Facility for thawing or tempering frozen food products

1 . An installation for thawing products that are frozen, comprising:

a chamber configured to receive food products to be thawed;

a fan oriented to point at a food receiving area where the food products are positioned, wherein the fan is configured to establish forced air circulation in the chamber toward the food receiving area and food products;

a steam apparatus configured to inject or create steam in the chamber for heating the food products in the chamber;

at least one refrigeration unit configured to cool water to a desired temperature as cooled water, wherein water is received from a domestic water network;

at least one nozzle configured to mist, shower, or spray the cooled water into the chamber onto the food products, and wherein the at least one nozzle is positioned between the food receiving area of the chamber and the fan; and

a controller coupled to at least the steam apparatus and the at least one refrigeration unit, wherein the controller is configured to cause the at least one refrigeration unit to regulate means of regulating the temperature of the cooled water to a set value based on a function of at least one of time, a core temperature of the food products, or a surface temperature of the food products, wherein, during a thawing process of the food products, the controller is further configured to cause the steam apparatus to heat the food products in the chamber at least partially simultaneously while causing the at least one refrigeration unit to supply cooled water through the nozzle to mist, shower, or spray the cooled water onto the food products positioned in the chamber, and wherein during the thawing process, forced air from the fan passes by the at least one nozzle and the food products.

2 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the steam apparatus comprises a steam inlet and at least one steam manifold coupled to the steam inlet, wherein the at least one steam manifold is positioned within the chamber to distribute steam within the chamber.

3 . The installation of claim 2 , wherein each steam manifold comprises:

a vertical section extending from a first end of the installation past the fan and the at least one nozzle to proximal a second end of the installation, wherein the second end is opposite the first end; and

a horizontal section is fluidically coupled to the vertical section and positioned proximate the second end, wherein the horizontal section extends from the vertical section in a transverse direction, and wherein the horizontal section is proximate the food receiving area of the chamber.

4 . The installation of claim 1 , further comprising a frame with a wall at least partially defining the chamber, wherein the refrigeration unit is supported by the wall of the frame.

5 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the fan is configured to establish forced air circulation in the chamber at a speed greater than or equal to 10 m/s in at least one location of the chamber.

6 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the steam apparatus is configured to inject or create steam in the chamber at a temperature of between 95° C. and 152° C.

7 . The installation of claim 6 , wherein the steam apparatus is configured to inject or create steam in the chamber by diffusion of low pressure steam.

8 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the at least one refrigeration unit is configured to supply the cooled water at a temperature below 10° C.

9 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the fan initially establishes the forced air circulation in the chamber at a speed greater than or equal to 5 m/s and subsequently at a reduced speed.

10 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the fan initially establishes the forced air circulation in the chamber during a first mode at a speed greater than or equal to 10 m/s and subsequently during a second mode at a reduced speed, wherein a timing of the first mode and the second mode is a function of the core temperature or the surface temperature of the food products.

11 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the controller is additionally configured to interrupt the steam apparatus and maintain the nozzle misting, showering, or spraying cooled water into the chamber.

12 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the at least one refrigeration unit is configured to deliver the cooled water at a first temperature at a start of the thawing process and at a second temperature at an end of the thawing process, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature.

13 . The installation of claim 12 , wherein the first temperature is greater than 10° C. and the second temperature is less than 6° C.

14 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the controller is communicably coupled to a plurality of sensors, wherein the controller controls the steam apparatus and at least one refrigeration unit based on the plurality of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors comprises:

a core temperature sensor to measure the core temperature of the food products;

a surface temperature sensor to measure the surface temperature of the food products;

a relative humidity sensor to measure the relative humidity in the chamber; and

an air temperature sensor to measure the air temperature in the chamber.

15 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nozzle is positioned in an upper section of the chamber and the food products are received in a lower section of the chamber adjacent the upper section.

16 . The installation of claim 1 , wherein the fan establishes the forced air circulation in the chamber at a speed greater than or equal to 5 m/s.

17 . The installation of claim 1 , further comprising a cold heat exchanger positioned between the fan and at least one nozzle, wherein forced air from the fan passes over the cold heat exchanger to cool the forced air before reaching the at least one nozzle and food products.

18 . An installation for thawing food products that are frozen, comprising: a chamber configured to receive food products to be thawed; a fan oriented to point at a food receiving area where the food products are positioned, wherein the fan is configured to establish forced air circulation in the chamber toward the food receiving area and food products; a steam apparatus configured to inject or create steam in the chamber for heating the food products in the chamber; at least one refrigeration unit configured to cool water to a desired temperature as cooled water, wherein water is received from a domestic water network; at least one nozzle configured to mist, shower, or spray the cooled water into the chamber onto the food products, and wherein the at least one nozzle is positioned between the food receiving area of the chamber and the fan; and a controller coupled to at least the steam apparatus and the at least one refrigeration unit, wherein the controller is configured to cause the at least one refrigeration unit to regulate the temperature of the cooled water to a set value based on a function of a surface temperature of the food products, wherein, during a thawing process of the food products, the controller is further configured to cause the steam apparatus to heat the food products in the chamber at least partially simultaneously while causing the at least one refrigeration unit to supply cooled water through the nozzle to mist, shower, or spray the cooled water onto the food products positioned in the chamber, and wherein during the thawing process, forced air from the fan passes by the at least one nozzle and the food products, wherein the at least one refrigeration unit is configured to cool the cooled water to a temperature less than or equal to 10° C.