System for producing flavoured ice, with automatic dosing and washing means
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for producing flavoured ice lack precision in dosing flavouring substances, leading to inconsistent flavour concentrations and a high risk of contamination, with manual cleaning being inadequate for maintaining hygiene and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system with automatic dosing and washing means, utilizing independent dosage lines, protective coatings, and sensor-controlled algorithms to ensure precise and repeatable flavouring, while integrating automatic cleaning to prevent residue accumulation on evaporator surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual cleaning is used for evaporator surfaces, then operational simplicity is maintained, but hygiene and contamination prevention are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator surface performs self-cleaning through its microstructured geometry that prevents adhesion of flavouring residues and facilitates automatic removal by gravity or rinsing, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring consistent hygiene without adding complex cleaning mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The evaporator surface geometry is modified at micro-scale with specific roughness parameters and patterning that change the surface properties to prevent adhesion of flavouring substances, allowing residues to be easily removed by gravity or simple rinsing rather than requiring complex cleaning systems
2Manufacturing precision
If flavouring substances are dosed manually, then device complexity is reduced, but dosing precision and flavour consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and pre-configures the exact dosage of flavouring substances based on production parameters before the freezing cycle begins, ensuring precise and repeatable flavouring concentrations without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during operation
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor means detect the actual dosage of flavouring substances and feed this information back to the control unit, which automatically adjusts subsequent dosing to maintain precise and consistent flavour concentrations across all ice pieces produced
3Productivity
If evaporator surface roughness is high, then ice formation is facilitated, but residue accumulation and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator surface is engineered with specific micro-geometric parameters including controlled roughness ranges and patterned structures that optimize ice formation while preventing adhesion of flavouring residues, allowing residues to be easily removed by gravity or rinsing
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 achieves uniform flavouring in each piece of ice, reduces contamination risks, and extends apparatus lifespan by ensuring precise dosing and efficient, automated cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerating apparatus with refrigerant circuit, with at least a compressor, a condensing unit and an evaporator, which allows to produce ice in different quantities and shapes by means of direct contact of water with the cold surface of the evaporator
Implementation Method 2
Some advanced solutions have been recently proposed for coating surfaces which contact water in an ice maker, suitable for reducing the abovementioned problems; for example, reference is made to the advantageous protective coating of ITUB20155229A1 (Spinetti), which significantly reduces said surface roughness
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A system (10) and an apparatus (A1 - A4) for safely producing flavoured ice, where multiple flavourings (104) are dosed with precision and repeatability on single dosage lines (103, 105a - 105n, 106) and introduced into a mixing tank (107) together with water, with independent ducts, obtaining a flavoured mixture (108) which is then conducted to an evaporator with a protective and smoothing layer (102, 132). Automatic dosing means are provided which are connected to the central logic unit comprising a management algorithm (100, 133), with parameters which can be modified manually or automatically, like a self-adjustment, by means of multiple dosing means combined with each other, with adjusting members (109, 110, 113) combined with sensor means (116, 117, 118, 119, 120). Furthermore, the system (10) has automatic and integrated washing means, controlled by a washing algorithm (100, 134), for executing rinsing and/or washing with detergents.