Method and apparatus for controlling temperature of a freeze plate

Abstract

A freeze plate is provided. The freeze plate includes a freeze plate surface, a sealed chamber adjacent the freeze plate surface, one or more refrigerant lines in said sealed chamber, and a fluid in said sealed chamber in thermal contact with the freeze plate surface and the one or more refrigerant lines.

1 . An apparatus for cooling a food product, comprising:
 a plate for holding the product, wherein the product is placed on a first side of said plate;   a chamber connected to said plate;   a fluid disposed within said chamber, and   at least one refrigerant line in contact with said fluid, wherein a coolant flows through said refrigerant line, and said fluid is in contact with at least a portion of a second side of said plate.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid contacts all of said second side of said plate. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said chamber has an elevated portion that is higher than said first surface of said plate. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said refrigerant line is suspended in said fluid. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said refrigerant line abuts said second side of said plate. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within said fluid, to measure a temperature of said fluid. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a controller in communication with said temperature sensor, wherein said controller regulates the flow of said coolant through said refrigerant line. 
   
   
       8 . A method of controlling the temperature of a freeze plate, the method comprising the steps of:
 supplying a flow of a coolant through at least one refrigerant tube, wherein said refrigerant tube is in contact with a fluid;   measuring a temperature of said fluid, and adjusting said flow of said coolant based on said temperature of said fluid,   wherein said fluid and said refrigerant tube are disposed within a chamber, and said chamber is connected to the freeze plate, so that said fluid contacts at least a portion of the freeze plate.