Flake Ice Maker Cleaning Circulation for Retrofit Hygiene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flake ice production devices face challenges in reliably cleaning, decalcifying, and disinfecting all parts that come into contact with the freezing liquid, particularly due to complexity in manufacturing and the inability to retrofit existing machines, which can lead to residual dirt, bacteria, and pathogens.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a circulation system that uses a separate drive to generate a stronger flow of cleaning liquid in the tub, ensuring intensive contact with all relevant parts, including the evaporator roller, and allowing for retrofitting of existing devices without complex structural changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple spray nozzles are installed to clean all surfaces, then cleaning reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system uses the evaporator roller's own rotation to distribute cleaning liquid across its surface and into the trough, eliminating the need for separate spray nozzles targeting the roller. The system cleans itself through the natural rotation and scraping actions already present in the ice-making process.
Solution Approach 2:
The single spray nozzle serves multiple functions: it sprays cleaning liquid onto the trough, the liquid flows onto the evaporator roller during rotation, and the scraper simultaneously removes contaminated ice and distributes cleaning liquid. One component performs what previously required multiple specialized nozzles.
2Reliability
If special spray nozzles are integrated during manufacturing, then cleaning coverage is improved, but adaptability to existing machines is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning function is separated from the ice-making function. The spray nozzle, trough, and evaporator roller are independent components that can be added to or removed from existing machines without redesigning the core ice-making mechanism, enabling easy retrofitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraper acts as an intermediary that bridges the spray nozzle and evaporator roller. It receives cleaning liquid from the nozzle-sprayed trough and mechanically distributes it onto the roller surface while performing its primary function of removing ice, facilitating cleaning without direct nozzle-to-roller connection.
3Reliability
If the tub is filled to a high level, then contact between cleaning liquid and surfaces is improved, but risk of liquid overflow and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a float valve to automatically monitor and control the water level in the trough. When the cleaning liquid reaches a predetermined level, the float valve automatically stops further filling, preventing overflow while maintaining sufficient liquid depth for effective cleaning contact during evaporator roller rotation.
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 provides thorough and efficient cleaning, decalcification, and disinfection of flake ice production devices, ensuring hygiene standards are met, and allowing for easy integration or retrofitting, preventing residue contamination during ice production.
Implementation Method 1
The circulating device generates a flow in a cleaning liquid in the tub, which supports the removal and flushing out of impurities, limescale and pathogens from the device
Implementation Method 2
The evaporator roller preferably rotates during the cleaning process. This movement of the evaporator roller supports the flow of the cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 3
the flow supports the removal of dirt, bacteria and limescale through the mechanical interaction between the cleaning liquid and the relevant surfaces of the device
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for producing flake ice from a fluid and a method for cleaning an apparatus for producing flake ice are proposed. The apparatus is designed with a rotatably disposed evaporator roller (2), a shaft (1) on the evaporator roller (2) that transmits torque from a drive to the evaporator roller (2), a scraper (3) for removing ice that has been formed from the fluid at the surface of the evaporator roller (2), a pan (4) which receives the fluid and in which pan (4) the evaporator roller (2) is immersed at least partially, and a cleaning device for cleaning, descaling and/or disinfecting purposes. The cleaning device comprises at least one feed line opening into the pan (4) for a cleaning fluid and a recirculation device (6), which recirculates the cleaning fluid in the pan (4) and generates a flow of the cleaning fluid in the pan (4).