Rocker chiller

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of reducing the temperature and increasing the moisture content of carcasses includes progressively introducing the carcasses into a body of heat-exchanging fluid in a tank having a curved bottom surface, oscillating a paddle in the tank along the curved bottom surface to upwardly and laterally urge the carcasses through the body of fluid, and axially propelling jets of heat-exchanging fluid through the body of fluid to axially urge the carcasses along the length of the tank toward an outlet end of the tank.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following figures. Matching reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the figures, and components in the figures are not necessarily to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a rocker chiller.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the rocker chiller shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the embodiment of the rocker chiller shown in FIG. 1, illustrating an inlet end of a tank with a crank mechanism removed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a method of reducing the temperature and increasing the moisture content of poultry carcasses.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the temperature of carcasses, comprising: an elongated tank configured to hold a body of heat-exchanging fluid;a paddle assembly that moves laterally and urges the carcasses upwardly through the body of heat-exchanging fluid, the paddle assembly including an elongated paddle blade positioned in the tank;a crank mechanism that oscillates the paddle blade to predetermined up positions on opposite sides of the tank; anda propulsion system that axially urges the carcasses along the length of the tank, the propulsion system including at least one nozzle that directs a jet of heat-exchanging fluid along the length of the tank at a position adjacent the paddle assembly when the paddle assembly is at its predetermined up position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the elongated tank has a longitudinal axis and a curved bottom portion, and the crank mechanism oscillates the paddle blade about the longitudinal axis, such that the paddle blade travels upwardly and laterally along an arc that substantially follows the curved bottom portion of the tank.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the paddle assembly is configured to intermittently pause the paddle blade for periods of rest.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a re-chilling system that removes the heat-exchanging fluid from the tank, lowers the temperature of the fluid, and re-circulates the heat-exchanging fluid back into the tank.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the nozzles are positioned in an end wall and are directed along the length of the tank at an inlet end of the tank, such that the carcasses introduced into the tank at the inlet end are axially urged toward an outlet end of the tank by the jets.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the nozzles include two upper nozzles, each of the upper nozzles being positioned adjacent and above an up position of an arc through which the paddle blade oscillates, such that paddle blade upwardly and laterally urges the carcasses into the jets emerging from the nozzles.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the nozzles include at least one lower nozzle positioned at the bottom center of the tank, such that when a fluid level of heat-exchanging fluid in the tank is lowered, the lower nozzle axially propels the carcasses along the bottom of the tank toward the outlet end.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the propulsion system further includes a pump that pressurizes the heat-exchanging fluid, and a delivery conduit that communicates the pressurized heat-exchanging fluid from the pump to the nozzles.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the jets are volumes of relatively high velocity heat-exchanging fluid traveling through the body of heat-exchanging fluid in the tank, to urge the carcasses through the body of heat-exchanging fluid.

10. A chiller for reducing the temperature of carcasses, comprising: an elongated tank including a curved bottom portion;means for re-circulating heat-exchanging fluid within the tank;an elongated paddle positioned in the tank and extending along a length of the tank;means for oscillating the paddle in the tank along a path generally conforming to the curved bottom portion of the tank; andfluid inlet ports oriented to direct heat-exchanging fluid along the length of the tank at positions adjacent the path of the paddle to urge the carcasses along the length of the tank.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fluid inlet ports are configured to direct streams of heat-exchanging fluid on opposite sides of the tank at positions below a fluid level in the tank and above an upward reach of the paddle.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one fluid inlets port is configured to direct a stream of heat-exchanging fluid along a bottom of the tank.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fluid inlet ports include upper fluid inlet ports configured to direct streams of heat-exchanging fluid on opposite sides of the tank at positions above an upward reach of the paddle and below a fluid level in the tank, and at least one lower fluid outlet port, each lower fluid outlet port being configured to direct a stream of heat-exchanging fluid along a bottom of the tank.

14. A method of reducing the temperature and increasing the moisture content of carcasses comprising: progressively introducing the carcasses into a body of heat-exchanging fluid in a tank having a curved bottom surface;oscillating a paddle in the tank along the curved bottom surface to urge the carcasses upwardly on the curved bottom surface; andpropelling jets of heat-exchanging fluid through the body of fluid to urge the carcasses axially along the length of the tank toward an outlet end of the tank.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of oscillating the paddle comprises intermittently oscillating the paddle during periods of oscillation and pausing the paddle during periods of rest.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the heat-exchanging fluid consists essentially of water, and the periods of rest facilitate absorption and retention of the water in muscle of the carcass.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein: the step of progressively introducing the carcasses into the tank comprises placing the carcasses into the tank at an inlet end; andthe step of propelling the jets of heat-exchanging fluid through the body of heat-exchanging fluid in the tank comprises propelling the jets into the tank at the inlet end at a velocity that is relatively higher than the velocity of the body of heat-exchanging fluid in the tank.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein: the step of oscillating the paddle in the tank comprises oscillating the paddle through an arc having up positions on opposite sides of the tank; andthe step of propelling the jets of heat-exchanging fluid comprises propelling the jets into the tank adjacent and just above the up positions on opposite sides of the tank;such that the paddle urges the carcasses upwardly and laterally into the jets of heat-exchanging fluid, and the jets of heat-exchanging fluid urge the carcasses axially toward the outlet end of the tank.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein: the step of progressively introducing the carcasses into the tank comprises progressively introducing the carcasses during a normal operation period, and no longer introducing the carcasses during an end of operation period;the step of oscillating the paddle comprises intermittently oscillating the paddle during the normal operation period;the step of propelling the jets comprises propelling the jets into the tank just above an upward reach of the paddle during the normal operation period; and propelling at least one jet along a bottom of the tank during the end of operation period.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the jets include upper jets and lower jets, the upper jets being axially propelled into the tank just above an upward reach of the paddle, and the lower jets being axially propelled along a bottom of the tank.