CO2 evaporators for the food industry

Carbon dioxide evaporators for the food industry

Carbon dioxide (CO2) evaporators are used in a wide range of applications in the food industry, mainly in food processing, freezing and chilling processes. The following are some of the common applications where CO2 evaporators are used in the food industry:

Freezing and chilling facilities: CO2 evaporators are widely used in food freezing and chilling facilities such as freezers, cold rooms and refrigerated cabinets. They provide efficient refrigeration to help maintain the freshness, quality and nutritional value of food products.

Food processing: In food processing, CO2 evaporators are often used to control temperature and humidity to meet specific processing requirements. For example, they can be used to cool and freeze meat, aquatic products, pastry, vegetables, etc.

Confectionery and chocolate production: In the manufacture of confectionery and chocolate, carbon dioxide evaporators can be used to control the temperature and allow liquid chocolate or syrup to cool and solidify quickly. This helps to create the desired shape, texture and mouthfeel.

Pastry and bread manufacturing: CO2 evaporators can be used to cool and chill dough and bread, helping to improve product quality and extend shelf life.

Beverage production: In the production of beverages, carbon dioxide evaporators are often used to cool and chill beverages, especially carbonated beverages. They are able to quickly reduce the temperature of beverages and maintain their taste and effervescence.

Refrigerated freight: CO2 evaporators are also used for refrigerated freight, such as refrigerated vehicles or containers. They provide a stable low temperature environment to ensure that food products remain fresh and safe during transport.

The use of CO2 evaporators in the food industry is widely recognised because CO2 is an environmentally friendly refrigerant that has no negative impact on food quality and safety.

The working principle of carbon dioxide evaporators

The working principle of a carbon dioxide evaporator involves the process of compression and evaporation of carbon dioxide. The following are the basic principles of their operation:

Compression process: Carbon dioxide enters the evaporator as a gas from the evaporator of the refrigeration system. Before the evaporator, the carbon dioxide gas is first compressed so that it becomes a high pressure gas.

Evaporation process: After compression, the high-pressure carbon dioxide gas enters the inside of the evaporator and passes through the winding lines on the surface of the heat exchanger. At the same time, the low-pressure area inside the evaporator reduces the pressure, causing a phase change of the carbon dioxide gas from a high-pressure gas to a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid mixture.

Heat exchange process: Inside the evaporator, the hot ambient air or other medium passes through the external surface of the evaporator and exchanges heat with the carbon dioxide gas. This causes the carbon dioxide gas to evaporate from the liquid, absorbing heat and transferring it to the ambient air, thus reducing the temperature inside the evaporator.

Cooling effect: Through the evaporation process, the carbon dioxide gas produces a low temperature effect inside the evaporator, transferring the cold to the area to be cooled, e.g. a cold store. In a cold store, cooling air or other media passes through the outlet of the evaporator, taking the heat away and thus reducing the temperature inside the cold store.

It is important to note that the CO2 evaporator is an important component and is often used in combination with other refrigeration cycle components such as compressors, condensers and expansion valves to form a complete refrigeration system. These components work together to circulate the carbon dioxide through the refrigeration cycle to achieve the cooling effect.