Immersion Ice Maker Control for Clear Ice Formation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice makers using immersion-type ice making units often produce opaque ice due to trapped air bubbles, especially when raw water temperature is low, which affects ice transparency and quality.
Innovation Solution
An ice maker design that includes a wave generation plate swiveled by a magnetic force to move water within a predetermined range, combined with a temperature sensor to control the heating unit, raising the water temperature before the ice making process to prevent bubble formation and ensure clear ice production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the immersion type ice making unit is used, then the structure is simple and production cost is low, but air bubbles are trapped in ice causing opaque appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The wave generation plate performs preliminary action by agitating the water before freezing begins. This pre-movement prevents air bubbles from being trapped during the subsequent freezing process, thereby producing transparent ice while maintaining the simple immersion-type structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The wave generation plate creates mechanical vibration and water movement through wave-like motion. This vibration prevents air bubbles from being trapped in the ice during freezing, achieving transparent ice without complex bubble prevention structures.
2Productivity
If raw water at low temperature is used for ice-making, then cooling efficiency is improved, but ice rapidly grows around the immersion pipe trapping air bubbles and forming opaque layer
Solution Approach 1:
Before the freezing process begins, the wave generation plate agitates the cold water to prevent air bubble entrapment. This preliminary agitation ensures that even when using cold water for high cooling efficiency, the subsequent ice growth does not trap air bubbles, maintaining ice transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The wave generation plate performs preliminary anti-action by counteracting the tendency of air bubbles to be trapped during rapid ice growth. The water movement created by the plate prevents bubble entrapment before it occurs, enabling the use of low-temperature water without compromising ice quality.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If cold water is supplied to water tray member or remaining water is re-used, then water temperature is low improving cooling efficiency, but opacity of ice is increased due to rapid ice growth
Solution Approach 1:
The wave generation plate performs preliminary agitation of the cold water or reused water before freezing starts. This pre-movement prevents air bubbles from being trapped during the rapid ice growth that occurs with cold water, thereby maintaining ice transparency while preserving the energy efficiency benefits of using cold or reused water.
4Manufacturing precision
If complicated bubble prevention structure is added, then air bubbles can be prevented from being trapped, but the structure becomes difficult to control and install
Solution Approach 1:
The wave generation plate performs self-service by automatically generating water movement through its wave-like motion. This simple, self-contained mechanism prevents air bubble entrapment without requiring complex external control systems, making the structure easy to install and control while achieving transparent ice.
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
Prevents opaque layer formation by raising the water temperature, producing clear ice by preventing air bubbles from being trapped, and simplifies the bubble prevention structure for easier installation and control.
Implementation Method 1
a wave generation plate swiveled by a magnetic force to move water within a predetermined range
Implementation Method 2
raising the water temperature before the ice making process to prevent bubble formation
Implementation Method 3
an immersion pipe of an evaporator is then cooled such that bell-shaped ice pieces with holes in their centers are produced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is provided an ice maker having an immersion type ice making unit, and a method of controlling the same. The ice maker includes a water tray member receiving raw water for ice-making from a water tank, an ice making unit cooling the raw water received in the water tray member and forming ice, a heating unit heating the raw water received in the water tray member, and a control unit controlling an operation of the heating unit such that the raw water received in the water tray member is heated before the ice making unit cools the raw water in the water tray member. According to the ice maker, the temperature of the raw water received in an ice-making water tray is raised to a preset temperature at the initial stage of an ice making process, thereby preventing the formation of an opaque layer in the central portion of ice.