Ice plant and IQF freezing tunnel monitoring
Monitors IQF freezing tunnel temperature, refrigerant pressure, compressor operation and freezing time, controlling both freeze quality and energy consumption.
Why this monitoring is needed
The quality of quick freezing depends on how fast the product crosses the critical crystal-formation band: slow freezing forms large crystals and ruins texture on thawing. That damage is invisible in the tunnel and only becomes apparent in the consumer's hands.
The other side is energy. The refrigeration plant is a freezing factory's largest consumer, and its performance decline — from an iced evaporator to a fouled condenser — is gradual and invisible. Suction and discharge pressure are the two numbers that expose it.
What gets measured
Tunnel air temperature at several points
Inlet, middle and outlet are read separately; performance loss usually appears in one zone first.
Product core temperature
A PT100 in a witness sample gives the real time to reach target core temperature.
Refrigerant suction and discharge pressure
4–20 mA pressure transmitters; these two numbers measure the whole refrigeration plant's health.
Compressor and evaporator fan current
Compressor duty ratio indexes the cooling load and signals evaporator icing.
Defrost cycle
Defrost timing and effectiveness are logged; inadequate defrost degrades tunnel performance step by step.
Recommended equipment
Every model below is from the Fidar Electronics range. The final combination is set after a site survey or an engineering consultation.
FCD6455-01
FIDAQUIRE FCD6455-01 Industrial Data Logger
Central logger for freezing-time and plant-efficiency analysis
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FBC0232-01
FBC0232-01 CANopen Input Card
CANopen card chaining sensors in the tunnel and refrigeration plant room
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FTR0100-01
PT100 Temperature Sensor
PT100 sensor for tunnel air and product core temperature
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FTD3070-01
Spot Temperature Sensor
Spot temperature sensor for refrigerant lines and evaporator surface
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FAC0420-02
3-Channel 4–20 mA Current Sensor
3-channel 4–20 mA input for the refrigerant pressure transmitters
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FAC2000-03
3-Channel AC Current Sensor
3-channel AC current sensor for compressors and evaporator fans
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FDD0001-02
3-Channel Dry Contact Detector
3-channel dry-contact detector for refrigeration and defrost alarms
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FAC0420-01
4–20 mA Current Sensor
4–20 mA input for the ammonia leak detector
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FDR0508-01
FDR0508-01 8-Channel Relay Output Card
8-channel relay card for defrost, siren and emergency ventilation
View product ←Alarm and automation rules
- 1
Product core taking longer than the reference to reach target: tunnel performance-loss alarm.
- 2
Falling suction pressure with rising compressor run time: evaporator icing alarm and defrost required.
- 3
Rising discharge pressure: fouled condenser or insufficient cooling-tower flow alarm.
- 4
Ammonia leak detector activating: siren, emergency ventilation and top-priority safety alarm.
- 5
Automatic per-batch report with the product core temperature curve for the quality file.
What the operator gets
Product texture is protected by guaranteeing the freezing rate.
Refrigeration performance loss is caught before it becomes a breakdown.
Defrost follows real conditions, cutting energy consumption.
Frequently asked questions
Is the tunnel's low temperature a problem for the sensors?
For air and product core temperature in a freezing tunnel the PT100 is the right choice, covering −50 to 250 °C. The digital temperature and humidity sensor is not rated for that band, and choosing wrong here produces data you cannot trust.
Do you supply the ammonia leak detector?
Ammonia detectors come certified from a specialist supplier with a 4–20 mA output. Fidar's system reads it and turns it into siren, emergency ventilation and SMS alarms; the plant room's independent safety system stays exactly where it is.
Related solutions
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