Patent ID: 6263681
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: A23G,F25D

Abstract:
An apparatus for cooling articles, comprising:a cooling channel having an entrance, a middle region and an exit;a conveyer belt for transporting the articles from the entrance toward the exit through said cooling channel, the articles in said cooling channel being exposed to a temperature profile extending approximately from the entrance to the exit of said cooling channel;a first cooling circuit through which at least one first cooling medium flows;a first cooling stretch being connected to said first cooling circuit, the first cooling medium entering said first cooling stretch in the middle region of said cooling channel at a first entering temperature;at least one first temperature sensor being arranged in the region of the entrance of said cooling channel for sensing the temperature of the first cooling medium in the region of the entrance of said cooling channel;a first control device for controlling the temperature of the first cooling medium in the sense of keeping the temperature substantially constant in the region of the entrance of said cooling channel and in the sense of changing the first entering temperature of the first cooling medium in response to the load of articles being located in said cooling channel;a second cooling circuit through which at least one second cooling medium flows;a second cooling stretch being connected to said second cooling circuit, the second cooling medium entering said second cooling stretch in the middle region of said cooling channel at a second entering temperature;at least one second temperature sensor being arranged in the region of the exit of said cooling channel for sensing the temperature of the second cooling medium in the region of the exit of said cooling channel; anda second control device for controlling the temperature of the second cooling medium in the sense of keeping the temperature substantially constant in the region of the exit of said cooling channel and in the sense of changing the second entering temperature of the second cooling medium in response to the load of articles being located in said cooling channel.