Fast freezing of foodstuffs through hydrofluidization and pumped ice slurries

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the so-called HydroFluidisation Method, recently suggested and patented by the authors to bring together the advantages and to overcome the drawbacks of both air fluidisation and immersion food freezing techniques. Two main innovative aspects can clearly be distinguished: (i) employment of unfreezable liquids as fluidising agents and (ii) use of pumpable ice slurries as fluidising media. This freezing principle provides an extremely high heat transfer rate, short freezing times, great throughput and better product quality at refrigerating temperatures maintained by a single-stage refrigeration machine. Thus, nearly two times lower investments and power costs are necessary as compared with the popular individual quick freezing methods. Moreover, such hydrofluidisation freezing systems are less hazardous from the environmental viewpoint, since the refrigerant is closed in a small isolated circuit only. Some collaborative research activities directed towards the method's development and implementation within the European Union are also outlined.

Keywords

rapid freezing / foodstuffs / hydrofluidization / pumpable ice slurries

References

[1] Bel О., Lallemand A. Etude d’un fluide frigoporteur diphasique: 1 - Caractéristiques thermophysiques intrinsèques d’un coulis de glace; et 2 - Analyse expérimentale du comportement thermique et rhéologique // Int. J. Refrig., 1999, Vol. 22, No. 3.

[2] Egolf P. W., Brühletneie, J., Özvegyi F., Abächerli F., Renold P. Properties of ice slurry// Proc. Aarhus Conf., ITF/ IIR, 1996.

[3] Fikiin A.G. Congélation de fruits et de légumes par fluidisation// Proc. Budapest Conf., IIF/11R, 1969.

[4] Fikiin A.G. Bases théoriques du procédé de fluidisation lors de l’intensification de la congélation des fruits et des légumes// Proc. 15th Int. Congress Refrig., Venice, 1979, Vol. 4.

[5] Fikiin A.G. New method and fluidized water system for intensive chilling and freezing of fish// Food Control, 1992, Vol. 3, No. 3.

[6] Fikiin A.G. Quick freezing of vegetables by hydrofluidization. Proc. Istanbul Conf., IIF/IIR, 1994.

[7] Fikiin K.A., Tsvetko, O.B., Lapte, Yu.A., Fikiin A.G., Kolodyaznaya V.S. Thermophysical and engineering issues of the immersion freezing of fruits in ice slurriers based on sugar-ethanol aqueous solutions// Proc. 3rd HR Workshop on Ice Slurries, Lucerne, Switzerland, 2001.

[8] Fleshland O., Magnussen О. M. Chilling of farmed fish// Proc. Aberdeen Conf., 1IF/IIR, 1990.

[9] Lucas T., Raoult-Wack A.L. Immersion chilling and freezing in aqueous refrigerating media: review and future trends// Int. J. Refrig., 1998, Vol. 21, No. 6.

[10] Paul J. Binary ice as a secondary refrigerant// Proc. 19 Int. Congress Refrig., The Hague, 1995, Vol. 4b.

[11] Pearson S.F., Brown J. Use of pumpable ice to minimise salt uptake during immersion freezing. //Proc. Oslo Conf., IIF/IIR, 1998.

[12] Tressler D. K. Food freezing systems. In: Tressler, D.K., Van Arsdel, W.B., Copley, M.J. The Freezing Preservation of Foods, Vol. 1, The AVI Publishing Co., Westport, Connecticut, 1968.

[13] Ure Z., Slurry-ice based cooling systems //Proc. Sofia Conf., IIF/IIR, 1998.

[14] Woolrich W. R. Handbook of Refrigerating Engineering, Vol. 2: Applications. The Avi Publishing Co., Westport, Connecticut, 1966.

[15] Фикиин А.Г. Физические условия флюидизационного замораживания плодов и овощей// Холодильная техника. 1980. № 7.

[16] Фикиин А. Г. Метод и система за имсрсионно охлаждане и замразяване на хранители и продукти чрез хидрофлуидизация. Авторско свидетелство № 40164, Българско патентно ведомство — ИНРА, 1985.

[17] Фикиин А.Г., Фам В.Х. Система за изеледване на режимите на теплообмен при хидроохлаждане на хранителни продукти. Авторско свидетелство № 39749, Българско патентно ведомство - ИНРА, 1985.

[18] Фикиин А.Г., Дичее С.П., Карагеров Д. И., Флуидизационен замразвателен апарат за плодове и зеленчуци с различна големина. Авторско свидетелство № 10967, Българско патентно ведомство — ИНРА, 1965.

[19] Фикиин А.Г., Дичее C.П., Фикиина И.К. Основные параметры, характеризующие флюидизации слоев плодов и овощей// Холодильная техника. 1966. № 11.

[20] Фикиин А.Г., Дичее С.П., Карагеров Д. И. Флюидизационный морозильный аппарат АЗФ// Холодильная техника. 1970. № 7.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Fikiin K.A., Fikiin A.G.