Crossflow spiral heat transfer system with self-stacking spiral conveyor belt

Abstract

A refrigeration system includes a housing having a top, a bottom, first and second opposed sides, and containing an atmosphere; a conveyor apparatus including a self-stacking, self-supported, spiral conveyor belt and a drive mechanism, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of tiers and is at least partially disposed within the housing such that the conveyor belt can travel within the housing from the bottom towards the top of the housing or from the top towards the bottom of the housing; and an atmosphere circulation apparatus having at least one blower in communication with the atmosphere for circulating at least a portion of the atmosphere within the housing from proximate the first opposed side to the second opposed side and back towards the first opposed side, wherein the portion of the atmosphere circulated passes over the conveyor belt in a crossflow manner at least once.

1 . A refrigeration system, comprising:
 a housing having a top, a bottom, first and second opposed sides, and containing an atmosphere;   a conveyor apparatus comprising a self-stacking, self-supported, spiral conveyor belt and a drive mechanism, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a plurality of tiers and is at least partially disposed within the housing such that the conveyor belt can travel within the housing from the bottom towards the top of the housing or from the top towards the bottom of the housing; and   an atmosphere circulation apparatus comprising at least one blower in communication with the atmosphere for circulating at least a portion of the atmosphere within the housing from proximate the first opposed side to the second opposed side and back towards the first opposed side, wherein the portion of the atmosphere circulated passes over the conveyor belt in a crossflow manner at least once.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein a height between each one of the plurality of tiers is from about 3 inches to about 8 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt comprises a product carrying surface being at least partially gas permeable. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigeration system of  claim 3 , wherein the conveyor belt is constructed and arranged to travel from the bottom towards the top of the housing, and further comprising a return channel disposed proximate the top of the housing, wherein the conveyor belt does not extend within the return channel, such that the at least one blower forces the atmosphere circulated in a crossflow manner over the conveyor belt and through the return channel back to the at least one blower. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigeration system of  claim 3 , wherein the conveyor belt is constructed and arranged to travel from the top towards the bottom of the housing, and further comprising a return channel disposed proximate the bottom of the housing, wherein the conveyor belt does not extend within the return channel, such that the at least one blower forces the atmosphere circulated in a crossflow manner over the conveyor belt and through the return channel back to the at least one blower. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt comprises a product carrying surface being substantially gas impermeable. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigeration system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one blower forces the atmosphere circulated over the conveyor belt twice in a single cycle, such that the circulated atmosphere passes over upper tiers of the conveyor belt proximate the top of the housing as the circulated atmosphere passes from the first opposed side to the second opposed side, and passes over lower tiers of the conveyor belt proximate the bottom of the housing as the atmosphere passes from the second opposed side to the first opposed side, circulating back towards the at least one blower. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigeration system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one blower forces the atmosphere circulated over the conveyor belt twice in a single cycle, such that the circulated atmosphere passes over lower tiers of the conveyor belt proximate the bottom of the housing as the atmosphere circulated passes from the first opposed side to the second opposed side, and passes over upper tiers of the conveyor belt proximate the top of the housing as the atmosphere passes from the second opposed side to the first opposed side, circulating back towards the at least one blower. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a rotating platform. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigeration system of  claim 9 , wherein the rotating platform is disposed at the bottom of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The refrigeration system of  claim 9 , wherein the rotating platform is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one blower is constructed and arranged to provide a cooling substance to the atmosphere within the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigeration system of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling substance comprises a cryogen. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein the cryogen comprises at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrogen or air. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigeration system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one blower is disposed within the housing.