Ice Maker Water Distributor Design for Uniform Freeze Plate Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ice makers face challenges in achieving uniform water distribution and efficient ice harvesting due to the orientation of the freeze plate, which affects the performance and efficiency of the ice making process.
Innovation Solution
The ice maker incorporates a water distributor with specific features such as a bottom wall with a ramp surface and a weir, along with a two-piece distributor design that allows for uniform water flow and easy maintenance, ensuring that water flows uniformly across the freeze plate and facilitates efficient ice formation and harvesting by directing water to flow in a forward direction and adhering to the surface tension curve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the freeze plate is oriented horizontally, then water distribution is simplified, but ice harvesting efficiency deteriorates due to lack of gravity-driven flow
Solution Approach 1:
The distributor bottom wall is designed with an asymmetric ramp surface that slopes downward from the rear to the front, creating directional water flow that compensates for the horizontal orientation's lack of gravity-driven harvesting while maintaining distribution simplicity
2Device complexity
If a single-piece distributor is used, then device complexity is reduced, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The distributor is divided into multiple pieces: a body portion and a bottom wall portion that can be separated. This allows the bottom wall to be removed for maintenance while keeping the overall structure relatively simple, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and maintenance accessibility
3Speed
If water flows directly downward without forward direction, then flow path is shortened, but water distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall incorporates a downwardly curving surface tension curve that guides water flow smoothly from the inlet toward the front of the freeze plate. This curved path ensures uniform water distribution across the width while maintaining efficient flow velocity, resolving the contradiction between flow speed and distribution uniformity
4Ease of operation
If the distributor is positioned far from the freeze plate, then accessibility for maintenance is improved, but water flow control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall acts as an intermediary element that extends from the distributor body toward the freeze plate, providing precise water flow control at the point of contact while allowing the main distributor body to remain accessible for maintenance. The bottom wall can be adjusted or removed independently to maintain both precision and accessibility
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 configuration enhances ice making uniformity, efficiency, and accessibility for maintenance by ensuring uniform water distribution and efficient ice formation, allowing for quick and gravity-driven ice harvesting without mechanical aids.
Implementation Method 1
The downstream end portion of the bottom wall defines a downwardly curving surface tension curve. The downwardly curving surface tension curve is configured so that surface tension causes the water imparted through the distributor to adhere to the curve and be directed downward by the curve toward the top end portion of the freeze plate.
Implementation Method 2
Refrigerant tubing extends along the back of the freeze plate and forms an evaporator configured to cool the freeze plate
Implementation Method 3
A water distributor is positioned above the freeze plate to direct water onto the freeze plate that freezes into ice in the molds
Data Source
AI summary
An ice maker includes an evaporator configured to freeze water into ice as it flows vertically down a freeze plate. A distributor distributes the water along the top of the freeze plate to form ice across the width of the freeze plate as the water flows downward along the freeze plate. The distributor can be integrated into the evaporator. For example, the distributor and evaporator can have a part in common. The distributor can be formed from two pieces that come together to form the freeze plate. The distributor can have various features that aid in providing a desirable distribution of water along the width of the freeze plate. The freeze plate can be mounted in an ice maker enclosure in thermal communication with the evaporator and to slant forward.