Remote Dry Cooler for Ice Makers Using Pressure-Based Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The phase down of common refrigerants like HFCs in ice makers due to global-warming potential (GWP) regulations has left few viable alternatives, particularly for remote cooled ice makers, with new alternatives being mildly or highly flammable and having charge limits, and existing systems using water as a coolant are costly and energy inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A dry cooler system for ice makers that uses a closed water loop with a heat exchanger, fan, and pump to transfer heat from coolant to ambient air, controlled by a pressure sensor or transducer to manage coolant pressure without direct electrical connection, avoiding the need for new refrigerants and minimizing water usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If common HFC refrigerants are used in remote cooled ice makers, then cooling performance is maintained, but global-warming potential increases and refrigerant phase down occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water as an intermediary coolant substance that transfers heat from the ice maker to the ambient environment through a remote dry cooler. This eliminates the need for problematic refrigerants while maintaining cooling functionality through a different thermal management approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the refrigerant function entirely from the system by using water as the coolant medium. The heat transfer function previously performed by refrigerant is now achieved through water circulation and ambient air heat exchange at a remote location.
2Reliability
If water is used as coolant in remote cooled ice makers, then refrigerant phase down issues are avoided, but system complexity and water usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into two separate locations: the ice maker unit and the remote dry cooler. This allows the complex heat dissipation components (pump, fan, heat exchanger) to be located remotely where they do not interfere with ice maker operation, simplifying the ice maker unit while maintaining full functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary coolant that circulates between the ice maker and remote dry cooler through a closed loop system, enabling heat transfer without requiring complex refrigerant infrastructure or direct electrical connections between components.
3Measurement precision
If direct electrical connection is used between thermal management device and ice maker, then control precision is improved, but installation complexity and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The remote dry cooler operates autonomously using a pressure-activated control system. When water pressure in the closed loop reaches a predetermined threshold, the system automatically activates the pump and fan without requiring external electrical control signals, eliminating complex wiring while maintaining operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a pressure-based feedback mechanism where the water pressure in the coolant loop serves as the control signal. The pressure-activated switch monitors coolant pressure and automatically controls pump and fan operation, creating a simple yet effective closed-loop control system without electrical connections.
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 system effectively manages heat transfer and coolant pressure remotely, simplifying the ice maker setup by eliminating direct electrical connections and reducing water usage, while avoiding the flammability issues of new refrigerants.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the coolant to the air moved through the housing by the fan
Implementation Method 2
a pump configured to move the coolant, via the coolant line, through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
a fan configured to move air through the housing of the thermal management device
Implementation Method 4
The pressure sensor is configured to determine a pressure of the coolant in the coolant line
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management device for cooling a coolant for an ice maker that is remote relative to the thermal management device includes a housing, a coolant line through which the coolant is configured to flow, and a fan configured to move air through the housing of the thermal management device. The thermal management device includes a heat exchanger and a pump configured to move the coolant, via the coolant line, through the heat exchanger. The thermal management device includes a pressure sensor configured to determine a pressure of the coolant in the coolant line. A speed of the pump or a speed of the fan is controllable based on the determined pressure, such that heat transfer between the air moved through the housing and the coolant in the coolant line is controllable without a direct electrical connection of the thermal management device to the ice maker.