Vent-Stream Air Chiller

 

Innovation

• Targets air directly into the bird cavity and over the external surface, maximising heat transfer to minimise yield loss
• Parallel, serpentine, single tier track design using 300mm and 600mm diameter wheels
• 30% reduction in floor space compared to 300mm wheel layout
• Controlled temperature and direct airflow maximises heat exchange and bird capacity while minimising dehydration, wing freezing and residence time
• Robust and reliable conveyor design
• Hygienic stainless steel tube track for maximised cleanliness (T-track also available)
• Case hardened chain to reduce wear and prolong chain life
• Multi drive system
• Adaptive tension control via our Intelligent Drive Control System

Benefits

• Chills at deep muscle level from post-evisceration to less than 4°C following equalisation
• Each unit can process up to 13,000 birds per hour
• Increased air circulation around bird
• No tier to tier drip
• Tension control system providing extended chain life
• Units can be multiplexed
• Compatible with all industry standard auto-transfers
• State of the art technology to monitor and log air temperatures to ensure optimum efficiency

Main features

• Minimal dehydration for better yield
• Easy to clean
• Cost-effective
• Energy-efficient

Conveyor layout

300mm and 600mm diameter wheels with parallel tracks on staggered levels; installed with ample drives, a tension control system and a good quality case hardened chain.

Layout benefits:

• No chicken interference
• No drip between levels, eliminating cross-product contamination
• 30% saving in floor area compared to conventional 300mm wheel layouts
• Stainless steel round tube track improves hygiene
• Intelligent drive control system for adaptive tension

Refrigeration

Applied to the conveyor in two areas: a pre-chilling section, which operates at temperatures above freezing, and a secondary chilling section, which operates at temperatures just below freezing. We use R717 ammonia which is extremely efficient and environmentally-friendly but other refrigerants are available.

Pre-chiller benefits:

• Dehydration effects are reduced and evisceration drip does not freeze in the chicken
• Approximately half of the heat is removed here, so moisture in the air does not form as frost on the cooling coils
• Defrost time is eliminated

Secondary chilling benefits:

• Removes the remainder of the heat
• Operates at between 0°C and -2°C in order to achieve the desired deep muscle temperature
• Continuous processing without loss of capacity, enabling full refrigeration whilst alternate coils are defrosting

Easy access and optimum hygiene

• Conveyor and birds suspended at the right height for easy access into the chiller area
• Easy access to the air distribution plenum chamber for maintenance and hygiene
• Cooling coils constructed with Pennine easy clean specification for total access to all areas, with a fully accessible drip tray
• Air distribution nozzles are easily cleaned and robust enough to stand up to day to day use
• Stainless steel to prevent corrosion by cleansing materials

Components

• Compressors have a complete automatic standby facility, enabling maintenance to be carried out without loss of refrigeration capacity
• Condensers operate at the lowest economic condensing temperature to minimise operating and capital costs.

Talk to us about improving your product yield.