GB395508A - Improvements in and relating to preserving perishables such as fruits, vegetables and the like in their natural condition - Google Patents

Abstract

395,508. Preserving fruit, vegetables, &c. UNITED FRUIT CO., 1, Federal Street, Boston, U.S.A. July 7, 1932, No. 19282. Convention date, April 8. [Class 49.] In preserving perishable materials such as fruit, vegetables, &c., in natural fresh condition by passing cooling air over them, drying of the materials is prevented by depositing a film of moisture on the surface of the materials, e.g. by spraying fresh water thereon, whereby a source of moisture is made available to the circulating air. In the construction described, the perishables, e.g. bananas, are disposed in a ship's hold A, Fig. 1, to which water is supplied as a spray from nozzles 20. The water is fed to a tank 22 from a supply pipe 21 controlled bv a ball float valve 23 and is forced from tank 22 by a pump 25 through pipe 24, strainers 30, pipe 26, valve 32 and pipes 34 .. 37 to the nozzles 20, the pipe 37 being connected as a return to the tank 22. Compressed air is supplied to the nozzles 20 from a compressor 50, through a purifier 53, which removes oil particles, a valve 56<1> and pipes 54 .. 57. Each nozzle 20 comprises a casing 60 having threaded portions 61, 62 for connection to the air and water pipes. The water enters, through bores 70, 71 and a narrow orifice 73, an annular chamber 76 formed between the casing 60 and a cap 75 screwed thereon and communicating with a chamber 78 having a recessed portion 79 from which extends radially four spray apertures 81. Compressed air is supplied to the chamber 78 through bores 67, 65 and an orifice 63. The bores 65, 71 are closed at their upper ends by removable plugs 64, 72. The amount of water supplied to the hold may be reduced by increasing the supply of compressed air to the nozzles 20 by opening the valve 56<1>. After the fruit has been moistened, cooled air is supplied to the hold through side ducts 13, Fig. 1, which enclose deflector members which curve down in a longitudinal direction to direct the air to various parts of the bottom whence it passes upwardly through the floor grating 14. The air is drawn from the hold A by fans 10 which force it through refrigerating coils 12 to the ducts 13. Water is precipitated from the moist air on the coils 12 and is conducted by draining devices 40, Fig. 5, to the pipe 41 which conducts it, with the water draining from the hold through drains 43, to the tank 22. The air is introduced into the hold at a comparatively high velocity to reduce quickly the initial high temperature of the fruit and the spray water can be cut down. When the desired low temperature is reached the air supply and the water spray can be diminished.