The spirals in the food industry are key equipment that allow maximizing, mainly, the yield of the production, at the same time that they optimize the space in the plant.

These equipments are designed according to the client’s needs and can be configured depending on the process for which it needs to be applied.

Freezing

The purpose of the spiral freezer (or gyro freezer as it is also commonly known) is to rapidly lower the temperature of the product as it travels through the spiral. The time spent in the freezing process is determined by the speed of the belt.

For this process it is important to consider the advantage of plastic modular bands, their hydrophobic condition prevents the product from adhering to the band and thus facilitates its release.

These teams also work with temperatures of up to -40ºC, with evaporators that manage to improve their energy efficiency. It is important to note that the final temperature of the product on leaving the freezer can vary depending on the geometry and weight of the product, which is why it is important to control three operating parameters: belt speed, temperature and air flow.

Cooling

The cooling of food for the food industry is a key process, since it stops the development of bacteria in the food, thus prolonging its useful life, and preserving its organoleptic characteristics. 

Cooling coils equipped with modular plastic belts offer higher performance, compared to metal belts, since they reduce unscheduled downtime due to belt fatigue, and also minimize contamination problems caused by particles. that come off due to wear of the metal bands.

The cooling process can be carried out by air flow or by means of water, depending on the product. For this application, the plastic bands prevent the containers from being damaged or suffering losses due to the edges or fragments of the metal bands; They also allow products to be placed directly on the belt, keeping their position without the need for any type of tray or accessory.

Drying

The constant flow of hot air during the drying process guarantees a product of uniform quality. The drying spiral allows to control the temperature and humidity, generating conditions of homogeneous distribution of heat inside the chamber. The duration of the drying process is established according to the characteristics and needs of the food, which allows obtaining a product with thermal efficiency and bromatological safety.

Fermentation

If the need is to obtain an improvement in specific temperature levels, as an optimal fermentation process entails, Intralox spirals with plastic bands are the option chosen for the preparation of bakery and confectionery products, due to their resistance to heat.

The fermentation in a spiral allows a precise control of the conditions of temperature, humidity and air flow, achieving a final product without changes in its organoleptic qualities and of high quality.

The low tension presented by the DirectDrive system eliminates overdrive, with which the products do not present movement on the trays, preserving their alignment and improving their quality by reducing marks on it.

Buffering and accumulation

When it comes to cushioning or buildup application, Intralox spiral belts offer low backpressure buildup, a bi-directional belt and sprocket design, and high-speed capability of up to 400 feet per minute. The cushioning and/or accumulation spirals optimize the space in the plant, avoiding long conveyor belts, as well as the unnecessary handling of the product, achieving efficiency of space, resources and personnel.

The DirectDrive system also allows the belt to run at low tension, preventing premature wear and greatly reducing belt replacement costs.

Elevating and de-elevating

The lifting and/or lowering spiral is the best alternative in those cases in which it is necessary to optimize space, avoiding long journeys of inclined conveyor belts, and offering a flexible, low-consumption solution.

The drive of the lifting and lowering conveyor can work in a unidirectional way, suitable for for example wet cans, or bidirectional reducing the inactivity times of the equipment, and protecting the accumulated cans without back pressure.

Our spirals are technologically advanced, since they have low energy consumption, low maintenance and are easy to clean, thanks to the Intralox modular plastic bands that improve sanitation conditions in the production process.

If you are interested in learning about the multiple benefits of spirals, please contact us for personalized guidance based on your needs.