Pelletiser and method for making frozen pellets

• US 5,199,269 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 04/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGA AB (Linde Plc)
• Original Assignee: Frigoscandia Food Processing Systems AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Alvar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennet, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KILNER, CHRISTOPHER B
• Application Number:
  US07/613,531
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 62/63, 62/71, 62/74, 62/75, 62/320, 62/345, 62/346, 62/356, 62/374, 62/340, 62/341, 425/233, 425/237, 425/262, 425/263
• US Class Current: 62/63
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/362 with packages or with shaping in form of blocks or portions
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/16 using pocketed rollers, e.g. two co-operating pocketed rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/34 Heating or cooling presses or parts thereof

Abstract

A pelletizer for making pellets from a liquid or semi-liquid food product has two molding rolls between which the food product is formed into pellets. The rolls have teeth of complementary shape, and the teeth of at least one roll have axially spaced apart recesses. The rolls are cooled with a refrigerant during the molding operation. By the means of the pelletizer, frozen pellets are made from a liquid or semi-liquid food product which, prior to molding, is refrigerated into moldable consistency before being supplied to the nip between the two cooperating molding rolls which are cooled during the molding operation so as to form surface-frozen pellets which are thereafter subjected to final freezing.

Claims

1. A pelletizer for making pellets from a liquid or semi-liquid food product which has been refrigerated to a moldable consistency, said pelletizer comprising:

two facing, hollow molding rolls having slidingly intermeshing teeth of rounded complimentary shape;

said teeth of both rolls having axially spaced-apart recesses extending circumferentially throughout the entire width of each tooth, said recesses having an arcuate profile in a longitudinal section along an axis of said roll;

the center distance of spaced-apart recesses of each tooth being substantially equal to the axial width of said recesses, the recesses of one roll being axially located between the recesses of the other roll;

such that during rotation of said molding rolls, the recesses of each tooth define individual pellet-shaped and, once per revolution of each of said molding rolls, almost completely closed cavities; and

further comprising freezing means for freezing the outer surface of said moldable consistency food product and simultaneously molding said food product into pellets without substantial compression thereof in said individual pellet-shaped recesses when said food product is fed between said rolls, said freezing means comprising a refrigerator and means for feeding a refrigerant from said refrigerator to the hollow interior of each of said hollow molding rolls.

2. Pelletizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radial depth of the recesses (43, 44) is larger than the height of the teeth.

3. A pelletizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hollow molding roll is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft through a bore in which said refrigerant is fed into the hollow of said roll.

4. A pelletizer according to claim 1 further comprising, upstream of said two facing molding rolls, means for feeding said food product having a moldable consistency to said two facing molding rolls from means for simultaneously agitating and cooling a liquid or semi-liquid food product sufficient to effect quick and gentle freezing to thereby reduce the consistency of the liquid or semi-liquid food product to said moldable consistency while preventing the formation of large ice crystals.

5. A pelletizer according to claim 1 wherein said teeth also have an identical profile.

6. A pelletizer for making pellets from a liquid or semi-liquid food product, comprising:

means for simultaneously agitating and cooling a liquid or semi-liquid food product sufficient to reduce the consistency of the liquid or semi-liquid food product to a moldable consistency while preventing the formation of large ice crystals;

freezing and shaping means for freezing the surface of said moldable consistency food product and simultaneously molding said food product into pellets, said freezing and shaping means comprising two facing, hollow molding rolls having slidingly intermeshing spaced apart teeth of rounded complimentary shape extending entirely about both said rolls, said teeth extending substantially entirely across said rolls and having axially spaced-apart recesses extending across the entire width of each said tooth, said recesses having an arcuate profile in a longitudinal section along an axis of said roll;

the center distance of spaced-apart recesses of each tooth being substantially equal to the axial width of said recesses, the recesses of one roll being axially located between the recesses of the other roll;

said teeth and said recesses defining, during rotation of said molding rolls, a plurality of individual pellet-shaped and substantially completely closed cavities constituting means for forming said food product into pellets with no substantial compression thereof in said individual pellet-shaped recesses;

refrigeration means for cooling the hollow interior of each of said hollow molding rolls; and

means for feeding said moldable consistency food product from said means for simultaneously agitating and cooling to said molding rolls.