In the (mixing) zone: The perfect whirl
But how does the process work? After heating the sauce in a kettle, it is pumped into the tubular mixing chamber. This is where the magic happens: Liquid nitrogen is injected into the stream of simmering sauce through 24 specially designed nozzles, creating a perfect whirl. In this turbulence, both parts instantly blend into a chilly mixture.
As the volume of one kilogramme liquid N2 is eight times smaller than that of gaseous N2, it rapidly expands once it hits the hot fluid, supporting the blending process. Once the chilled mixture reaches the cooling kettle, an agitator ensures a smooth heat distribution in the sauce. Meanwhile, the system monitors the sauce’s temperature at all times and adjusts the pump speed, if needed. And the nitrogen? Just about 0°C cold, the gas escapes into the air through overhead vents – a natural cycle.
There is just one catch. Whether it’s sauce, soup, dip, gravy, condiment or custard you’re cooling: The product must be pumpable. A sauce’s viscosity, determined by a viscometer, should be above the value of five to be suitable for nitrogen injection. Pastes, mashes and bakery doughs are usually chilled through a different technique (Bottom Injection).
Minimising cost, maximising output
Not only is the ACCU-CHILL SC® portable and space-saving, it’s also rentable. Merging right into customers’ production lines, it helps them maintain maximum flexibility. That makes it the ideal solution for those planning to increase production volume – and those preparing cool commodities for short-term markets without extra investment costs. There’s a total of four ACCU-CHILL SC® up and running, two in the U.S. and two in Europe. It’s not without reason that it has taken home the International FoodTec Award 2018’s gold medal, awarded by the DLG (German Agricultural Society). Our eating habits and diets may be changing – more flexible, more individual –, but our preference for quality nutrition and healthy meals remains the same.