Air Blast Freezer is a batch freezing unit that uses forced cold air at a chamber temperature of -33°C to -37°C, bringing products from +10°C down to -18°C. The chamber is divided into several compartments with their own doors, so the plant can load and unload in batches without losing the cold charge of the whole cabinet.
Tan Long manufactures air blast freezers in three capacity ranges 300, 450 and 600 kg/batch (TABF.300 / TABF.450 / TABF.600) at our factory in Duc Hoa 1 Industrial Park, Tay Ninh (formerly Long An), for fillet and whole fish, meat, battered products and agricultural produce. The equipment runs on both NH3 refrigerant and Freon.
What is an air blast freezer? Operating principle and technical standards
Technical characteristics of Tan Long air blast freezers
- Can freeze all kinds of seafood, vegetables and food. Especially suitable for value-added products such as tempura, nobashi, sushi.
- Air blast freezers are designed and manufactured to HACCP and FDA standards.
- The freezing equipment is made from stainless steel and food-safe standard materials.
- The air blast freezer housing uses polyurethane panel insulation and stainless steel.
- The freezer is divided into separate compartments. Each compartment has two doors for easy entry and exit.
- Each freezer compartment can operate individually, meeting the operating needs when there is little stock. Flexible operation is suitable for products with diverse types and sizes.
- Easy and simple operation, maintenance and cleaning
Working principle
Products are placed on perforated stainless steel trays, which are then stacked on fixed or mobile tray racks. The air blast freezer uses the forced convection heat exchange principle to freeze products. Products are frozen rapidly by a high-pressure stream of circulating cold air blown directly from the fans onto the product surface
Which industries use air blast freezers?
Air blast freezers suit lines that need batch freezing, where products are arranged on trays and loaded into the chamber batch by batch rather than running continuously:
- Seafood processing: fillet and whole fish, shrimp and squid — the product group with the largest share of the projects Tan Long has delivered.
- Value-added products: tempura, nobashi, sushi and battered items that must keep their shape during freezing.
- Meat processing: carcass cuts, deboned meat and semi-finished products that need rapid cooling after processing.
- Agricultural produce and vegetables: tray-packed products before transfer to the frozen storage room.
For plants that need to freeze products individually rather than in batches, the more suitable solution is IQF freezer conveyor.
Types of batch freezing equipment and how to choose
| Criteria | Air Blast Tunnel Freezers | Air blast freezer (TABF) | Contact plate freezer (TCF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold transfer method | Cold air blown through the layers of trays on the loading trolley | Forced cold air inside a compartmented chamber | Direct contact between the plate and the product block |
| Output | Designed to each plant's requirement | 300 / 450 / 600 kg per batch | 1,000 / 1,200 / 1,500 kg per batch |
| Suitable product | Tray-packed vegetables, seafood, meat and fish, pre-processed goods | Fish fillets and whole fish, meat, battered products, agricultural produce | Shrimp, fish and seafood in block form |
| Cycle time | Depends on the product type and the thickness of the stacked layer | Depends on the product type; freezing chamber at -33 to -37°C | 60 – 90 minutes |
| Cooling capacity | To design | 40 / 60 / 80 kW | To the pumped or gravity-fed liquid configuration |
| Strength | The most flexible on product type, with low capital cost | Compartmented, so product is loaded and unloaded in stages with little cold loss | The highest output for the same floor area, and the shortest freezing time |
| Limit | Requires tray loading and trolley handling | Takes up a long footprint: 7.7 to 15.1 m depending on capacity | Only runs block-form product, not loose product |
When the requirement is to freeze product individually rather than in batches, the right machine is the IQF conveyor rather than any of the three above.
Air blast freezer construction to technical standards
A complete air blast freezer has three main assemblies: the insulated panel housing, the evaporator and the air circulation fan set. These three assemblies determine the cooling rate and the power consumption of the unit.
Freezer insulation panel
The wall, ceiling and floor panels are insulated with 125 mm polyurethane at a density of 40-42 kg/m3, applied with a high-pressure spray machine.
- Wall panel: Inside covered with 0.6mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel, outside covered with 0.8mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel with anti-scratch tape.
- Ceiling panel: Inside covered with 0.6mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel, outside covered with 0.6mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel with anti-scratch tape.
- Base panel: The inside is covered with 1.2mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel, the outside is covered with 0.6mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel, cast and welded seamlessly, waterproof. The freezer floor is sloped enough to drain water thoroughly during cleaning.
- The doors are insulated with 125mm polyurethane at a density of 40-42kg/m3. Both door faces are clad with 0.8mm SUS 304 stainless steel covered with anti-scratch protective tape. Door locks and hinges are SUS 304 stainless steel or plastic. The doors come with silicone sealing gaskets, anti-frost heating elements and locks with an anti-entrapment mechanism.
Condenser
The evaporator uses stainless steel or copper heat exchange tubes and aluminum fins depending on the refrigeration system. The technical parameters of the evaporator are calculated and selected in the most optimal way to ensure high heat exchange efficiency, continuous operation for a long time, saving energy costs. The evaporator is provided by famous suppliers such as Guntner, Thermofin, Kelvion (EU).
Evaporator fan
Fans are made of aluminum alloy, high performance, low energy consumption, supplied by Ziehl-Abegg or Rosenberg of Germany.
The fan motors are a type dedicated to air blast freezing tunnels, rated IP56 for complete thermal and moisture insulation. The motor housing is covered with a special protective layer so the motors run reliably in deep sub-zero environments. Motors are supplied by ABB or WEG.
Technical standards applied to air blast freezers
An air blast freezer is in direct contact with food, so materials and construction must meet food safety and hygiene requirements from the manufacturing stage onwards. The standards Tan Long applies:
- HACCP and FDA: the equipment is designed and manufactured to these two standards, which require food contact surfaces to resist soiling and be easy to clean.
- Food contact materials: stainless steel for trays, racks and internal chamber surfaces; panels clad with 0.6 mm SUS 304 stainless steel.
- Insulation: polyurethane core, with thermal bridging controlled at the joints of the wall, ceiling and floor panels.
- Refrigerant: the equipment runs on both NH3 and Freon; pipework and fitting materials are selected according to the refrigerant used.
The air blast freezer consulting and manufacturing process at Tan Long
Tan Long controls the entire chain from design through manufacturing at its factory in Duc Hoa 1 Industrial Park, Tay Ninh (formerly Long An), so the investor deals with a single point of contact:
- Requirement survey: identifying the product type to be frozen, the output per batch, the inlet temperature and the required freezing time.
- Configuration selection: matching the output against the three TABF.300, TABF.450 and TABF.600 capacity ranges to choose the right number of compartments and doors.
- Detailed design: calculating the required refrigeration capacity, selecting the refrigerant, and arranging the evaporator and the air flow direction inside the chamber.
- Manufacture at the factory: fabricating the panel housing, installing the evaporator and fan set, and test running before the unit leaves the factory.
- Installation and acceptance: connecting to the plant refrigeration system, load testing, and handover together with operating instructions.
Latest air blast freezer price list
The unit price of an air blast freezer depends on the output per batch, the number of compartments, the refrigerant used and the material requirements. Because each unit is built to the plant own configuration, Tan Long quotes per project:
| Configuration | Output per batch | Medium | Standard | Reference price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TABF.300 | 300 kg/batch | NH3 or Freon | HACCP / FDA | Contact us for a quote. |
| TABF.450 | 450 kg/batch | NH3 or Freon | HACCP / FDA | Contact us for a quote. |
| TABF.600 | 600 kg/batch | NH3 or Freon | HACCP / FDA | Contact us for a quote. |
Note: to receive an accurate quotation, please provide the product type to be frozen, the output per batch and the inlet temperature. The Tan Long engineering team will calculate the refrigeration capacity and respond with a solution and costs.
Technical specifications and scope of supply for air blast freezers
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF AIR FREEZER | ||||
| PARAMETER | UNIT | TABF.300 | TABF.450 | TABF.600 |
| Freezing capacity | kg/batch | 300 | 450 | 600 |
| Product Type | Fish fillets/whole, breaded meat/fish, agricultural/seafood products… | |||
| Product inlet/outlet temperature | ⁰C | +10 / -18 | ||
| Freezer temperature | ⁰C | (-33 ÷ -37) | ||
| Cooling capacity | kW | 40 | 60 | 80 |
| Refrigerant | NH3, Freon | |||
| Translation method | Fluid pump/Automatic throttling | |||
| Snow removal method | By water | |||
| Number of compartments | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Number of doors | mm | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Room shell size | mm | 7700L*3400W*2400H | 11500L*3400W*2400H | 15100L*3400W*2400H |
| Insulated panel | 125mm thick PU covered with 304 stainless steel, density 40-42 kg/m | |||
| Power supply | AC 380V / 3-phase / 50Hz | |||
Why choose Tan Long to manufacture your air blast freezer?
Tan Long is a unit specializing in providing technical solutions, supporting design, construction and installation of industrial freezing systems, cold storage, cold storage. Products of Tan Long are all sourced from Europe, using materials that fully meet HACCP and FDA criteria on food safety and hygiene. When you buy an air blast freezer from Tan Long, you receive:
- A team of experts advise, suggest and give appropriate advice to help customers choose the most suitable air-cooled freezer product.
- Delivery to site, proper installation, detailed instructions for customers to operate the equipment stably and safely.
- Dedicated and thoughtful warranty and after-sales service. If the freezer has problems during use, Tan Long's team of technicians will repair and replace genuine components, ensuring the device operates like new again.
With these product advantages together with professional service and attentive warranty and after-sales care, Tan Long deserves to be a trusted address for businesses that need to buy air freezers. Need support in designing and installing air freezers, customers should contact the hotline immediately. (+84) 933357058 to be Tan Long fast support
Batch freezing differs from continuous individual freezing in that product is loaded in one go, runs the full cycle and is only then removed. The three machines below differ in how cold is transferred into the product, which in turn changes output and cycle time:
When continuous freezing is required instead of batch freezing, the right equipment is an IQF freezer rather than the three models above.
Compared with other freezing equipment
The air blast freezer is only one of four groups of freezing equipment Tan Long manufactures. Choosing the wrong group at the outset means choosing the wrong production line behind it, so this is a decision worth weighing before specifications are finalised:
- Contact freezer — batch freezing like the air blast freezer, but heat is transferred through metal plates pressed directly onto the product. Suited to flat block products, with a shorter freezing time, but it only runs block-form products.
- Air Blast Tunnel Freezers — the same forced air principle on a larger scale, with products loaded in on trolleys. Suitable when output exceeds the capacity of a cabinet.
- Mesh belt IQF freezer — continuous freezing, with products frozen individually rather than in batches. Choose this group when products must not stick to each other.
- Flat plate IQF freezer — also continuous freezing, used for products that need a flat contact surface.
See the full range of industrial refrigeration equipment designed and manufactured by Tan Long.
Frequently asked questions about air blast freezers
How does an air blast freezer differ from an air blast freezing tunnel?
The same forced cold air principle, but a different loading method. The air blast freezer has fixed compartments with their own doors and a standard output of 300 to 600 kg/batch. Air Blast Tunnel Freezers loaded with trolley tray racks, with design capacity to order and more flexibility in product types.
How much floor space does an air blast freezer need?
A room shell of 7,700 × 3,400 × 2,400 mm for TABF.300, 11,500 × 3,400 × 2,400 mm for TABF.450 and 15,100 × 3,400 × 2,400 mm for TABF.600. This is the longest line in the batch freezing group, so it must be factored into the layout from the plant design stage.
How many compartments and doors does each configuration have?
TABF.300 has 2 compartments and 6 doors; TABF.450 has 3 compartments and 9 doors; TABF.600 has 4 compartments and 12 doors. Dividing the chamber allows loading and unloading in batches, limiting cold loss compared with a single-chamber cabinet.
What refrigeration capacity does each configuration need?
40 kW for TABF.300, 60 kW for TABF.450 and 80 kW for TABF.600. These figures must be added to the total load when calculating the capacity of the compressor for the whole plant.
What liquid feed and defrost methods are used?
Liquid feed by liquid pump or automatic expansion valve; water defrost. The housing uses 125 mm PU panel at a density of 40–42 kg/m³ clad with 304 stainless steel; power supply AC 380V/3 phase/50Hz.
When should a contact plate freezer be chosen instead of an air blast freezer?
When the product is in block form and high output is needed in a tight footprint. Contact freezer reaches 1,000 to 1,500 kg/batch in a shell of only 3,900 × 1,700 mm, but it cannot run loose products.
Request advice and a quotation
Tan Long designs and builds industrial refrigeration equipment at its plant in Duc Hoa 1 Industrial Park, Tay Ninh (formerly Long An), so capacity and dimensions can be adjusted to the actual site. Call 0933 357 058 (Mr. Thinh) or send a quotation request with your output per shift and your main product type.
Related technical reading
- Durian freezing: IQF technology and export-standard process
- What is freezing? Advantages and classifications of freezing machines.
- What is soft freezing technology? Benefits and process | Tan Long
- What is quick freezing? The secret to keeping food fresh.
- Properly freezing jackfruit - The secret to successful export.
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- TCF contact plate freezer
- Air Blast Tunnel Freezers
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