Ice-making machine

Abstract

The present invention refers to an ice-making machine provided with an ice formation reservoir (2), an auxiliary tank (6) and an ice storage region (5). Inner part of reservoir (2) is provided with a transport element (16), a shovel (4) with angular movement and a finger-type evaporator (3) forming ice pieces. During ice manufacturing process, shovel (4) moves periodically at low frequencies so as to attract impurity particles and water salts, leaving them far from ice piece formation regions. Through the machine of the present invention, impurity-free ice pieces are produced.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention refers to an ice-making machine provided with means to agitate water inside its ice formation reservoir.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART[0002]Machines intended to ice-making have quite popular applications in the market, as the use of ice for the most varied purposes occurs in a regular manner in the technique state. In this context, although sometimes they have certain particularities, most of said ice-making machines are provided with strong common characteristics, starting from the cooling system used to obtain ice pieces.[0003]A standard cooling system applied to these machines comprises at least one unit of each of the following components: compressor, condenser, capillary tube and evaporator, the operation of an arrangement among these devices being very known by those who are familiar with the art.[0004]Essentially, a coolant circulates through the system in the beginning with its temperature and pressure increased when flowing th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]In this respect, the present invention has for objective to provide an ice-making machine with means to agitate water in the reservoir containing the evaporator, in order that impurities and salts are not aggregated to the ice pieces in formation, as well as means to keep water salt concentration in acceptable levels, without damaging formation of “clean” ice.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems solved by technology

In ice machines using these finger-type evaporators, purity-, translucency- and transparency-related problems with ice pieces occur, as in most cases the water used is not free from impurities or even from an acceptable salt concentration.

Thus, when a water volume provided with high concentrations of impurity is used in ice making, it is very probable that these undesirable substances will aggregate to ice pieces in formation around fingers, considering that ice is formed on a layer-by-layer basis in this type of evaporator.

However, although the current technique is provided with solutions aimed towards the manufacturing of ice pieces substantially with no impurities, there is still a gap regarding production of “clean” ice (i.e., translucent, transparent, impurity- and salt-free) in ice-making machines using finger-type evaporators.

Otherwise, in ice-making machines using this type of evaporator, a series of complications may occur due to concentration of salt and impurities, as the finger are immersed in water, one of said complications being the change in water boiling point, which may generate an overload in the cooling system, as lower temperatures to froze water should be reached.

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