Apparatus for freezing small drops of liquid

An apparatus for converting a mass of non-gaseous fluid product to deep-frozen balls or granules, said apparatus comprising:

• a deep-freeze chamber rendered fluid-tight in which a refrigerant liquid is contained under the physical conditions of passage to the gaseous state;
• an injector system for injecting said fluid product under pressure into said refrigerant liquid;
• an extractor-conveyor for the deep-frozen balls or granules obtained in said refrigerant liquid;
• an outlet lock-chamber permitting the evacuation of the deep-frozen products without adversely affecting the fluid-tightness;
• means for regulating the flow-rate of said injector system, said means being put into service in order to produce an appropriate over-pressure in the interior of said deep-freeze chamber;
• an expansion chamber arranged following said outlet lock-chamber and said deep-freeze chamber on over-pressure, connected to means for recovery of said quantity of refrigerant fluid impregnating said deep-frozen products passing out of said deep-freeze chamber.