System for Freezing Ice Cream

Abstract

A system or producing ice cream includes a brine tank configured to cool a brine solution, and a freezer which includes a brine conduit and an ice cream mixing tank. The brine conduit is disposed around the ice cream mixing tank such that the brine solution is in thermal contact with the ice cream mixing tank for removing heat from content in the ice cream mixing tank. The system further includes a device for measuring a property of the brine solution flowing out of the freezer, and a baffle disposed in a brine outlet line for regulating the flow of the brine solution therethrough in response to the measured property of the brine solution.

1 . A system for producing ice cream, comprising:
 a brine tank configured to cool a brine solution;   a brine feed inlet line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to the brine tank;   a freezer comprising a brine conduit and an ice cream mixing tank, the brine conduit being disposed around the ice cream mixing tank such that the brine solution cooled by the brine tank is in thermal contact with the ice cream mixing tank for removing heat from content in the ice cream mixing tank, the second end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to a first end of the brine conduit for supplying the cooled brine solution to the brine conduit;   a brine outlet line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine outlet line being coupled to a second end of the brine conduit;   a brine accumulator tank connected to the second end of the brine outlet line;   a brine return line comprising a first end and a second end and in communication with the brine outlet line and the brine tank for returning the brine solution to the brine tank;   a means for measuring a property of the brine solution flowing out of the freezer; and   an adjustable baffle for regulating flow of the brine solution in the brine conduit in response to the measured property of the brine solution.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice cream mix pump for supplying ice cream mix to the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a scraper blade disposed in the ice cream mixing tank for mixing the ice cream mix. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice cream output line coupled to the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice cream output pump coupled to the ice cream output line for removing ice cream from the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling coils for cooling the brine tank. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the cooling coils are configured to cool the brine solution to a temperature of about −40° C. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a drive mechanism for driving the scraper blade disposed in the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measured property of the brine solution comprises one of temperature, density, light reflectivity, or color, and the means for measuring the property comprises one of a temperature sensor or a plurality of light sources and a plurality of light sensors. 
     
     
         10 . A system for producing ice cream, comprising:
 a brine tank configured to cool a brine solution;   a brine feed inlet line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to the brine tank;   a mixing tank for an ice cream mix;   a first trough coupled to a top surface of the ice cream mixing tank, the second end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to the first trough;   a second trough coupled a bottom surface of the ice cream mixing tank and in fluid communication with the first trough such that brine solution flows from the first trough around the ice cream mixing tank and into the second trough and the brine solution cooled by the brine tank is in thermal contact with the ice cream mixing tank for removing heat from content in the ice cream mixing tank;   a brine outlet line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine outlet line being coupled to the second trough;   a brine accumulator tank, the second end of the brine outlet line being coupled to the brine accumulator tank;   a brine return line comprising a first end and a second end and in communication with the brine accumulator tank and the brine tank for returning the brine solution to the brine tank from the brine accumulator tank;   a means for measuring a property of the brine solution flowing into the first trough; and   a damper disposed in the second trough configured to control the flow of the brine solution out of the second trough in response to the measured property of the brine solution.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an ice cream mix pump for supplying ice cream mix to the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of scraper blades disposed in the ice cream mixing tank for mixing the ice cream mix. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an ice cream output line coupled to the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an ice cream output pump coupled to the ice cream output line. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising cooling coils for cooling the brine tank. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a drive mechanism for driving the plurality of ice cream scraper blades disposed in the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the measured property of the brine solution comprises one of temperature, density, light reflectivity, or color, and the means for measuring the property comprises one of a temperature sensor or a plurality of light sources and a plurality of light sensors. 
     
     
         18 . A system for producing ice cream, comprising:
 a brine tank configured to cool a brine solution;   a brine feed inlet line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to the brine tank;   a freezer comprising a brine conduit and an ice cream mixing tank, the brine conduit being disposed around the ice cream mixing tank such that the brine solution cooled by the brine tank is in thermal contact with the ice cream mixing tank for removing heat from content in the ice cream mixing tank;   an input manifold coupled to the brine conduit, the second end of the brine feed inlet line being coupled to the input manifold;   an output manifold coupled the brine conduit;   a brine output line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the brine output line being coupled to the output manifold and the second end of the brine output line being coupled to the brine tank;   a means for measuring a property of the brine solution flowing out of the freezer;   an adjustable baffle for regulating the flow of the brine solution in the brine conduit in response to the measured property of the brine solution.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of scraper blades disposed in the ice cream mixing tank. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the measured property of the brine solution comprises one of temperature, density, light reflectivity, or color, and the means for measuring the property comprises one of a temperature sensor or a plurality of light sources and a plurality of light sensors.