Ice Storage Cooling Control to Prevent Tray and Tube Freezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In direct cooling type ice making and storage systems, the refrigerant tube and ice tray can become frozen, leading to reduced heat-exchange performance and difficulty in controlling the storage space temperature, which affects ice making efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An ice storage apparatus with a housing, an ice maker, an ice bin, and a refrigerating cycle that includes an evaporation unit attached to the ice tray, allowing direct heat exchange with air and controlled operation of the refrigerating cycle to prevent freezing and maintain efficient cooling, along with a separate defrosted water tray to manage humidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the refrigerating cycle operates continuously to cool the storage space, then the cooling performance is maintained, but the ice tray and refrigerant tube become frozen leading to reduced heat-exchange performance
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerating cycle operates periodically rather than continuously. The control unit determines operation timing based on the temperature of the ice tray and evaporation unit, activating the refrigerating cycle only when these components have thawed sufficiently, thereby preventing frozen surfaces while maintaining storage space cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit uses temperature feedback from the ice tray and evaporation unit to control the refrigerating cycle operation. By monitoring the actual temperature of these components and comparing it to threshold values, the system dynamically adjusts the refrigerating cycle timing to optimize heat-exchange performance while maintaining storage space temperature
2Temperature
If the refrigerating cycle operates continuously to maintain cooling, then the storage space temperature is controlled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerating cycle operates periodically rather than continuously. The control unit determines operation timing based on the temperature of the ice tray and evaporation unit, activating the refrigerating cycle only when these components have thawed sufficiently, thereby preventing frozen surfaces while maintaining storage space cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The ice tray and evaporation unit serve a dual function: they cool the storage space while also acting as temperature sensors that trigger refrigerating cycle operation. The system uses the natural thermal state of these components to self-regulate the refrigerating cycle timing, reducing unnecessary operation and power consumption
3Temperature
If the refrigerating cycle operates continuously to cool the storage space, then the cooling performance is maintained, but moisture freezes on the refrigerant tube and ice tray surface
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerating cycle operates periodically rather than continuously. The control unit determines operation timing based on the temperature of the ice tray and evaporation unit, activating the refrigerating cycle only when these components have thawed sufficiently, thereby preventing frozen surfaces while maintaining storage space cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit waits for the ice tray and evaporation unit to thaw to a sufficient temperature before activating the refrigerating cycle. This preliminary waiting period prevents moisture from freezing on the surfaces by ensuring they are warm enough when cooling resumes
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 solution improves heat-exchange efficiency between the ice tray and air, reduces power consumption, and maintains low humidity, preventing the surfaces from freezing and enhancing cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporation unit attached to an outer surface of the ice tray to cool the ice tray; air within the storage space is directly cooled by contacting the evaporation unit and/or the ice tray
Implementation Method 2
the refrigerant and cool air within the storage space are not smoothly heat-exchanged with each other; the ice tray and the evaporation unit directly contact air within the housing to cool the storage space
Implementation Method 3
a refrigerating cycle extends into the housing, the refrigerating cycle including an evaporation unit attached to an outer surface of the ice tray to cool the ice tray
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for storing ice that includes a housing with heat insulation characteristics and a storage space; an ice maker in the housing, which includes an ice tray; an ice bin arranged below the ice maker; a transfer member arranged within the ice bin to discharge ice to the outside of the ice bin; a refrigerating cycle that extends into the housing, and which includes an evaporation unit attached to the outer surface of the ice tray; and a control unit which controls the operation of the refrigerating cycle and of the transfer member. Air in the storage space is cooled by being in contact with the evaporation unit and/or the ice tray, and the control unit operates the refrigerating cycle to cool the storage space when the temperature of the ice tray and/or of the evaporation unit is higher than a preset temperature.