Automated blast cell loading and unloading
A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.
1 . A system for cooling items, the system comprising:
a plurality of blast cells, wherein each of the plurality of blast cells is configured to hold pallets to be cooled,
an automated pallet handler configured to perform operations to automatically load and unload the pallets in each of the plurality of blast cells;
a designated pathway adjacent the plurality of blast cells along which the automated pallet handler moves; and
a blast cell control system in network communication with the automated pallet handler, the blast cell control system comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
automatically opening a blast cell door when the automated pallet handler is detected as arriving at the blast cell door, and
automatically closing the blast cell door when the automated pallet handler is detected as departing the blast cell door.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated pallet handler comprises a crane.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the crane comprises a crane component and a retrieving component configured to retrieve and support at least one of the pallets being loaded and unloaded in each of the plurality of blast cells.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the crane is coupled to a vertical movement rail and configured to move vertically up and down the vertical movement rail to access multiple layers amongst a plurality of layers in each of the plurality of blast cells.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the designated pathway comprises a rail system.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the plurality of blast cells is positioned on a first side of the designated pathway and a second portion of the plurality of blast cells is positioned on a second side of the designated pathway opposing the first side of the designated pathway.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blast cells comprises a door positioned on a side of the blast cell that is configured to be opened and closed to load and unload the pallets.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the door is positioned on the side of the blast cell in a direction that is lateral to a direction of airflow through the blast cell.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the door is positioned on the side of the blast cell in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of airflow through the blast cell.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blast cells comprises:
a bay space for holding the pallets,
a first air passage in a first end of the bay space, and
a second air passage in an opposing second end of the bay space,
wherein the bay space, the first air passage, and the second air passage collectively provide a closed-loop within which air is circulated within the blast cell to cool the pallets.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of blast cells comprises a plurality of channels arranged within the first air passage, each of the plurality of channels defining a fluid pathway that is fluidly separate from other fluid pathways provided by others of the plurality of channels.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of channels are configured to, over their length, turn a direction of airflow from the first end of the bay space through the plurality of layers.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of channels is a first plurality of channels, wherein the blast cell further comprises a second plurality of channels arranged within the second air passage, each of the second plurality of channels defining a fluid pathway that is fluidly separate from other fluid pathways provided by the second plurality of channels.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second plurality of channels have corresponding vertical alignment such that respective terminal points of the first and second plurality of channels on opposing ends of the bay space intersect same horizontal planes.
15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of blast cells comprises an air flow guide arranged at a top of the blast cell and configured to streamline air flow at the top of the blast cell with reduced turbulence.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the air flow guide includes at least one turning vane configured to provide a curved air passage at the top of the blast cell.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated pallet mover comprises multiple autonomous machines, wherein each of the multiple autonomous machines is configured to automatically move between a portion of the plurality of blast cells along the designated pathway.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated pallet mover is configured to automatically move the pallets from the plurality of blast cells to one or more storage locations in a facility.
19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of blast cells comprises a plenum positioned in a top portion of the blast cell and a fan positioned within the plenum, wherein the fan is configured to circulate air through a closed-loop in the blast cell.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the fan is operable to (i) pull the air from a first end of the blast cell into a first end of the plenum and (ii) discharge the air into a second end of the plenum towards a second end of the blast cell, the first end of the blast cell being opposite the second end of the blast cell.