Mechanical Knowledge Base: "Ice Maker"

What is an ice maker?

By using a refrigeration system, a water carrier, and a device that passes through a powered state, an ice machine (machine) is called an ice maker.

working principle

1. The chilled water of the storage tank is continuously circulated through a plate or grid evaporator;

2. After the compressor is operated, it is suction-compressed-exhaust-condensed (liquefied)-throttled-and then vaporized endothermically at a low temperature of -10 to -18 degrees in the evaporator. Chilled water continuously condenses into an ice layer on the surface of a cooler temperature evaporator at a water temperature of 0 degrees. When the ice layer condenses to a certain thickness, after the evaporating temperature of the refrigerant reaches the set temperature of the temperature control, the defrosting Electromagnetic Valve is often used to de-icing in the form of a heat pump, and then the next cycle is realized.

Ice making cycle

By replenishing the water valve, the water automatically enters a water storage tank, and then the water flows through the water flow control valve to the diverter head, where the water evenly sprays onto the surface of the ice maker and flows through the ice maker like a curtain of water. On the wall, the water is cooled to the freezing point, and the water that has not been evaporate and frozen will flow into the water storage tank through the porous tank and restart the cycle work.

Ice picking cycle

The ice reaches the required thickness (the thickness can be arbitrarily chosen by the operator/user), and the hot gas discharged from the compressor is re-introduced into the wall of the ice maker to replace the cryogenic liquid refrigerant. In this way, a film of water is formed between the ice and the evaporation tube wall. This layer of water will act as a lubricant when the ice falls freely into the groove below by gravity. The water produced during the ice-picking cycle will return to the water reservoir through the porous tank, which also prevents the wet ice from being discharged by the machine.