Inventors: Erik Jimmy Wolf Petersen; Steen Gyldenlöv; Ole Bendixen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196476A1 ## CPC - A23G 9/225: {Ice-cream freezing and storing cabinets} - A23G 9/163: {with intermittent operation} - A23G 9/166: {Feeding arrangements} - A23G 9/20: the products being mixed with gas, e.g. soft-ice - A23G 9/228: {Arrangement and mounting of control or safety devices} - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A through-flow freezer for the production of frozen ice cream, said through-flow freezer comprising: a freezing cylinder for making ice cream by freezing an ice cream mix; an inlet pipe for leading the ice cream mix into the freezing cylinder; an inlet blocking device arranged to block the ice cream mix or air from entering or leaving the freezing cylinder via the inlet pipe when the inlet blocking device is closed; an air inlet for adding air directly into the freezing cylinder or into the inlet pipe between the freezing cylinder and the inlet blocking device; an outlet pipe for leading the ice cream away from the freezing cylinder; and an outlet blocking device arranged to block the ice cream mix, air, or the ice cream from entering or leaving the freezing cylinder via the outlet pipe when the outlet blocking device is closed, 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 the ice cream 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A through-flow freezer according to claim 1, wherein the pressure in the cylinder is between 1.5 bar and 8 bar, preferably between 2 bar and 6 bar, most preferably between 3 bar and 4 bar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A through-flow freezer according to claim 1, further comprising a mix flow meter for metering the amount of the ice cream mix passing through the inlet pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A through-flow freezer according to claim 1, wherein the inlet blocking device comprises an inlet pipe valve controlling the passage through the inlet pipe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A through-flow freezer according to claim 4, wherein the inlet pipe valve is a three-way valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A through-flow freezer according to claim 1, wherein the outlet blocking device comprises an outlet pipe valve controlling the passage through the outlet pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A through-flow freezer according to claim 6, wherein the outlet pipe valve is a three-way valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A through-flow freezer according to claim 1, wherein one or both of an inlet pump and an outlet pump of the through-flow freezer is driven by a synchronous motor. ### Claim 9 A method for starting up a through-flow freezer, the method comprising the steps of: ensuring that passages through an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, respectively, are open; starting an inlet pump; pumping an ice cream mix into a freezing cylinder until the freezing cylinder has been filled to a predefined filling level; stopping the inlet pump; ensuring that the passages through the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, respectively, are both blocked to be air-tight at least at a desired cylinder pressure of the through-flow freezer corresponding to a desired overrun in a final frozen ice cream; adding air through an air inlet until a certain amount of mix and a certain amount of air substantially corresponding to the desired overrun is entrapped in the freezing cylinder; starting cooling of the freezing cylinder and rotation of a dasher inside the freezing cylinder; waiting until a predefined set point or a viscosity of the contents of the freezing cylinder is reached; and opening the passages through the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe and starting continuous production by starting the inlet pump and an outlet pump and adding air n a measured amount corresponding to the desired overrun in the final frozen ice cream. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the air-tight blockage of the inlet pipe is obtained by closing an inlet pipe valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the air-tight blockage of the outlet pipe is obtained by closing an outlet pipe valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the predefined filling level of the freezing cylinder is chosen to be the point at which there is an overflow of mix from the freezing cylinder through the outlet pipe.