The yardstick used in kitchens is this: in blast chilling the product core goes from +70 °C to +3 °C in 90 minutes, and in blast freezing from +70 °C to -18 °C in at most 240 minutes. Equipment makers such as Foster and Williams rate their cabinets against these cycles; Williams states the same time for loads starting at +90 °C.
Whether a load finishes within that time depends on the thickest piece, starting temperature, packaging, tray spacing and air speed. When thickness doubles, the heat has a longer path from the core to the surface, so the time grows by more than double. The air gap between pack and product insulates, and trays placed edge to edge stop air from passing.
To find your own time, put a probe in the centre of the thickest piece, fill the cabinet at normal load density, record the time until the core reaches the target temperature and write it next to the product's recipe. Repeat the measurement when piece thickness or packaging changes.
Daily capacity comes from cycle time, not from cabinet volume: with a four-hour cycle no more than six batches finish in a day. When choosing a new cabinet, ask for the cycle time with your own product.
