U.S – Air Products, a provider of industrial gas, has introduced a new digital intelligence solution that enables food companies to remotely monitor and manage their freezers, increasing productivity and minimizing product loss.
Food manufacturers can now have more understanding of the cryogenic freezing process thanks to Air Products Smart Technologies’ (APST) usage of sensor and wireless communications technology.
Production teams can monitor, evaluate, and optimize freezer performance with the use of live digital dashboards that use historical and real-time advanced data analytics.
According to Jon Trembley, Technology Manager for Cryogenic Applications at Air Products, external challenges have meant that there is even more pressure for food producers to deliver quality foods, in order to meet customer demands.
“This is why operational efficiency and product quality have never been more important. Not only do food producers need to reduce costs and prevent product loss, but they also need to achieve a competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging economic climate. This is where smart cryogenic freezing can help,” he said.
In comparison to conventional cryogenic freezing techniques, APST offers convenience, efficiency, and effectiveness.
Effective performance reviews can be carried out remotely, and supervisors can adjust as necessary to avoid under- or over-freezing.
The technique aids in maximizing the parameters of the freezing process, increasing overall equipment efficiency for improved output and quality, lowering costs, and enhancing operations’ sustainability by lowering food waste and nitrogen usage.
By allowing engineers to access data remotely, the new digital tool helps to save downtime by enabling client inquiries to be frequently answered without an onsite visit.
“The insight and guidance that APST offers food producers can significantly boost productivity with direct impact on a company’s bottom line.
“Using smart technology will help to improve and maintain product quality and reduce nitrogen consumption, as well as maximize efficiency and up-time of their cryogenic tunnel freezer,” Trembley said.
Liquid nitrogen is used in cryogenic food freezing to efficiently freeze the food products. This aids food producers in increasing production effectiveness while lowering expenses.
A rapid heat transfer rate, which is ensured by using cryogenic gas at very low working temperatures of -80oC, allows for short freezing times.
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