Ice Maker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers produce opaque, low-density, and fast-melting bullet-shaped ice cubes due to stagnant water with air bubbles, resulting in poor transparency and slow production speed.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design that includes a circulation system with a water pump to reduce air bubbles and enhance transparency by repeatedly pumping water from a storage tank to an ice making tank, while controlling water supply to improve production speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If water is continuously pumped from the water storage tank to the ice making tank to reduce air bubbles and improve transparency, then the transparency of bullet ice is improved, but the ice making speed becomes slow due to heating from normal temperature water
Solution Approach 1:
The water circulation system is segmented into two distinct paths: a first water circulation path for filling the ice making tank with water from the water storage tank, and a second water circulation path for circulating water within the ice making tank to remove air bubbles and improve transparency. This segmentation allows each path to be optimized independently, resolving the contradiction between filling speed and transparency improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary filling of the ice making tank with water from the water storage tank before initiating the transparency improvement process. The feeding pump first fills the tank quickly, then the circulation pump takes over to circulate and deaerate the water. This preliminary action separates the filling phase from the transparency enhancement phase, avoiding the trade-off between speed and quality.
2Quantity of substance
If a large amount of water is supplied from the water storage tank to the ice making tank, then the ice making tank is fully filled, but the production speed decreases due to excessive water supply
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two pumping modes: the feeding pump operates at high flow rate for rapid filling when the ice making tank needs water, while the circulation pump operates at lower flow rate for transparent ice production when the tank is full. This dynamic switching optimizes both water supply quantity and production speed at different stages of the ice making process.
Solution Approach 2:
The ice making process is divided into periodic stages: a filling stage where the feeding pump supplies water quickly to fill the tank, followed by a circulation stage where the circulation pump repeatedly circulates water to improve transparency. This periodic alternation between filling and circulation actions resolves the contradiction between water supply quantity and production speed.
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
Enhances the transparency and cleanliness of bullet-shaped ice cubes and increases production efficiency by reducing air bubbles and optimizing water supply.
Implementation Method 1
the water pump is mounted on the water tube... After stopping the feeding pump and starting the water pump, the waters are pumped into the water tank from the circulation box via the water pump
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser... are accommodated
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker contains: a case in which an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, a water tank, a storage box, and a feeding pump are accommodated. Multiple bullet-shaped molds are arranged on the evaporator and are inserted into the water tank, the storage box and the water tank are connected via a water supply tube, the feeding pump is fixed on the water supply tube, and the case includes an ice making mechanism. The ice making mechanism includes a circulation box, a water tube, and a water pump. The circulation box is disposed below the water tank and includes a mouth, such that a projection of a vertical direction of the water tank is located in the mouth of the circulation box, the water tube is connected between the circulation box and the water tank, and the water pump is mounted on the water tube.