Ice crystal eliminating structure, temperature control system and ice making system

Abstract

The utility model relates to an ice crystal eliminating structure, a temperature control system and an ice making system. The ice crystal eliminating structure comprises a heat pipe heat exchanger and a lower box body. The heat pipe heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat pipes filled with liquid heat transfer media, and each heat pipe is provided with an evaporation part, a condensation part and a heat insulation part. The heat pipe heat exchanger is configured to transmit heat absorbed by the evaporation part of each heat pipe from a heat source containing a high-temperature gaseous refrigerant to the condensation part through the heat insulation part, and then the heat is transmitted to ice water containing ice crystals through the condensation part so as to melt the ice crystals. The evaporation part is packaged in the lower box body and inserted in the lower sleeve, so that a storage chamber used for storing a high-temperature liquid refrigerant is formed between the evaporation part and the lower sleeve. A bottom opening is formed in the bottom of the lower sleeve. And a movable bottom plate capable of closing the bottom opening is arranged at the bottom of the lower box body. The movable bottom plate is configured to be capable of moving up and down so as to change the liquid level height in the storage chamber by closing and opening the bottom opening. The present disclosure obtains replenished water whose temperature is expected to be controlled with a simple structural arrangement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of heat exchanger technology, and in particular to an ice crystal elimination structure, a temperature control system, and an ice-making system. Background Technology

[0002] Ice slurry, also known as fluid ice or pumpable ice, is a mixture of chilled water in a flowing state. As a phase change refrigerant, it possesses both the fluidity of water and the latent heat of phase change of ice. Ice slurry is widely used in food preservation, food processing, and ice storage. Methods for producing ice slurry typically include dynamic ice-making with subcooled water, cutting, falling film methods, and jetting methods. Among these, dynamic ice-making with subcooled water is currently the most widely used and energy-efficient method. Its principle is that water needs to form ice nuclei in its liquid state before freezing. These ice nuclei absorb latent heat, grow, and freeze. A certain degree of subcooling is required for ice nuclei formation. Therefore, water can exist in a liquid state below zero degrees Celsius at atmospheric pressure, i.e., subcooled water. Subcooled water is transported to an ice storage tank, where it is frozen and heated to zero degrees Celsius through collisions, ultrasonic excitation, and other means to produce ice slurry. Because the latent heat required for freezing is much greater than the sensible heat of subcooled water, only a portion of the water freezes into ice, while most of the water remains liquid and its temperature rises to zero degrees Celsius. This portion of water, along with the makeup water, will be sent to the inlet of the superheater to be further cooled into subcooled water.

[0003] In ice-making systems, ice crystals still remain in the cold water returning to the heat exchanger inlet, which is highly susceptible to refreezing and causing pipe freezing. To prevent pipe freezing, it is necessary to remove the ice crystals from the cold water returning to the heat exchanger inlet. A common method for removing ice crystals is to use a large sedimentation heat exchanger with multiple layers of filters, which requires an external heat source. Because the filters always have pores, they cannot completely remove the ice crystals present in the water. Furthermore, the ice crystal removal structure of heat pipe heat exchangers cannot fully utilize the sedimentation space of the water tank due to left and right water inlets, and the single immersion heat exchange design may not completely eliminate ice crystals. Thus, ice crystals remain in the cold water returning to the heat exchanger inlet, easily leading to pipe freezing.

[0004] Meanwhile, in the process of removing ice crystals from cold water, it is generally required to remove the ice crystals while keeping the temperature rise of the cold water very small (usually 0.5-1℃). This requires the ice crystal removal structure to have not only a high-performance enhanced heat exchange structure, but also a relatively precise control system.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, it is desirable to improve existing ice-making systems. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides an ice crystal elimination structure and a temperature control system, as well as an ice-making system including the ice crystal elimination structure and / or the temperature control system.

[0007] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an ice crystal elimination structure. The ice crystal elimination structure includes a heat pipe heat exchanger and a lower housing. The heat pipe heat exchanger includes multiple enclosed heat pipes filled with a liquid heat transfer medium, each heat pipe having an evaporation section, a condensation section, and an insulating section located between the evaporation section and the condensation section. The heat pipe heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat absorbed by the evaporation section of each heat pipe from a heat source containing a high-temperature gaseous refrigerant via the insulating section to the condensation section, and then the condensation section transfers the heat to ice water containing ice crystals to melt the ice crystals. The evaporation sections of the multiple heat pipes are enclosed within the lower housing. The evaporation section of each heat pipe is inserted into a lower sleeve housed within the lower housing to form a storage chamber for storing the high-temperature liquid refrigerant between the evaporation section and the lower sleeve. Each lower sleeve has a bottom opening. The lower housing has a movable base plate at the bottom that can close the bottom opening. The movable base plate is configured to move up and down to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber by closing and opening the bottom opening.

[0008] Therefore, the ice crystal elimination structure disclosed herein obtains heat by exchanging heat with a heat source containing high-temperature gaseous refrigerant and transfers heat through a heat pipe heat exchanger to melt the ice crystals in the ice water flowing through the ice crystal elimination structure. The movable base plate is used to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber to obtain water replenishment with the desired temperature control.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the upper surface of the movable base plate is provided with a plurality of protrusions that cooperate with and seal with the corresponding bottom openings.

[0010] Therefore, the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber can be changed by altering the sealing condition of the bottom opening and the protrusion.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the protrusion is cylindrical.

[0012] Thus, the cylindrical protrusion provides a tight seal with the bottom opening.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the lower sleeve has a diameter and a height, and the maximum heat transfer from the heat source to the ice water containing ice crystals via the heat pipe heat exchanger is determined based on the diameter of the heat pipe, the diameter of the lower sleeve, and the height of the lower sleeve.

[0014] Therefore, the diameter of the heat pipe, the diameter of the lower sleeve, and the height of the lower sleeve limit the maximum heat transfer from the heat source to the ice water containing ice crystals via the heat pipe heat exchanger.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, a gap exists between the movable base plate and the lower housing.

[0016] Therefore, the gap setting allows high-temperature gaseous refrigerant and high-temperature liquid refrigerant to freely enter and exit the lower casing.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the movable base plate is configured to be periodically driven to move up and down by a transmission mechanism.

[0018] Therefore, the temperature of the replenished water can be periodically controlled within the desired temperature range.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, the ice crystal elimination structure further includes an upper housing, in which the condenser portions of the multiple heat pipes are encapsulated, and the condenser portion of each heat pipe is inserted into an upper sleeve housed in the upper housing, thereby forming an ice-water flow channel between the condenser portion and the upper sleeve.

[0020] Therefore, the ice water flow channel allows the ice water to come into closer contact with the condenser of each heat pipe for efficient heat exchange. Moreover, the ice water flow channel extends the flow path of the ice water in the upper chamber, thereby increasing the residence time of the ice water in the upper chamber for heat exchange and thus improving the melting efficiency of ice crystals.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the inner surface of the upper sleeve is provided with a plurality of inner fins extending inward from the outer wall of the upper sleeve base tube, and the outer surface of the condenser portion of the heat pipe is provided with a plurality of outer fins extending outward from the outer wall of the condenser portion base tube.

[0022] Thus, a meandering and extended ice-water flow channel is formed between the multiple inner wings and the multiple outer wings, thereby increasing the residence time of ice-water in the ice-water flow channel and helping to improve the melting efficiency of ice crystals.

[0023] In one or more embodiments, the outer wing has an outer wing extension section of the heat pipe condenser and an outer wing folded edge section of the heat pipe condenser, and the inner wing has an inner wing extension section of the upper sleeve and an inner wing folded edge section of the upper sleeve.

[0024] Thus, the inner and outer wings, constructed in this way, form a meandering and elongated channel for the flow of ice water between them.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the plurality of inner wings and the plurality of outer wings are sized to generate vortices within the ice water flow channel.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the length of the outer finned section of the heat pipe condenser is between 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm.

[0027] Therefore, the folded edge section of the heat pipe condenser section facilitates the generation of the desired vortex.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the plurality of inner fins and the plurality of outer fins have the following dimensional settings: L2 is 0.2L1-0.5L1; L3 and L4 are both 0.08L1-0.12L1; L5 is 0.4L1-0.7L1; L6 is 0.2L1-0.4L1; L7 is 1.5L1-2.2L1; L8 is 1.5L1-2.5L1, wherein L1 is the length of the folded edge section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser; L2 is the length of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser. L3 is the distance between the heat pipe condenser section's outer wall and the upper sleeve's inner fin extension section; L4 is the distance between the heat pipe condenser section's outer wall and the upper sleeve's inner fin extension section; L5 is the distance between the upper sleeve's inner fin extension section and the upper sleeve's inner wall; L6 is the distance between the heat pipe condenser section's outer fin extension section and the upper sleeve's inner fin extension section; L7 is the distance between the heat pipe condenser section's outer fin extension section and the upper sleeve's inner wall; L8 is the distance between two adjacent upper sleeve inner fin extension sections.

[0029] Therefore, the dimensional design of the above parameters is beneficial to increasing the residence time of ice water in the ice water flow channel and promoting the gradient separation of ice crystals, thereby improving the ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the multiple heat pipes are arranged in multiple rows and columns to form a cuboid structure. The upper housing has a first inlet port on the upstream side and a second outlet port on the downstream side in the upper part. A first rectangular pipe is inserted into the first inlet port to supply ice water containing ice crystals, and a second rectangular pipe is connected to the second outlet port to output water obtained from melting ice.

[0031] Therefore, the rectangular structure of the first and second rectangular tubes is suitable for matching the cuboid condensation section of the heat pipe heat exchanger, thereby efficiently transferring more ice water and makeup water.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, the lower surface of the first rectangular tube is provided with a plurality of holes, and the first rectangular tube is arranged to extend through the first inlet port into the upper housing such that the plurality of holes are aligned with the upper open ports of the plurality of upper sleeves, thereby allowing ice water containing ice crystals to flow into the ice water flow channel.

[0033] Therefore, multiple streams of ice water can come into contact with the condenser sections of each heat pipe without interfering with each other and at a closer distance to achieve efficient heat exchange, thereby improving the melting efficiency of ice crystals.

[0034] In one or more embodiments, the upper surface of the second rectangular tube is configured to be flush with the lower surface of the first rectangular tube.

[0035] Therefore, the ice water in the ice water flow channel can slowly accumulate in the upper tank to increase the residence time of the ice water, which is conducive to the remaining ice crystals in the ice water settling at the bottom of the upper tank and eventually melting, further improving the ice melting efficiency.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the ice crystal elimination structure is disposed in the water tank connecting the ice-making system and the makeup water bypass of the falling film evaporator. The lower casing is disposed inside the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser of the ice-making system. A portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant inside the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser serves as the heat source.

[0037] Thus, the ice crystal elimination structure obtains heat by exchanging heat with a portion of the gaseous high-temperature refrigerant on the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser and then transfers the heat through a heat pipe heat exchanger to melt the ice crystals in the ice water flowing through the ice crystal elimination structure, thus preventing the pipe freezing phenomenon without the need to introduce an external heat source.

[0038] In another aspect, this disclosure provides a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes a temperature control component and an ice crystal elimination structure according to this disclosure. The temperature control component and the ice crystal elimination structure are arranged in a water supply bypass connecting a water tank of an ice-making system and a falling film evaporator, with the temperature control component located downstream of the ice crystal elimination structure. The temperature control component includes a controller and a transmission mechanism connected to the controller. The controller controls the transmission mechanism to move a movable base plate up and down to control the temperature of the water flowing from the ice crystal elimination structure within a desired temperature range.

[0039] Thus, the temperature control system provides precise control over the temperature of the makeup water flowing out of the ice crystal removal structure.

[0040] In one or more embodiments, the temperature control assembly includes a temperature probe. The controller is connected to the ice crystal elimination structure via a second rectangular tube. One end of the temperature probe is connected to the controller, and the other end is inserted into the second rectangular tube to detect the temperature of the replenished water. The controller controls the transmission mechanism to move the movable base plate up and down based on the temperature detected by the temperature probe.

[0041] Thus, the temperature control component enables real-time detection of the water supply temperature.

[0042] In one or more embodiments, the movable base plate is configured such that: when the temperature detected by the temperature probe is below the lower limit, it is driven by a transmission mechanism to move downward to a lower position to open the bottom opening, thereby allowing the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber to be reduced to increase the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator; when the temperature detected by the temperature probe is above the upper limit, it is driven by a transmission mechanism to move upward to a higher position to block the bottom opening, thereby gradually reducing the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator as the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber gradually rises.

[0043] Therefore, by controlling the up-and-down movement of the movable base plate, the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber is changed, thereby changing the heat exchange area and the corresponding heat exchange capacity, so as to control the water supply temperature within the desired temperature range.

[0044] In one or more embodiments, the transmission mechanism includes a transmission conduit and a T-bar. The transmission conduit is mounted to the bottom of the movable base plate, and the T-bar is configured to move up and down within the transmission conduit to drive the movable base plate to move up and down.

[0045] Therefore, the transmission mechanism drives the movable base plate to move up and down simply by driving the T-shaped rod.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, the transmission mechanism is driven by a hydraulic actuator to move the movable base plate up and down.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, the transmission mechanism further includes a first sealing ring disposed between a convex ring and a stepped portion inside the transmission pipe. The T-shaped rod moves upward along the transmission pipe from the stepped portion by hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic actuator on its lower side to move the movable base plate to a raised position, and moves downward back to the stepped portion under gravity by hydraulic pressure relief to move the movable base plate to a lowered position.

[0048] Therefore, the hydraulic oil of the hydraulic actuator is pressurized and depressurized to drive the T-bar to move, thereby moving the movable base plate up and down.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the transmission mechanism further includes a second sealing ring disposed within a bottom hole in the movable base plate and a backflow preventer block below the bottom hole. The transmission conduit is sealed to the bottom hole through the backflow preventer block and the second sealing ring.

[0050] Thus, the transmission mechanism is sealed and securely connected to the movable base plate.

[0051] In another aspect, this disclosure provides an ice-making system comprising an ice crystal elimination structure according to this disclosure and / or a temperature control system according to this disclosure.

[0052] Therefore, a simple structural arrangement is used to prevent the freezing of pipes in the ice-making system. Attached Figure Description

[0053] This disclosure will be more readily understood through the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals denote the same elements. The drawings are schematic and not restrictive. Elements in the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale; for example, elements may be enlarged for illustrative purposes or may be scaled down to keep the drawings clear and easy to understand.

[0054] In the attached diagram:

[0055] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the flow path of the heat exchange medium in a prior art ice-making system.

[0056] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an ice-making system utilizing the ice crystal removal structure according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0057] Figure 3 A perspective view of the ice crystal elimination structure and temperature control system according to the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0058] Figure 4 Schematic illustration Figure 3 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the ice crystal elimination structure and temperature control system.

[0059] Figure 5 A perspective view of the ice crystal removal structure according to the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0060] Figure 6 Schematic illustration Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the ice crystal removal structure cut along plane AA.

[0061] Figure 7 Schematic illustration Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the ice crystal removal structure cut along the BB plane.

[0062] Figure 8 Schematic illustration Figure 5 Front view of a heat pipe heat exchanger with an ice crystal elimination structure.

[0063] Figure 9 The schematic diagram illustrates the heat transfer principle of a heat pipe heat exchanger.

[0064] Figure 10 A partial enlarged view of the evaporation section of a heat pipe heat exchanger is shown schematically.

[0065] Figure 11 A partial enlarged view of the condenser section of a heat pipe heat exchanger is shown schematically.

[0066] Figure 12 The diagram schematically illustrates the structural details of the heat pipe condenser section of a heat pipe heat exchanger.

[0067] Figure 13 A schematic diagram showing the structural details of the outer sleeve of the ice crystal elimination structure is provided.

[0068] Figure 14 The schematic diagram shows the flow field distribution under different L1 parameters.

[0069] Figure 15A schematic cross-sectional view illustrates the mounting relationship between the transmission mechanism and the movable base plate.

[0070] Figure 16 A schematic cross-sectional view of the transmission pipe of the transmission mechanism is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that in all the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0072] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any derivatives thereof, in the specification and claims of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0073] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise expressly defined.

[0074] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0075] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent these three cases: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone.

[0076] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "upstream", "downstream", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0077] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "fixation," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0078] As mentioned earlier, existing technologies are prone to pipe freezing due to ice crystals in the cold water flowing into the heat exchanger inlet. Therefore, an ice crystal removal structure is needed to melt the ice crystals. Furthermore, since it is required to remove the ice crystals while minimizing the temperature rise of the cold water, a temperature control system is needed to precisely control the temperature of the makeup water flowing out of the ice crystal removal structure.

[0079] The ice crystal elimination structure and temperature control system of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0080] Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates the flow path of the heat exchange medium in a prior art ice-making system. For example... Figure 1As shown, the ice-making system mainly includes a falling film evaporator 1, a shell-and-tube condenser 4, a compressor 8, a flash evaporator 9, and related piping. When the ice-making system is running, the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant output from the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant outlet 12 of the falling film evaporator 1 enters the suction end of the compressor 8. The compressor 8 compresses the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant into a high-temperature gaseous refrigerant and discharges it from the exhaust end. Meanwhile, the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant enters the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 at the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant inlet 41. The high-temperature gaseous refrigerant is condensed and releases heat on the outer wall of the condenser tube (its heat is carried away by the high-temperature cooling water in the condenser tube) to form a high-temperature liquid refrigerant. This liquid refrigerant flows out through the high-temperature liquid refrigerant outlet 42 at the bottom of the shell-and-tube condenser 4, and then flashes into a low-temperature liquid refrigerant through the flash evaporator 9. Finally, it enters the falling film evaporator 1 from the low-temperature liquid refrigerant inlet 11. Cooling water on the tube side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 flows in and out of the condenser 4 via cooling water inlet 43 and cooling water outlet 45, respectively, to exchange heat with the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant on the shell side of the condenser 4. On the tube side of the falling film evaporator 1, low-temperature chilled water flows into the evaporator tubes from the low-temperature chilled water inlet 13 to exchange heat with the low-temperature liquid refrigerant on the shell side of the evaporator 1. The water temperature drops to approximately -2°C (at this point, it is subcooled and does not freeze). Then, it freezes at the ice-water outlet 14 of the falling film evaporator 1 through a vibration or impact device to form a chilled water mixture, which then flows into the water tank, where the visible ice is removed. At this point, the ice-water mixture in the water tank is at a temperature of 0°C. The low-temperature liquid refrigerant on the shell side of the falling film evaporator 1 absorbs heat and converts into low-temperature gaseous refrigerant, which is output to the compressor 8 from the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant outlet 12. This cycle continues to produce chilled water.

[0081] To prevent pipe freezing within the falling film evaporator 1, this disclosure proposes an ice crystal elimination structure 10 in the makeup water bypass connecting the water tank 2 of the ice-making system and the falling film evaporator 1 to provide makeup water within the desired temperature range. This ice crystal elimination structure 10 obtains heat from a heat source. The heat source can include an external heat source and an internal heat source. For example, a portion of the ice crystal elimination structure 10 is placed inside the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 to exchange heat with a portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant therein (i.e., obtaining heat from the internal heat source of the ice-making system, thus eliminating the need for an external heat source). This raises the temperature of the ice-crystal-containing water from the water tank 2 by 0.5-1°C, which is then supplied as makeup water to the falling film evaporator 1. Therefore, this arrangement prevents pipe freezing without the need for an external heat source.

[0082] exist Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the ice-making system may include at least a falling film evaporator 1, a water tank 2, a shell-and-tube condenser 4, and a makeup water bypass. The falling film evaporator 1 is positioned above the other structures by being mounted on a higher tube sheet. The water tank 2 is installed below the chilled water outlet 14 of the falling film evaporator 1. The shell-and-tube condenser 4 is mounted on one side of the falling film evaporator 1 and is flush with the higher tube sheet in the longitudinal direction.

[0083] Reference Figures 2 to 4 The water supply bypass can be equipped with a first rectangular tube 3, an ice crystal removal structure 10, a second rectangular tube 7, a temperature control component 5, and a pump 6. The water tank 2 is connected to the ice crystal removal structure 10 via the first rectangular tube 3. Downstream, the ice crystal removal structure 10 is connected to the temperature control component 5 via the second rectangular tube 7. Downstream, the temperature control component 5 is connected to the pump 6 via a pipeline. The pump 6 is connected to the low-temperature chilled water inlet 13 of the falling film evaporator 1 at the downstream water supply port 16. Thus, in the water supply bypass, chilled water (containing ice crystals) from the water tank 4 can enter the ice crystal removal structure 10 to absorb heat, remove tiny ice crystals, and raise its temperature by 0.5-1°C. The resulting melted water then flows into the falling film evaporator 1 at the water supply port 16, thereby preventing pipe freezing. Furthermore, a portion of the ice crystal removal structure 10 and the temperature control component 5 are located within the shell side of the horizontal shell-and-tube condenser 4.

[0084] Specifically, the ice crystal elimination structure 10 according to this disclosure may include a heat pipe heat exchanger 100. The heat pipe heat exchanger 100 has an evaporation section 112Z, a condensation section 114Z, and an adiabatic section 116Z located between the evaporation section and the condensation section. The condensation section 114Z is disposed in a makeup water bypass. The evaporation section 112Z is ​​located within the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 to obtain heat through heat exchange with a portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant on the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4, thereby eliminating the need for an external heat source. The ice crystal elimination structure 10 is configured to connect to the makeup water bypass at the condensation section 114Z via a first rectangular tube 3 and a second rectangular tube 7 located upstream and downstream of it, respectively.

[0085] On the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4, a portion of the gaseous high-temperature refrigerant transfers heat to the evaporation section 112Z of the heat pipe heat exchanger 100, and then transfers the heat to the condensation section 114Z via the adiabatic section 116Z. The condensation section 114 then transfers the heat to the ice water to melt the ice crystals in the ice water. In this way, the ice crystal elimination structure gains heat through heat exchange with a portion of the gaseous high-temperature refrigerant on the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 and transfers the heat through the heat pipe heat exchanger 100 to melt the ice crystals in the ice water flowing through the ice crystal elimination structure 10. This ice crystal elimination structure not only has high heat transfer efficiency but also does not require the introduction of an external heat source.

[0086] exist Figure 5-7In the illustrated embodiment, the ice crystal elimination structure 10 further includes a lower housing 120 and an upper housing 130. The heat pipe heat exchanger 100 includes multiple heat pipes 110. The multiple heat pipes 110 are arranged in multiple rows and columns in a cuboid structure. Figure 5 In the example shown, there are 11 rows and 7 columns of heat pipes. Other arrangements of heat pipes are also possible. Each heat pipe 110 is enclosed and filled with a heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium can be a conventional refrigerant, such as R134a, R410A, water vapor, etc. Each heat pipe 110 may have an evaporator section 112, a condenser section 114, and an insulating section 116 located between the evaporator section and the condenser section. The evaporator sections 112 of multiple heat pipes are enclosed within a lower housing 120 to form an evaporation section 112Z (as shown in the corresponding dashed box). The condenser sections 114 of multiple heat pipes are enclosed within an upper housing 130 to form a condensation section 114Z (as shown in the corresponding dashed box). The insulating sections 116 of multiple heat pipes form an insulating section 116Z (as shown in the corresponding dashed box). Thus, a heat pipe heat exchanger composed of a simple arrangement of multiple heat pipes can provide highly efficient heat transfer.

[0087] Specifically, the lower housing 120 is provided with multiple lower sleeves 122 with openings at the top and bottom, i.e., the lower sleeves may have a top opening and a bottom opening. The upper housing 130 is provided with multiple upper sleeves 132 with openings at the top and bottom, i.e., the upper sleeves may have an upper open port and a lower open port. The evaporation section 112 of each heat pipe 110 is inserted into the corresponding lower sleeve 122 and enclosed in the lower housing 120. The condensation section 114 of the heat pipe 110 is inserted into the corresponding upper sleeve 132 and enclosed in the upper housing 130. Thus, the heat pipe heat exchanger 100 accordingly has an evaporation section 112Z, a condensation section 114Z, and an adiabatic section 116Z, respectively identified by dashed boxes. The lower housing 120 of the heat pipe heat exchanger is at least partially disposed within the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser 4 and connected to the shell of the shell-and-tube condenser. Thus, an ice water flow channel C is formed within the upper sleeve 132, between the condenser section 114 of the heat pipe and the upper sleeve 132. The narrow ice water flow channel allows the ice water to come into closer contact with the condenser sections of each heat pipe for efficient heat exchange. A storage chamber SC for storing high-temperature liquid refrigerant is formed within the lower sleeve 122, between the evaporator section 112 of the heat pipe and the lower sleeve 122 (see...). Figure 8 and Figure 9Thus, the lower sleeves define an effective space for heat transfer between a portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant from the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser and the evaporator. Each lower sleeve 122 has a bottom opening (not shown). The lower housing 120 has a movable base plate 124 at the bottom capable of closing the bottom opening. The movable base plate is configured to move up and down to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber by closing and opening the bottom opening. The movable base plate is configured to be periodically driven to move up and down. For example, the movable base plate 124 can be driven to move up and down by a transmission mechanism.

[0088] refer to Figure 4 The upper housing 130 has a first inlet port on the upstream side and a second outlet port on the downstream side in its upper portion. A first rectangular tube 3, connected to the water tank 2, is inserted into the first inlet port to supply ice water containing ice crystals. A second rectangular tube 7 is connected to the second outlet port to output makeup water obtained from ice melting, for example, by delivering the makeup water obtained from ice melting to the falling film evaporator 1. In this way, the ice crystal elimination structure is connected to the makeup water bypass by means of the first rectangular tube 3 and the second rectangular tube 7. The first rectangular tube 3 and the second rectangular tube 7 are constructed in a rectangular structure to match the cuboid condenser section 114Z of the heat pipe heat exchanger 100, thereby efficiently transferring more ice water and makeup water to improve ice melting efficiency.

[0089] refer to Figure 4 The lower surface of the first rectangular tube 3 is provided with a plurality of holes 32. The first rectangular tube 3 is arranged to extend through the first inlet port into the upper housing so that the plurality of holes 32 are aligned with the upper open ports of the plurality of upper sleeves 132, thereby allowing ice water to flow smoothly into the narrow ice water flow channel C located between the upper sleeves 132 and the condenser section 114, so that multiple streams of ice water can contact the condenser section 114 of each heat pipe without interference and at a closer distance for efficient heat exchange, thereby improving the ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0090] refer to Figure 4 The first rectangular tube 3 extends through the first inlet port and above the condenser section 114Z of the heat pipe heat exchanger 100. Chilled water flowing from multiple holes 32 on the lower surface of the first rectangular tube 3 flows into the chilled water flow channel C, where it absorbs heat and melts in the condenser section 114, becoming chilled water with a temperature range between 0.5°C and 1°C. This chilled water, acting as makeup water for melting ice and raising the temperature, flows into the upper housing 130 from the lower open port of the upper sleeve 132, and then flows downstream of the makeup water bypass via the second rectangular tube 7 connected to the second outlet port. Thus, the chilled water flow channel C extends the flow path of the chilled water within the upper housing 130, thereby increasing the residence time of the chilled water in the upper housing 130 for heat exchange and improving the ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0091] refer to Figure 4The second rectangular tube 4 is installed as close as possible to the upper part of the upper housing 130 and below the first rectangular tube 3. Specifically, the upper surface of the second rectangular tube 7 is flush with the lower surface of the first rectangular tube 3. This allows the ice water in the ice water flow channel C to slowly accumulate in the upper housing 130, increasing the residence time of the ice water. This, in turn, facilitates the settling and eventual melting of any remaining ice crystals at the bottom of the upper housing, further improving the ice melting efficiency.

[0092] refer to Figure 9 The diagram illustrates the heat transfer principle of a heat pipe heat exchanger. The following description uses one heat pipe as an example. Figure 9 The arrows indicate the direction of heat transfer. During heat transfer, a portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant in the shell-and-tube condenser 4 enters the lower sleeve 122 and condenses on the outer surface of the evaporation section 112 of each heat pipe 110, releasing heat and becoming a high-temperature liquid refrigerant stored in the storage chamber SC. The released heat passes through the tube wall of the evaporation section 112 of the heat pipe 110 and is transferred to the liquid heat transfer medium in the evaporation section 112, evaporating into a gaseous heat transfer medium. Then, the gaseous heat transfer medium transfers heat through the insulation section 116 to the condensation section 114, where it condenses into a liquid heat transfer medium. The released heat is transferred through the wall of the condensation section 114 to the ice water flowing through the outer wall of the condensation section 114. The ice crystals in the ice water absorb heat and melt, while the liquid heat transfer medium flows back to the evaporation section 112 under gravity. The function of the heat pipe heat exchanger 100 is to quickly and efficiently transfer the heat absorbed from the shell-and-tube condenser 4 to the ice water to melt the ice crystals.

[0093] refer to Figures 11 to 14 To ensure that ice crystals in the ice water entering the condensing section 114Z of the heat pipe heat exchanger 100 from the water tank 2 are eliminated as completely as possible, it is necessary to control the size of the ice water flow channel C formed between the condensing section 114 of the heat pipe 110 and the upper sleeve 132.

[0094] Specifically, refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 The outer surface of the condenser section 114 of the heat pipe is provided with multiple outer fins extending outward from the outer wall 1141 of the condenser section base tube. Each outer fin has an outer fin extension section 1142 and an outer fin folded edge section 1143. The inner surface of the upper sleeve 132 is provided with multiple inner fins extending inward from the outer wall 1321 of the upper sleeve base tube. Each inner fin has an inner fin extension section 1322 and an inner fin folded edge section 1323. (Reference) Figure 14A meandering, elongated ice-water flow channel is formed between the multiple inner and outer wings, thereby increasing the residence time of the ice-water within the flow channel and contributing to improved ice crystal melting rate. The dimensions of the multiple inner and outer wings are configured to generate vortices within the ice-water flow channel. The generation of vortices not only increases the heat exchange time of the ice-water but also achieves gradient separation of ice crystals, further enhancing ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0095] refer to Figure 11 The relevant dimensions used to define the ice-water flow channel are as follows: L1 is the length of the outer finned section of the heat pipe condenser; L2 is the distance between the extended section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser and the extended section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L3 is the gap between the outer wall of the heat pipe condenser base tube and the extended section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L4 is the gap between the outer wall of the heat pipe condenser base tube and the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L5 is the gap between the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve and the inner wall of the upper sleeve base tube; L6 is the gap between the folded section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser and the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L7 is the gap between the folded section of the heat pipe condenser and the inner wall of the upper sleeve base tube; L8 is the distance between two adjacent extended sections of the inner fin of the upper sleeve. Therefore, the dimensional design of the above parameters helps to increase the residence time of ice-water in the ice-water flow channel and promote the gradient separation of ice crystals, thereby improving the ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0096] In such Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, L1 is the critical dimension, and other dimensions are proportional to L1. Specifically, L1 is between 1.5 and 3.0 mm, preferably 2.5 mm. A heat pipe condenser fin with this dimension is beneficial for generating the desired vortex. L2 is between 0.2L1 and 0.5L1, preferably 0.38L1. L3 and L4 are equal, both ranging from 0.08L1 to 0.12L1, preferably 0.1L1. L5 is between 0.4L1 and 0.7L1, preferably 0.58L1. L6 is between 0.2L1 and 0.4L1, preferably 0.26L1. L7 is between 1.5L1 and 2.2L1, preferably 2L1. L8 is between 1.5L1 and 2.5L1, preferably 2.2L1.

[0097] exist Figure 14 The flow field distribution diagrams under different L1 parameters are given. Figure 14A three-layer fluid region is shown. By increasing the value of L1, it can be observed that vortices begin to form at the bottom of this fluid region, moving closer to the bottom and eventually disappearing as L1 increases. Therefore, the folded edge of the heat pipe condenser facilitates the generation of the desired vortices. In actual heat exchange, sufficient heat exchange time is required for the complete melting of ice crystals in the ice water. The generation of bottom vortices increases the heat exchange time of the ice water in this fluid region. Furthermore, because ice crystals are heavier than water, they easily settle under the vortex effect caused by the multi-layer structure (only a three-layer structure is shown in the figure for illustrative purposes), achieving gradient separation of ice crystals and further improving the ice crystal melting efficiency.

[0098] Because the condensing temperature in the shell-and-tube condenser 4 is much higher than that of the chilled water during operation, the heat transferred through the heat pipe heat exchanger needs to be controlled to ensure complete melting of the ice crystals in the chilled water and to keep the temperature rise within a controllable range. The water temperature in the tank is typically 0°C, and the ice crystal removal structure needs to raise it by 0.5-1°C. Thus, the makeup water temperature exiting the ice crystal removal structure 10 can be between 0.5°C and 1°C. In other words, the upper limit of the makeup water temperature is 1°C, and the lower limit is 0.5°C.

[0099] refer to Figure 10 A storage chamber for storing high-temperature liquid refrigerant is formed between the evaporator section 112 of a single heat pipe 110 and the lower sleeve 122. The outer diameter of the heat pipe is set as d (in meters), the inner diameter of the lower sleeve as D (in meters), and the height of the lower sleeve as H (in meters). The maximum heat transfer from the shell-and-tube condenser 4 to the ice water containing ice crystals via the heat pipe heat exchanger 100 is determined based on the diameter of the heat pipe, the diameter of the lower sleeve, and the height of the lower sleeve. This allows control over the maximum temperature of the makeup water flowing out from the ice crystal removal structure. The refrigerant mass and heat transfer in the high-temperature liquid refrigerant storage chamber satisfy the following formula:

[0100]

[0101] S=πd(Hh(x))

[0102] Δt=t 管壁 -t 冷媒

[0103] q=k·S·Δt

[0104]

[0105] Where q is the condensation heat release rate of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant, in W;

[0106] S represents the heat exchange area within the high-temperature liquid refrigerant storage chamber formed by a single heat pipe and the lower sleeve, in m².

[0107] Δt is the heat pipe wall temperature t管壁 and refrigerant condensation temperature t 冷媒 The difference (approximately 0.1-0.5℃), unit K;

[0108] k is the heat transfer coefficient (approximately 2000-10000 W / (m²)). 2 *K)), unit W / (m 2 *K);

[0109] ΔE is the latent heat of the refrigerant at the corresponding condensation temperature, in J / kg;

[0110] ρ The density of the refrigerant at the corresponding condensation temperature is expressed in kg / m³.

[0111] x is a time variable, in seconds (s);

[0112] m(x) represents the mass of the liquid refrigerant at different time points, in kg;

[0113] h(x) represents the liquid level of the liquid refrigerant in the high-temperature liquid refrigerant storage chamber at different time points, in meters (m).

[0114] Solving the above equations simultaneously, we can obtain the following differential equation:

[0115]

[0116] make:

[0117]

[0118] The general solution of h(x) is:

[0119]

[0120] When x = 0, h(x) = 0, we get:

[0121]

[0122] We can then obtain:

[0123] h(x) = H - He -Ax

[0124] q=πkdH·Δt·e -Ax

[0125] From the above two equations, it can be seen that by controlling the parameters d, H, and D, which are related to the condensation heat release rate q of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant, the maximum heat transfer from the shell-and-tube condenser 4 to the ice water can be controlled.

[0126] refer to Figure 3This disclosure provides a temperature control system including a temperature control component 5 disposed downstream of a water replenishment bypass relative to an ice crystal removal structure 10, for detecting the temperature of water flowing out of the ice crystal removal structure 10 and controlling the temperature within a desired temperature range (e.g., between about 0.5°C and about 1°C). Thus, the temperature control system provides immediate and precise control over the temperature of water flowing out of the ice crystal removal structure.

[0127] The temperature control disclosed herein is based on the concept that by changing the liquid level in the storage chamber SC for the high-temperature liquid refrigerant, the heat exchange area between the evaporator section 112 of each heat pipe 110 and the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant can be changed, thereby changing the amount of heat transferred to the chilled water. The temperature control system is configured to dynamically control the makeup water temperature in relation to the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber.

[0128] For this purpose, each lower sleeve 122 has a bottom opening (not shown). The lower housing 120 has a movable base plate 124. The upper surface of the movable base plate 124 has a plurality of protrusions 126 that mate and seal with the corresponding bottom opening. Thus, the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber is changed by altering the sealing condition between the bottom opening and the protrusions 126. The protrusions 126 can be conical or cylindrical. Cylindrical protrusions facilitate a tight fit and seal with the bottom opening. The plurality of cylindrical protrusions 126 are configured to move up and down through the bottom opening, so that when the movable base plate 124 is moved to the raised position, it completely blocks the bottom opening, thus preventing the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber SC from flowing out. When the movable base plate 124 moves down to the lowered position, the bottom opening opens to allow the high-temperature liquid refrigerant to flow out. Therefore, the movable base plate moves up and down to close and open the bottom opening of the lower sleeve to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber, thereby changing the heat exchange area and the corresponding heat exchange capacity, so as to control the water supply temperature within the desired temperature range.

[0129] A gap may exist between the movable base plate 124 and the lower casing 120 to allow gaseous high-temperature refrigerant to enter the lower casing 120 through the gap and exchange heat with the evaporation section 112Z. High-temperature liquid refrigerant flowing out from the bottom opening can also flow away through the aforementioned gap. Thus, the gap allows both high-temperature gaseous and high-temperature liquid refrigerant to freely enter and exit the lower casing. The high-temperature liquid refrigerant eventually flows to the condenser heat exchange tube area and merges with other liquid refrigerants, flowing to the high-temperature liquid refrigerant outlet 42 at the bottom of the shell-and-tube condenser shell.

[0130] The vertical movement of the movable base plate 124 can be controlled by the temperature control component 5. (Reference) Figure 3 and Figure 4The temperature control assembly 5 may include a controller 51, a temperature probe 53, and a transmission mechanism 52. The controller 51 is disposed in the water supply bypass and connected to the ice crystal elimination structure 10 via a second rectangular tube 7. The downstream end of the controller 51 is connected to the water supply port 16 via a pipe. Optionally, a pump 6 may be disposed between the downstream end of the controller 51 and the water supply port 16 to facilitate water flow. One end of the temperature probe 53 is connected to the controller 51, and the other end is inserted into the second rectangular tube 7 to detect the temperature of the water flowing out of the ice crystal elimination structure 10. Thus, the temperature control assembly achieves real-time detection of the water supply temperature. The transmission mechanism 52 is connected to the bottom of the controller 51 and to the movable base plate 124 of the lower housing 120 of the ice crystal elimination structure 10, driving the movable base plate 124 to move up and down between a raised position and a lower position based on the temperature detected by the temperature probe 53. Thus, the temperature control system provides dynamic control of the temperature of the water flowing out of the ice crystal elimination structure.

[0131] Specifically, in temperature control, the temperature control component 5 detects the temperature of the makeup water flowing out of the ice crystal removal structure 10 via a temperature probe 53. The makeup water temperature can be controlled within a desired temperature range; for example, the upper temperature limit can be approximately 1°C, while the lower temperature limit can be approximately 0.5°C.

[0132] When the temperature probe 53 detects that the temperature is below the lower limit, the movable base plate 124 is driven by the transmission mechanism 52 to move downward to the lower position to open the bottom opening (that is, the cylindrical protrusion 126 on the movable base plate 124 and the bottom opening of the lower sleeve 122 no longer cooperate to close), thereby allowing the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber SC to flow out to reduce the liquid level. In this way, the evaporation section 112 of each heat pipe can expose more surface area to increase the heat exchange area between the evaporation section and the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant, thereby increasing the heat exchange capacity, so that the temperature of the makeup water flowing out from the upper box can be raised to the desired temperature range. When the temperature probe 53 detects a temperature higher than the upper temperature limit, the movable base plate 124 is driven upward by the transmission mechanism 52 to move to a raised position to block the bottom opening (i.e., the cylindrical protrusion 126 on the movable base plate 124 and the bottom opening of the lower sleeve 122 cooperate to seal). This gradually reduces the heat exchange area between the evaporator and the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant as the liquid level in the storage chamber gradually rises, thereby reducing the heat exchange capacity and lowering the temperature of the makeup water flowing out of the upper chamber to the desired temperature range. Thus, by controlling the up-and-down movement of the movable base plate 124, the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber is changed, thereby changing the heat exchange area and correspondingly changing the heat exchange capacity, so as to control the makeup water temperature within the desired temperature range. This allows for precise control of the makeup water temperature.

[0133] Considering the possibility of excessively high temperatures, a certain margin needs to be allowed in the H value during design (i.e., ensuring sufficient heat exchange area). When the detected temperature meets the design requirements, and while ensuring that the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber SC always maintains a certain liquid level, the movable base plate 124 is periodically controlled to move upwards or downwards to maintain the makeup water temperature within the desired range. Specifically, the movable base plate can periodically move up and down, thereby closing and opening the bottom opening of the lower sleeve 122 to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber, thus maintaining the makeup water temperature within the desired range. The movable base plate can be periodically driven to move up and down by a transmission mechanism.

[0134] The transmission mechanism 52 can be a pipe-type structure, which can be driven by a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, or a mechanical actuator to move the movable base plate 124 up and down. Thus, the transmission mechanism 52 can move the movable base plate 126 up and down in a variety of ways.

[0135] exist Figure 15 and Figure 16 In the illustrated embodiment, the structure for driving the movable base plate 124 to move up and down is a pipe-type transmission mechanism 52. Internally, the transmission mechanism 52 utilizes a hydraulic actuator to hydraulically drive the movable base plate 124 to move up and down.

[0136] Specifically, refer to Figure 15 The transmission mechanism 52 includes a transmission conduit 521, a first sealing ring 522, a backstop block 523, a second sealing ring 524, and a T-shaped rod 525. The transmission conduit 521 can be installed to the bottom of the movable base plate 124. For example, the transmission conduit 521 can be fixed to the bottom hole 128 of the movable base plate 124. The T-shaped rod 525 is configured to move up and down within the transmission conduit 521. Thus, the transmission mechanism drives the movable base plate to move up and down simply by driving the T-shaped rod.

[0137] refer to Figure 16 A first sealing ring 522 is disposed between the convex ring 5212 and the stepped portion 5214 inside the transmission conduit 521 to facilitate positioning of the first sealing ring 522 and restrict its movement. The first sealing ring 522 facilitates the formation of a tight seal between the T-shaped rod 525 and the transmission conduit 521. The transmission mechanism 52 also includes a second sealing ring 524 disposed within the bottom hole 128 of the movable base plate 124 and a backstop block 523 below the bottom hole 128. The backstop block 523 is configured to block the movement of the second sealing ring 524. The transmission conduit 521 is sealed and installed into the bottom hole 128 of the movable base plate 124 through the backstop block 523 and the second sealing ring 524. Thus, the transmission mechanism is sealed and securely connected to the movable base plate.

[0138] During operation, when the T-shaped rod 525 contacts the stepped portion 5214 of the transmission pipe 521, the movable base plate 124 is in the lowered position. At this time, the cylindrical protrusion 126 on the upper surface of the movable base plate 124 disengages from the bottom opening of the corresponding lower sleeve 122, allowing the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber SC to flow out freely. When it is necessary to re-fit the cylindrical protrusion 126 of the movable base plate 124 to close the bottom opening of the corresponding lower sleeve, the T-shaped rod 525 in the transmission pipe 521 moves upward from the stepped portion 5214 along the transmission pipe 521 under the pressure of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic actuator. The transmission pipe 521 then drives the movable base plate 124 upward until the cylindrical protrusion 126 blocks the bottom opening. At this time, the movable base plate 124 is in its raised position. By depressurizing the hydraulic oil, the movable base plate 124 can be allowed to return to the stepped portion 5214 under the action of gravity. At this time, the movable base plate 124 is in its lowered position. Thus, the hydraulic oil pressure and pressure relief of the hydraulic actuator drives the T-bar to move, thereby causing the movable base plate to move up and down. This allows for rapid up-and-down movement of the movable base plate 124, thereby controlling the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber SC to control heat exchange, and thus facilitating precise control of the water temperature flowing out from the ice crystal elimination structure 10.

[0139] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the T-shaped rod 525 within the transmission conduit 521 may be driven by a pneumatic actuator or a mechanical actuator (such as a gear actuator).

[0140] This disclosure may also include an ice-making system comprising an ice crystal removal structure according to this disclosure and / or a temperature control system according to this disclosure. This prevents pipe freezing with a simple structural arrangement.

[0141] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any way.

Claims

1. An ice crystal elimination structure, characterized in that, The ice crystal elimination structure includes a heat pipe heat exchanger and a lower housing. The heat pipe heat exchanger includes multiple sealed heat pipes filled with liquid heat transfer medium. Each heat pipe has an evaporation section, a condensation section, and an insulation section located between the evaporation section and the condensation section. The heat pipe heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat absorbed by the evaporation section of each heat pipe from a heat source containing high-temperature gaseous refrigerant to the condensation section via the insulation section, and then the condensation section transfers the heat to ice water containing ice crystals to melt the ice crystals. The evaporation sections of the multiple heat pipes are encapsulated in the lower housing. The evaporation section of each heat pipe is inserted into a lower sleeve housed in the lower housing to form a storage chamber for storing high-temperature liquid refrigerant between the evaporation section and the lower sleeve. Each lower sleeve has a bottom opening. The lower housing has a movable base plate at the bottom that can close the bottom opening. The movable base plate is configured to move up and down to change the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber by closing and opening the bottom opening.

2. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the movable base plate is provided with multiple protrusions that cooperate with and seal the corresponding bottom openings.

3. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The protrusion is cylindrical.

4. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower sleeve has a diameter and a height, and the maximum heat transfer from the heat source to the ice water containing ice crystals via the heat pipe heat exchanger is determined based on the diameter of the heat pipe, the diameter of the lower sleeve, and the height of the lower sleeve.

5. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is a gap between the movable base plate and the lower housing.

6. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable base plate is configured to move up and down periodically driven by a transmission mechanism.

7. The ice crystal elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The ice crystal elimination structure also includes an upper housing, in which the condenser sections of the multiple heat pipes are encapsulated. The condenser section of each heat pipe is inserted into an upper sleeve housed within the upper housing, thereby forming an ice-water flow channel between the condenser section and the upper sleeve.

8. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner surface of the upper sleeve is provided with multiple inner fins extending inward from the outer wall of the upper sleeve base tube, while the outer surface of the condenser section of the heat pipe is provided with multiple outer fins extending outward from the outer wall of the condenser section base tube.

9. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The outer wing has an outer wing extension section of the heat pipe condenser and an outer wing folded edge section of the heat pipe condenser, and the inner wing has an inner wing extension section of the upper sleeve and an inner wing folded edge section of the upper sleeve.

10. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 9, characterized in that, The dimensions of the plurality of inner wings and the plurality of outer wings are configured to generate vortices within the ice water flow channel.

11. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 10, characterized in that, The length of the folded edge section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser is between 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm.

12. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The plurality of inner wings and the plurality of outer wings have the following dimensional settings: L2 is 0.2L1-0.5L1; L3 and L4 are both 0.08L1-0.12L1; L5 is 0.4L1-0.7L1; L6 is 0.2L1-0.4L1; L7 is 1.5L1-2.2L1; L8 is 1.5L1-2.5L1. Wherein, L1 is the length of the outer fin folded section of the heat pipe condenser; L2 is the distance between the extended section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser and the extended section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L3 is the gap between the outer wall of the base tube of the heat pipe condenser and the extended section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L4 is the gap between the outer wall of the base tube of the heat pipe condenser and the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L5 is the gap between the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve and the inner wall of the base tube of the upper sleeve; L6 is the gap between the folded section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser and the folded section of the inner fin of the upper sleeve; L7 is the gap between the folded section of the outer fin of the heat pipe condenser and the inner wall of the base tube of the upper sleeve; and L8 is the distance between two adjacent extended sections of the inner fin of the upper sleeve.

13. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The multiple heat pipes are arranged in multiple rows and columns to form a cuboid structure. The upper housing has a first inlet port on the upstream side and a second outlet port on the downstream side in the upper part. The first rectangular pipe is inserted into the first inlet port to supply ice water containing ice crystals, and the second rectangular pipe is connected to the second outlet port to output water obtained from melting ice.

14. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 13, characterized in that, The lower surface of the first rectangular tube is provided with a plurality of holes. The first rectangular tube is arranged to extend through the first inlet port into the upper box so that the plurality of holes are aligned with the upper open ports of the plurality of upper sleeves, thereby allowing ice water containing ice crystals to flow into the ice water flow channel.

15. The ice crystal elimination structure according to claim 13, characterized in that, The upper surface of the second rectangular tube is flush with the lower surface of the first rectangular tube.

16. The ice crystal elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The ice crystal elimination structure is installed in the water tank connecting the ice-making system and the water supply bypass of the falling film evaporator. The lower casing is installed inside the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser of the ice-making system. A portion of the high-temperature gaseous refrigerant inside the shell side of the shell-and-tube condenser is used as the heat source.

17. A temperature control system, characterized in that, The temperature control system includes a temperature control component and an ice crystal elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-16. The temperature control component and the ice crystal elimination structure are arranged in the water supply bypass connecting the water tank of the ice-making system and the falling film evaporator, with the temperature control component located downstream of the ice crystal elimination structure. The temperature control component includes a controller and a transmission mechanism connected to the controller. The controller controls the transmission mechanism to move the movable base plate up and down to control the temperature of the water flowing out of the ice crystal elimination structure within the desired temperature range.

18. The temperature control system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The temperature control component includes a temperature probe. The controller is connected to the ice crystal elimination structure through a second rectangular tube. One end of the temperature probe is connected to the controller and the other end is inserted into the second rectangular tube to detect the temperature of the water replenishment. The controller controls the transmission mechanism to move the movable base plate up and down based on the temperature detected by the temperature probe.

19. The temperature control system according to claim 18, characterized in that, The movable base plate is configured such that when the temperature detected by the temperature probe is lower than the lower limit, it is driven by the transmission mechanism to move downward to the lower position to open the bottom opening, thereby allowing the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber to be reduced to increase the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator; when the temperature detected by the temperature probe is higher than the upper limit, it is driven by the transmission mechanism to move upward to the higher position to block the bottom opening, thereby gradually reducing the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator as the liquid level of the high-temperature liquid refrigerant in the storage chamber gradually rises.

20. The temperature control system according to any one of claims 17-19, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes a transmission pipe and a T-shaped rod. The transmission pipe is installed at the bottom of the movable base plate, and the T-shaped rod is configured to move up and down within the transmission pipe to drive the movable base plate to move up and down.

21. The temperature control system according to claim 20, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism is driven by a hydraulic actuator to move the movable base plate up and down.

22. The temperature control system according to claim 21, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism also includes a first sealing ring, which is disposed between the convex ring and the step portion inside the transmission pipe. The T-shaped rod moves upward along the transmission pipe from the step portion by being pressurized by the hydraulic oil of the hydraulic actuator to drive the movable base plate to the raised position, and moves downward back to the step portion under the action of gravity by depressurizing the hydraulic oil to drive the movable base plate to the lowered position.

23. The temperature control system according to claim 22, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism also includes a second sealing ring disposed in the bottom hole of the movable base plate and a backflow block below the bottom hole, and the transmission pipe is sealed to the bottom hole through the backflow block and the second sealing ring.

24. An ice-making system, characterized in that, The ice-making system includes an ice crystal elimination structure according to any one of claims 1-16 and / or a temperature control system according to any one of claims 17-23.

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