The Boc Group, Inc.

Linde Aktiengesellschaft

Other

Linde Gmbh

Messer Industries Usa, Inc.

Linde Aktiegesellschaft

Stephen McCormick

Michael D Newman

Helmut Dresselhaus

Robert Muscato

D Scott Boyles

Scott Boyles

Simon J Shamoun

Thomas Edward Kilburn

Ulf Jagaeus

Derrick Norvill

B Eric Graham

Robert Boddaert

John Hamilton

Michael Duane Newman

Provided is a degassing apparatus having a fluid flow surface positioned within a tank and configured for decreasing the velocity of the fluid flowing through the tank; a cryogen fluid cooling system including the degassing apparatus positioned in fluid communication with a cryogen injector of the system; and a direct cryogen fluid cooling method including flowing fluid containing cryogen into a degassing apparatus for decreasing a velocity of and for removing cryogen gas from the flowing fluid.

Degassing apparatus for cryogenic cooling system, cryogenic cooling system, and method for cooling liquid products

A reconfigurable freezer includes a housing having an internal space therein, and first and second openings each in communication with the internal space; an infeed assembly and an outfeed assembly, the infeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to the housing at one of at the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, and the outfeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to another of the first and second openings for being in communication with the internal space, wherein the infeed and outfeed assemblies are interchangeable at the first and second openings; a conveyor belt transiting the internal space from the infeed assembly to the outfeed assembly; and a drum disposed at the internal space for supporting movement of the conveyor belt about the drum between the infeed and outfeed assemblies.

Configurable spiral freezer

A reconfigurable freezer includes a housing having an internal space therein, and first and second openings each in communication with said internal space; and an infeed assembly and an outfeed assembly, the infeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to the housing at one of the first and second openings for being in communication with said internal space, and the outfeed assembly constructed to be removably mounted to another of the first and second openings for being in communication with said internal space, wherein the infeed and outfeed assemblies are interchangeable at the first and second openings.

A method for reducing a temperature of a product in a freezer includes providing a product to a chamber of the freezer; dividing a portion of the chamber disposed between a pair of baffle assemblies in the freezer into an intake zone and an outflow zone; moving each baffle assembly of the pair of baffle assemblies in the chamber 90&#xb0; degrees out of phase with each other for directing a gas flow in the chamber; oscillating the gas flow within the chamber between the intake zone and the outflow zone during the moving the pair of baffle assemblies; injecting a cryogen substance into the chamber for cooling the gas flow; and contacting the product with the cooling gas flow.

Baffle controlled oscillating flow freezer

A heat exchanger apparatus includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber in the housing for containing a cryogen; and a first insulation member movably mounted for coaction with the sidewall, the first insulation member moveable to a position to expose or cover a select portion of the sidewall to provide a heat transfer effect.

Variable surface area heat exchanger

A freezer includes a housing having a sidewall defining a chamber, and an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber; a pair of baffle assemblies spaced apart and disposed in the chamber, a first one of the pair movable 90&#xb0; degrees out of phase from a second one of the pair; a plate disposed in the chamber and extending between the first and second baffle assemblies for dividing a portion of the chamber into an intake zone and an outflow zone; a fan disposed in the chamber between the first and second baffle assemblies and in communication with the intake and outflow zones for providing a gas flow from the intake zone to the outflow zone; and a delivery apparatus in communication with the chamber for delivering a chilling substance to the chamber for reducing a temperature of a product. A method is also provided.

A heat exchanger includes a housing disposed in a first atmosphere and having an upstream end, a downstream end and a chamber within the housing; a metallic block disposed in the chamber and having a passageway therethrough and through which a cryogen can flow; and a heat pipe assembly in contact with the metallic block and extending to a second atmosphere which is separate from the first atmosphere for providing heat transfer at the second atmosphere.

LNG (liquefied natural gas) and LIN (liquid nitrogen) in transit refrigeration heat exchange system

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.

Cross-flow spiral heat transfer system

A conveyor belt for transporting a product, includes a plurality of transport assemblies, each one of the plurality of transport assemblies comprising a side link assembly; a support assembly connected to the side link assembly; a product support member supported on the support assembly and adapted for displaceable movement with respect to the side link assembly and the support assembly; and an actuation member supporting the product support member with respect to the side link assembly and the support assembly, the actuation member coacting with the side link assembly for moving the product support member between a first position wherein the product support member is in a first plane of travel with respect to the side link assembly for conveying the product, and a second position wherein the product support member transitions to a second plane of travel with respect to the side link assembly different from the first plane of travel for providing a space between the product support member of each one of the plurality of transport assemblies.

Articulated flat surface conveyor belt with side link

A conveyor belt includes a conveying surface comprising a plurality of rod-shaped members each of which is constructed and arranged for vertical displacement with respect to each other for providing a space between adjacent ones of the plurality of rod-like members. The conveyor belt may also include a side link disposed at opposed ends of each one of the plurality of rod-shaped members, each one of the side links having at least one central aperture therein for receiving a corresponding end of the rod-shaped member for vertical displacement therein.

Conveyor belt with articulating members

An apparatus and method for processing products by chilling or freezing includes a conveyor for conveying the products along a plane of travel; lifting means disposed for intermittent contact with the conveyor during processing; cam means rotatable for contacting and displacing the lifting means to contact and displace the conveyor from the plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor to prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor and other of the products; and drive means operatively associated with the cam means to impart rotational movement to the cam means for intermittently contacting and displacing the lifting means.

Conveyor belt having rotating drive shaft

An apparatus and method for surface crust freezing of a food product utilizes a refrigeration shell enclosing a freezing chamber, the freezing chamber having a cavity shaped to substantially accommodate the shape of the exterior surface of the food product; the cavity communicating with the refrigeration shell; a transport substrate to carry the food product into the freezing chamber; a cryogen supply; and a gas circulation device in the refrigeration shell in communication with the cryogen supply to introduce a cooling flow of gas containing cryogen into the cavity so as to contact the food product along its exterior surface.

Method for surface crust freezing of food product

An apparatus and method of cooling products includes a conveyor for transporting the products, through a refrigeration medium for cooling the products, agitation means disposed proximate to the conveyor for selective, intermittent contact with the conveyor to displace the conveyor from a plane of travel, thereby displacing the products on the conveyor during freezing to prevent the products from adhering to the conveyor or other of the products during freezing, at least one of the agitation means and the conveyor constructed and arranged to be positioned away from each other for the conveyor to move uninterrupted along the plane of travel.

Apparatus and method for freezing food products

An apparatus and method are provided for mixing a gas and a liquid to produce a gaseous vapor of the liquid that is substantially free of droplets. Gas, e.g., carbon dioxide, is divided into first and second streams. The first stream is combined in an atomization zone with the liquid, e.g., acetic acid, to form an atomized mixture of the gas and liquid. This atomized mixture is then contacted with the second gas stream in a mixing zone within a mixing/separation chamber in which the second gas stream vaporizes substantially all of the atomized liquid, and the resulting mixture of gas, vaporized liquid and residual droplets moves to the separation zone of the mixing/separation chamber. In the separation zone, the residual droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized mixture, and the vaporized mixture free of a substantial amount of residual droplets is removed from the chamber. A vaporized mixture of carbon dioxide and acetic acid is useful as, among other things, a preservative for perishable products, e.g., baked goods.

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Warrington, PA, United States of America

Stephen McCormick