FR2491600A1 - Continuous ice chip maker - has endless thin film water grille travelling between two refrigeration evaporators - Google Patents

Abstract

The ice maker has two refrigeration evaporators arranged parallel to each other with a small gap in between. An endless conveyor grille travels through the gap over the drive and guide rollers. The grille has a honeycomb form with compartments of a square or circular shape. Water is supplied to the moving belt through a filling tube. Very thin, separate ice chips are formed during the passage between the two evaproators. The ice chips automatically break off at the discharge roller into a hopper.

Description

 The object of the invention relates to a device intended for the production of ice flakes.

 It allows the direct, rapid, calibrated and continuous manufacture of scales having a shape and dimensions controlled and more particularly by the fragmented freezing of seawater.

 In the processes known to date, the production of flakes or fragments of ice, cylindrical and vertical evaporators or flat surfaces were used, along which a layer of ice was obtained which then had to be separated by multiple ancillary equipment more or less complex and expensive.

 The device according to the invention eliminates all ancillary and costly operations in energy, material and labor, by obtaining a more efficient freezing with a better quality of the product immediately usable and even for deferred use.

 I1 consists in the fragmentation of a film of fluid to be frozen between two parallel cooling surfaces by means of a slow translation of a mobile honeycomb network or grid constituting a mold serving both as a separator and as a propellant cleaning rake between the surfaces which moves the film of extremely reduced thickness.

In the accompanying drawings given by way of nonlimiting example of one of the embodiments of the subject of the invention
Figure 1 shows in elevation the refrigerating elements superimposed in parallel.

 FIG. 2 is a plan view of the transfer grid or chain.

 Figure 3 shows in section the constructive features of the grid.

 Figure 4 is a schematic view of the curvature of the grid at the extraction point.

 Figures 5 and 6 are general views of the device.

 Figures 7 and 8 show some forms of products obtained.

 The device is made up, fig 1, by two evaporators or generators of parallelepipedic frigories 1, 2, superimposed parallel with an intermediate space 3 which can reach according to the nature of the fluid to be treated, lmm to 3mm.

 It is this film space which makes it possible to produce a film of reduced thickness and to quickly refrigerate fluids which are difficult to freeze, such as sea water.

 In this space circulates an endless grid L, constituting a honeycomb surface 5, 6 and others to form both molds and a rake sweeping the internal facing 7, 8, evaporators and avoiding agglomerations of freezing.

 These quadrangular walls are preferably slightly oblique with a wide base, in order to facilitate demolding.

 This endless grid or chain is preferably constituted by a metal frame 9 coated with a synthetic resin lining 10 which is both flexible and rigid and does not undergo thermal shrinkage, fig 2, 3, 4.

 Each edge 11, 12, producing scraping and cleaning sectors while the walls 13 ensure the shaping and the thrust of the flake.

 Carrier and motor cylinders 14, 15, 16, 17, fig 5, are arranged at the ends of the evaporators 1, 2.

 A complementary spacer cylinder 18 placed under a horizontal sealing flange 19 joining the bearing surface 8 of the lower element 2, allows the filling of fluid by ramp 20.

 After the alveolar freezing, the scales deca.

chent on the curved sector 21, arrow A, under the effect of the slight twist and the deformation of the flexible walls of the grid. They are collected in a hopper.

 According to an alternative application, the grid 4 is driven by two wrapping films or films 21, 22, endless, forming both the bottom and the cover.

 These linings eliminate any contact with the cooling wall of the fluids which can adhere when they pass from the melting point to hardening, without there being any appreciable reduction in the transmission of frigories. Sector 23 with film 22 is used for filling.

 The translation speeds and the intermediate spaces are adjusted according to the nature of the fluid treated.

 It is thus possible to produce frozen scales of sea water for the conservation of foodstuffs both animal and vegetable.

 This device for industrial and food manufacturing can be used for these chemical, pharmaceutical, veterinary and other industries, with products which are difficult to freeze and which only the extremely reduced translative thickness makes it possible to coagulate.

 These scales can also be used as a vehicle carrying integrated treatment elements, irradiated preservatives or active agents of all kinds.

 The scales can be of any shape 24, 25, fig 7, 8.

 These evaporators being compact, are juxtaposed and stackable allowing intensive production in tight spaces.

 This is why the shapes, dimensions and arrangements of the different elements may vary within the limit of equivalents, like the materials used for their manufacture, without changing the general conception of the invention which has just been described. .

Claims (3)

R EVENI) ICATIOWIS 10 Device intended for the manufacture of ice flakes for direct, rapid, continuous manufacture with sizing of scales having a shape as well as a controlled size, more particularly intended for freezing leaving seawater of a very thin film of fluid, characterized by the combination of two evaporators 1, 2) superimposed in parallel with an intermediate space (3) extremely reduced with a transfer grid (4).  20 Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the endless grid (4) comprises series of cells (5, 6) whose edges (11, 12) sweep the faces (7, 8) of the evaporators being specified that the grid consists of a metal frame (9) coated with synthetic resin and that the walls are slightly oblique with a wide lower base.  30 Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the carrier and motor cylinders (14, 15, 16, 17) are positioned at the ends of the evaporators, the cylinders (16, 17) support the grid (4).  40 Device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that at one end of the lower evaporator (2) is arranged a complementary carrier cylinder (18) and a sealing flange under the filling sector (20).  5D Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the upper (14, 15) and lower (14, 15) engine and carrier cylinders (16, 17, 18) carry an endless film (23, 24) between which the translating grid (4) is positioned.  60 Device according to claim 1 characterized in that at the circular extraction end (21) located around the roller (16) is arranged a collecting hopper  or a treadmill.