Dimpled Stainless Evaporator Plate Assembly Without Brazing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional evaporator plate assemblies in ice making machines face issues with copper tube corrosion, high manufacturing costs, and environmental concerns due to the use of tin plating and brazing, which result in inefficient ice production and safety hazards for workers.
Innovation Solution
The use of stainless steel evaporator plates with serpentine tubing and dimples, where the tubing is either stainless steel or copper plated with tin, eliminates the need for tin tape and brazing by spot welding and dimple formation, increasing heat transfer and ice production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If copper tubes are used in evaporator assembly, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but corrosion resistance deteriorates due to oxidation and moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material construction by combining copper tubes with stainless steel evaporator plates. The copper tubes provide superior heat transfer efficiency while the stainless steel plates provide corrosion resistance. This composite approach allows both materials to contribute their advantageous properties to the evaporator assembly, resolving the contradiction between heat transfer efficiency and corrosion resistance.
2Reliability
If tin plating and brazing processes are used, then corrosion protection is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the tin plating and brazing processes from the manufacturing sequence. Instead of applying protective coatings and performing complex joining operations, the design relies on the inherent corrosion resistance of stainless steel plates and simple spot welding, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a simpler, more economical manufacturing approach by using spot welding instead of brazing, and relying on the durability of stainless steel rather than temporary protective tin plating. This reduces manufacturing steps and costs while the stainless steel material itself provides long-term corrosion resistance without requiring additional protective layers.
3Strength
If conventional evaporator assembly methods are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but ice production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dimpled surfaces on the evaporator plates, creating curved geometries that increase the surface area in contact with water. This curvature enhancement improves heat transfer efficiency and ice nucleation, thereby increasing ice production efficiency while the overall structural integrity is maintained through the robust evaporator plate design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds dimensional complexity by incorporating dimples and serpentine tube configurations that maximize surface area within the available space. This three-dimensional optimization of heat transfer surfaces enhances ice production efficiency without compromising the fundamental structural integrity of the evaporator assembly.
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
This configuration enhances ice production, reduces material and labor costs, minimizes environmental impact, and improves safety by eliminating hazardous chemicals and processes, while maintaining or increasing ice production compared to conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator plate assembly for use in an ice making machine... a serpentine tube is positioned, the plates being spot welded to each other
Implementation Method 2
a pair of dimpled plates between which a serpentine tube is positioned... expanding refrigerant in the evaporator removes heat from the series of ice forming locations, freezing the water to form an ever growing layer of ice
Implementation Method 3
the plates being spot welded to each other
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporator plate made of a metal plate having a plurality of shaped dimples thereon, the dimples each being defined by a pair of opposing pyramid shaped end faces and a pair of trapezoidal shaped left and right side faces adjoining the pair of pyramid shaped end faces. An evaporator assembly comprising first and second evaporator plates and tubing arranged in a serpentine path sandwiched therebetween, each plate including a plurality of parallel fins extending from a first surface, a pair of end flanges parallel to the fins, and a plurality of the shaped dimples. A tool for making the plate and a method of making the assembly are disclosed.