There are many reasons why processors freeze their food products. Increasing shelf life, stabilizing the product, lengthening lines of distribution and satisfying customer convenience are just a few reasons why the frozen sections of our supermarkets continue to expand. At CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT we know that when choosing a method to freeze his product, the producer must consider the economics of freezing, the impact on his processing operations, and the expectations and concerns of his customers. We are here to help you evaluate the facts so that you can find the right solution.
Food freezing can be classified in two very broad categories: Offline freezing and inline freezing.
Offline freezing refers to physically removing the food product from the production line in order to freeze it in a separate manufacturing step or location (such as a cold storage area or commercial blast freezer).
Inline freezing refers to a process that freezes products as part of the continuous manufacturing assembly line, so that products exit the assembly line frozen.
For the rest of this section, the systems we are describing are inline freezing systems.
Regardless of what you are freezing or chilling, you will need refrigeration. And refrigeration is a purchased product. Refrigeration can be mechanically produced (in which case you are buying electrical power and transforming that power into refrigeration). Or refrigeration can be purchased as a pre-cooled substance, such as liquid nitrogen (LN2) or liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) and maintained in storage tanks. Freezing systems that use either of these refrigerants are generally referred to as being cryogenic* freezing systems.
*The National Institute of Standards and Technology has suggested that the term “cryogenics” be applied to temperatures below -238° F. However, correctly or incorrectly, the term ” cryogenic freezing” is widely used in food processing to identify freezing systems using either liquid nitrogen (-320°F) or carbon dioxide (-108°F as a solid).
What Is Freezing Cost?
Refrigeration is a purchased product. But it is only part of your freezing cost. Freezing cost is the total cost to freeze a product. Not every processor is going to measure freezing cost the same way, but the following are all components of the freezing cost equation:
- Cost of Refrigeration: The cost of refrigeration or BTU’s required to freeze the product expressed in cost per pound of product. If enough information is known about the product and proposed production parameters, Cryogenic Systems can accurately project these costs during the equipment evaluation process. An existing system can be best calculated by looking at monthly refrigeration cost divided by pounds of production. For mechanical systems, this value is based on the cost of electrical power. For cryogenic systems, this is the cost of liquid nitrogen (expressed in either cubic feet or pounds) or liquid carbon dioxide (expressed in pounds) used in the freezing system.
- Monthly Lease costs: The cost of a freezer system lease (either mechanical or cryogenic) and cryogen storage tanks should be taken into consideration
. - Operating and Maintenance Cost: The total cost of operating the freezing system in freezer parts, downtime (such as defrost cycles for mechanical freezers), and maintenance man hours.
- Production Cost: Some systems require an employee to either operate or monitor a freezer.
- Lost Yield Cost: Some products are susceptible to dehydration damage during the mechanical freezing process. Not only can this lead to reduced product quality, in some products this can lead to yield losses as high as 6%. Cryogenic dehydration losses rarely measure over 1%.
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Freezing Costs
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Mechanical
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Cryogenic
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| Capital |
High
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Low
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| Energy |
Low
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High
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| Maintenance |
High
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Low
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| Dehydration |
High
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Low
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Other Factors to Consider
Product Market Life: Food products, especially new entries into the marketplace, have varied degrees of success and market life. Sometimes a leased cryogenic system is a low risk means of producing a new product into the market place, converting to a mechanical system once the capital can be justified by known sales volume.
Plant Flexibility: Regardless what kind of freezer is acquired, the larger the range of products it can produce, the more flexibility and capability the processor will acquire.
Turn-Up Capacity: Since processor needs can change so rapidly, a major consideration should be the ability of a freezing system to grow with a business
| Don’t be dismayed! CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT can help with your evaluation process from the beginning. We have a wide range of practical data on the heat characteristics of food products, and we understand the economics and practical aspects of freezing all food products |
The first step in evaluating your options is to tell us about your product.
At CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT we have the knowledge and resources to help you get the facts. We can help you calculate your heat load (the amount of energy or cryogen required), establish dwell time (the amount of time it takes to freeze the product), and size a freezing system accordingly. We can tell you how much it will cost to acquire equipment, install it, and your freezing cost. We know what works, and how to maximize yield and production performance. Our motive is to provide you with the best possible system for your process, and be your long term source for process and maintenance services and parts.
