With its Double Impact freezer (DI), cooling specialist ENGIE Refrigeration adds a new, versatile option to smart freezing technology.
According to ENGIE Refrigeration’s project manager Chris Muller, in the past the possibilities of the freezing installation dictated product quality; freezing efficiency, energy consumption, and space utilisation. With smart IQF freezing, ENGIE has turned this around.
‘We make an inventory of the requirements of the product and the customer and adjust the technology accordingly,’ he said
‘A perfect freezing system requires customisation. That’s why ENGIE designs and manufactures product-specific or process-specific (post-)freezing systems and interweaves all these smart technologies into it. By fine-tuning these systems and technologies, smart IQF freezing seamlessly matches all the customers’ requirements and wishes. It results in an optimum balance between quality, efficiency, and energy consumption. If freezers with standard dimensions do not fit, a custom-made freezer offers the right solution.’
He commented that within the smart IQF freezing concept, ENGIE already offered two types of freezers. These are a low-cost line freezer with conventional freezing technology and an air injection freezer with smart freezing technology for ultra-fast freezing and minimal dehydration of the product. With the DI freezer, customers can now opt for a versatile third option which is suitable for freezing and post-freezing thicker and thinner products.
Freeze faster for better quality
‘When it comes to stricter requirements on hygiene and freezing performance or when a smaller set-up is desirable, the DI freezer is extremely interesting. It has a smart, modular construction with stainless steel welded casing and is easy to clean,’ Chris Muller explained.
‘This makes the freezer very suitable for breaded products. Moreover, it is suitable for all types of refrigerants. Because the freezer can freeze products twice as fast as a conventional freezer and features a very carefully thought-out design, it is very compact and half as long.’
It’s this fast freezing process that makes the DI freezer and the ILV freezer interesting for fish processors. The speed results in much smaller ice crystals that do not affect the cell walls of the fish. As a result, the product retains a homogeneous structure. The moisture evaporation is also zero due to the fast freezing process. Therefore the fish dehydrates less.
‘The fish tastes just as fresh as before the freezing process,’ he commented.
During Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, ENGIE will be presenting its DI freezer at stand #3-5662.
