Ice Maker Heater Control for Transparent Ice Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers in refrigerators produce opaque ice due to rapid freezing, making it difficult to create transparent and spherical ice shapes, as methods that work at sub-zero temperatures are not applicable.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design featuring a first and second tray with a heater adjacent to one of them, where the heater's output is varied to control temperature ranges and ice making speed, allowing for the production of transparent ice by managing heating and cooling processes to slow down ice formation in specific areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is frozen rapidly in all directions using conventional ice maker method, then ice making speed is improved, but ice transparency deteriorates and air bubbles are trapped inside
Solution Approach 1:
The ice making cell is divided into two separate trays (first tray and second tray) that define different portions of the cell. This segmentation allows different freezing conditions to be applied to different regions, enabling transparent ice formation while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
A heater is disposed adjacent to one of the trays to provide localized heating in a specific region of the ice making cell. This local quality control allows water to remain liquid in certain areas longer during freezing, preventing rapid uniform freezing that traps air bubbles, while other regions freeze normally to maintain ice making speed.
2Manufacturing precision
If heater output is increased to slow ice formation for transparency, then ice transparency is improved, but ice making speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heater operates with varying output levels during the ice making process. By periodically adjusting the heater output (turning on while cold air is supplied, with varied output levels), the system creates optimal conditions for transparent ice formation at different stages without compromising overall ice making speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater output is dynamically adjusted during the ice making process. The controller varies the heater's power level to control the temperature in specific regions, allowing the system to transition between different heating states to achieve both transparency and productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If heater is turned on while cold air is supplied to ice making cell, then temperature control is improved for transparent ice, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is turned on partially during the ice making process rather than continuously. By activating the heater only when cold air is supplied to the ice making cell and adjusting output levels, the system achieves necessary temperature control for transparent ice while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption.
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
Enables the production of transparent ice in various shapes, including spherical, by controlling heating and cooling to maintain consistent ice making speed and prevent excessive melting, ensuring reliable ice separation and reducing residual water issues.
Implementation Method 1
a heater configured to be disposed adjacent to any one of the first and second trays, in which the heater is turned on while cold air is supplied to the ice making cell, and an output of the turned on heater is varied
Implementation Method 2
a first tray configured to define a portion of an ice making cell, a second tray configured to define another portion of the ice making cell
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker, according to the present invention, comprises: a first tray forming a part of an ice-making cell; a second tray forming another part the ice-making cell; and a heater which is disposed so as to be adjacent to the first or the second tray, wherein the heater turns on during a period when cold air is being supplied to the ice-making cell, and the output of the on heater can vary.