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How does a tunnel freezer work?

  • sure-tj.com
  • Jul 25
  • 3 min read

A tunnel freezer is a widely used device in the food industry that is designed to preserve the original quality of food through rapid freezing technology. With the increasing global demand for frozen food, tunnel freezers have become the first choice for many food processing plants due to their high efficiency, energy saving and excellent freezing effect.


What is a tunnel freezer?

A tunnel freezer is a freezing device that brings food products into a sealed tunnel through a conveyor belt, where the food is exposed to low-temperature air and quickly frozen. This equipment is often used in large-scale production, especially for freezing a variety of foods such as meat, seafood, vegetables, bread, etc. Unlike traditional freezing methods, tunnel freezers can quickly and effectively complete the freezing process while maintaining the shape, taste and nutrition of food.

tunnel freezer

Workflow of a tunnel freezer

The workflow of a tunnel freezer is usually divided into several key steps:


1.Food enters the tunnel

Food products are sent into the quick freezing tunnel via a conveyor belt. Once the product enters the tunnel, the temperature drops rapidly and reaches a core temperature of -18°C. The design of the tunnel ensures that the food quickly adapts to the low temperature environment after entering, so as to avoid quality problems caused by uneven temperature during the freezing process.


2.Rapid cooling and freezing

The cold air in the tunnel is evenly blown to the surface of the food by powerful fans. When the food passes on the conveyor belt, the heat on the outside is quickly dissipated, and the temperature inside also drops rapidly. The cooling time is usually between 30 minutes and 1 hour. During this process, the moisture in the food will freeze quickly, which can maintain the original taste, texture and nutritional value of the food.


3.Food discharge and storage

When the food is frozen, it will be discharged from the other end of the tunnel and sent to the packaging or storage area. At this time, the temperature of the food has dropped to a level suitable for long-term storage, and it can be easily stored, transported or further processed.


Advantages of tunnel quick freezers

High efficiency and energy saving

One of the biggest advantages of tunnel quick freezers is its high efficiency. Compared with traditional freezing methods, air blast tunnel freezer can complete the freezing process in a shorter time and can handle a large number of products. The energy-saving characteristics of the equipment enable it to reduce energy consumption in the production process and reduce operating costs.


Maintaining the best nutrition of food

Through rapid freezing, tunnel freezers can effectively prevent the loss of water in food, so that food can maintain its best flavor and nutritional value.


Hygiene and safety

The tunnel freezer adopts a sealed design to ensure that the food is not contaminated by the outside world during the entire freezing process. This closed system prevents microorganisms, dust or other contaminants in the air from entering the food, greatly improving the safety and hygiene standards of food.


Flexibility and adaptability

The IQF tunnel freezer can handle various types of food, including meat, seafood, vegetables, bread, ready-to-eat meals, etc. Its temperature and wind speed control system can be adjusted according to the needs of different foods to adapt it to different production needs. Whether it is processing small batches of high-end foods or standardized freezing of large-scale production, the tunnel freezer can provide flexible solutions.


Summary

The tunnel freezer has become an indispensable equipment in modern food processing with its unique advantages of high efficiency, energy saving and maintaining food quality. It not only ensures the rapid freezing of food, but also retains the taste, nutrition and appearance of food to the greatest extent, ensuring that consumers enjoy the best frozen food.


For any food manufacturer seeking to improve production efficiency, reduce energy consumption and improve product quality, the tunnel freezer is undoubtedly an ideal choice for investment. If you want to learn more about the tunnel freezer, or inquire about customized solutions, please visit https://www.sure-tj.com/.

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