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US 2026/0309397 A1Published application
Cryogenic auger assembly
OwnerKevin McClaininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic freezing system and process which utilizes an open conduit for its auger assembly. The open conduit allows fluids within the conduit to pass out of the channel and can allow particulate products in the freeze chamber to pass into the channel.
Claims19
A cryogenic freezing system comprising:
- a freeze chamber containing a refrigerant, wherein the freeze chamber has a lower portion where particulate product can accumulate and an upper portion where a substance can be introduced;
- a mechanism configured to introduce the substance into the upper portion of the freeze chamber so as to be frozen by the refrigerant into the particulate product as the substance passes downward in the freeze chamber;
- and
- an auger assembly comprising:
- a conduit positioned in the freeze chamber so as to have an intake end in the lower portion and an outlet end located outside the upper portion, and wherein the conduit forms an open channel that extends at least partially along a length of the conduit within the freeze chamber;
- a screw-type conveyor disposed within the conduit;
- and
- an outlet at the outlet end.
5 more elements
A process comprising:
- introducing a substance into an upper portion of a freeze chamber;
- introducing a refrigerant into the freeze chamber;
- allowing the substance to pass from the upper portion to a lower portion of the freeze chamber such that the substance is frozen by the refrigerant into the particulate product as the substance passes downward in the freeze chamber;
- introducing the particulate product at a lower portion of the freeze chamber into a conduit positioned in the freeze chamber wherein the conduit forms an open channel so as to allow fluids within the conduit to pass out of the channel and allow particulate product in the freeze chamber to pass into the channel;
- moving the particulate product upward in the conduit toward an outlet located outside the freeze chamber which extends at least partially along a length of the conduit within the freeze chamber;
- and
- removing the particulate product from the conduit through the outlet.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.