Ice Cube Production Without Heating for Dry-Surface Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial ice production methods are inefficient due to the use of heating or thawing processes, resulting in energy consumption increases, inconsistent ice shapes and sizes, and wet outer surfaces that cause sticking issues.
Innovation Solution
A method using a food-grade silicone mould with passages in a thermally conductive pan coated with a non-stick surface, where water freezes into ice cubes without heating or thawing, allowing for the production of consistently shaped, dry ice cubes that can be easily removed and packaged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If heating or thawing is used to discharge ice from moulds, then ice cubes can be easily removed, but energy consumption increases and outer surfaces become wet causing sticking
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of heating the mould to release ice, the invention inverts the approach by freezing the mould to the pan surface during removal. The pan is cooled to sub-freezing temperatures, causing the silicone mould to adhere to the pan, which then facilitates ice cube release without thermal energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the thermal field (heating/thawing) with a mechanical field (adhesion to cooled pan surface). By cooling the pan to sub-freezing temperatures, a mechanical adhesion bond forms between the mould and pan, enabling ice release through mechanical movement rather than thermal processing.
2Ease of operation
If heating or thawing is used to discharge ice, then ice cubes can be removed, but the outer surfaces become wet resulting in sticking when placed close together
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces thermal processing with mechanical adhesion to a cooled surface. The sub-freezing pan creates a frozen bond between the mould and pan surface, allowing ice cubes to be discharged without thermal energy input, thereby preventing the formation of wet surfaces that cause sticking.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the pan to sub-freezing levels, creating a frozen adhesion state. This parameter change enables mechanical release of ice cubes without thermal cycling, maintaining dry outer surfaces and preventing sticking issues.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional moulds are used without passages, then manufacturing is simpler, but ice cubes have inconsistent shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the mould into multiple identical passages, each forming an ice cube. This segmentation allows water to be distributed uniformly across multiple channels, ensuring consistent ice cube geometry while maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard silicone moulding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by designing specific passage geometries within the silicone mould that control water flow and freezing characteristics. Each passage is engineered with precise dimensions and orientations to produce uniform ice cubes, while the overall mould structure remains relatively simple to manufacture.
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 method reduces energy consumption, produces ice cubes with consistent shapes and dry surfaces, preventing sticking and improving handling and storage efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The thermally conductive base of the pan may be metal. The passages are filled with water and the base is cooled to cause the water in the passages to freeze outwardly from the base into ice cubes.
Implementation Method 2
The pan having a thermally conductive base and having a face coated with a non-stick coating
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing ice cubes in a mold and pan in cool ambient air wherein the steps of removing the mold from the pan and removing the ice cubes from the mold are carried out without any heating or thawing to obtain individual ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface. A method of producing a block of ice cubes in cool ambient air is also provided wherein the steps above are repeated so that the ice cubes drop row above row to produce a block of ice cubes. A method of packaging ice cubes is also provided comprising obtaining a plurality of ice cubes with a substantially dry outer surface and of a stackable shape. The ice cubes are arranged adjacently into a block, and the block is encapsulated in a suitable packaging material.