Ice Machine Evaporator Self-Cleaning With Programmable Spray Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice production machines require manual and irregular cleaning, leading to potential lime deposits and pathogenic germ formation on the evaporator surfaces, which can alter ice quality and are inefficient due to dependence on human operation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a programming device that controls the machine's operation for automatic ice production and evaporator cleaning using the same nozzles for spraying water, allowing for integrated ice formation and washing cycles without altering the machine's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual cleaning is performed by operator, then cleaning can be carried out, but cleaning becomes irregular and dependent on human factor
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-cleaning of the evaporator through programmed control. The microprocessor-controlled timer automatically activates solenoid valves to flush cleaning solution through the evaporator at predetermined intervals, eliminating dependence on manual operator intervention and ensuring consistent, regular cleaning maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary flushing actions by circulating cleaning solution through the evaporator before ice production cycles begin. The programmed timer initiates cleaning sequences in advance, ensuring the evaporator is pre-cleaned and prepared for optimal ice production, preventing lime deposit formation before it occurs.
2Productivity
If multiple evaporators are used for increased productivity, then ice production increases, but machine complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system employs universal components that serve multiple evaporators simultaneously. A single pump, solenoid valve assembly, and control circuitry can flush multiple evaporator sections through coordinated valve activation, allowing the system to maintain increased productivity from multiple evaporators while avoiding proportional increases in cleaning system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system divides the evaporator flushing function into separable control segments. The microprocessor-controlled timer independently manages cleaning cycles for each evaporator section through individual solenoid valve control, allowing complex multi-evaporator systems to be managed through modular, segmented control that prevents overall system complexity from becoming unmanageable.
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 enables efficient and regular cleaning of the evaporator, improving ice quality by ensuring consistent maintenance and reducing human error, while adapting to environmental conditions for optimized ice production.
Implementation Method 1
Water is sprayed, through suitable nozzles, onto the evaporator plate, which water then freezes in a short time, thus forming the cubes
Implementation Method 2
which is processed by a compressor assembly before flowing into a condenser, where it cools down by exchanging heat with the outside environment
Implementation Method 3
circulation of the refrigerating fluid between the evaporator and the condenser is ensured by a compressor, which is used for having the fluid to go from a lower pressure in the evaporator to a higher pressure in the condenser
Implementation Method 4
Water is sprayed, through suitable nozzles, onto the evaporator plate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a machine for producing ice cubes or the like, wherein ice is formed by spraying water onto the evaporator (24) of a refrigerator assembly (20). The machine is equipped with an electronic programming device (40) operationally connected to the refrigerator assembly (20) and to the water spraying means (32, 33, 34, 35), so that it can control the operation thereof. The machine can also carry out a washing step by spraying wash liquids onto the evaporator, which liquids are manually poured into the ice formation tray.