Blast Freezing System for Berries, Fruits, Mushrooms and Vegetables
Koriel Group implemented a complete industrial refrigeration solution for Berries Fruits, a company specializing in processing and storing frozen products. The main goal of the project was to create a modern blast freezing system for berries, fruits, mushrooms and vegetables that could reliably operate with large volumes of products while maintaining their quality.
For the facility, Koriel Group designed and installed a deep blast freezing tunnel together with a centralized refrigeration system for pre-cooling rooms, the sorting area, static freezing chambers and frozen product storage warehouses.
What Challenges the Blast Freezing System Solved
Companies that process berries, fruits, vegetables and mushrooms often face the challenge of quickly handling large quantities of raw products during the harvesting season. Conventional cold rooms cannot provide rapid enough cooling, which may lead to the loss of texture, appearance, flavor and nutritional value.
For this reason, the project included a blast freezing tunnel. Such a system rapidly lowers the temperature of the product and preserves its quality. Blast freezing of berries, fruits, vegetables and mushrooms prevents the formation of large ice crystals that can damage the structure of the product.
Blast Freezing Tunnel and Centralized Refrigeration System
As part of the project, Koriel Group installed a blast freezing tunnel with a processing capacity of up to 80 tons of raw materials per day. The system is designed to work with different types of products:
- berries;
- fruits;
- vegetables;
- mushrooms.
In addition, a centralized refrigeration system was implemented for:
- pre-cooling rooms;
- sorting area;
- static freezing chambers;
- frozen product storage warehouses.
The warehouses provide stable temperature control and can store up to 40,000 pallet spaces of frozen products.
Advantages of the CO₂ Refrigeration System
The project uses a CO₂ refrigeration system based on the R744 refrigerant. This solution reduces electricity consumption, improves energy efficiency and ensures stable operation even under high loads.
CO₂ refrigeration systems are especially effective for facilities where several temperature zones are required at the same time: pre-cooling, blast freezing and long-term frozen storage.
By implementing the CO₂ refrigeration system, the company achieved:
- lower operating costs;
- reduced energy consumption;
- stable operation of refrigeration equipment;
- a more environmentally friendly solution compared to conventional refrigerants.
Heat Recovery and Additional Power Sources
Another important advantage of the project is the heat recovery system. Excess heat generated during the operation of the refrigeration equipment is reused for water heating and evaporator defrosting systems.
Project Results
- processing capacity of up to 80 tons of products per day;
- stable blast freezing of berries, fruits, vegetables and mushrooms;
- storage capacity of up to 40,000 pallet spaces;
- lower electricity costs;
- energy-efficient CO₂ refrigeration system;
- uninterrupted operation thanks to solar panels.
Koriel Group develops industrial refrigeration systems for companies where operational stability, energy efficiency and product quality are essential.