Freezing Food  [ Return towards  Applications  ]

• The Cryogenic solution

High performance quick-freezing:
The refrigerating capacity and very low temperature of cryogenic fluids allows the product to be very rapidly "seized". Cryogenic quick-freezing is generally 3 to 4 times faster than that obtained by a mechanical refrigeration system.

This very fast quick-freezing prevents:

- surface dehydration resulting in weight loss
- products from sticking together, to enable IQF (Individual Quick Frozen) products which are rapidly quick-frozen in the form of individual pieces


Flexibility:
The cryogenic quick-freezing device can adapt to:

changes in operating conditions during operation. After each modification of control values, the new values are reached in no more than several minutes; contact times vary from several minutes to one hour and temperature from -20°C to -140°C
product changes, from one type of production to another in a given device
changes in application: quick-freezing, surface hardening or simple chilling


Economy:
Initial investment cost is low, and about 5 times less than an equivalent mechanical refrigeration system. Annual maintenance costs are also low and are only from 1 to 3 % of the initial purchase cost. Fixed costs are low, which is a considerable advantage when handling seasonal or peak production requirements or when launching new products.

• A wide range of equipment

AIR LIQUIDE has developed a range of simple and reliable quick-freezing equipment which is compact and easy to use, service and clean: