Pre-cooling assembly and ice making device

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of ice making equipment, and particularly relates to a pre-cooling assembly and ice making equipment. The pre-cooling assembly comprises an evaporator and a pre-cooling pipeline. The evaporator comprises at least one refrigerant pipeline and a cold guide column arranged below each refrigerant pipeline. The cold guide column is in communication with the refrigerant pipeline to allow refrigerant to flow therein, and is used for being immersed in water to form ice on the outer surface of the cold guide column. The pre-cooling pipeline has a water inlet and a water outlet and is in thermal contact with the refrigerant pipeline, and is used for conveying water for ice making and pre-cooling the water flowing through the pre-cooling pipeline by using the cold energy of the evaporator. The present application adds the pre-cooling pipeline in thermal contact with the evaporator, so that the water for ice making first flows through the pre-cooling pipeline and then enters an ice making bin to utilize the cold energy dissipated by the evaporator itself during ice making operation. Since the water entering the ice making bin is low-temperature water pre-cooled, the cooling load required to be borne by the evaporator during the ice making stage is greatly reduced, so that the water can reach the freezing point more quickly and complete ice formation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and in particular to a precooling component and ice-making equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Existing ice makers, especially those using immersion ice-making methods, typically involve directly supplying room-temperature water into the ice-making chamber, where an evaporator partially submerged in the water cools the water to its freezing point through a refrigeration cycle, ultimately forming ice blocks.

[0003] In traditional technical solutions, due to the large temperature difference between the injected room temperature water and the freezing point, the evaporator needs to consume a large amount of cooling energy and a long time to complete the cooling process, resulting in a long ice-making cycle and low overall energy efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] One objective of this application is to provide a precooling component and ice-making equipment to solve the technical problems of long ice-making cycles and low overall energy efficiency in existing ice makers.

[0005] This application provides a precooling component for an ice-making device, comprising: An evaporator includes at least one refrigerant line and a cooling column disposed below each of the refrigerant lines, each of the refrigerant lines being in communication with the cooling column below it for refrigerant to flow therein, the cooling column being used to be immersed in water to form ice on the outer surface of the cooling column. A precooling pipeline is used to transport water for ice making. The precooling pipeline has an inlet and an outlet and is in thermal contact with the refrigerant pipeline, thereby using the cooling capacity of the evaporator to precool the water flowing through the precooling pipeline.

[0006] Optionally, the evaporator includes at least two refrigerant lines arranged side by side, the refrigerant lines being straight, and the precooling line extending along the length of the refrigerant lines.

[0007] Optionally, the precooling pipeline includes at least one set of precooling pipe groups, wherein Each precooling pipe assembly includes a precooling branch, which extends along the length of the refrigerant pipe; or Each precooling pipe group includes at least two precooling branches, which are arranged side by side and extend along the length of the refrigerant pipe. The two adjacent precooling branches in each precooling pipe group are in thermal contact.

[0008] Optionally, the precooling pipe assembly is located above and / or to the side of the refrigerant pipeline.

[0009] Optionally, the flow direction of the refrigerant in each of the refrigerant pipelines is consistent, the delivery direction of the ice-making water in the precooling pipeline is consistent, and the delivery direction of the ice-making water in the precooling pipeline is consistent with or opposite to the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline.

[0010] Optionally, one of the precooling pipe and the refrigerant pipe is provided with a contact surface adapted to the outer surface shape of the other, so that the two form a surface contact; and / or A heat-conducting element is provided between the outer surface of the precooling pipe and the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe, the shape of the heat-conducting element being adapted to the outer surface of at least one of the precooling pipe and the refrigerant pipe; and / or At least one of the precooling branches and the refrigerant pipeline has a common sidewall.

[0011] Optionally, when the precooling pipeline includes at least two sets of precooling pipe groups, each set of precooling pipe groups is independent of each other, or at least two sets of precooling pipe groups are connected to each other.

[0012] Optionally, the outlet of the precooling pipeline is higher than the inlet of the precooling pipeline in the horizontal direction, and the inlet of the precooling pipeline is located at the lowest point in the horizontal direction of the precooling pipeline.

[0013] In another aspect, embodiments of this application provide an ice-making apparatus, including: Precooling components as described in any of the above; An ice-making chamber, wherein the cooling column extends into the ice-making chamber, and the outlet of the pre-cooling pipe is located above the ice-making chamber to inject water flowing through the pre-cooling pipe into the ice-making chamber; A water supply device is connected to the inlet of the precooling pipeline and is used to supply water to the precooling pipeline.

[0014] Optionally, the water supply device includes a water tank and a water pump. The water pump is connected between the water tank and the inlet of the pre-cooling pipeline. The water pump is used to pump water from the water tank into the pre-cooling pipeline. The water pump is a unidirectional pump or a bidirectional pump.

[0015] The embodiments of this application achieve the following technical effects: By adding a pre-cooling pipe that is thermally connected to the evaporator, and having the ice-making water flow through this pre-cooling pipe before entering the ice-making chamber, the cold energy dissipated from the evaporator to the surrounding environment during ice-making is utilized. Since the water entering the ice-making chamber is pre-cooled low-temperature water, rather than room-temperature water directly from the water tank, the cooling load on the evaporator during the ice-making stage is significantly reduced, allowing the water to reach its freezing point and freeze more quickly. Simultaneously, the refrigeration components of this application effectively utilize the cold energy that might otherwise be wasted by the evaporator, improving energy efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute a limitation on scale.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ice-making device provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a precooling component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another precooling component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 A top view of another precooling component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a first connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a second connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the third connection between the precooling pipe assembly and the refrigerant pipeline provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the flow direction of cooling water in the precooling pipeline and the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the fourth connection between the precooling pipe assembly and the refrigerant pipeline provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 A fifth connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 A sixth connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 A seventh connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 13 The eighth connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant pipeline provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 14 A ninth connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 15 A schematic cross-sectional view of another precooling component provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 16 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the precooling branch and refrigerant pipeline provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 17 A tenth connection diagram of the precooling pipe assembly and refrigerant piping provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 18 This is a second connection diagram of the precooling branch and the refrigerant pipeline provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 19 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an ice-making device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Label Explanation: 1000 Ice-making equipment; 100 Pre-cooling components; 10 Evaporator; 11 Refrigerant piping; 11a Refrigerant inlet; 11b Refrigerant outlet; 12 Cooling column; 20 Pre-cooling piping; 20a Water inlet; 20b Water outlet; 21 Pre-cooling pipe assembly; 211 Pre-cooling branch; 2111 Side wall; 30 Heat-conducting components; 40 Connecting components; 200 Ice-making chamber; 300 Water supply device; 301 Water pump; 302 Water tank. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as "connected" to another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements can exist between them. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "upper end," "lower end," "top," and "bottom," etc., used in this specification, indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0021] In related technologies, ice makers, especially those using an immersion ice-making method, typically involve supplying room temperature water directly into the ice chamber, where an evaporator partially submerged in the water cools the water to its freezing point through a refrigeration cycle, ultimately forming ice blocks.

[0022] Because of the large temperature difference between the injected room-temperature water and the freezing point, the evaporator needs to consume a large amount of cooling energy and a long time to complete the cooling process, resulting in a long ice-making cycle and low overall energy efficiency. Furthermore, in immersion ice makers, the cooling energy generated by the part of the evaporator not immersed in water is usually directly dissipated into the surrounding environment without being utilized, causing significant energy waste.

[0023] To resolve the aforementioned technical issues, please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application provides a precooling component 100, which is applied to an ice-making device 1000. The precooling component 100 includes an evaporator 10 and a precooling pipeline 20.

[0024] The evaporator 10 includes at least one refrigerant line 11 and a plurality of cooling columns 12 disposed below each of the refrigerant lines 11, each of the refrigerant lines 11 being connected to the cooling column 12 below it for refrigerant to flow therethrough, the cooling column 12 being used to be immersed in water to form ice on the outer surface of the cooling column 12.

[0025] There may be one or more refrigerant pipes 11. When there are multiple refrigerant pipes 11, they can be arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The shape of the refrigerant pipes 11 can be a straight pipe, a U-shaped bend, or a serpentine coil to increase the heat exchange area of ​​the evaporator 10 and adapt to the shape of the water tank.

[0026] The precooling pipeline 20 is used to transport water for ice making. The precooling pipeline 20 has an inlet 20a and an outlet 20b and is in thermal contact with the refrigerant pipeline 11, thereby using the cooling capacity of the evaporator 10 to precool the water flowing through the precooling pipeline 20.

[0027] The precooling component 100 in this embodiment operates on the following principle: a dedicated precooling pipe 20 is installed near the refrigerant pipe 11 of the evaporator 10, and the two are placed in thermal contact. This utilizes the cold energy dissipated by the evaporator 10 itself during ice-making operations, especially the cold energy dissipated to the surrounding environment from the portion of the evaporator 10 not immersed in the ice-making chamber 200. When the ice-making equipment 1000 is operating, the water supply equipment delivers ice-making water to the precooling pipe 20. The low-temperature refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipe 11 absorbs the heat of the water in the precooling pipe 20 through conduction through the pipe wall. The precooled water is then discharged from the outlet 20b to the ice-making chamber 200 for use in the next round of ice making or subsequent ice making.

[0028] Understandably, the embodiments of this application effectively utilize the cold energy dissipated from the refrigerant pipe 11 of the evaporator 10 to pre-cool the water used for ice making, thereby reducing the water temperature entering the ice making process, reducing the temperature difference between room temperature and freezing point, thus shortening the single ice making cycle, improving ice making efficiency, and also improving the energy utilization rate of the whole machine.

[0029] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments, the evaporator 10 includes at least two refrigerant lines 11 arranged side by side, the refrigerant lines 11 being straight, and the precooling line 20 extending along the length of the refrigerant lines 11.

[0030] Understandably, the precooling pipe 20 extends along the length of the straight refrigerant pipe 11. This creates a parallel geometry between the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11, keeping them close together or even touching for a considerable distance. This maximizes the heat exchange path length and effective heat exchange area between the water and refrigerant flows, ensuring sufficient heat exchange. Simultaneously, the straight layout is simple, facilitating manufacturing and assembly, reducing production costs, and ensuring structural consistency. The straight precooling pipe 20 also helps to remove ice particles that may form in the pipe during the precooling process, preventing blockages.

[0031] Please see Figure 5 In some embodiments, the precooling pipeline 20 includes at least one set of precooling pipe groups 21. Each set of precooling pipe groups 21 includes a precooling branch 211, which extends along the length of the refrigerant pipeline 11.

[0032] Alternatively, please refer to the following: Figure 6 and Figure 7 Each precooling pipe group 21 includes at least two precooling branches 211, which are arranged side by side and extend along the length of the refrigerant pipe 11. The two adjacent precooling branches 211 in each precooling pipe group 21 are in thermal contact.

[0033] For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, at least two precooling branches 211 belonging to the same precooling pipe group 21 extend along the length of a corresponding refrigerant pipe 11. Furthermore, exemplarily, as... Figure 7 As shown, the two precooling branches 211 belonging to different precooling pipe groups 21 are in thermal contact with each other.

[0034] Understandably, the precooling pipe 20 can be laid out as a single precooling branch 211 extending along the refrigerant pipe 11, or as multiple precooling branches 211 arranged side by side extending along the refrigerant pipe 11. In the case of multiple precooling branches 211, adjacent precooling branches 211 maintain thermal contact.

[0035] To put it more easily, by setting up multiple parallel precooling branches 211, the water flow rate through the precooling component 100 per unit time can be increased, or the flow cross-section of the water can be increased to reduce the flow velocity while keeping the flow rate constant, thereby extending the heat exchange time. The thermal contact between adjacent branches helps to equalize the water temperature in each precooling branch 211, preventing freezing and blockage caused by local overcooling, and also further increases the overall cold storage and heat transfer quality, improving precooling stability.

[0036] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 7 In some embodiments, the precooling pipe assembly 21 is located above and / or to the side of the refrigerant pipe 11.

[0037] Understandably, the cooling column 12 is connected to the refrigerant pipe 11, and its outer surface is immersed in the ice-making chamber 200. The low-temperature refrigerant passes through the cooling column 12, causing its temperature to drop, thus condensing the water in the ice-making chamber 200 onto the cooling column 12. Because the cooling column 12 is located below the refrigerant pipe 11, the cold energy of the low-temperature refrigerant easily dissipates above and to the sides of the refrigerant pipe 11.

[0038] This embodiment of the application makes full use of the space and dissipated cold energy in the non-working area of ​​the evaporator 10, achieving a compact structural design. At the same time, it avoids the pre-cooling pipe 20 from affecting the normal immersion ice-making process of the lower cooling column 12, ensuring that the pre-cooling function and the ice-making function do not interfere with each other and work together.

[0039] In some embodiments, the flow direction of the refrigerant in each of the refrigerant pipelines 11 is consistent, and the delivery direction of the ice-making water in the precooling pipeline 20 is consistent with the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipeline 11.

[0040] Understandably, the direction of water flow for ice making in the pre-cooling pipe 20 is consistent with the direction of refrigerant flow in the refrigerant pipe 11. This unidirectional flow arrangement facilitates smoother pipe connections and allows for the centralized placement of the inlet 20a and the refrigerant inlet. Furthermore, under specific operating conditions, unidirectional flow helps control the temperature gradient, preventing water from freezing and blocking at the outlet 20b due to the lowest temperature refrigerant, thus ensuring smooth water flow.

[0041] In other embodiments, depending on the actual application environment and the flow rate, velocity, and temperature of the ice-making water in the precooling pipeline 20, the direction of water transport in the precooling pipeline 20 can be opposite to the direction of refrigerant transport in the refrigerant pipeline 11 to optimize the precooling effect. In other embodiments, the direction of refrigerant transport in the refrigerant pipeline 11 can also be different. For example, the flow directions of refrigerant in the two refrigerant pipelines 11 can be opposite. Or, in the case of a U-shaped refrigerant pipeline, the flow directions of refrigerant in the two straight sections of the refrigerant pipeline can be opposite.

[0042] In other embodiments, the direction of ice-making water delivery within the precooling pipe 20 may also be different. For example, the direction of ice-making water delivery within some precooling branches 211 may differ from the direction of ice-making water delivery within other precooling branches 211. For instance, when the refrigerant pipe 11 is U-shaped, to ensure that the direction of ice-making water delivery within the precooling pipe 20 is consistent or opposite, the direction of ice-making water delivery within the precooling branch 211 corresponding to one refrigerant pipe 11 may be opposite to the direction of ice-making water delivery within other precooling branches 211.

[0043] In some embodiments, the thermal contact between the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11 can take at least one of the following forms: Please see Figure 9 In one embodiment, one of the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11 is provided with a contact surface adapted to the outer surface shape of the other so that the two form a surface contact.

[0044] In this embodiment, the outer surface shape of one of the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11 is adapted to the outer surface shape of the other, reducing the contact thermal resistance between the two, so that the cooling capacity can be transferred from the refrigerant pipe 11 to the precooling pipe 20 more quickly and efficiently, thereby bringing about a better precooling effect.

[0045] For example, when the refrigerant pipe 11 is a circular pipe, the contact surface of the precooling pipe 20 is arc-shaped and can fit circumferentially against the refrigerant pipe 11. Also for example, the precooling pipe 20 includes multiple precooling branches 211, which extend along the length of the refrigerant pipe 11. Each precooling branch 211 has a contact surface that contacts the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe 11. Each contact surface is adapted to the shape of the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe 11. The multiple precooling branches 211 are arranged circumferentially side-by-side around the refrigerant pipe 11, and the contact surfaces of each precooling branch 211 can be sequentially connected to better fit the refrigerant pipe 11.

[0046] Please see Figure 10In another embodiment, a heat-conducting element 30 is provided between the outer surface of the precooling pipe 20 and the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe 11, and the shape of the heat-conducting element 30 is adapted to the outer surface of at least one of the precooling branch 211 and the refrigerant pipe 11.

[0047] A heat-conducting component 30 is installed between the outer surfaces of the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11. This fills the tiny air gap caused by the incomplete matching of their shapes, eliminates the huge thermal resistance caused by the air gap between the pipes, and ensures that the cooling capacity can be efficiently and evenly transferred from the refrigerant pipe 11 to the precooling pipe 20.

[0048] For example, the thermally conductive component 30 can be thermally conductive adhesive, thermally conductive silicone grease, or metal solder, etc., filled between the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11 to fill the air gap between their outer surfaces. Alternatively, the thermally conductive component 30 can be a thermally conductive sheet, such as a graphene sheet or a copper sheet.

[0049] Please see Figure 11 In another embodiment, at least one of the precooling branches 211 and the refrigerant pipeline 11 are provided with a common sidewall 2111.

[0050] The precooling branch 211 and the refrigerant line 11 are integrated into a single structure, connected by a common sidewall 2111, rather than being two separate lines joined together. This ensures that the two fluid channels are separated only by a heat exchange sidewall 2111, achieving the most direct and efficient heat transfer path. By eliminating the contact interface and potential thermal resistance between the two separate lines, heat conduction efficiency is maximized, resulting not only in better precooling performance but also in a more compact and robust structure for the entire precooling assembly 100.

[0051] Understandably, the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11 can be connected by using compatible contact surfaces to form surface contact, or by filling the space between them with a heat-conducting component 30, or by directly adopting an integrated structure with a shared sidewall 2111. This eliminates or reduces the air gap between the precooling pipe 20 and the refrigerant pipe 11, significantly reducing the contact thermal resistance between the pipes and improving the heat conduction efficiency. Compared to simple line contact, surface contact or connection via a heat-conducting component 30 allows the cooling energy to be transferred to the water in the precooling pipe more quickly and evenly, thereby greatly improving the precooling effect.

[0052] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 12 When the precooling pipeline 20 includes at least two sets of precooling pipe groups 21, each set of precooling pipe groups 21 is independent of the others.

[0053] The precooling pipes 20 can be different precooling pipe groups 21 connected to the same refrigerant pipe 11, which are independent of each other. For example, two precooling pipe groups 21 above and to the side of the same refrigerant pipe 11 do not contact each other or are not structurally connected to each other. The precooling pipe groups 21 can also be different precooling pipe groups 21 connected to different refrigerant pipes 11, which are independent of each other. For example, different precooling pipe groups 21 connected to different refrigerant pipes 11 do not contact each other or are not structurally connected to each other.

[0054] Alternatively, please see Figure 13 and Figure 14 When the precooling pipeline 20 includes at least two sets of the precooling pipe groups 21, the at least two sets of the precooling pipe groups 21 are interconnected.

[0055] Please see Figure 13 The precooling pipe 20 can be at least two sets of precooling pipe groups 21 that are thermally connected. For example, two precooling pipe groups 21 above and to the side of the same refrigerant pipe 11 are thermally connected to each other, or different precooling pipe groups 21 connected to different refrigerant pipes 11 are thermally connected to each other.

[0056] Please see Figure 14 The precooling pipe 20 can also be a structural connection of at least two precooling pipe assemblies 21 to improve the overall structural stability. For example, two precooling pipe assemblies 21 above and to the side of the same refrigerant pipe 11 can be welded together or connected to each other through connectors, or, as... Figure 14 As shown, different precooling pipe groups 21 connected to different refrigerant pipes 11 are interconnected by connectors 40.

[0057] In other embodiments, the designer may set the precooling pipe group 21 of the precooling pipe 20 according to actual needs, and there is no limitation here.

[0058] Please see Figure 15 In some embodiments, the outlet 20b of the precooling pipe 20 is higher than the inlet 20a of the precooling pipe 20 in the horizontal direction, and the inlet 20a of the precooling pipe 20 is located at the lowest point in the horizontal direction of the precooling pipe 20.

[0059] Understandably, the outlet 20b of the precooling pipe 20 is horizontally higher than the inlet 20a, and the inlet 20a is located at the lowest point. When water injection stops, the fluid in the pipe tends to flow back to the lower level due to gravity, preventing residual water from freezing under the continuous low temperature of the evaporator 10, thereby improving the reliability and durability of the equipment.

[0060] Please refer to the following: Figures 2 to 4In some embodiments, the inlet 20a of the precooling pipe 20 is closer to the refrigerant inlet 11a of the refrigerant pipe 11 than the outlet 20b, and the outlet 20b of the precooling pipe 20 is closer to the refrigerant outlet 11b of the refrigerant pipe 11 than the inlet 20a.

[0061] In some embodiments, each group of precooling pipes 21 in the precooling pipe 20 may share a common inlet 20a and an outlet 20b, or each group of precooling pipes 20 may have its own inlet 20a and outlet 20b.

[0062] For example, multiple precooling pipe groups 21 are arranged in parallel. The precooling assembly 100 also includes a branch pipe and a manifold. The inlet of the branch pipe is connected to the water supply device 300 as the main water inlet 20a. The multiple outlets of the branch pipe are respectively connected to the input end of each group of precooling pipe groups 21. The output end of each group of precooling pipe groups 21 is respectively connected to the manifold. The outlet of the manifold is connected to the main water outlet 20b pointing to the ice-making chamber 200. At this time, the water flow is distributed to multiple branches for simultaneous heat exchange. This method has low flow resistance and can ensure that the temperature distribution in different areas of the evaporator 10 is relatively uniform, avoiding the attenuation of the precooling effect at the end due to excessively long pipes.

[0063] Please see Figure 16 In some embodiments, at least one precooling branch 211 is connected to a corresponding refrigerant pipe 11 and together they form a double-layer hollow pipe. One of the interconnected precooling branch 211 and refrigerant pipe 11 is located in the inner layer of the double-layer hollow pipe, and the other is located in the outer layer of the double-layer hollow pipe.

[0064] Understandably, the embodiments of this application employ a double-layer hollow tube structure, such as a coaxial double-layer hollow tube structure, in which one fluid flows through the inner tube, and another fluid flows through the annular space between the outer and inner tubes, or vice versa. Through this structure, the two fluids are completely separated by a thin tube wall, forming a comprehensive heat exchange interface, providing the maximum possible heat exchange area per unit length, and eliminating any risk of poor external contact, allowing heat to be transferred between the refrigerant and water with maximum efficiency.

[0065] Please see Figure 17 In some embodiments, at least one precooling branch 211 is in thermal contact with at least two refrigerant lines 11; and / or at least one refrigerant line 11 is in thermal contact with at least two precooling branches 211.

[0066] In one embodiment, the structure formed by the precooling branch 211 and the refrigerant pipeline 11 has a cross-section with multiple circumferentially arranged fan-shaped hollow regions. Each fan-shaped hollow region is configured as either a precooling branch 211 for conveying water or a refrigerant pipeline 11 for conveying refrigerant. A refrigerant pipeline 11 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11, and a precooling branch 211 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11.

[0067] Please see Figure 18 In another embodiment, the structure formed by the precooling branch 211 and the refrigerant pipeline 11 has a cross-section with multiple coaxial annular hollow regions. Each annular hollow region is configured as either a precooling branch 211 for conveying water or a refrigerant pipeline 11 for conveying refrigerant. A refrigerant pipeline 11 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11, and a precooling branch 211 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11.

[0068] In another embodiment, the structure formed by the precooling branch 211 and the refrigerant pipeline 11 is a square tube with a cross-section having multiple laterally arranged rectangular hollow areas. Each rectangular hollow area is configured as either a precooling branch 211 for conveying water or a refrigerant pipeline 11 for conveying refrigerant. A refrigerant pipeline 11 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11, and a precooling branch 211 is provided between every two adjacent refrigerant pipelines 11.

[0069] In the above embodiments, when the precooling branch 211 is extended, it bypasses or avoids the cooling column 12 connected to the refrigerant pipeline 11. The refrigeration unit can be equipped with tees, crosses, or other joints to achieve the diversion and convergence of any of the multiple precooling branches 211 and multiple refrigerant pipelines 11, or the diversion and convergence can be achieved through special devices, such as manifolds or busbars. Designers can set the inlet 20a and outlet 20b of the precooling branch 211, as well as the inlet and outlet of the refrigerant pipeline 11, according to actual needs; no restrictions are imposed here.

[0070] In some embodiments, the precooling branch 211 is a circular pipe with an inner diameter of 3mm-5mm and a wall thickness of 0.3mm-0.5mm. A larger inner diameter allows for a greater water supply, while a thinner wall thickness allows for higher heat exchange efficiency between the precooling branch 211 and the evaporator 10.

[0071] In other embodiments, designers may set the size and structure of the precooling branch 211 according to actual needs, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0072] In some embodiments, the precooling branch 211 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity, such as a thin copper tube, an aluminum alloy tube, or a stainless steel tube, etc., which is not limited here.

[0073] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 19 In another embodiment, this application also provides an ice-making device 1000, including the precooling component 100, ice-making chamber 200, and water supply device 300 described in the above embodiments. A cooling column 12 extends into the ice-making chamber 200, and the outlet 20b of the precooling pipe 20 is located above the ice-making chamber 200 to inject water flowing through the precooling pipe 20 into the ice-making chamber 200. The water supply device 300 is connected to the inlet 20a of the precooling pipe 20 for supplying water to the precooling pipe 20.

[0074] It is understood that the ice-making equipment 1000 of this application embodiment uses the pre-cooling component 100 of the above embodiment to make the cold energy that was wasted when the refrigerant flowed through the refrigerant pipeline 11 be used to cool the refrigeration water in the pre-cooling pipeline 20, thereby improving the energy utilization rate.

[0075] Ice-making equipment 1000 can be a household countertop ice maker, an under-counter ice maker, a commercial ice maker, or a refrigerator, water dispenser, or other equipment with an ice-making module.

[0076] Please review Figure 19 In some embodiments, the water supply device 300 includes a water tank 302 and a water pump 301. The water pump 301 is connected between the water tank 302 and the inlet 20a of the precooling pipeline 20. The water pump 301 is used to pump water from the water tank 302 into the precooling pipeline 20.

[0077] In some embodiments, the water supply device 300 includes a water tank 302 and a water pump 301. The water pump 301 is connected between the water tank 302 and the inlet 20a of the precooling pipeline 20. The water pump 301 is used to pump water from the water tank 302 into the precooling pipeline 20. The water pump 301 is a unidirectional pump or a bidirectional pump.

[0078] Understandably, if a unidirectional pump is used in conjunction with a low-level water inlet structure, water is allowed to flow back through the pump body or bypass under gravity when the pump 301 stops working; if a bidirectional pump is used, the residual water in the pipe can be actively pumped back, ensuring the stable operation of the water supply device 300.

[0079] More easily understood, after each ice-making cycle or in standby mode, the water in the pre-cooling pipe 20 can be automatically drained, avoiding the risk of residual water freezing and clogging the pipe due to low ambient temperature or continuous weak cooling from the evaporator 10, thus improving the long-term operational reliability of the ice-making equipment 1000. Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it; under the concept of this utility model, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of this utility model as described above. For simplicity, they are not provided in detail; although the present utility model 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 of the technical features; 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 utility model.

Claims

1. A precooling component for an ice-making device, characterized in that, include: An evaporator includes at least one refrigerant line and a plurality of cooling columns disposed below each of the refrigerant lines, each of the refrigerant lines being connected to the cooling columns below it for refrigerant to flow therethrough, the cooling columns being used to be immersed in water to form ice on the outer surface of the cooling columns. A precooling pipeline is used to transport water for ice making. The precooling pipeline has an inlet and an outlet and is in thermal contact with the refrigerant pipeline, thereby using the cooling capacity of the evaporator to precool the water flowing through the precooling pipeline.

2. The precooling assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporator includes at least two refrigerant lines arranged side by side, the refrigerant lines being straight, and the precooling line extending along the length of the refrigerant lines.

3. The precooling component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The precooling pipeline includes at least one set of precooling pipe groups, wherein Each precooling pipe assembly includes a precooling branch, which extends along the length of the refrigerant pipe; or Each precooling pipe group includes at least two precooling branches, which are arranged side by side and extend along the length of the refrigerant pipe. The two adjacent precooling branches in each precooling pipe group are in thermal contact.

4. The precooling component according to claim 3, characterized in that, The precooling pipe assembly is located above and / or to the side of the refrigerant pipeline.

5. The precooling component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigerant flow direction in each of the aforementioned refrigerant pipelines is consistent, and the ice-making water delivery direction in the precooling pipelines is consistent. The direction of water transport for ice making in the precooling pipeline is the same as or opposite to the direction of refrigerant flow in the refrigerant pipeline.

6. The precooling assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, One of the precooling pipes and the refrigerant pipes is provided with a contact surface adapted to the outer surface shape of the other, so that the two form a surface contact; and / or A heat-conducting element is provided between the outer surface of the precooling pipe and the outer surface of the refrigerant pipe, the shape of the heat-conducting element being adapted to the outer surface of at least one of the precooling branch and the refrigerant pipe; and / or At least one of the precooling branches and the refrigerant pipeline has a common sidewall.

7. The precooling component according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the precooling pipeline includes at least two sets of precooling pipe groups, each set of precooling pipe groups is independent of each other, or at least two sets of precooling pipe groups are connected to each other.

8. The precooling assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet of the precooling pipeline is higher than the inlet of the precooling pipeline in the horizontal direction, and the inlet of the precooling pipeline is located at the lowest point in the horizontal direction of the precooling pipeline.

9. An ice-making device, characterized in that, include: The precooling component as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; An ice-making chamber, wherein the cooling column extends into the ice-making chamber, and the outlet of the pre-cooling pipe is located above the ice-making chamber to inject water flowing through the pre-cooling pipe into the ice-making chamber; A water supply device is connected to the inlet of the precooling pipeline and is used to supply water to the precooling pipeline.

10. The ice-making equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water supply device includes a water tank and a water pump. The water pump is connected between the water tank and the inlet of the pre-cooling pipeline. The water pump is used to pump water from the water tank into the pre-cooling pipeline. The water pump is a unidirectional pump or a bidirectional pump.

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