Methods and apparatus for chilling a product
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorsScott T. Madsen, Ralph E. Johanson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product such as ground meat is efficiently chilled in a blender device having an open top. Liquid carbon dioxide is introduced into the blender at a location below the surface of the product to thereby form solid and gaseous CO.sub.2. Mixing elements such as a ribbon screw or the like are operated to pass the product in a countercurrent relation to the carbon dioxide introduced into the blender thereby chilling the product and causing the resulting CO.sub.2 gas to rise along one wall of the blender. Deflector means are provided along such wall to direct the rising vapor toward an exhaust plenum located above the open top of the blender.
Claims12
Apparatus for chilling a solid product by mixing said product directly with carbon dioxide comprising:
- trough means having side walls, an open top and a bottom portion;
- means for introducing liquid CO.sub.2 into the bottom portion of said trough means at a location below the surface of the product to form solid and gaseous CO.sub.2 in the trough means;
- mixing means disposed in said trough means and adapted to be driven so as to pass said product in a direction countercurrent to the direction at which said CO.sub.2 is introduced into said trough means and mix said product with said solid and gaseous CO.sub.2 whereby said product is chilled;
- means disposed above said open top for exhausting CO.sub.2 gas from said trough means;
- and
- deflector means disposed substantially along and above said side walls for directing CO.sub.2 gas leaving said open top toward said exhaust means.
The method of chilling a product in a blender device comprising the steps of introducing said product into a trough of the blender;
- introducing liquid CO.sub.2 into the product at a location below the surface of the product to form solid and gaseous CO.sub.2 in the trough;
- mixing said product with said CO.sub.2 by passing said product countercurrent to the direction in which said CO.sub.2 is injected into said trough to chill said product with a major portion of said gaseous CO.sub.2 rising substantially along one wall of said trough;
- and deflecting said major portion of gaseous CO.sub.2 as the same rises above the trough toward an exhaust device located above the open top of said trough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.