Tunnel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9314049-B2
Application number	US-201214342919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2012
Priority date	Sep 8, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A tunnel for the in-line anti-bacterial treatment of plucked poultry carcasses (or other animal carcasses) with a liquid cryogen or a cold gas at a temperature of less than 0° C. has an entrance and an exit for the poultry carcasses. A continuous slot is formed in a roof of the tunnel and extends from the entrance to the exit. Poultry suspension shackles are able to pass through the slot. Thus, poultry carcasses are able to be conveyed through the tunnel. The slot follows a path which reverses direction at least once.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tunnel for in-line anti-bacterial treatment of plucked animal carcasses with a fluid selected from at least one of a cryogenic liquid and a cold gas at a temperature below 0° C., comprising:
an entrance and an exit for the carcasses, and
a continuous slot in a roof of the tunnel extending from the entrance to the exit, the continuous slot sized and shaped to receive carcass suspension shackles to pass therethrough and be arranged in a path which reverses direction at least once,
wherein said tunnel is disposed at least partially within a chiller of an animal processing plant.

2. The tunnel according to claim 1 , wherein the slot is arranged in the path which reverses direction at least twice.

3. The tunnel according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel further comprises an array of nozzles for spraying the fluid into the tunnel.

4. The tunnel according to claim 3 , wherein the array of nozzles are arranged to introduce droplets of the cryogenic liquid into the cold gas directed by fans at the animal carcasses.

5. The tunnel according to claim 3 , wherein the array of nozzles are arranged to direct droplets of the cryogenic liquid to impinge on the animal carcasses.

6. The tunnel according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fans for moving the fluid within the tunnel.

7. The tunnel according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fans is positioned to direct the fluid laterally relative to the path for the animal carcasses through the tunnel.

8. The tunnel according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fans is an impingement fan.

9. The tunnel according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of baffles disposed to direct the cold gas along the path.

10. The tunnel according to claim 1 , further comprising a row of spray nozzles operatively associated with a length of the path in each direction, said spray nozzles adapted to direct the cryogenic liquid at the animal carcasses.

11. The tunnel according to claim 10 , wherein the spray nozzles are arranged to direct the cryogenic liquid in a similar direction.

12. The tunnel according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one outlet port in communication with the tunnel for extracting gas from the tunnel.

13. The tunnel according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel further comprises a treatment portion and at least one of a pre-treatment portion and a post-treatment portion, wherein the treatment portion is arranged along one direction of the path, and the at least one of the pre-treatment portion and the post-treatment portion is arranged along another direction of the path.

14. The tunnel according to claim 13 , wherein the pre-treatment portion, the treatment portion and the post-treatment portion are arranged in sequence.

15. The tunnel according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the pre-treatment tunnel portion and the post-treatment tunnel portion are arranged to be supplied with the fluid.

16. An apparatus for handling animal carcasses, comprising a tunnel according to claim 1 , and further comprising an overhead conveyor connected to said carcass suspension shackles, wherein the overhead conveyor follows another path corresponding to the said path of the slot in the roof of the tunnel.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is disposed at least partially within a chiller of an animal processing plant.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is constructed and arranged to supply developed gas from the tunnel to the chiller or to a heat exchanger located within the chiller.

19. An apparatus for handling animal carcasses comprising:
a tunnel according to claim 1 ;
a pre-treatment tunnel located upstream of and in communication with the tunnel; and
a post-treatment tunnel located down stream of and in communication with the tunnel, wherein the pre-treatment tunnel comprises the entrance and the post-treatment tunnel comprises the exit for the animal carcasses.

20. The tunnel according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel is constructed and arranged to supply developed gas from the tunnel to the chiller or to a heat exchanger located within the chiller.

21. An apparatus for handling animal carcasses, comprising:
a tunnel for in-line anti-bacterial treatment of plucked animal carcasses with a fluid selected from at least one of a cryogenic liquid and a cold gas at a temperature below 0° C., the tunnel comprising:
an entrance and an exit for the carcasses,
a continuous slot in a roof of the tunnel extending from the entrance to the exit, the continuous slot sized and shaped to receive carcass suspension shackles to pass therethrough and be arranged in a path which reverses direction at least once, and
an overhead conveyor connected to said carcass suspension shackles, the overhead conveyor arranged to follow another path corresponding to the path of the slot in the roof of the tunnel,
wherein said tunnel is disposed at least partially within a chiller of an animal processing plant.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said apparatus is constructed and arranged to supply developed gas from the tunnel to the chiller or to a heat exchanger located within the chiller.

Assignees

• Nicholson Keith
• Hanson Cedric
• Linde Ag

Inventors

• Nicholson Keith
• Hanson Cedric

Classifications

• A23B2/8033

  with packages or with shaping in the form of blocks or portions · CPC title

• A23B2/88

  with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid N2 at cryogenic temperature · CPC title

• A23B2/803 Primary

  Materials being transported through or in the apparatus, with or without shaping, e.g. in the form of powders, granules or flakes · CPC title

• A23L3/361 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A23L3/375

  Human Necessities · mapped topic