Vertical-Flow Ice Evaporator Assembly With Direct Conductive Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice making machines have low operational efficiency due to heat transfer through intermediate surfaces, requiring longer refrigerant circulation times and lower operational temperatures, which increases production time and costs, and also face challenges with hygiene and accessibility for cleaning, leading to potential impurity issues.
Innovation Solution
The evaporator assembly features a conductive wall with a first surface for ice formation and a second surface in contact with the refrigerant, allowing direct heat transfer and efficient ice formation, along with a design that facilitates easy disassembly and cleaning, eliminating hidden surfaces and improving hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heat transfer is performed through an intermediate backplate surface, then the structural integrity of the evaporator assembly is maintained, but the operational efficiency is significantly reduced and production time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate backplate surface from the heat transfer path. The refrigerant tubes are repositioned to be in direct contact with the cooling surface, extracting the unnecessary intermediate layer that was causing heat transfer inefficiency. This allows heat to transfer directly from the water to the refrigerant without passing through the backplate, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing circulation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the backplate as an intermediary element in the heat transfer process. By making the refrigerant tubes directly contact the cooling surface, the design removes the mediating structure that was impeding efficient heat transfer, allowing thermal energy to move more effectively from the water to the refrigerant.
2Productivity
If the refrigerant operational temperature is significantly decreased to compensate for intermediate surface heat transfer losses, then ice formation is achieved, but the operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inefficient intermediate backplate from the heat transfer path, allowing the refrigerant to operate at more efficient temperatures. By eliminating the thermal resistance of the backplate, the system achieves effective ice formation without requiring excessively low refrigerant temperatures, thereby reducing energy consumption and operational costs.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional evaporator assemblies are used with hidden surfaces, then the structural design is simplified, but hygiene is compromised and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the evaporator assembly into detachable components, including removable side walls and a detachable rear wall. This segmentation allows each component to be easily accessed, inspected, and cleaned, eliminating hidden surfaces where impurities could accumulate. The modular design maintains ease of manufacture while completely solving the hygiene problem by making all surfaces accessible for cleaning.
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 design enhances ice production efficiency, reduces production time, lowers operational costs, and ensures better hygiene by allowing direct contact between water and refrigerant, and enabling easy cleaning and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one conductive wall having a first surface and a second surface is provided wherein the first surface of the at least one conductive wall accommodates the plurality of ice forming blocks and the second surface of the at least one conductive wall comes in contact with at least one of the refrigerant and the defrost fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporator assembly for an ice machine is disclosed. The assembly comprises of a frame, a plurality of first cooling surfaces that are spaced at a distance and extend in a first direction within the frame. The assembly also includes a plurality of second cooling surfaces which extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction within the frame. An intersection of the plurality of first and second cooling surfaces defines a plurality of ice forming blocks. Further, at least one conductive wall having a first surface and a second surface is provided. The first surface of the conductive wall is configured to accommodate the plurality of ice forming blocks and the second surface of the conductive wall is configured to come in contact with refrigerant or defrost fluid.