Morris Associates, Inc.

Other

Carolina Power & Light Company

North Carolina Alternative Energy Corporation

North Carolina Department of Economic

John P Shell

Terry A Wright

William F Morris, Iii

Thomas L Davis

Robert E Cathey

Robert N Elliott, Iii

Carsie K Denning

Alexander O Hobbs

Keith S McAllister

Todd W Beadle

A water treatment system for a poultry chiller including a chiller tank is described herein. The system includes a float holding tank at a downstream section of the chiller tank; a fan at the downstream section of the chiller tank that is configured to blow float formed on a surface of the water in the chiller tank into the float holding tank; and a float removal mechanism at the float holding tank that is configured to remove the float from the float holding tank. Related methods are also described.

Water treatment systems and methods for poultry chillers

A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.

Auger type poultry chillers with enhanced hanger bearing configurations and related assemblies

A system for vacuum chilling poultry product includes: a vacuum chamber configured to be evacuated to chill poultry product in the vacuum chamber; at least one inclined or vertical conduit coupled to the vacuum chamber, with the at least one conduit configured to hold at least one water seal when the vacuum chamber is evacuated; and a conveying mechanism that is configured to continuously convey the poultry product upwardly through the at least one conduit, then into and through the vacuum chamber, and then downwardly through the at least one conduit.

Systems and methods for vacuum chilling poultry products

A rocker chiller includes a chilling tank and a baffle assembly. The baffle assembly includes a drive shaft, a baffle blade extending along a bottom of the tank and a plurality of spaced-apart and elongate baffle members extending in a radial direction from the drive shaft towards the bottom of the tank. The elongate baffle members contact the drive shaft at spaced-apart locations along the drive shaft and define a plurality of openings therebetween. The elongate baffle members are sized and shaped to push at least a majority of the carcasses laterally through the heat exchanging liquid in a direction generally orthogonal to a lengthwise forward movement of the carcasses from the first end of the tank to the second end of the tank.

Rocker chiller with baffle assembly

The rocker chillerincludes a semi-cylindrical tankfilled with heat exchanging liquid and a baffle assemblythat rocks back and forth across the bottom wall of the tank. The baffleof the baffle assemblydefines baffle openingsthat are sized and shaped to pass the heat exchanging liquid through the openings in response to the rocking of the baffle, but small enough so that the baffle engages and retards the movement of at least some of the carcasses from moving through the baffle, thereby massaging the carcasses and increasing the moisture retained in the carcasses.

Rocker chiller with improved product moisture retention

Birds are moved through chilled water by bird moving means such as an auger or by a series of paddles. The birds tend to accumulate in a predetermined path in the water. Streams of water that include an antibacterial additive are directed toward the predetermined path and engage and disperse the birds, and wash the birds with the streams of water and the antibacterial additive, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the birds and increasing the effectiveness of the antibacterial properties of the agents in the chilled water.

Poultry chiller with improved product distribution and antibacterial count

The chiller includes a semi-cylindrical tank () that conforms to the perimeter of its auger () so that the water can be raised to a water level () high above the auger shaft (). Streams of water () are directed from the pulling side () across the lower portion of the tank beneath the auger shaft () to the dead sideof the tank at intervals along the tank so as to disperse the lower portion of the masses () of buoyant birds () from the more crowded pulling side () of the tank, beneath the auger shaft () toward the more vacant dead side () of the tank, thereby distributing the products more evenly throughout the tank and causing more water turbulence in the tank, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the birds and avoiding having the birds cross over the auger shaft moving backward in chiller into a following flight of the auger.

Chiller with improved product distribution

The operational capacity and efficiency of a combustion turbine is increased by treating the turbine inlet air to increase its density. The inlet air treatment is achieved in a columnar tower with the inlet air being drawn in at the top of the tower. Treatment water is injected into the tower at a downward velocity greater than that of the inlet air to establish a vertically descending, two-phase co-current flow of inlet air and treatment water. The system utilizes the natural phenomenon of drag-induced pressure boost to the air achieved by the difference in the relative velocities of the inlet air and the treatment water in the co-current flow. By utilizing a cold treatment water, for example at 32.degree.-40.degree. F., the tower creates a direct contact heat transfer situation that cools the inlet air, thereby further increasing its density. The invention serves to increase the operational capacity and efficiency of existing or new peaking combustion turbines at a cost per kW that is substantially less than that of installing new peaking combustion turbine capacity, while also permitting enhanced load following capabilities for the electric utility's control center.

Gas turbine inlet air combined pressure boost and cooling method and

Agricultural crops are cooled immediately after harvest to prevent postharvest deterioration. A forced-air cooling system is utilized wherein air permeable containers of produce are stacked in rows within a warehouse to define multiple cooling bays. Each bay is independently operated for the sequential loading, cooling and unloading of its contents without appreciable energy losses to surrounding bays.

Multi-bay system for the forced air postharvest conditioning of

A direct contact water-to-air heat exchanger includes a columnar air/water contact chamber which includes inclined sheet-like turning vanes for establishing three heat transfer zones therein and a partly countercurrent, partly crosscurrent heat exchange environment. The heat exchanger has applicability for supplying cold moisture laden air in the postharvest forced air precooling of agricultural produce.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

John P Shell