Tan Long Factory Standard Technical Specifications Matrix
1. The Crucial Role of Hardening Tunnels in Seafood Lines
Following automated ice glazing, the thin surface water sheath on shrimp, fillets, and squid sits at 0°C to +1°C. Packing items immediately into cartons or storage freezers causes water runoff or fuses pieces into large frozen clusters, destroying product form and violating export packing specs.
Tan Long post-glaze hardening conveyors are positioned immediately downstream of automated ice glazing machines. Operating at -38°C with forced air velocities of 4 to 6 m/s, the liquid glaze freezes solid into a crystalline protective shield within 60 to 120 seconds. This hermetic ice envelope isolates seafood flesh from ambient air, completely preventing sublimation freezer burn and lipid rancidity over 12 to 24 months of storage.
2. Mechanical Design & Optimized Aerodynamics
Every engineering detail of Tan Long hardening conveyors is rigorously calculated:
• Insulated Tunnel Cabinet: Fabricated from high-density PU panels (40-42 kg/m³) clad in hairline SUS304 (0.6mm), featuring a 2% sloped sanitary floor directing washdown water into CIP drains.
• Sub-Zero Axial Fan Assemblies: IP66 waterproof motors (Class F insulation) paired with airfoil aluminum blades generate uniform vortex airflow across the entire belt width.
• Food-Grade Conveyor Belting: Food-grade SUS304 stainless mesh or low-temp wear-resistant PE/POM modular belting certified to US FDA/USDA standards.
• Automated PLC Electrical Panel: Integrated VFD inverter provides stepless speed control, enabling operators to fine-tune hardening retention times for different shrimp and fish grading sizes.
3. Industrial Applications & Regional Seafood Processing Case Studies
Tan Long post-glaze hardening conveyors operate across dozens of large-scale export seafood facilities nationwide:
• Mekong Delta Hub (Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Kien Giang): Deployed on automated IQF shrimp lines glazing 5% to 20%, fulfilling rigorous sanitary and glazing inspections for Japanese and EU markets.
• Pangasius Belt (An Giang, Dong Thap): Continuous pangasius fillet lines exporting to the US, locking in translucent white flesh color and preventing freezer burn discoloration.
• South Central Coast (Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh): Processing cuttlefish, squid tubes, and yellowfin tuna portions for frozen export packaging.
Competitive Advantages & Market Comparison Matrix
Technical comparison between genuine Tan Long refrigeration equipment manufactured at Duc Hoa 1 Industrial Park versus substandard market alternatives:
Tan Long Equipment Advantages
- ✓ 150mm PU panels clad in SUS304 stainless steel with pre-molded Camlocks, eliminating thermal bridging
- ✓ Stainless tube coils with wide 12mm fin pitch and automated 15-minute hot gas defrost
- ✓ Schneider/Danfoss VFD inverters synchronizing belt speeds with glazing machines and IQF tunnels
- ✓ Direct manufacturing at Duc Hoa 1 Factory with 24/7 readily available spare parts
Drawbacks of Manual / Used Imported Systems
- ✗ Imported Korean/European machinery carries high costs and 4 to 8-week lead times for spare parts
- ✗ Conventional conveyors suffer localized belt freezing and violate HACCP sanitary washdown protocols
- ✗ Narrow-fin coils choke with frost quickly, requiring manual defrost shutdowns during production shifts
- ✗ High third-party maintenance charges and absence of regional emergency engineering support teams
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) by Engineers & Investors
Q1: How does a hardening conveyor differ from a primary IQF freezing tunnel?
Primary IQF freezers possess massive thermal capacity to pull product cores from +10°C to -18°C over 5-15 minutes. In contrast, hardening conveyors feature shorter chambers concentrated on flash-freezing the thin surface water glaze at -38°C within 1-3 minutes without disturbing core temperature.
Q2: Can the ice glaze percentage be precisely controlled across the hardening conveyor?
Fully and precisely. By synchronizing the immersion/spray dwell time in the ice glazer with conveyor retention in the hardening tunnel, processing plants lock in glaze ratios from 5% to 25% within a ±0.5% tolerance.
Q3: What is the turnkey installation timeline and warranty for Tan Long hardening conveyors?
Turnaround at Duc Hoa 1 factory is 20 - 30 days, with 5 - 7 days for on-site commissioning. All machinery backed by Tan Long's 24-month factory warranty with 2 - 4 hour on-site technical response.
