Aseptic Ice Making and Dispensing With Positive Air Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making systems expose water and ice to the environment, leading to contamination from airborne pathogens, requiring frequent and hazardous sanitization methods, and failing to maintain a clean ice production process.
Innovation Solution
An aseptic ice making system that uses high efficiency particulate filtered positive air pressure to create a closed loop process, isolating the water and ice from ambient contaminants, and includes a sealed condenser unit and a control system to maintain a positive air pressure environment, reducing the need for sanitization and ensuring clean ice production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional ice making systems are used, then ice production is simple and equipment is accessible, but water and ice are exposed to airborne pathogens and environmental contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a positive air pressure environment within the ice making system using filtered air supplied by a blower assembly. This positive pressure prevents unfiltered ambient air from entering the system, effectively creating a protected environment that excludes airborne pathogens and contaminants while maintaining operational simplicity through integrated filtration and pressure control mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If conventional open ice making systems are used, then the system is easy to operate, but frequent sanitization with hazardous materials is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filtration of air through HEPA filters before air enters the ice making chamber, and maintains continuous positive air pressure to prevent contamination. This preliminary protective action eliminates the need for subsequent sanitization with hazardous materials, allowing the system to remain easy to operate without requiring complex cleaning protocols or exposure to harmful chemicals
3Object-affected harmful factors
If positive air pressure system is implemented, then contamination is prevented, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The positive air pressure system is implemented locally only within the ice making chamber and water reservoir areas where contamination prevention is critical, rather than throughout the entire system. The blower assembly supplies filtered air to specific zones needing protection, maintaining contamination prevention while minimizing overall energy consumption by limiting the pressurized environment to only where necessary
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively prevents contamination, maintains a clean environment for ice production and storage, reduces the use of hazardous materials, and eliminates the need for frequent sanitization, ensuring the production of clean and safe ice.
Implementation Method 1
a positive air pressure subsystem to create positive air pressure within the ice making system
Implementation Method 2
a high efficiency particulate air filter to filter air passing through the filter
Data Source
AI summary
An aseptic ice making system includes an ice making system to receive water from a water supply. The ice making system includes an ice producing subsystem to produce ice and a positive air pressure subsystem to maintain a positive air pressure environment within the ice making system.