Ice Maker Cold Plate Design for Harvestable Ice with Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ice making technologies face challenges in producing harvestable ice efficiently and effectively, particularly in creating ice sheets with beneficial characteristics for easy harvesting and addressing issues like ice maker faults and startup complexities.
Innovation Solution
The development of systems and methods involving oleophilic surfaces and heat exchangers with controlled water distribution, including multiple apertures of varying sizes, shapes, and spacings, to form ice sheets that can be easily harvested, along with fault detection and recovery mechanisms for ice makers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional ice making methods are used, then ice production is achieved, but ice harvestability and edge definition are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a hydrophobic coating specifically on the edges of the ice mold cavity. This selective surface treatment ensures that water adheres to the coated edges during freezing, forming ice with defined edges that can be easily harvested. The hydrophobic coating is applied only to specific regions (edges) rather than the entire surface, allowing different areas to have different properties: the coated edges provide adhesion for harvestability while the interior freezing surface maintains proper ice formation.
2Reliability
If simple ice making systems are used, then device complexity is low, but fault detection and recovery capabilities are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through sensors that monitor ice making parameters (temperature, humidity, ice formation progress) and provide this information to a control system. The control system analyzes the feedback data to detect faults or abnormal conditions and automatically adjusts operating parameters or triggers recovery procedures. This closed-loop control enhances reliability by enabling real-time monitoring and automatic fault recovery without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If uniform water distribution is used, then ice formation is consistent, but harvestability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality through selective hydrophobic coating on the mold edges. The coating creates localized water adhesion zones at the edges while leaving the interior freezing surface uniformly cold. This causes water to preferentially adhere at the edges during the freezing process, forming ice with defined edges that facilitate harvesting, while the overall ice sheet maintains uniform thickness and structure from the consistent thermal field in the mold interior.
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
These solutions enable the production of ice sheets with improved harvestability and edge definition, as well as effective fault detection and recovery in ice makers, enhancing operational efficiency and ice production processes.
Implementation Method 1
a cold surface with an oleophilic surface property
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger configured such that a refrigerant flows into and out of the heat exchanger to cool a surface of the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
form an ice sheet on the surface of the heat exchanger from water in the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Ice making methods, systems, and devices are provided in accordance with various embodiments. For example, methods, systems, and devices for producing harvestable ice on cold plates are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Methods, systems, and devices for harvesting ice on cold surfaces are also provided in accordance with various embodiments. Methods, systems, and devices for cold oleophilic surfaces that produce harvestable ice are also provided in accordance with various embodiments. Methods, systems, and devices for ice maker fault detection and recovery are also provided in accordance with various embodiments. Methods, systems, and devices for ice maker startup are also provided in accordance with various embodiments.