EP2738486A2 - Modulare Kühlung und Niedrigenergieeis - Google Patents

Modulare Kühlung und Niedrigenergieeis Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2738486A2
EP2738486A2 EP13188925.5A EP13188925A EP2738486A2 EP 2738486 A2 EP2738486 A2 EP 2738486A2 EP 13188925 A EP13188925 A EP 13188925A EP 2738486 A2 EP2738486 A2 EP 2738486A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ice
refrigerator
mold
bottom side
maker
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13188925.5A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2738486A3 (de
Inventor
Patrick J. Boarman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Publication of EP2738486A2 publication Critical patent/EP2738486A2/de
Publication of EP2738486A3 publication Critical patent/EP2738486A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B21/00—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
    • F25B21/02—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
    • F25B21/04—Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect reversible
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C1/00—Producing ice
    • F25C1/04—Producing ice by using stationary moulds
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25C—PRODUCING, WORKING OR HANDLING ICE
    • F25C5/00—Working or handling ice
    • F25C5/02—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice
    • F25C5/04—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws
    • F25C5/08—Apparatus for disintegrating, removing or harvesting ice without the use of saws by heating bodies in contact with the ice
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25D—REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F25D11/00—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators
    • F25D11/02—Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators with cooling compartments at different temperatures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to refrigerators. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a refrigerator which includes an ice maker with a fixed tray.
  • Refrigerators often include ice makers for making ice.
  • the making of ice can be an energy intensive function which can reduce the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.
  • ice is made in an ice tray and then the ice removed from the ice tray through a twisting motion applied to the ice tray.
  • Using a motor to provide this twisting motion to the ice tray can be a significant expenditure of energy.
  • One alternative is to use heaters to heat the ice mold in order to release the ice. This is another example of a method which uses high energy. What is needed is improved ways of making ice and removing ice from an ice mold.
  • a refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice mold in the ice maker, and a thermoelectric device positioned below the ice mold and configured to provide cooling liquid along a bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of water to make ice.
  • the ice maker is further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice.
  • the ice maker may be disposed within a refrigeration compartment and may be configured to make clear ice.
  • the ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the ice.
  • the ice maker may be further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice by providing warming liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold.
  • a refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment, a refrigeration compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, and an ice mold in the ice maker having a bottom side.
  • the ice maker is configured to receive cooling liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of water to make ice.
  • the ice maker is further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice.
  • the ice maker is disposed within the refrigeration compartment of the refrigerator.
  • the ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the ice.
  • the refrigeration compartment may maintain a temperature of above freezing during the freezing of water to make ice by the ice maker.
  • the ice maker may be configured to make clear ice.
  • the refrigerator may further include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) associated with the ice maker.
  • the TEC may be adapted to cool the liquid along the bottom side of the ice mold during the freezing of the water to make ice.
  • the ice maker may be further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice using liquid warmed by the TEC or otherwise configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice using the TEC.
  • a refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator compartment, a refrigeration compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice maker disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, an ice mold in the ice maker having a bottom side, and a thermoelectric cooler positioned below the ice mold.
  • the ice maker is configured to cool the bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of water to make ice using the thermoelectric cooler.
  • the ice maker may be further configured to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice.
  • the ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the ice.
  • the ice maker may be disposed within the refrigeration compartment of the refrigerator.
  • the thermoelectric cooler may be configured to provide heating used to warm the bottom side of the ice mold to facilitate harvesting of the ice and configured to provide cooling to cool the bottom side of the ice mold during freezing of the water to make ice.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a refrigerator of the present invention.
  • a refrigerator 10 has a bottom mount freezer with French doors. It is should be understood that the present invention may be used in other configurations including side-by-side refrigerator configurations and other types of configurations, especially where an ice maker and/or ice storage is on a door providing access to a fresh food compartment.
  • the refrigerator 10 has a refrigerator cabinet 12. One or more compartments are disposed within the refrigerator cabinet 12. As shown in FIG. 1 , an example of a refrigerator 10 has a fresh food compartment 14 is shown with French doors 16, 18 providing access to the fresh food compartment 14. Mounted on the door 16 is a water and ice dispenser 20. Below the fresh food compartment 14 is a freezer compartment 22 which may be accessed by pulling drawer 24 outwardly.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the refrigerator 10 of FIG. 1 with French doors 16, 18 in an open position.
  • Mounted on the French door 16 is an ice making compartment 30 in which an ice maker 32 and an ice storage bucket 34 may be disposed. Note the ice making compartment as shown in FIG. 2 is within the refrigeration or fresh food compartment 14.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates one example of an ice maker 32 where a liquid cooled system is used for freezing water into ice.
  • An ice mold 40 is positioned above a thermoelectric cooler (TEC).
  • TEC thermoelectric cooler
  • the ice mold 40 is preferably fixed in place during harvesting of the ice.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an end view of the ice maker showing the thermoelectric cooler 46 with electrical inputs 42, 44 shown. Fluid is shown in fluid line 48 which is in contact with a bottom side 50 of the thermoelectric cooler 46. Thus, in operation fluid within the fluid line 48 can remove heat from the thermoelectric cooler 46.
  • FIG. 5 provides another illustration where one or more thermo electric coolers 46 are used to remove heat from an ice maker using liquid cooling. During harvest, heat may be provided to the ice mold 40. The heat may be provided through the thermoelectric cooler 46 or through warm fluid through the fluid line 48.
  • the present invention provides for liquid cooling to be used in making ice. Cooling may be performed by the thermoelectric cooler and fluid on a bottom side of an ice mold. Harvest may be accomplished by warm fluid across the bottom of the ice mold and/or heat from the thermoelectric cooler.
  • the ice maker may reside in the refrigeration compartment at an above freezing temperature, particularly where clear ice is desired. Alternatively, the ice maker may reside in the freezer compartment for normal ice. Note that because the ice mold may be fixed in place during the harvesting of the ice, less energy is needed then in configurations of ice makers where twisting motions are applied to the ice mold during harvesting.
  • thermoelectric coolers which provide for modular cooling and low energy ice in a refrigerator.
  • the present invention contemplates numerous variations including the number and placement of thermoelectric coolers where used, the manner in which the bottom of a mold of an ice maker is cooled, the placement of the ice maker, and other options, variations, and alternatives.
  • the present invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Devices That Are Associated With Refrigeration Equipment (AREA)
  • Production, Working, Storing, Or Distribution Of Ice (AREA)
EP13188925.5A 2012-12-03 2013-10-16 Modulare Kühlung und Niedrigenergieeis Withdrawn EP2738486A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201213691894A 2012-12-03 2012-12-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2738486A2 true EP2738486A2 (de) 2014-06-04
EP2738486A3 EP2738486A3 (de) 2017-01-11

Family

ID=49447370

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13188925.5A Withdrawn EP2738486A3 (de) 2012-12-03 2013-10-16 Modulare Kühlung und Niedrigenergieeis

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2738486A3 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10697694B2 (en) 2016-08-23 2020-06-30 Dometic Sweden Ab Cabinet for a recreational vehicle
US11187456B2 (en) 2016-08-26 2021-11-30 Dometic Sweden Ab Refrigerating device for a recreational vehicle

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1250457B (de) * 1964-05-22 1967-09-21 Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111. (V. St. A.) Thermoelektrischer Stückeis-Bereiter
US6951113B1 (en) * 2003-01-14 2005-10-04 Joseph R. Adamski Variable rate and clarity ice making apparatus
US9238398B2 (en) * 2008-09-25 2016-01-19 B/E Aerospace, Inc. Refrigeration systems and methods for connection with a vehicle's liquid cooling system
US8869550B2 (en) * 2011-01-05 2014-10-28 General Electric Company Ice and cold water dispensing assembly and related refrigeration appliance

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10697694B2 (en) 2016-08-23 2020-06-30 Dometic Sweden Ab Cabinet for a recreational vehicle
US11187456B2 (en) 2016-08-26 2021-11-30 Dometic Sweden Ab Refrigerating device for a recreational vehicle
US11578913B2 (en) 2016-08-26 2023-02-14 Dometic Sweden Ab Refrigerating device for a recreational vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2738486A3 (de) 2017-01-11

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