Cooling and Freezing tunnel



Machine description and operation


The FFV Tunnel is a multipurpose cooling and/or freezing tunnel. In this tunnel the pre-cooling, cooling and freezing sections are integrated in the design, which can be con-figured into a project-based solution.





During the process, the product is evenly supplied across the full width of the conveyor belt, where it is being refrigerated using cold air. First, the air is subsequently cooled down in an air cooler. The coolers are dimensioned in such a way that frost can be de-posited on the slats without affecting the capacity and the production period. Then, the cold air is blown through the conveyor belt and products by fans.

 

Accurate distribution of air promotes uniform cooling and/or freezing of the individual products. The design of the fans and conveyor belts provide for an even distribution of air across the full width of the belt. Additionally the design gives much consideration to air speeds and decompression within the configuration. Therefore the FFV requires an extremely low fan capacity per frozen product.


Optionals and additional systems



  • Belt vibrators
  • Extra belt cleaning system at infeed
  • Continuous operating time extension
  • Rinse-In-Place (RIP)
  • Water Recycling System for washers
  • Defatting and distribution vibrator at infeed


Application


Cooling and/or freezing of pre-fried French fries and other potato products, such as slices and pommes rissoles, from +95°C to -18°C.


Cleaning requirements


The FFV meets the current stringent cleaning requirements:

  • Easy access, including high quality doors with door heating and lighting
  • All stainless steel interior (with special attention for hygienic design);
  • Welded floor, including draining system;
  • Smooth cooler structure including a cooler washers;
  • Easy-to-clean high quality stainless steel belt, including belt washers.


Advanced Process Control




Cooling and freezing is a delicate process and many circumstances influence the finished product. The BMA Cooling and Freezing Tunnels provide with a Standard Operating System for Advanced Process Control for the main parameters in the cooling and freezing process, such as retention time, air and evaporator temperatures, to reach an optimal product quality at a maximum efficiency.

 

The BMA Advanced Process Control system is provided with:

1. A touch screen HMI with ergonomic user interface, including:

  • Manual, automatic and cleaning modus
  • Diagnostic screen
  • Machine overview
  • Product recipe memory for up to 20 process depending parameters
  • Authorization of user groups
  • Alarm listing

2. A complete control cabinet, including:PLC and motordrives

  • Electrical components
  • Internal and external cables
  • Stainless steel cable trough


3. Modem for 24 hours TeleService



TeleService


Remote diagnosis of malfunctions as well as support in process optimization. The connection between the related plant an BMA is realized via telecommunications. In addition to the engineering solution, TeleService also includes administrative tasks for both the customer and BMA (scope of supply, response time, etc)


Major advantages


  • Project-based solutions thanks to large variety of belt widths and tunnel lengths.
  • All stainless steel interior.
  • Hygienic design, including standard belt and cooler washer system.
  • Easy access for inspection, cleaning and maintenance purposes.
  • Very low energy consumption of fans due to optimal design.
  • 1 week continuous freezing without special thawing facilities. Depending on the type of product the continuous operating time can be extended to 3 weeks.
  • Low maintenance costs thanks to minimum number of moving components.
  • High efficiency due to advanced pro-cess control and TeleService.





Click on the link to download the leaflet about the Cooling and Freezing tunnel.

Cooling and Freezing tunnel (974 kB)