Starfrost Spiral Freezers and IQF Tunnels

Selection and quotation of Starfrost equipment: Helix spiral systems, Hybrid, Turbo and Velocity IQF tunnels, Contact plate freezers and carton tunnels.

Helix Spiral Freezers, Chillers and Coolers

Helix spiral systems are custom built as spiral freezers, chillers or coolers and reduce both surface and core temperature of individual food products. Formats are site-built double drum and single drum spirals and a compact packaged spiral. Conveyor belts are low tension or direct drive.

Drums: single or double
Between defrosts: up to 14 days
Refrigerant: low charge ammonia or CO₂
Format: compact packaged

Hybrid IQF Inline Tunnel Freezers

The Hybrid inline tunnel for IQF freezing comes in single or multi-belt configurations, with independent belt speed control and adjustable airflow. It is supplied pre-assembled, runs within one week of delivery and ships within 14 weeks. Construction is stainless steel.

Belts: single or multi-belt
Delivery: within 14 weeks
Start-up: within 1 week
Capacity: up to 60% above predecessor

Turbo IQF Fluidised Tunnels

The Turbo is a modular twin belt system with fluidisation for individual quick freezing of loose products such as vegetables, fruits, cooked rice, potato fries, meat and seafood. A crust freezing zone conditions the surface before the product moves to a deep fluidised bed. Infeed is vibratory.

Belts: twin belt
FRS: over 22 h between defrosts
Sequential defrost: up to 2 weeks
Infeed: vibratory conveyor

Velocity IQF Impingement Freezers

The Velocity is a single belt IQF tunnel in which high speed dual direction airflow freezes the product surface fast and limits dehydration loss. It is suited to flat products such as hamburgers, fish fillets and seafood. Belt width is selected to match capacity and factory space.

Belt: single, various widths
Airflow: dual direction
Construction: stainless steel
Floor: seam welded, self-draining

Contact Plate Freezers and Hardeners

The Contact carries product on a reusable thin polyethylene film belt over a refrigerated plate. The Hardener surface freezes the underside of fish fillets, scallops, octopus, squid, raw meat and poultry, while the Freezer adds overhead freezing for full freezing. Products show no belt marking.

Belt: polyethylene film
Modes: cool, crust freeze, full freeze
Fans: axial, anodised motors
Belt marks: none

Carton Freezing and Chilling Tunnels

In conjunction with its Australasian partner MHM Automation, Starfrost offers automated SRT and MRT air blast tunnels to chill or freeze products in cartons or crates. Cycle times typically run from 2 to 48 hours, with capacities of about 2,000 to 17,000 cartons. A cheese cooling tunnel is offered.

Tunnel types: SRT and MRT
Cycle: 2-48 h
Capacity: 2,000-17,000 cartons
Energy saving: about 25%

Choosing Between a Spiral and a Tunnel

Starfrost Helix spiral systems suit food that requires medium to long retention times: ready meals, poultry, pizza, potato products, fish, desserts, bakery products and ice cream.

Helix is available as a spiral freezer, cooler, chiller or ambient system, with single or double drum, site built or compact packaged. For in-line IQF freezing Starfrost builds the Hybrid, Turbo and Velocity tunnels, and for flat and delicate items the Contact plate freezers.

Each system is custom built around the product and customer requirements.

IQF Tunnels: Hybrid, Turbo and Velocity

The multi-belt Hybrid fits processors moving from static blast freezing to continuous in-line IQF, and glaze hardening of delicate products; the new model adds two extra conveyor belts for up to 60% more production capacity. Delivery is within 14 weeks and start-up within one week of delivery.

The modular Turbo with twin belts and a fluidised bed freezes loose products without clumping, and FRS gives more than 22 hours between defrosts. The single belt Velocity with high speed dual direction airflow is meant for flat products: burgers, fish fillets and crust freezing of meat logs.

Contact Freezing and Carton Tunnels

The Contact carries product on a polyethylene film belt over a refrigerated plate: the Hardener surface freezes the underside of fish fillets, scallops, squid, meat and poultry with no belt marking, and the Freezer fully freezes.

For products in cartons or crates Starfrost and its partner MHM Automation offer automated SRT tunnels with a single retention time and MRT tunnels with multiple retention times: cycle times typically run from 2 to 48 hours, with capacities of approximately 2,000 to 17,000 cartons.

Design, Testing and Commissioning

Starfrost has been building cooling equipment since 1984; its manufacturing and food test facility is in Suffolk, United Kingdom, and its parent company is Star Refrigeration.

Freezing parameters are chosen from product trials in the in-house laboratory, and Starfrost engineers project manage and commission each installation.

Together with Star Refrigeration, spiral systems can be supplied with a refrigeration plant, and low temperature equipment is adaptable for low charge ammonia systems.

Starfrost and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of Starfrost and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.