Wire mesh vs. modular belt in an IQF freezing tunnel - what really lowers OPEX?

Airflow = freezing time = throughput

In air-blast freezing, free flow of cold air through the product layer is key. The Twentebelt Wire Mesh metal belt has a very large open area, minimising air resistance and shortening the freezing time of a single piece.

A plastic modular belt, even in a flush-grid version, has a significantly smaller and more disturbed open area. The result: fans must work harder or the product stays longer in the tunnel - both raise the cost per kilogram.

Belt mass and cold absorption

The low self-weight of the Twentebelt metal mesh means less thermal ballast to cool in each cycle and lower drive energy. The same law works in reverse in heating applications - less heat absorption.

A heavier modular belt stores more cold/heat, which translates into measurable losses with frequent line start/stop.

Hygiene and cleaning

The open mesh structure with no hidden gaps is easy to clean, and Twentebelt Wire Mesh belts are manufactured to FDA, GMP and EC 1935/2004. Modular belts have hinges and joints where product residues can accumulate - longer and more costly cleaning.

When modular makes sense

A modular belt wins where a very tight surface for small, pass-through products matters, or where the process is not thermal. In air-blast freezing and wherever medium flow and thermal resistance matter, metal has the edge.