Clear Ice Sphere Mold with Water Jacketing for Directional Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice making technologies face challenges in producing clear ice structures without defects, such as fracturing and trapped air or minerals, due to stagnant water and uneven freezing processes.
Innovation Solution
A mold apparatus with a water jacketing system and directional solidification method, utilizing a first mold portion with high thermal conductivity and a second mold portion with lower thermal conductivity, where water circulates between the mold cavities to facilitate gradual freezing and prevent defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If water is frozen directly in a conventional mold, then ice structures are formed quickly, but the ice contains trapped air and minerals causing cloudiness and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into multiple segments (first mold portion and second mold portion) that can be separated. This segmentation allows water to be introduced into cavities in the first mold portion, frozen, and then the mold portions are separated to eject the clear ice structure, preventing trapped air and minerals while maintaining efficient freezing time
Solution Approach 2:
The mold cavities are pre-configured with specific geometries and the mold portions are pre-assembled before water introduction. This preliminary preparation ensures that water flows smoothly through the cavities during freezing, allowing air and minerals to be expelled before the ice structure fully forms, achieving clarity without excessive time loss
2Manufacturing precision
If water circulation is introduced to prevent trapped impurities, then ice clarity improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the mold serve different functions: the first mold portion contains cavities for water introduction and initial freezing, while the second mold portion provides structural support and facilitates ejection. This local differentiation achieves ice clarity through controlled water flow without requiring complex circulation systems throughout the entire mold
Solution Approach 2:
The mold design extracts and removes air and minerals from the water during the freezing process by designing cavities that allow impurities to be expelled as ice forms. The segmented mold structure enables these impurities to be physically separated and removed, achieving clarity without adding complex filtration or circulation machinery
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 solution enables the production of clear ice spheres with reduced fracturing and trapped impurities, ensuring consistent and clear ice formation by maintaining water circulation and controlling the freezing process.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling source adapted to supply cooling to the first mold portion... an ice structure is formed within the mold cavity
Implementation Method 2
facilitate directional solidification of clear ice structure across a thermal gradient of the mold apparatus
Implementation Method 3
mold apparatus having a water jacketing system... water circulates between the mold cavities
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making clear ice spheres includes a providing a mold apparatus having a first mold portion and a second mold portion having mold cavity segments which define one or more mold cavities when the mold apparatus is assembled in an ice forming position. The mold apparatus includes a water jacketing system which is adapted to keep water in continuous circulation within the mold cavities to ensure clear ice is formed. Water is injected into the mold cavities and where a portion of the water is frozen to form a clear ice structure and a portion of the water enters the water jacketing system. Water may remain circulating in the water jacketing system, or may be expelled from the mold apparatus. The circulating water of the water jacketing system facilitates directional solidification of clear ice structure across a thermal gradient of the mold apparatus.