The Computer Controlled Contact Plate Freezer, "TPCC", allow the student to freeze food products quickly by using an industrial freezing process.
The unit includes a compression refrigeration circuit. It is based on mechanically forcing the circulation of a refrigerant through a closed circuit divided into two zones (high and low pressure), so that the fluid absorbs heat from the environment in a heat exchanger called evaporator (low pressure zone) and transfers heat in another heat exchanger called condenser (high pressure zone).
The main elements of the unit are: a hermetic compressor, a condenser with computer controlled fan, an expansion valve and a contact plate freezer-evaporator.
The contact plate freezer-evaporator consists of two freezing plates of 305 x178 mm. One is fixed and the other can be adjusted in height through two handles. The packaged food is placed on the fixed plate and can be frozen quickly.
Two temperature sensors and manometers are included to provide the conditions of the refrigerant at the inlet and outlet of the compressor. Besides, a temperature sensor located at the contact plate and five temperature sensors, which can be located in different points of the food product to be frozen, allow the student to monitor the product during the whole freezing process.
In addition, the circuit includes a sight glass to observe the state of the refrigerant, a filter, a storage tank to ensure a proper flow of refrigerant in the circuit and a liquid separator to prevent liquid from entering the compressor.
As a safety measure, the circuit includes a high pressure switch, which stops the cycle when the pressure is high.
This Computer Controlled Unit is supplied with the EDIBON Computer Control System (SCADA), and includes: The unit itself + a Control Interface Box + a Data Acquisition Board + Computer Control, Data Acquisition and Data Management Software Packages, for controlling the process and all parameters involved in the process.