Thawing-apparatus and method to thaw a substance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11533925-B2
Application number	US-201816608337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 9, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thawing-apparatus, in which a substance is preferably heated. The present invention further relates to a method to thaw a substance with radio-frequency waves.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A thawing apparatus, in which a frozen substance is heated to a temperature in a vicinity of 0° C., wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises:
at least one solid-state radio frequency source;
a conveyor to transport the substance past the at least one solid-state radio frequency source, the conveyor being at least partially transmittable for RF-radiation;
a product chamber, in which the substance is located; and
a plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources that are provided equidistantly around a circumference of the product chamber.

2. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one solid-state radio frequency source is provided in an array of n columns and m rows, wherein n is an integer >1 and m is an integer ≥1.

3. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises an inlet and an outlet, which are spaced apart from each other.

4. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the substance is provided as a batch, which is placed in a vicinity of the at least one solid-state radio frequency source.

5. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a control system to control the at least one solid-state radio frequency source.

6. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a control system and a sensor that measures a frozenness of the substance, wherein a signal of the sensor is utilized by the control system to control the at least one solid-state radio frequency source so that a crystallization point of the substance is not exceeded.

7. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus is at least partially isolated by one or more valves.

8. A production line comprising the thawing apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. The production line according to claim 8 , wherein the production line comprises a tumbler or a mixer downstream from the thawing-apparatus.

10. The production line according to claim 8 , wherein the production line comprises a cooling means downstream from the thawing-apparatus and/or from a tumbler/mixer.

11. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a sensor that measures energy absorbed by the substance to control the at least one solid-state radio frequency source so that a crystallization point of the substance is not exceeded.

12. The thawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a plurality of chambers disposed around a circumference of the product chamber, each one of which contains one of the plurality of solid-state RF sources; and a microwave tube/sphere that is disposed around the circumference of the product chamber and separates the product chamber from the plurality of chambers.

13. The thawing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the substance is in contact with an inner circumference of the microwave tube/sphere, at least locally.

14. The thawing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a material of the microwave tube/sphere is transparent for microwaves.

15. The thawing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a material of the microwave tube/sphere is transparent for microwaves, and the material comprises plastic and/or is free of metal.

16. The thawing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a housing in which the product chamber and the microwave tube/sphere is located, wherein the housing is made of metal, steel, or stainless steel.

17. The thawing apparatus to claim 12 , wherein the thawing-apparatus comprises a housing in which the product chamber is located, the housing comprises a plurality of openings defined around its circumference, each of the openings lead to the chamber in which one of the plurality of solid-state radio frequency sources is located, and the thawing-apparatus comprises a waveguide covering the opening and configured to direct RF-radiation in a direction of the substance.

18. The thawing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of openings are spaced about 72 degrees apart or about 90 degrees apart.

19. The thawing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of chambers are spaced about 72 degrees apart or about 90 degrees apart.

Assignees

• Gea Food Solutions Bakel Bv

Inventors

• Van Erp Joost

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A23B4/01

  by irradiation or electric treatment {with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules or flakes} · CPC title

• H05B6/782

  wherein the material moved is food · CPC title

• H05B1/0261

  of food · CPC title

• A23B7/01

  by irradiation or electric treatment · CPC title