# US 8,333,087 B2 · Cross-flow spiral heat transfer system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,333,087 B2 - Document ID: US8333087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/184,386 - Filed: 2008-08-01 - Published: 2009-02-19 - Granted: 2012-12-18 - Earliest claimed: 2007-08-13 - Assignees: Linde Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Stephen A. McCormick; Michael Newman; Robert Muscato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8333087B2 ## CPC - F25D 13/067: {with circulation of gaseous cooling fluid} - A21B 1/26: by hot air - A21B 1/48: with surfaces in the form of an endless band - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - A21B: BAKERS' OVENS; MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR BAKING (domestic baking equipment A47J37/00) ## Abstract A heat transfer system for refrigeration and/or heating of products includes a housing having an internal chamber, a baffle, a spiral pathway around the baffle, a gas flow pathway and a blower to circulate gas along the gas flow pathway. The baffle separates the chamber into upper and lower portions. The spiral pathway includes an upper spiral pathway within the upper portion, and a lower spiral pathway within the lower portion. The gas flow pathway includes an upper gas flow pathway across the upper spiral pathway and a lower gas flow pathway across the lower spiral pathway in which gas flow in the upper and lower gas flow pathways defines a circulation loop. The width of the upper gas flow pathway and upper spiral pathway are similar, and the width of the lower gas flow pathway and lower spiral pathway are similar. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat transfer system for a product, comprising: a housing having an internal chamber; a baffle substantially impervious to gas flow therethrough and being disposed in the internal chamber for separating the internal chamber into upper and lower portions; a spiral pathway, comprising: an upper pathway within the upper portion, wherein each of the upper pathway and the upper portion has a width equal to the other, and a lower pathway within the lower portion, and wherein each of the lower pathway and the lower portion has another width equal to the other; a gas flow pathway, comprising: an upper gas flow across the upper pathway, and a lower gas flow across the lower pathway and in counter-flow to the upper gas flow, wherein the upper gas flow and lower gas flow define a circulation loop; a drum disposed in the internal chamber extending between the upper and lower portions, the drum including an outer side wall impervious to the upper and lower gas flows and about which is arranged the baffle and the spiral pathway; and at least one blower operatively associated with the internal chamber to induce the upper and lower gas flows along the circulation loop. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper gas flow and the lower gas flow are of substantially uniform velocity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the spiral pathway comprises a conveyor belt arranged in a spiral configuration wherein at least one of a plurality of tiers of the spiral configuration is in the upper pathway and at least another of the plurality of tiers of the spiral configuration is in the lower pathway. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one blower is disposed in at least one of the upper and lower portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one blower comprises at least one pair of fans disposed in at least one of the upper and lower portions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one blower comprises a first fan disposed in the upper portion and a second fan disposed in the lower portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second fans are disposed at opposed sides of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower gas flows comprise gas selected to reduce a temperature of the product. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system according to claim 8, wherein the gas is a cryogenic gas selected from carbon dioxide, nitrogen and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower gas flows comprise a gas selected to heat the product. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the circulation loop is arranged in the internal chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the product is a food product. ### Claim 13 A method of providing heat transfer to a product, comprising: establishing a fluid circulation loop between a first fluid flow pathway and a second fluid flow pathway, wherein the first fluid flow pathway is adjacent to and separated from the second fluid flow pathway by a barrier substantially impervious to heat transfer fluid; moving the heat transfer fluid along the first fluid flow pathway in counter-flow to moving the heat transfer fluid along the second fluid flow pathway; providing a spiral pathway, the spiral pathway comprising a first spiral pathway within the first fluid flow pathway wherein each of the first spiral pathway and the first fluid flow pathway have a width equal to the other, and a second spiral pathway within the second fluid flow pathway wherein each of the second spiral pathway and the second fluid flow pathway have another width equal to the other; moving the spiral pathway around a drum having an outer side wall adjacent the first and second fluid flow pathways and inhibiting the heat transfer fluid in said pathways from flowing through said outer side wall; introducing the product to the spiral pathway; and flowing the heat transfer fluid over the product in the spiral pathway. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected from a heating gas and a cooling gas. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the product is a food product.