[Quick freezing type] Quick frozen aquatic products
[Project Background]
Ecuador is one of the world's largest exporters of white shrimp, and with its superior natural conditions and mature aquaculture technology, it occupies an important position in the international seafood market. With the continuous growth of high-end markets in Europe, America, and Asia, higher quality requirements have been put forward for frozen shrimp products.
The traditional air freezing method has problems such as slow freezing speed, high energy consumption, and large dry consumption of products, which are difficult to meet the needs of modern cold chain transportation and terminal consumption for "freshness locking, quality assurance, and efficiency". Therefore, more and more shrimp processing plants are seeking more advanced freezing techniques - Brine Quick Freezing. In order to address these issues, the customer decided to seek advanced freezing technology partners and ultimately chose the 2-ton/hour saltwater quick freezing equipment provided by CBFI company.
[Customer Requirement Analysis]
The Ecuadorian shrimp processing plant served by CBFI mainly engages in the fishing, processing, and export of South American white shrimp, with a daily processing capacity of over 10 tons. The customer has a clear requirement:
·Daily production requirement: about 2000kg needs to be frozen per hour;
·Freeze type: Box freeze
·Target temperature: Center temperature after freezing ≤ -18 ℃;
·Product form preservation: After freezing, the shrimp body remains intact, does not deform, and has no frostbite;
·Stable and energy-saving: The equipment needs to adapt to tropical high temperature and high humidity environments, operate stably and reliably, and be energy-saving
·Compliant with international export standards: The equipment needs to meet the hygiene and safety requirements of the food processing industry;
[CBFI Solution]
1.1 Product Information
The brine shower freezing system is a compact and high-performance quick freezing solution, especially suitable for quick freezing of shrimp, whitebait, squid, sardine and other products in the fishery after fishing. These aquatic products are packaged in perforated frames and receive a spray of sodium chloride salt water through a tunnel. The products can be frozen to -12 to -14 ℃ within 7-10 minutes. Then enter the -35 ℃ air freezing tunnel to further freeze the product below -18 ℃.
Saltwater is the most effective and economical method for freezing aquatic products. Due to its fast heat transfer rate, the freezing time is reduced to an astonishing level, ensuring that fibers and cell walls do not break during freezing. The product has fine ice crystals, low dehydration weight loss, and does not lose the nutritional substances of food. It maintains the sensory quality of the product and gives it a fresh appearance when thawed.
CBFI has tailored a 2-ton/hour salt water quick freezing system for customers' special working conditions and product characteristics. The system consists of six parts, with the main body consisting of a salt water shower tunnel and a blowing freezing tunnel:
·Saltwater shower tunnel freezer: used for initial freezing.
·Cold air deep freezing tunnel freezer: further reducing temperature.
·Feed lifting conveyor: convenient for transporting frozen products.
·Intermediate transition conveyor: Avoid liquid saltwater from entering the blowing tunnel.
·Discharge descending conveyor: convenient for unloading finished products.
·Salt water pump and mixer: equipped with salt water and circulated for use.
1.2 System Features:
1. Salt water quick freezing tank: made of stainless steel material, corrosion-resistant and durable, equipped with an efficient spray system inside to ensure that the salt water evenly freezes the products.
2. Low temperature saltwater circulation system: using environmentally friendly low freezing point saltwater, combined with efficient refrigeration units, to maintain a stable low-temperature environment.
3. Automated material handling system: equipped with automatic conveyor belts and sorting devices to achieve continuous operation and reduce manual intervention.
4. PLC intelligent control system: supports remote monitoring and data acquisition, adjusts operating parameters in real time, and ensures consistency of freezing effect. Safety protection system: including leakage protection, emergency stop function, and multiple insulation designs to ensure operational safety.
5. Salinity automatic control system: Accurately control the concentration of saltwater to ensure optimal freezing effect.
6. Variable frequency control for mesh belt operation: The speed is continuously adjustable to meet the freezing requirements of different products.
7. Efficient saltwater circulation and delivery system: ensuring efficient utilization and continuous supply of saltwater.
8. Vibration demolding system: After freezing, a slight vibration can help the frozen product detach from the frame, facilitating subsequent packaging.
1.3 Performance advantages:
1. Fast freezing speed: The heat conduction efficiency of saltwater is much higher than that of air, which can complete the freezing of shrimp products in a short period of time, significantly reducing processing time.
2. Maintaining product quality: Rapid freezing reduces the possibility of large ice crystals forming from intracellular moisture, effectively preserving the taste and nutritional content of shrimp meat.
3. Energy saving and efficient: Compared to traditional air freezing equipment, salt water quick freezing machines have lower energy consumption and more economical operating costs.
4. Wide applicability: can handle shrimp products of various specifications, suitable for different processing needs.
5. Environmental safety: All contact parts are made of 304 stainless steel material, which meets food grade standards and ensures food safety.
[Project Implementation]
CBFI dispatched a professional technical team to conduct on-site inspections at the factory in Ecuador and optimized the equipment layout and installation plan based on the site conditions. The entire project implementation process is divided into the following stages:
1. Early communication and planning: Gain a deep understanding of customer needs, provide detailed technical solutions and equipment selection recommendations.
2. Equipment manufacturing and testing: Complete equipment assembly at the CBFI production base and conduct rigorous performance testing.
3. Transportation and Installation: Safely transport the equipment to the factory in Ecuador and arrange for technical personnel to install and debug it on site.
4. Training and technical support: Provide operational training and technical support to customer employees to ensure the smooth operation of equipment.
[Customer Feedback]
After the equipment was put into use, the customer provided the following feedback:
·The freezing efficiency has been significantly improved: the center temperature of shrimp products can reach below -18 ℃ in a short period of time, and the freezing speed has increased by more than 50% compared to before.
·Product quality improvement: Customers have reported that shrimp meat has a fresher and more tender taste, better color retention, and significantly increased market recognition.
·Energy saving and environmental protection: The energy consumption of the new equipment is significantly lower than that of the original air freezing equipment, saving a lot of energy costs every year.
·Easy to operate: The automated control system makes equipment operation more convenient and reduces the burden of manual management.
CBFI's saltwater freezer not only solved our problem, but also helped us enhance our overall competitiveness. "- Head of shrimp processing plant in Ecuador
