JPH0534586B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field The present invention relates to a down-flow ice maker equipped with a refrigeration system and configured with a cooler that uses part or all of the flowing water surface as an ice-making surface, and particularly relates to This relates to an improved configuration of the water surface of the vessel.

(b) Conventional technology As a conventional down-flow ice maker, for example,
Publication No. 45565 discloses an ice making machine in which a locking part is formed on the top surface of an evaporator for ice making perpendicular to the flowing water direction, and Publication No. 45566 discloses an ice making machine in which a locking part is formed on the top surface of an evaporator for ice making in a direction perpendicular to the flowing water direction. An ice making machine is disclosed in which a refrigerant passage is formed in the form of a convex line that protrudes perpendicularly to the direction.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention The locking portion and the convex refrigerant passage disclosed in the prior art do not have the effect of causing the sprinkled ice-making water to flow uniformly in the upper part of the evaporator. However, the water that has passed over the locking parts and convexities is concentrated by its surface tension and cannot be flowed uniformly over the entire upper surface of the evaporator, resulting in the formation of ice that grows on the upper surface of the evaporator. However, the problem of non-uniform thickness still remains.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a cooler that is equipped with a refrigeration system and uses part or all of the flowing water surface as an ice-making surface. This is a down-flow ice maker in which the surface is pickled and then polished using an abrasive such as Scotchibrite in a direction that intersects the direction of the water flow to form a rough surface.

(E) Effect As shown in the above configuration, when the flowing water surface is pickled, the entire flowing water surface is formed into a rough surface, which weakens the surface tension of the water and improves its hydrophilicity. When the surface is polished, the surface tension of the water becomes even weaker, and the hydrophilicity becomes more pronounced, allowing water to flow uniformly over the entire area of the water surface. Therefore, ice grows uniformly on the ice making surface.

(F) Embodiment Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram of the down-flow ice maker of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same, and Figure 3 is A of Figure 2.
-A' sectional view, FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged front view of the water flow surface of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is the same sectional view. It is constructed by connecting a condenser 3, an expansion valve 4 as a pressure reducing device, and a cooling pipe 5 in an annular manner, and as an additional device, a bypass pipe 6 that bypasses the condenser 3 and a hot gas solenoid connected to the bypass pipe 6. It is equipped with a valve 7. The cooling pipes 5 have a meandering shape, and on one side of the four cooling pipes 5 running horizontally, a large number of buttons 8A made of copper having high thermal conductivity, for example, are arranged at equal intervals for cooling. A number of buttons 8 similar to the buttons 8 arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the pipe 5 and arranged on one side on the other side.
B are arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the cooling pipe 5. In this case, the buttons 8A arranged on one side and the buttons 8B arranged on the other side are arranged alternately so that they do not overlap. These buttons 8A and 8B have fitting grooves 9A and 9B with an arcuate cross section on the end surfaces that make surface contact with the approximately semicircumference of the cooling pipe 5, and have locking flanges 10A and 10B in the middle portions. However, it has flat circular ice-making surfaces 11A and 11B on the other end surface, and is tin-plated on the entire surface.

A pair of water flow plates 1 are installed on both sides of the cooling pipe 5 in a vertical or substantially vertical position with a gap between them.
2A and 12B have a flat plate shape made of, for example, stainless steel (SUS304), which has a lower thermal conductivity than the buttons 8A and 8B, and the flow plates 12A and 12B are degreased to remove oil from the surface at the manufacturing stage. After removing, pickling treatment is carried out for an appropriate time,
Finally, wash with water. With this, the water plate 12
A and 12B surfaces, i.e. flowing water surfaces 13A and 13
As shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, B is roughened over the entire area and becomes a rough surface.

After that, the water surface 1 of the water flow plates 12A and 12B
3A and 13B are polished with an abrasive material, for example Scotchibrite, in a direction intersecting the direction of water flow. As a result, a large number of fine lines are formed as shown in FIG. 4, and the rough surface is finished more noticeably.

Flowing water plates 12A and 12B manufactured as above
opens the parts facing all the buttons 8A and 8B mentioned above and inserts bar rings 14A and 14 inward.
Button 8 is exposed by fitting into this opening.
Ice making surfaces 11A and 11B of A and 8B are running water plates 1
It is positioned substantially flush with the flowing water surfaces 13A and 13B of 2A and 12B. In addition, the water plates 12A and 12B are seated at appropriate locations, and the water plates 15A and 15B are
is applied, and the two are riveted 16 in this part.
When connected, the burring parts 14A and 14
B presses the locking flanges 10A and 10B, and the buttons 8A and 8B firmly clamp the cooling pipe 5. The vertical and horizontal openings formed by the water flow plates 12A and 12B are closed by covers 17 made of rubber or resin with extremely poor thermal conductivity.
As a result, the water plates 12A and 12B and the cover 17
A room 18 is formed. The cover 17 also has an upper water guide section 17A and a lower water guide section 17B, both of which are shaped like a spire at the top and bottom, and a water supply passage 31 is formed in the lower water guide section 17B as particularly shown in FIG. .

Next, to explain the water system, reference numeral 19 is a water sprinkler for initial water supply and deicing, which has water sprinkling ports 19A and 19B that spray water toward the back surfaces of the water flow plates 12A and 12B. A water supply pipe 20 which is arranged and extends from the diffuser 19 to the outside of the cover 17 is connected to a water source via a water supply solenoid valve 21 . A water guide plate 22 is provided slightly below the water sprinkler 19 so that the sprinkled water flows down the back surfaces of the water flow plates 12A and 12B in consideration of the situation when the water supply pressure is low. Reference numeral 23 denotes a water sprinkler for making ice, which has water sprinkling ports 23A and 23B facing the upper water guide section 17A, and a water pipe 24 extending from the sprinkler 23 collects water falling from the lower water guide section 17B. It is connected to the discharge side of a pump device 27 disposed in a water storage tank 26 communicating with a gutter 25. Reference numeral 28 denotes an overflow pipe communicating with the upper part of the room 18, and water overflowing from the overflow pipe 28 is collected in the water storage tank 26. 29 is an overflow pipe of the water storage tank 26. 30 is a temperature sensor for controlling ice making operation and deicing operation.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained. First, the water supply solenoid valve 21 opens to start the initial water supply operation. In this case, water sprayed from the water sprinkling ports 19A and 19B of the water sprinkler 19 via the water supply pipe 20 passes through the room 18 and falls into the gutter 25 from the water supply passage 31 formed in the lower water guide portion 17B, and is supplied to the water storage tank 26. be done. When a fixed amount of water is supplied to the water storage tank 26, the water supply solenoid valve 2
1 closes and water supply ends. Next, electric compressor 1
operates to circulate low-temperature refrigerant gas through the cooling pipe 5, and at the same time, the pump device 27 operates to forcefully feed the water in the water storage tank 26 to the water sprinkler 23 through the water conduit pipe 24, and the water sprinkling port of the water sprinkler 23 is activated. 23A and 23B
The ice-making water sprinkled from the top water guide section 17A flows through the water surface 13 of the water flow plates 12A and 12B, respectively.
A and 13B are led to the top.

Thus, the flowing water surface 13 is formed into a rough surface by performing pickling treatment and further polishing treatment in a direction intersecting the flowing water direction.
Since the ice-making water flowing down A and 13B has its surface tension weakened and its hydrophilicity improved, it flows uniformly over almost the entire area of the flowing water surfaces 13A and 13B. Ice-making surface 11A of cooled buttons 8A and 8B
The unfrozen water for ice-making falls from the lower water guide part 17B to the gutter 25 and is returned to the water storage tank 26, where it is returned to the water surface of the water plates 12A and 12B. 13
Repeat the operation of circulating to the top of A and 13B.

As a result, the ice making surface 1 of buttons 8A and 8B
1A and 11B, lens-shaped ice 32 is finally frozen as shown in FIG.
When the temperature sensor 30 detects a predetermined growth of the refrigerant 2, the electric compressor 1 stops and the circulation of low-temperature refrigerant gas to the cooling pipe 5 is stopped.
7 is also stopped, watering to the water plates 12A and 12B is stopped, and the ice making operation is completed.

When the ice-making operation is finished, the water supply solenoid valve 21 opens, and the water sprayed from the water sprinkling ports 19A and 19B of the sprinkler 19 via the water supply pipe 20 flows down the back surfaces of the water flow plates 12A and 12B, in the same way as the water supply operation described above. ,
Using the heat sensitivity of the water at this time, press buttons 8A and 8.
B and the temperature of the water plates 12A and 12B are increased,
Pour the frozen lens ice 32 onto the ice making surfaces 11A and 11B of the buttons 8A and 8B.
make them leave.

By the way, when the temperature of the water supply is extremely low, the removal time will be extended, so the electric compressor 1 and the hot gas solenoid valve 6 are operated to circulate the hot gas through the cooling pipe 5, and by using water and hot gas in combination, ice quickly forms. This is to compensate for the departure of

When the temperature sensor 30 detects the detachment of the ice 32, the water supply solenoid valve 21 closes to end the ice removal operation and start the ice making operation described above.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the down-flow ice maker of the embodiment in which the ice-making surface is formed as a separate ice-making surface on a part of the flowing water surface, but can also be applied to a down-flow ice maker in which part or all of the running water surface is used as the ice-making surface as it is. can also be carried out,
Furthermore, the cooler is not limited to a vertical type, but can also be installed in an inclined type.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides that by subjecting the flowing water surface to pickling treatment, the entire area of the flowing water surface is uniformly roughened and becomes a rough surface, thereby making it difficult for the water flowing down the flowing water surface to become rough. The surface tension of the water is weakened, making it more hydrophilic.Furthermore, by polishing the flowing water surface in a direction that intersects with the water flow direction after pickling, the surface tension of the water is further weakened, making it more hydrophilic. The effect becomes even more pronounced, and therefore, the ice-making water flows uniformly over the entire area of the flowing water surface, ensuring that it flows onto the ice-making surface.
This has the advantage of being able to provide ice of uniform shape and thickness.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the down-flow ice maker of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 3 is A of Fig. 2.
-A' sectional view, Figure 4 is a partially enlarged front view of the flowing water surface,
FIG. 5 is a sectional view as well. 5... Cooling pipe, 8A, 8B... Button, 1
1A, 11B... Ice making surface, 12A, 12B... Running water plate, 13A, 13B... Running water surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a drop-down ice maker that is equipped with a refrigeration system and is configured with a cooler that uses part or all of the flowing water surface as an ice-making surface, the flowing water surface of the cooler is subjected to pickling treatment, and then Scotchibrite is applied. A flowing-down ice maker characterized in that the flowing water surface is polished in a direction crossing the flowing water direction using an abrasive material such as the above, to form the flowing water surface into a rough surface.