Ice Maker Water Feed Control for Temperature-Dependent Deicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic ice making machines face issues with inconsistent ice block size production due to temperature-dependent makeup water supply, leading to either insufficient or excessive water feeding, which affects ice making capacity and causes deicing faults or unit damage.
Innovation Solution
An automatic ice making machine with a control system that adjusts the makeup water supply based on the deicing completion time period and reference temperature reaching time, using high or low temperature modes to precisely match the water feeding amount to the temperature of the makeup water, ensuring appropriate ice production and preventing deicing abnormalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If makeup water is supplied based on constant water level detection by float switch, then the ice making machine can maintain water level in the ice making water tank, but the ice block size becomes inconsistent due to temperature variations in makeup water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from constant water level detection to variable water level detection based on makeup water temperature. When makeup water temperature is high, the upper limit water level is set higher; when temperature is low, the upper limit water level is set lower. This prevents excessive or insufficient water feeding that would otherwise occur with constant water level control, thereby ensuring consistent ice block size while maintaining proper water level.
2Volume of moving object
If the ice making water tank capacity is reduced below the necessary amount, then the machine size is compact and deicing time is reduced, but water feeding must be performed multiple times which requires precise temperature-based control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs variable water level thresholds based on makeup water temperature to simplify the control system. Instead of complex multi-sensor systems or frequent water feeding operations, the system adjusts the upper limit water level parameter according to temperature, enabling reliable operation with a compact tank capacity while avoiding excessive complexity in the water feeding control mechanism.
3Productivity
If high temperature makeup water is supplied, then the water level rises quickly filling the tank faster, but the ice making water temperature increases causing ice blocks to melt and reducing ice making capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the upper limit water level parameter dynamically based on makeup water temperature. When high temperature water is supplied, the upper limit water level is set higher, allowing faster water level rise without causing excessive temperature increase in the ice making water tank. This prevents ice block melting while maintaining high productivity during water filling.
4Temperature
If low temperature makeup water is supplied, then the ice making water temperature remains stable, but the water level rises slowly requiring more frequent or prolonged water feeding operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent sets the upper limit water level lower when makeup water temperature is low. This allows the system to maintain stable ice making water temperature by adding smaller amounts of cold water more frequently, rather than adding large amounts that would take too long. The adjusted parameter ensures both temperature stability and acceptable water filling efficiency.
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 ensures consistent ice block size production by adjusting water feeding amounts according to temperature variations, preventing both lack and excess water issues, thus maintaining ice making capacity and preventing deicing faults and unit damage.
Implementation Method 1
an ice making unit (16) to which ice making water is supplied while being cooled by an evaporator (14) in ice making operation to produce ice
Implementation Method 2
to which deicing water is supplied from an external water source while being heated by the evaporator (14) in deicing operation to separate the ice
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic ice making machine is provided that is capable of modifying an amount of feeding water depending on a temperature of makeup water. The automatic ice making machine is equipped with a deicing timer 42 to keep time of a deicing completion time period T1 in which deicing operation is completed. In addition, in a control means 24, a deicing water longest supply time period U1 is preset, which is a longest time period to supply deicing water in deicing operation. In a case where the deicing water is low in temperature, so that the deicing progresses slowly and thus the deicing completion time period T1 becomes equal to or greater than the deicing water longest supply time period U1, the control means 24 carries out water feeding in a feeding amount of water at low temperature at the time of water feeding. In contrast, in a case where deicing water is high in temperature, so that the deicing is promoted and thus the deicing completion time period T1 becomes shorter than the deicing water longest supply time period U1, the control means 24 carries out water feeding in a feeding amount of water at high temperature, which is more than the feeding amount of water at low temperature, at the time of water feeding.