Hydro-cooling features

Advantages
●　Excellent in moisture (weight) retention
●　Allows for the use of sanitizing agents (e.g. chlorine, ozone) in the cooling solution
●　Can cool some products very quickly
●　Can be built in a variety of sizes and configurations

Disadvantages
●　Water supplies may be a challenge in remote regions
●　Not suitable for porous products, such as strawberries
●　Usually needs to be used before packaging
●　Care must be taken to prevent water pressure damage

Types of Hydro-coolers

Continuous Flow Hydro-cooler

The flow-through hydro-cooler allows the produce, individually, in bulk bins or in cartons, to pass along a conveyor under a shower of chilled water. Warm produce is placed on one end of the conveyor, and cooled produce is removed at the opposite end. The produce can enter and exit on a conveyer system, or it can be placed on and removed manually or mechanically. The product cooling rate (a function of packaging, also!) and the volume of the produce

to be cooled over a specific time determine the size of the equipment necessary. Optional variable speed conveyor belts can be useful in adapting the equipment to a variety of produce needs.

The flow-through hydro-cooler allows the produce, individually, in bulk bins or in cartons, to pass along a conveyor under a shower of chilled water. Warm produce is placed on one end of the conveyor, and cooled produce is removed at the opposite end. The produce can enter and exit on a conveyer system, or it can be placed on and removed manually or mechanically. The product cooling rate (a function of packaging, also!) and the volume of the produce to be cooled over a specific time determine the size of the equipment necessary. Optional variable speed conveyor belts can be useful in adapting the equipment to a variety of produce needs.

Batch Hydro-cooler

A batch hydro-coolers is an enclosure without conveyors. Palletized cartons or bulk bins of produce are loaded into the front of the enclosure, usually with a fork lift. A door or curtain is closed, and a continuous flow of large quantities of chilled water is showered down upon the produce. It is collected into a sump at the bottom, filtered, re-cooled, and re-cycled. Units can be of any size, the smallest usually cooling one pallet (1 MT) at time up to larger batch units that can cool eight pallets (6 MT) or more in each cycle.

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