JP2006010181A - Deicing operation method of automatic ice making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save energy by simultaneously using a heater and a high pressure refrigerant supplied to an evaporator in deicing operation. <P>SOLUTION: An ice making part 10 has the evaporator 14 and the heater communicating with and connected to a refrigerating circuit 30. The ice making part 10 is cooled by circulating and supplying the vaporized refrigerant to the evaporator 14 in ice making operation, and an ice mass is generated by supplying ice making water to the ice making part 10. In the deicing operation, the ice mass is melted and separated from the ice making part 10, by heating the heater by carrying an electric current, after a predetermined time passes after supplying a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having relatively high pressure to a refrigerant pipe 34 connected to the delivery side of the evaporator 14 via a bypass circuit 40 of interposing a bypass valve HV. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a deicing operation method for an automatic ice making machine that causes an ice lump generated in an ice making part to be detached by energizing and heating an electric heating means.

  An automatic ice maker that automatically produces a large amount of ice blocks is equipped with an evaporator derived from a refrigeration circuit equipped with a compressor, a condenser, etc., in an ice making unit, and is forcedly cooled by a refrigerant circulated to the evaporator. In addition, ice making water is supplied to the ice making unit to generate ice blocks, and the resulting ice blocks are peeled off and released. This automatic ice making machine is equipped with an ice making water tank for storing a required amount of ice making water, and during ice making operation, the ice making water in the ice making water tank is pumped by a circulation pump and supplied to the ice making unit, so that it does not freeze. The ice making water is collected in the ice making water tank and then sent out again toward the ice making unit. When the water level detection device detects that the ice level has continued to be reduced and the water level in the ice making water tank has decreased to a predetermined lower water level, the ice making operation is judged to have been completed. To deicing operation, supplying hot gas (high-temperature high-pressure vaporized refrigerant) discharged from the compressor by switching the bypass valve of the refrigeration circuit to the evaporator, and water from an external water source to the ice making unit It is sprayed and supplied as deicing water to promote melting of the icing surface with ice blocks (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  As described above, in the automatic ice making machine using both hot gas and deicing water during the deicing operation, the deicing operation becomes longer and the ice making capacity per unit time is limited. Moreover, since deicing water is used, the amount of water consumption increases and the running cost increases.

Thus, attempts have been made to shorten the time required for the deicing operation using the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2. That is, the ice making part is constituted by a metal plate and a heater (electric heating means), and during the ice making operation, an ice block is generated on the heater, and during the deicing operation, the heater is energized to generate heat so that The icing surface is melted and the ice block is detached from the ice making unit to perform deicing. According to this configuration, deicing operation can be shortened and deicing water can be made unnecessary.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-17187 US Patent Application Publication No. 2003-0155467

  By the way, the heating by the heater gives a large amount of heat energy to the icing surface in a short time, and instantly melts the icing surface, and the ice making part that has been cooled to a low temperature below the freezing point is replaced with ice blocks and ice making. It is necessary to rapidly change the temperature to near 0 ° C., which is a temperature at which the frozen surface with the part can be melted. That is, since the heater is subjected to a load due to a rapid temperature change, the heater itself deteriorates relatively quickly, and problems are pointed out in continuous use. In addition, in order to change the temperature of the heater abruptly, a large amount of heat energy is required, which causes a problem that power consumption increases.

  That is, the present invention has been proposed in order to suitably solve these problems inherent in the deicing operation method of the automatic ice making machine according to the prior art, and the electric heating means and the evaporation are performed during the deicing operation. It aims at providing the deicing operation method of the automatic ice making machine which can aim at energy saving by using together with the high voltage | pressure refrigerant | coolant supplied to the apparatus.

In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended purpose, the deicing operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention is:
The ice making unit is provided with an evaporator communicating with the refrigeration circuit and an electric heating means, and during ice making operation, vaporized refrigerant is circulated and supplied to the evaporator, and ice making water is supplied to the ice making unit to generate ice blocks. In an automatic ice maker configured to energize the electric heating means during ice operation and remove ice blocks from the ice making unit,
During the deicing operation, the high-pressure refrigerant from the refrigeration circuit is branched and supplied to the evaporator or the vicinity thereof via a bypass circuit,
The temperature of the ice making unit is increased by increasing the internal pressure in the evaporator, and then the energization of the electric heating means is started.

  According to the deicing operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the present invention, during the deicing operation, the high-pressure refrigerant from the refrigeration circuit is branched and supplied to the evaporator or the vicinity thereof via the bypass circuit, and the internal pressure of the evaporator is reduced. The temperature of the ice making unit is raised by the rise, and then the energization of the electric heating means is started. Prior to heating by the electric heating means, the ice making is lowered below the freezing point by the high-pressure refrigerant circulated in the evaporator or the vicinity thereof. By increasing the temperature of the part to near the melting point of the ice block, a rapid temperature change of the electric heating means is suppressed, so that the load on the heating means can be reduced. That is, deterioration of the electric heating means can be suppressed, continuous use can be allowed, and the life of the electric heating means can be improved. Moreover, by performing the heating of the ice making part with a high-pressure refrigerant in parallel with the heating from the electric heating means, the deicing time can be further shortened and the ice making capacity can be improved. Furthermore, the capacity required for the electric heating means can be reduced, and the heat energy required for melting the ice block can be reduced to reduce the power consumption, so that energy saving can be achieved.

  According to the invention according to claim 2, by starting energization to the electric heating means at the timing when the temperature of the ice making part or the temperature of the evaporator or the increase of the pressure accompanying the increase in the internal pressure of the evaporator reaches a predetermined value, The deicing operation can be performed efficiently. According to the invention of claim 3, if the temperature of the ice making section or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator is equal to or lower than the set value, the high-pressure refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator, and if higher than the set value, the high-pressure refrigerant is supplied. By starting energization of the electric heating means without supplying to the evaporator, the deicing operation corresponding to the conditions such as the temperature of the ice making unit or the temperature of the evaporator can be performed. According to the invention which concerns on Claim 4, there exists an advantage which can adjust moderately the pressure of the high voltage | pressure refrigerant | coolant supplied to an evaporator by inserting pressure reduction means in a bypass circuit. Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 5, by supplying the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant obtained on the discharge side of the compressor, there is an advantage that the high temperature can be used directly.

  Next, the deicing operation method of the automatic ice making machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by giving a preferred embodiment. The high-pressure refrigerant referred to in the present invention does not only indicate a high-temperature / high-pressure vaporized refrigerant, but may be any one that can heat an evaporator cooled to below the freezing point in the ice-making operation. The temperature is higher than the passed ice making unit or the evaporator or higher than the pressure (internal pressure) inside the evaporator, and includes a liquefied refrigerant or a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a flow-down type automatic ice maker as an automatic ice maker according to an embodiment, and a refrigerating circuit 30 described later is provided on the back surface of an ice making unit 10 arranged substantially vertically in an ice making chamber. A tubular evaporator 14 that is led out and meanders in the lateral direction is closely fixed, and is configured to forcibly cool the ice making unit 10 by circulating a refrigerant during ice making operation. Immediately below the ice making unit 10, a guide plate 18 is provided in an inclined posture for guiding the ice block M, which is melted and separated from the ice making unit 10 by the deicing operation, to the stocker 16 disposed obliquely below. The guide plate 18 has a large number of through holes (not shown), and the ice making water supplied to the ice making surface (front surface) of the ice making unit 10 during the ice making operation is provided on the guide plate 18. It is collected and stored in the ice making water tank 20 located below through the through hole.

  An ice making water supply pipe 22 led out from the ice making water tank 20 via a circulation pump PM is connected to an ice making water spreader 24 provided above the ice making unit 10. A large number of sprinkling holes (not shown) are formed in the ice making water spreader 24, and the ice making water pumped from the ice making water tank 20 during the ice making operation is transferred to the freezing temperature of the ice making unit 10 from the water sprinkling holes. The ice making surface that has been cooled down is sprayed down to produce an ice block M having a required shape on the ice making surface. As shown in FIG. 1, a water supply pipe 26 connected to an external water source faces above the ice making water tank 20, and the water supply of the water supply pipe 26 is in accordance with the amount of water in the ice making water tank 20 that decreases during the ice making operation. The valve WV is opened as appropriate, and a predetermined amount of ice making water is stored in the ice making water tank 20. The ice making water tank 20 is provided with a water level detecting device 28 for monitoring the amount of stored ice making water.

  The ice making unit 10 is configured by arranging a plurality of ice making members 11 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, each ice making member 11 includes a plate-like main body 11a extending in a vertical direction and fixed to the evaporator 14, and both sides of the plate-like main body 11a in the width direction. Are formed in a substantially U shape in cross section from a pair of side plates 11b, 11b bent forward (in a direction away from the evaporator 14). That is, the plate-shaped main body 11a and the side plates 11b and 11b define an ice making region A in which the ice block M is generated. Here, each of the ice making members 11 is inclined forward at a predetermined angle from the bottom to the top. Each of the ice making members 11 is constituted by layering a heater (electric heating means) H made of a metal plate 12a, an insulating layer 12b and a metal sheet, and the heater H forms an ice making surface. During ice making operation, the ice 14 is forcibly cooled by the evaporator 14 to generate ice blocks M corresponding to the position of the evaporator 14 on the ice making surface, and the heaters H are energized to generate heat, thereby generating ice blocks. The iced surface with M is melted and dropped by its own weight.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigeration circuit 30 for cooling the ice making unit 10 includes a compressor CM, a condenser CD, a fan motor FM, an expansion means EV, and the like disposed in a machine room (not shown), and the ice making unit. The main circuit 32 is basically composed of the evaporator 14 disposed on the back surface of the main body 10. In the main circuit 32, devices are arranged so that the refrigerant circulates in the order of the compressor CM, the condenser CD, the expansion means EV, and the evaporator 14, and the devices are connected in communication by a refrigerant pipe 34. That is, the vaporized refrigerant compressed by the compressor CM is condensed and liquefied by the condenser CD via the refrigerant pipe 34, then depressurized by the expansion means EV, flows into the evaporator 14 and expands at once. Then, it evaporates and exchanges heat with the ice making unit 10 to forcibly cool the ice making unit 10 to below the freezing point. The vaporized refrigerant evaporated and heat-exchanged by the evaporator 14 repeats a cycle of returning to the compressor CM via the refrigerant pipe 34. The fan motor FM functions to cool the condenser CD. Here, the vicinity of the evaporator 14 referred to in the present invention refers to the refrigerant pipe 34 (the evaporator 14 of the evaporator 14) connecting the discharge side to the inflow side of the compressor CM in the evaporator 14 disposed close to the ice making unit 10. The refrigerant pipe 34 (the inflow side of the evaporator 14) connecting the discharge side) and the inflow side of the evaporator 14 from the discharge side of the expansion means EV.

  In an embodiment, a receiver R which is added to the main circuit 32 and temporarily stores the liquefied refrigerant condensed in the condenser CD between the discharge side of the condenser CD and the suction side of the expansion means EV. And a dryer D for removing excess water from the liquefied refrigerant is disposed between the discharge side of the receiver R and the suction side of the expansion means EV. The expansion means EV uses an expansion valve, a capillary tube or the like. In the embodiment, a temperature type automatic expansion valve is employed to keep the degree of superheat of the vaporized refrigerant constant and adjust the pressure of the evaporator 14. Has been made.

  The main circuit 32 is provided with valves at various locations. By opening and closing the valves, the circulation of the refrigerant can be allowed or blocked, and the inspection and replacement of the equipment can be easily performed. It has become. As one of them, an ice making valve V is interposed between the receiver R and the dryer D on the downstream side of the condenser CD. The ice making valve V controls the flow of the refrigerant flowing through the main circuit 32 and is opened during the ice making operation and closed at the end of the operation to stop the supply of the refrigerant to the evaporator 14. It has become. A first service valve SV1 is inserted on the inflow side of the compressor CM, and a second service valve SV2 is inserted on the downstream side of the condenser CD. The first service valve SV1 and the second service valve SV2 are always opened, and are closed as necessary in equipment maintenance or the like.

  In addition to the main circuit 32 described above, the refrigeration circuit 30 includes a bypass circuit 40 that supplies a relatively high pressure (higher than the low pressure side) gas-liquid mixed refrigerant to the vicinity of the evaporator 14 during the deicing operation. . The bypass pipe 42 of the bypass circuit 40 has a start end connected to the refrigerant pipe 34 between the discharge side of the compressor CM and the suction side of the expansion means EV, and the end thereof is a refrigerant pipe 34 on the discharge side of the evaporator 14. Connected to (near). That is, the high-pressure refrigerant supplied to the evaporator 14 may be any refrigerant that can increase the temperature of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or internal pressure of the evaporator 14 during the ice making operation, and at least increase the internal pressure of the evaporator 14. As a result, the temperature of the ice making unit 10 can be increased via the evaporator 14 and the evaporator 14. Therefore, it is preferable that the refrigerant is obtained from the refrigerant pipe 34 on the discharge side of the compressor CM through which the refrigerant having a pressure higher than the internal pressure of the evaporator 14 flows. In the bypass pipe 42 of the embodiment, the condenser CD is branched and connected from the middle of the refrigerant pipe 34 connecting the receiver R disposed on the downstream side of the condenser CD, and the end thereof is discharged from the evaporator 14. Since the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having a relatively high pressure is supplied to the compressor CM through the decompression means GV after being condensed and liquefied by the condenser CD during the deicing operation, the discharge of the evaporator 14 The refrigerant pressure on the side also rises, and the temperature in the evaporator 14 also rises. A bypass valve (pipe opening / closing means) HV and a pressure reducing means GV are inserted in the bypass circuit 40 in this order from the upstream side in the refrigerant flow direction. As the bypass valve HV, an electromagnetic valve, an electric valve or the like is preferably employed, but is not particularly limited as long as it can be arbitrarily operated (opening and closing of the bypass pipe 42) by a control means (not shown) or other control by equipment. In the ice making operation, the bypass pipe 42 is closed to interrupt the circulation of the refrigerant, and in the deicing operation, the bypass pipe 42 is opened based on the control of the control means or the like. The decompression means GV uses an expansion valve, a capillary tube or the like. As an example, a constant pressure expansion valve is used to moderately adjust the pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14.

  In the deicing operation, the automatic ice making machine compresses the high-pressure refrigerant that is compressed by the compressor CM of the refrigeration circuit 30 and flows between the compressor CM and the expansion means EV, the bypass valve HV, and the pressure reduction means GV. Is branched and supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14 via the bypass circuit 40 inserted therein, and the ice making unit 10 is heated by the temperature rise in the evaporator 14, and then the heater H is energized. Configured to do. The energization of the heater H is started when the temperature of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 reaches a predetermined value as the internal pressure of the evaporator 14 increases. In the automatic ice making machine of the embodiment, after a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having a relatively high pressure is started to be supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14, the set time is counted, and the set time is counted. A first timing means for controlling the heater H to be energized is provided. That is, the set time of the first time measuring means is 0 ° C. at which the temperature of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 accompanying the increase in the internal pressure of the evaporator 14 can sufficiently reduce the load on the heater H. It is set to a time that can reach a nearby value (predetermined value). In order to start energization of the heater H, a temperature or pressure detecting means for detecting the temperature rise of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 is provided, and the detected value of the temperature or pressure detecting means is set in advance. The configuration may be performed at the timing when the value is reached.

  The automatic ice making machine is provided with detection means for detecting the temperature of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 when the ice making operation is shifted to the deicing operation. When the temperature of the ice making unit 10 or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 detected by the temperature detection means is equal to or lower than a preset value set in the control means or the like, the bypass valve HV is opened. If the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having a relatively high pressure is supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14 and is larger than the set value, the gas having a relatively high pressure is supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14 with the bypass valve HV closed. The heater H is energized without supplying the liquid mixed refrigerant. In an embodiment, the evaporator 14 is provided with a thermo-thr as a temperature detecting means, and when the thermo-thr detects that the temperature of the evaporator 14 is equal to or lower than a set temperature, the bypass valve HV is opened. Thus, the evaporator 14 is heated. On the other hand, when the thermo-Th detects that the temperature of the evaporator 14 is higher than the set temperature, the ice block M can be detached only by heating with the heater H while the bypass valve HV is closed. It has become. When temperature detecting means such as a thermo is used as the ice making completion detecting means, the temperature detecting means may also be used, and the completion of the ice making operation is determined based on the temperature detection result of the thermo. At the same time, the opening and closing of the bypass valve HV is controlled according to the temperature of the thermo.

(Effects of Example)
Next, the operation of the deicing operation method of the automatic ice maker according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in the ice making operation, when the compressor CM and the fan motor FM are driven with the ice making valve V opened, the refrigerant circulates through the main circuit 32 in the refrigeration circuit 30, and the ice making unit 10 is connected to the evaporator. Forcibly cooled by the vaporized refrigerant supplied to 14 (solid arrow in FIG. 3). Further, the circulation pump PM is driven and ice making water is supplied from the ice making water spreader 24 to the ice making unit 10, and the ice making water flowing down the ice making unit 10 is gradually frozen in layers to generate ice blocks M. (Step S1). At this time, the bypass valve HV is closed and the flow of the refrigerant to the bypass circuit 40 is blocked. The ice making operation shifts to the deicing operation after a predetermined time has elapsed (step S2).

  In the deicing operation, first, the temperature of the evaporator 14 is measured by a thermo-electric device Th that is a temperature detecting means disposed in the evaporator 14, and if the measured value is equal to or lower than a preset value, the bypass While the valve HV is opened, a relatively high pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant is supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14 via the bypass circuit 40 (step S3). When a relatively high pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant is supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14, the evaporator 14 is heated by the increase in the internal pressure of the evaporator 14 due to the relatively high pressure of the refrigerant, so that it reaches below freezing point. The temperature of the ice making part 10 whose temperature has been lowered is gradually raised. Then, when the first time measuring means such as a timer provided in the control means counts that the predetermined time has passed since the transition to step S3, the heater H is energized and the heater H generates heat (step S4). . By adjusting the setting time of the first time measuring means, it is possible to efficiently heat the ice making unit 10 before heating the heater H according to seasonal fluctuations, etc., and more appropriately load the heater H. Can be reduced. When the heater H generates heat, the heater H constitutes the ice making surface of the ice making unit 10, so that the icing surface with the ice block M is melted, and the ice block M is detached from the ice making unit 10 to the guide plate 18. It is guided and stored in the stocker 16. If the temperature of the evaporator 14 is larger than the set value as a result of detection by the thermo-Th, the process proceeds directly to step S4 without going through step S3. That is, if the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 is high before the heating by the heater H is started, a relatively high pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant is circulated to the discharge side of the evaporator 14. Needless to say, the temperature currently held by the evaporator 14 can sufficiently assist deicing of the ice making unit 10 and can also reduce the load on the heater H. Note that step S3 and step S4 may be performed simultaneously by setting the set time of the first time measuring means to 0 second (see the dotted line in FIG. 5).

  Thus, in the deicing operation, prior to heating the ice making unit 10 by the heater H, the ice making unit 10 is heated by the relatively high pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant circulated to the discharge side of the evaporator 14. By increasing the temperature of the ice making unit 10 that has dropped below the freezing point to near the melting point (0 ° C.) of the ice block, the rapid temperature change of the heater H is suppressed, so the load on the heater H is reduced. be able to. That is, deterioration of the heater H can be suppressed, continuous use can be permitted, and the life of the heater H can be improved. Further, by performing heating of the ice making unit 10 with a gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having a relatively high pressure in parallel with the heating from the heater H, the deicing time can be further shortened, and the ice making capacity is improved. be able to. Furthermore, the capacity required for the heater H can be reduced, and the energy required for melting the ice mass M can be reduced to reduce the power consumption, so that energy saving can be achieved.

  After the heating by the heater H is started (step S4), when the second timing means counts that the required time has elapsed, the energization to the heater H is cut off and the heating by the heater H is stopped (step S5). ). Here, in the second time measuring means, a time during which the ice block M can be sufficiently detached from the ice making unit 10 by heating with the heater H is set in advance. In order to increase the reliability of the determination of the removal of the ice block M, the temperature of the ice making unit 10 may be detected, or a mechanical switch for detecting the presence or absence of the ice block M may be used in combination. When the third timing means counts that the required time has elapsed since the heater H was turned off, the bypass valve HV is closed and the relatively high pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant is supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14. Is stopped (step S6), and the deicing operation is completed. Then, S1 to S6 are repeatedly performed until a predetermined amount of ice block M is stored in the stocker 16, and when a predetermined amount of ice block M is stored, the ice storage operation is stopped by an ice storage detection switch (not shown). Note that step S5 and step S6 may be performed simultaneously (see the dotted line in FIG. 5). That is, by setting the setting time of the third time measuring means to 0 second, heating to the ice making unit 10 by the gas-liquid mixed refrigerant having a relatively high pressure is stopped simultaneously with the stop of heating by the heater H. become.

  In the bypass circuit 40 of the embodiment, the bypass pipe 42 is branched from the refrigerant pipe 34 on the discharge side of the condenser CD, and the end of the bypass pipe 42 is connected to the discharge side of the evaporator 14. (1) A mode in which high-pressure refrigerant is taken out from the condenser CD and supplied to the discharge side of the evaporator 14; (2) The evaporator 14 is branched between the discharge side of the compressor CM and the suction side of the condenser CD. Any of the modes for supplying the high-pressure refrigerant to the discharge side can be employed. That is, in the present invention, the ice block M is melted and separated in the deicing operation mainly by the heater H, and the high-pressure refrigerant supplied to the evaporator 14 is an auxiliary means for reducing the load on the heater H. Since it is sufficient that the temperature or the like can be raised from the temperature or pressure of the evaporator 14 when the ice making operation is completed, the bypass circuit 40 can be set flexibly, and a refrigeration circuit that matches the system can be flexibly configured. .

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigeration circuit 48 according to a modified example. The refrigeration circuit 48 includes a bypass circuit 50 having a start end connected to a refrigerant pipe 34 on the discharge side of the compressor CM and a terminal end connected to a refrigerant pipe on the inflow side of the evaporator 14. That is, when the ice making operation is completed and the deicing operation is started, the bypass valve HV inserted in the bypass circuit 50 is opened to discharge from the compressor CM prior to energization of the heater H. A high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant (so-called hot gas) is supplied to the evaporator 14. Accordingly, not only the internal pressure of the evaporator 14 increases due to the supplied hot gas, but also the evaporator 14 can be directly heated by the temperature of the hot gas. Note that the determination and timing of the supply of hot gas, and other configurations are the same as in the embodiment, and the same effects as the embodiment are achieved.

  In the embodiment, the temperature measurement of the evaporator 14 has been described as the temperature detection means by using the thermo-Th disposed in the evaporator 14. However, the pressure detection for measuring the pressure inside the evaporator 14 has been described. The structure which provides a means and the structure which provides a temperature detection means in the said ice making part 10 and measures the temperature of this ice making part 10 may be sufficient.

1 is a schematic view showing an ice making mechanism of an automatic ice making machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional side view which shows the ice making part of an Example. It is a plane sectional view showing the ice making part of an example. It is the schematic which shows the freezing circuit of an Example. It is a flowchart figure which shows the deicing operation | movement of the automatic ice maker of an Example. It is the schematic which shows the freezing circuit of the example of a change.

Explanation of symbols

10 ice making units, 14 evaporators, 30 refrigeration circuits, 40 bypass circuits, 48 refrigeration circuits,
50 Bypass circuit, H heater (electric heating means), M ice block, CM compressor,
GV decompression means

Claims (5)

The ice making unit (10) is provided with an evaporator (14) communicating with the refrigeration circuit (30, 48) and an electric heating means (H), and during the ice making operation, the vaporized refrigerant is circulated and supplied to the evaporator (14). The ice making unit (10) is supplied with ice making water to generate ice blocks (M), and during the deicing operation, the electric heating means (H) is energized to remove the ice blocks (M) from the ice making unit (10). In an automatic ice maker configured to let
During the deicing operation, the high-pressure refrigerant from the refrigeration circuit (30) is branched and supplied to the evaporator (14) or its vicinity via the bypass circuit (40, 50),
The automatic ice making machine is characterized in that energization of the electric heating means (H) is started after the temperature of the ice making section (10) is increased due to an increase in internal pressure in the evaporator (14). Ice driving method.   When the temperature of the ice making unit (10) or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator (14) reaches a predetermined value as the internal pressure of the evaporator (14) increases, energization of the electric heating means (H) is started. The deicing operation method of the automatic ice maker according to claim 1.   If the temperature of the ice making section (10) or the temperature or pressure of the evaporator (14) is equal to or lower than a set value, a high-pressure refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator (14). The deicing operation method for an automatic ice making machine according to claim 1, wherein energization of the electric heating means (H) is started without supplying to the evaporator (14).   The deicing operation method for an automatic ice making machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a decompression means (GV) for decompressing a circulating high-pressure refrigerant is interposed in the bypass circuit (40). The bypass circuit (50) has a start end connected to the discharge side of the compressor (CM) and a terminal end connected to the inflow side of the evaporator (14), whereby high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator. The deicing operation method for an automatic ice maker according to claim 1, wherein the deicing operation method is supplied to (14).

Images