MULTIPASS BELT TUNNEL FREEZER

I.

INTRODUCTION
Tunnel freezers are flexible freezers that can be used for fish products of
all sizes and geometries, packed or non-packed. Products should be placed on
racks with shelf space adapted to product height to allow uniform air flow over
the products. Non-packed products will stick to the shelves and tunnel freezers
are therefore mainly used for freezing of packed products. The packing material,
size and geometry often have strong effects on freezing time. Low thermal
conductivity of the packing material and air gaps between packing and product
may greatly reduce the heat transer. With the common thickness of products or
packing used in the bulk freezing of fish, freezing times of many hours is
common.
The Multipass Belt Freezer is a continuous in-line-belt freezer designed to
minimize product weight loss and assure quality gently handing during the
freezing process. Completely factory assembled and designed to minimize site
installation time. Products are evenly fed from the production line directly onto
the loading freezer belt. It quickly transports the product into the low temperaturefreezing zone. The product goes through Multipass of belts before it is discharge
at same ends or opposite ends.
Multipass belt tunnel freezer, the freezers move along three superposed
conveyor belts. Both mechanical- refrigeration and cryogenic versions of this
freezer contain stacking belts above each other to form either a single feed/
single discharge multipass system (usually three passes) or multiple single-pass
systems stacked one on top of the other. The belt speed of each belt system is
independently controllable. The multipass arrangement increases the residence
time that the food spends in the freezer and saves processing floor space. An
optimum cold distribution is obtained by the combination of the recirculation and
side wall fans. This makes it possible to increase the belt loading density during
the cooling and freezing process.

The belt is flat the entire length of the freezer, but there are three stacked
belts. At the end of the first tier, the product is discharged to the second tier and
returned to the entrance end of the freezer and discharged again onto the third
tier and conveyed back to the exit end of the freezer.
Compared with the straight tunnel freezer, the multipass belt tunnel
freezer is taller, but takes up less floor space. Highly efficient, the multi pass belt
tunnel freezer works best for well-packed foods which wont lose their shape
when falling onto the next layer, such as fresh shrimp, meat balls, and fish fillet.
II.

OBJECTIVES
To know what is multipass belt tunnel freezer.
To know the application of this freezer.
To know the benefits of this freezer.
To know the disadvantages of Multipass Belt Tunnel Freezer.

III.

BODY
For larger products with longer freezing times (up to 60 min) and higher capacity

requirements (0.5 to 5.4 tones), a single belt freezer would require a very large floor
space. Required floor space can be reduced by stacking belts above each other to form
either (1) a single-feed / single-discharge multipass system (usually three passes) or (2)
multiple single-pass systems (multiple infeeds and discharges) stacked one on top of the
other. The multipass (triple-pass) arrangement (see figure below) provides another
benefit in that the product, after being surface frozen on the first (top) belt, may be
stacked more deeply on the lower belts. Thus, the total belt area required is reduced as
is the overall size of the freezer. However, this system has a potential for product
damage and product jams at the belt transfers.

BENEFITS

Pre-assembled at our factory and fully tested.

Easily assembled on site.

Built to USDA, FDA, UL, CFIA, OSHA and CSA - Specifications & Standards

Saving in processing floor space.

Horizontal airflow.

Factory assembled and tested.

Easy access to sanitation and maintenance.

Custom design available.

High Cooling / Freezing Rate

Production Flexibility

Space Saving Solution

APPLICATIONS
IQF Multipass Belt Tunnel Freezer is designed to freeze or chill any product.
Product larger than 1/2 inch round or thick without any surface moisture such as Italian
Pasta product fried breaded/battered product.

POULTRY INDUSTRY - chicken parts, chicken nuggets

RED MEAT INDUSTRY - meatballs

SEA FOOD INDUSTRY - fish sticks, raw shrimp, fish fillets

FREEZING QUALITY
The product shrinkage is minimized to as low as 0.15% due to our unique
horizontal air flow pattern.

LOW OPERATION COST

Low operation cost compared to C02, nitrogen and other freezers. This is
achieved by utilizing the most efficient mechanical refrigeration method, combined with
our new unique low-pressure, high velocity, horizontal airflow recirculation system. The
horizontal airflow assures that heat is continuously scrubbed from all sides of the
product.

LOW INVESTMENT
One most economical freezer offered in its class. Every component of the freezer
is manufactured in our well-equipped engineering and manufacturing facility; we can
afford to pass on the savings to our customers without sacrificing quality.

FEATURES
1. Great design and manufacturing
Our computer-based designs and quality manufacturing process
allow us to create high performing products that are more energy
efficient.
2. Excellent Quality of Frozen Food
The multipass belt tunnel freezers recirculation system moves the
air through the entire structure so that products are frozen quickly,
evenly, and efficiently according to IQF standards.

3. Easy to clean System

The multipass belt tunnel freezer fully meets the HACCP
requirements with high- temperature sterilization and cleaning
system. The simple structure of the freezer allows for quick access
to all compartments foe easy cleaning maintenance.
4. High Chilling Efficiency
The multipass belt tunnel cooler is equipped with an air cooler
exclusively for quick freezes and with mechanical expansion
tubes, plate fins, fin pitches, and an evaporator with high-thermalconductivity materials.
5. High Freezing Efficiency
The air cooler uses fin pitch and in-line pin-fin arrays so that the
products wont frost much and can be held frozen for a longer
time.
6. Extensive Range of Frozen Products
The multipass belt unnel freezer is perfect for quickly freezing
prepared food and seafood and meat products, such as shrimp,
fish, meat kebabs, chicken nuggets, sausages, and some
prepared food.
7. Easy Installation and Convenient Operation
The multipass belt tunnel freezer is an electromechanical device,
which can be directly installed on an indoor cement floor. It is easy
and fast to install as well as convenient to operate.
8. Customizable Options
With years of professional

and

practical

experience

in

manufacturing freezing equipment, Aeroasia works closely with

costumers to design multipass belt tunnel freezers that fit your
facility, capacity, and needs and manufacturers these tailor-made
freezers in a relatively short period.
Technical Parameters of Tunnel Freezer
Capacity

300 10000 kg/hr (500-25000lb/hr)

Belt Width

500 - 2500mm (20ft-100ft)

Belt Length

3 - 20m ( 8ft-70ft)

Power Requirement

380 560V, 50 - 60Hz, 3Ph

Refrigerant (Type and Supply)

R717, Freon, Pump Recir. Or DX

Evaporator defrost method

Water, hot gas, sequential defrost system

DISADVANTAGES
A tunnel freezer usually comprises an elongate tunnel of generally circular crosssection. In use, the tunnel is inclined to the horizontal and rotated about its longitudinal
axis. Particles of material to be frozen are introduced into the upper end of the tunnel.
The rotation of the tunnel causes the particles to press along the tunnel to the lower end
where they are collected. As the particles pass along the tunnel they are frozen by heatexchange with a cold medium, for example liquid nitrogen.
It will be appreciated that tunnel freezers are relatively inexpensive. However, they suffer
from two major disadvantages. In particular:
1. If the particles of material are moist they tend to freeze in clusters; and
2. In use a certain amount of moist atmospheric air enters the tunnel. The moisture
freezes out on the wall of the tunnel and forms a layer of ice which reduces the effective
diameter of the tunnel and the throughput. In extreme cases particularly where the
material is itself moist, the particles an freeze in the ice to totally block the tunnel.
The first disadvantage has limited the use of tunnel freezers to processes where
the formation of clusters is not of particular significance, for example for embrittling
material for cryogenic grinding. Thus, tunnel freezers have not been successfully used
for producing high quality, individually quick-frozen foodstuffs, for example frozen prawns
and celery.
The second disadvantage means that the tunnel freezer has to be stopped,
cleaned and defrosted at relatively frequent intervals to maintain throughput.

In order to facilitate movement of the particles through the tunnel, the wall of the
tunnel is normally provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending lifting bars which
project towards the longitudinal axis of the tunnel. The optimum number, size and shape
of the lifting bars varies according to the particles to be frozen. Heretofore, the lifting
bars have been either permanently welded in position in the tunnel or bolted to lugs
which are themselves permanently welded or otherwise retained on the tunnel.
Consequently it has been a time-consuming and expensive operation to adapt the
internal configuration of a tunnel freezer for a different application.
The present specification described three solutions which specifically address
each of the above problems.
Dealing firstly with the problem of freezing in clusters UK-A-2 131 142 describes
a food freezer in which particles to be frozen are first dropped into a bath of liquid
nitrogen. The vaporizing nitrogen forms a thin layer around each particle which inhibits
the particles sticking together. The particles stay in the liquid for a sufficient time for the
surface to freeze and are then withdrawn upwardly from the liquid by a ribbon auger
which conveys the particles through a cooling tunnel where they freeze throughout in
contact with cold nitrogen vapour. Whilst this arrangement works extremely successfully
the food freezer itself is relatively expensive because of the manufacturing cost of the
ribbon auger.
The first aspect of the present invention provides a tunnel freezer comprising an
elongate tunnel which can be inclined to the horizontal and which can be rotated about
its longitudinal axis in use, characterized in that the inside of said tunnel is provided with
a weir which, in use, traps a pool of cryogenic liquid near the inlet end of said tunnel, and
means are provided for introducing material to be frozen into said pool.
When the tunnel freezer is in use particles to be frozen are introduced into the
cryogenic liquid and their surfaces are frozen with minimal aggregation. The rotation of
the tunnel transfers the particles along the tunnel.
Whilst this arrangement can work extremely well when the supply of particles to be
frozen is relatively uniform we have found that the particles may not be uniformly frozen

when the supply is erratic. This tends to be the case when the particles being frozen are
particles of foodstuff.
Multipass Belt Tunnel Freezer

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Problem
The chilling room of a meat plant is 18 m x 20 m x 5.5 m in size and has a capacity of
450 beef carcasses. The power consumed by the fans and the lights of the chilling room
are 26 and 3 kW, respectively, and the room gains heat through its envelope at a rate of
13 kW. The average mass of beef carcasses is 285 kg. The carcasses enter the chilling
room at 36C after they are washed to facilitate evaporative cooling and are cooled to 15
C in 10 h. The water is expected to evaporate at a rate of 0.080 kg/s. The air enters the
evaporator section of the refrigeration system at 0.7 C and leaves at -2C. The air side of
the evaporator is heavily finned, and the overall heat transfer coefficient of the
evaporator based on the air side is 20 W/m2 C. Also, the average temperature
difference between the air and the refrigerant in the evaporator is 5.5 C. Determine (a)
the refrigeration load of the chilling room, (b) the volume flow rate of air, and (c) the heat
transfer surface area of the evaporator on the air side, assuming all the vapor and the
fog in the air freezes in the evaporator.

SOLUTION
The chilling room of a meat plant with a capacity of 450 beef carcasses is considered.
The cooling load, the air-flow rate, and the heat transfer area of the evaporator are to be
determined.
Assumptions
1 Water evaporates at a rate of 0.080 kg/s.
2 All the moisture in the air freezes in the evaporator.
Properties
The heat of fusion and the heat of vaporization of water at 0C are 333.7 kJ/ kg and 2501
kJ/kg. The density and specific heat or air at 0C is 1.292 kg/m3 and 1.006 kJ/ kg. C.
Also, the specific heat of beef carcass is determined from the relation in Table A7b to
be

Cp = 1.68 + 2.51 x (water content)

Cp = 1.68 + 2.51 x 0.58 = 3.14 kJ/ kg. C

Analysis
(a) A sketch of the chilling room is given in Fig. 1734. The amount of beef mass
that needs to be cooled per unit time is

m=

Total beef mass cooled

Cooling Time

m
= ((450carcasses)(285kg/ carcasses))/ (10x3600s)

m
= 3.56kg/s
The product refrigeration, load can be viewed as the energy that needs to be
removed from the beef carcass as it is cooled from 36 to 15C at a rate of 3.56
kg/s and is determined to be

mCp

Q=(
T)

Q
= (3.56 kg/s)(3.14 kJ/ kg. C) (36 15) C

Q
= 235 kW
Then the total refrigeration load of the chilling room becomes The
amount of carcass cooling due to evaporative cooling of water is which
is 200/235 85 percent of the total product cooling load. The remaining
15 percent of the heat is transferred by convection and radiation. (b)
Heat is transferred to air at the rate determined above, and the
temperature of the air rises from 2C to 0.7C as a result. Therefore,
the mass flow rate of air is Then the volume flow rate of air becomes
(c) Normally the heat transfer load of the evaporator is the same as the
refrigeration load. But in this case the water that enters the evaporator

as a liquid is frozen as the temperature drops to 22C, and the

evaporator must also remove the latent heat of freezing, which is
determined from Therefore, the total rate of heat removal at the
evaporator is Then the heat transfer surface area of the evaporator on
the air side is determined from Q . evaporator

(UA)air side T,

Obviously, a finned surface must be used to provide such a large

surface area on the air side. A Q # evaporator UT 304,000W (20W/m2
C)(5.5C) 2764 m2 Q # evaporator Q # total,chillroom Q # freezing
277 27 304 kW Q # freezing (m # hlatent)water (0.080 kg/s)(333.7
kJ/kg) 27 kW V # air m # air rair 102.0 kg/s 1.292 kg/m3 78.9 m3 /s
m # air Q # air (cpTair) 277kW (1.006 kJ/kg C)[0.7 ( 2)C] 102.0 kg/s Q
# beef,evaporate (m # hfg)water (0.080 kg/s)(2501 kJ/kg) 200 kW Q
# total,chillroom Q # beef Q # fan Q # lights Q # heatgain 235 26
3 13 277 kW 17-R3
IV.

CONCLUSION