KR200191372Y1 - Tube ice machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ice maker, the ice maker provided with a heat medium supply member (130), the cooling case (100) formed with a raw water inlet (101) through which the raw water flows; A plurality of pipes (110) formed inside the cooling case (100) to guide the raw water introduced through the raw water inlet (101); Defrost gas is formed in the empty space between the inside of the cooling case 100 and the outer surface of the pipe 110 to defrost the outer surface of the ice column and the refrigerant to freeze the raw water in the pipe 110. A heat medium flow path 109 selectively flowing from bottom to top; A cutting member 120 formed below the pipe 110 to cut an ice column defrosted by the defrost gas and freely dropped by gravity; In addition, an ice maker including the raw material water supplied to the raw water inlet 101 is stored, and an ice tank 140 in which debris and water are re-collected during the defrosting and cutting processes are described. . Accordingly, the surface of the ice pillar shaped to a certain shape inside the pipe 110 is slightly melted by instantaneous heat transfer and is moved downward by gravity, and the moved ice pillar is automatically cut to have a predetermined shape of ice having a predetermined size. There is an advantage of being manufactured in large quantities.

Description

Ice machine

The present invention relates to an ice maker, and more particularly, to an ice maker which automatically cuts ice formed by a refrigerant in a steel tube, and automatically melts an outer surface of ice using defrost gas to a predetermined size. It is about.

In general, ice makers are machines that manufacture ice using a method of forcibly freezing water by using a refrigerant.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional ice maker installs a screw 4 inside the ice maker cylinder 3 having the ice discharge port 1 and the water inlet port 2 formed on the upper and lower sides thereof, respectively, Refrigerant circulating refrigerant grooves 6 are formed in a spiral manner on the outer surface, and casings 5 are installed on the outer circumference thereof, and crushed blade pieces 7 and 7 'are formed on the upper ends of the screws 4.

The operation effect by the above configuration is as described later.

When the refrigerant flows into the refrigerant inlet hole 8 formed in the upper portion of the casing 5, the refrigerant is circulated along the refrigerant circulation refrigerant groove 6 formed in a spiral manner and descends to discharge the refrigerant into the refrigerant discharge hole 9. The ice making cylinder 3 is cooled, and water introduced between the screws 4 inside the ice making cylinder 3 is frozen by heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in the refrigerant groove 6 formed in the outer surface of the ice making cylinder 3. . The frozen ice is gradually lifted upward by the screw (3) to reach the shredding blade pieces (7) (7 ') which rotates with the screw (3) and is crushed to the outside of the ice making cylinder (3) through the ice outlet (1). To be discharged.

However, the above-mentioned ice maker has the problem mentioned later.

First, there is a problem that the space where ice is iced is limited only between the mountain of the screw and the mountain, so that the entire space inside the ice making cylinder is not utilized as the ice making space.

Second, there is a problem in that the produced ice is limited to the use of the produced ice by being crushed finely without having a specially shaped shape.

Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, the surface of the ice, which has been shaped to a certain shape inside the pipe, is slightly melted by instantaneous heat transfer, moved downward by gravity, and the moved ice is automatically cut. An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker in which a predetermined shape of ice having a predetermined size is manufactured.

1-A partial cutaway cross-sectional view of an ice maker in accordance with the prior art.

Figure 2-overall configuration of the ice maker according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Major Parts of Drawings>

100: cooling case 101: raw water inlet

102: distribution tank 103: distributor

104: upper sealing fixing plate 105: lower sealing fixing plate

106: refrigerant inlet 106a: refrigerant first inlet

106b: refrigerant second inlet 107: regeneration gas inlet

108: heat medium outlet 109: heat medium flow path

109a: space part 110: pipe

120: cutting member 130: heat medium supply member

131: gas-liquid separator 132: compressor

133: condenser 134: receiver

135: expansion valve 136: heat medium flow tube

137: first valve 138: second valve

140: tank 141: blocking network

142: ice outlet 150: circulation pump

151: Enemy Guide

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the ice machine provided with a heat medium supply member, and a cooling case formed with a raw water inlet through which the raw water flows; A plurality of pipes formed inside the cooling case to guide raw water introduced through the raw water inlet; The heat medium which is formed in the empty space between the inside of the cooling case and the outer surface of the pipe, and the defrost gas that defrosts the outer surface of the ice column and the refrigerant which freezes the raw water in the pipe and selectively flows from the lower side to the upper side A flow path; A cutting member formed under the pipe to cut an ice column defrosted by the defrost gas and freely dropped by gravity; And, the raw material water supplied to the raw water inlet is stored, ice debris generated during the defrosting and cutting process and the water tank to re-collect water; ice making machine comprising a.

The cooling case may include: a distribution water tank disposed on an upper surface of the pipe to distribute raw water supplied to the pipe; Is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the cooling case, and fixed to support the pipe, the upper and lower sealed fixing plate to prevent the upper and lower leakage of the refrigerant and defrost gas flowing in the heat medium flow path; .

The cooling case may include: a coolant inlet formed at one side of a lower circumferential surface and allowing refrigerant to flow into the cooling case; Defrost gas inlet is formed on the other side of the lower circumferential surface flow defrost gas; The heat medium outlet is formed on one side of the upper circumferential surface and discharges the refrigerant and the defrost gas flowing along the heat medium flow path to the outside.

The heat medium supply member may further include: a gas-liquid separator for separating the defrost gas and the refrigerant discharged through the heat medium outlet into a gas and a liquid; A compressor for receiving and compressing the gas refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator; A condenser for receiving and condensing the refrigerant compressed by the compressor; A condenser that collects the refrigerant condensed in the condenser, delivers the liquefied refrigerant to the refrigerant inlet side, and introduces a defrost gas, which is a gas, into the cooling case through the defrost gas inlet; And, it is preferably configured to include; an expansion valve for receiving the liquid refrigerant delivered from the receiver to reduce the pressure and to deliver the inside of the cooling case through the refrigerant inlet.

Accordingly, the surface of the ice shaped to a certain shape inside the pipe is slightly melted by instantaneous heat transfer and is moved downward by gravity, and the moved ice is automatically cut to produce a predetermined shape ice having a predetermined size in large quantities. There is an advantage.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is an overall configuration diagram of an ice maker according to the present invention.

As shown, the ice maker according to the present invention is largely composed of a cooling case 100, a pipe 110, a cutting member 120, a heat medium supply member 130 and a water tank 140.

First, the cooling case 100 will be described.

The cooling case 100 is configured in a cylindrical shape with a lower opening. In addition, a raw water inlet 101 through which raw water flows is formed on the circumferential surface of the cooling case 100. The raw water introduced into the raw water inlet 101 is collected in the distribution tank 102 formed on the upper portion of the cooling case 100, and is described below through a lattice-shaped through hole of the distributor 103 formed on the lower surface of the distribution tank 102. Flows into 110.

The upper sealing fixing plate 104 is formed to be spaced apart from the lower side of the distributor 103, and the lower sealing fixing plate 105 is formed to be spaced apart from the lower sealing fixing plate 104.

The upper and lower sealed fixing plates 104 and 105 are formed in a thin disk shape and are installed in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cooling case 100. The upper and lower airtight fixing plates 104 and 105 are formed with a lattice-shaped through hole, and the pipe 110 is fixed to the inside of the cooling case 100 by fitting the pipe 110 to be described later. Here, the upper sealing fixing plate 104 seals the upper surface of the cooling case 100, and the lower sealing fixing plate 105 seals the lower surface of the cooling case 100.

The bottom sealing fixing plate 105 is spaced a predetermined distance from the lower side of the lower sealing fixing plate 105 so that the bottom sealing fixing plate 105a has the same shape as the upper and lower sealing fixing plates 104 and 105 to the inner circumferential surface of the cooling case 100. Closely installed. In addition, a lattice-shaped through hole is formed in the bottom sealing plate 105a to fix the pipe 110 to the cooling case 100 by fitting a lower end portion of the pipe 110 to be described later.

A coolant inlet 106, a defrost gas inlet 107, and a heat medium outlet 108 are formed on a circumferential surface of the cooling case 100.

The refrigerant inlet 106 comprises a refrigerant first inlet 106a and a refrigerant second inlet 106b, and the refrigerant first inlet 106a is disposed between the lower hermetic fixing plate 105 and the bottom hermetic fixing plate 105a. It is formed on the circumferential surface of the cooling case 100 of the, the coolant second inlet 106b is formed on the circumferential surface of the cooling case 100 spaced apart from the upper portion of the lower hermetic fixing plate 105. The dehumidification inlet 107 is formed on the circumferential surface of the cooling case 100 at a predetermined distance from an upper portion of the lower hermetic fixing plate 105, and the heat medium outlet 108 is a lower portion of the upper hermetic fixing plate 104. It is formed to be spaced apart from.

The pipe 110 is configured to have a cylindrical shape having an upper and lower openings and a predetermined length so that the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 110 is fitted into the through hole of the upper and lower hermetic fixing plates 104 and 105 so that the cooling is performed. It is fixed inside the case 100.

In addition, the upper end of the pipe 110 protrudes into the through hole formed in the distributor 103 so as to communicate with the distribution tank 102, so that the raw water stored in the distribution tank 102 flows into the pipe 110 and moves downward. Flow down. In this case, the pipe 110 is installed in plural in the form in which the pipe 110 and the pipe 110 are adjacent.

Between the upper sealing fixing plate 104 and the lower sealing fixing plate 105 inside the cooling case 100 and the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 110 and the space formed by the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 110 and the pipe 110 in close contact with The heat medium flow path 109, which is a structural natural space, is also formed between the inner circumferential surfaces of the cooling case 100.

The heat medium flow path 109 is a space in which the refrigerant or defrost gas selectively introduced through the refrigerant second inlet 106b or the defrost gas inlet 107 flows. That is, after the refrigerant flowing into the refrigerant second inlet 106b flows along the heat medium flow path 109, the raw material water flowing from the upper side of the pipe 110 and flowing downward is cooled from below, and then the heat medium The outlet 108 flows out of the cooling case 100. When the circulation of the refrigerant is repeated as described above and the raw water in the pipe 110 freezes, the refrigerant inlet 106 is closed and the defrost gas inlet 107 is opened to allow defrost gas to flow into the cooling case 100. .

When defrost gas is introduced into the defrost gas inlet 107, the defrost gas is transferred upward along the heat medium flow path 109 along the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 110, and then transfers predetermined heat to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 110. It flows out of the cooling case 100 through the heat medium outlet 108. As the defrost gas is circulated along the heat medium flow path 109 as described above, ice frozen in the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 110 is melted and freely dropped by gravity, which is defrosted by the cutting member 120 to be described later. The column is cut to a predetermined size.

In addition, a space formed by the outer circumferential surface of the pipe 110 and the pipe 110 is in close contact between the lower hermetic fixing plate 105 and the bottom hermetic fixing plate 105a in the cooling case 100. Between the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the cooling case 100, a space portion 109a, which is a natural structure, is formed. That is, the defrost gas introduced into the cooling case 100 through the coolant first inlet 106a flows into the space 109a and then flows out of the space 109a to cool through the coolant second inlet 106b. It flows into the heat medium flow path 109 formed in the cooling case 100.

The cutting member 120 is formed at a predetermined space below the pipe 110. The cutting member 120 is rotated by receiving the external power, the outer surface is melted by the defrost gas to cut the ice column inside the pipe 110 free-falling by gravity to a predetermined size.

The heat medium supply member 130 is largely composed of a gas-liquid separator 131, a compressor 132, a condenser 133, a receiver 134, and an expansion valve 135.

The gas-liquid separator 131 collects refrigerant and defrost gas, which are the heat medium flowing out of the heat medium outlet 108 of the cooling case 100. Among the heat medium collected by the gas-liquid separator 131, the liquid is stored inside the gas-liquid separator 131 and the gas is delivered to the compressor 132 through the heat medium flow pipe 136. The low temperature and low pressure gas refrigerant delivered to the compressor 132 is compressed by the compressor 132 and converted into a high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant, which is delivered to the condenser 133 along the heat medium flow pipe 136. The high temperature and high pressure gas refrigerant delivered to the condenser 133 is exchanged with the coolant or external air in the condenser 133 and is converted into a liquid refrigerant having a normal temperature and high pressure.

The liquid refrigerant cooled by heat exchange with the outside in the condenser 133 is stored in the receiver 134 through the heat medium flow pipe 136. The liquid refrigerant liquefied in the condenser 133 is collected on the inner lower surface of the receiver 134, and defrost gas in a gaseous state that is not liquefied by the condenser 133 is collected on the upper surface.

The liquid refrigerant at room temperature and high pressure stored on the lower surface of the receiver 134 passes through the space portion 109a of the cooling case 100 after the first valve 137 formed in the heat medium flow tube 136 is opened, and then expands the expansion valve. Delivered to 135. The reason why the liquid refrigerant at room temperature and high pressure passes through the space portion 109a of the cooling case is that the lower end of the pipe 110 is blocked by rapid cooling, and thus the raw material water does not flow smoothly from the upper side to the lower side of the pipe 110. This is to prevent. The liquid refrigerant delivered to the expansion valve 135 is converted into a liquid refrigerant of low temperature and low pressure at the expansion valve 135 and reintroduced into the cooling case 100 through the refrigerant second inlet 106b of the cooling case 100. The reflowed liquid refrigerant flows upward along the heat medium flow path 109 of the cooling case 100 to exchange heat with the raw water in the pipe 110 to be converted into a low temperature low pressure gas refrigerant through the heat medium outlet 108. Outflow to the outside of the cooling case 100 is collected in the gas-liquid separator 131.

Here, in principle, the refrigerant passing through the cooling case 100 should be in a gaseous state, but part of the refrigerant is collected in the gas-liquid separator 131, and the liquid refrigerant is delivered to the compressor 132. In this case, since the cause of the failure of the compressor 132, the refrigerant delivered from the gas-liquid separator 131 to the compressor 132 is configured to transmit only the gaseous state.

In addition, the defrost gas, which is the gas collected on the receiver 134, is formed after predetermined ice is formed in the pipe 110, that is, when the second valve 138 is opened while the first valve 137 is closed. In the cooling case 100, the defrost gas inlet 107 formed in the cooling case 100 flows into the cooling case 100 and moves upward along the heat medium flow path 109 to exchange heat with the ice column formed in the pipe 110. After melting the outer surface of the column is discharged to the outside of the cooling case 100 through the heat medium outlet 108 is collected in the gas-liquid separator 131.

The water tank 140 is formed at a lower portion of the lower side of the cutting member 120 at the lower portion of the cooling case 100 to collect raw water introduced from the outside and ice residue and water generated during defrosting and cutting. do. A mesh-shaped blocking net 141 is formed on the upper surface of the water tank 140 so that the ice cut by the cutting member 120 is caught and discharged to the ice outlet 142, and the ice residue having a predetermined size or less and Water is collected through the screen 141 to the bottom of the water tank 140.

The raw water collected in the water tank 140 is guided to the raw water guide pipe 151 by the driving of the circulation pump 150 and distributed through the raw water inlet 101 formed on the upper circumferential surface of the cooling case 100. 102).

The operation effect by the above configuration is as described later.

First, the user drives the circulation pump 150 to distribute the raw water filled in the water tank 140 through the raw water inlet 101 formed in the cooling case 100 through the distribution water tank 102 formed on the upper surface of the cooling case 100. Flow in. The raw water introduced into the distribution tank 102 passes through the through hole of the distributor 103 and then flows into the pipe 110. Raw water introduced into the pipe 110 is moved downward along the inner circumferential surface of the pipe by gravity. At this time, the first valve 137 is opened.

When the first valve 137 is opened, the liquid refrigerant of room temperature and high pressure is introduced into the space portion 109a of the cooling case 100 through the refrigerant first inlet 106a, and the predetermined heat is applied to the lower end of the pipe 110. After the transfer, it is discharged to the outside of the cooling case 100 is converted into a low-temperature low-pressure gas refrigerant in the expansion piece 135, and then re-introduced into the cooling case 100 through the refrigerant second inlet (106a). The liquid refrigerant re-introduced into the cooling case 100 is moved upward along the heat medium flow path 109 formed inside the cooling case 100. While the coolant moves, the coolant delivers predetermined cool air to the pipe 110, so that the raw water flowing downward along the inside of the pipe 110 starts to freeze from the lower side of the pipe 110 and gradually increases to the upper side. To be frozen.

The refrigerant flowing along the heat medium flow path 109 is changed into a gaseous state and is discharged to the outside of the cooling case 100 through the heat medium outlet 108 formed on the circumferential surface of the cooling case 100. Here, the leaked coolant is collected in the gas-liquid separator 131 and then passed through the compressor 132, the condenser 133, the receiver 134, and the expansion valve 135, and then converted into a low-temperature low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The circulation cycle flowing into the first inlet 106a is repeated.

During the process, the raw water in the pipe 110 freezes. When the raw water is frozen, the user stops the operation of the circulation pump 150, closes the first valve 137, and opens the second valve 138 formed at the defrost gas inlet 107.

Defrost gas collected in the upper part of the receiver 134 by the opening of the second valve 138 is introduced into the cooling case 100 through the defrost gas inlet 107 and along the heating medium flow path 109. 100 is moved upward from the inside. Heat of the gas is transferred to the pipe 110 by the movement of the defrost gas to melt the surface of the ice column frozen in the pipe 110 from the lower side to the upper side.

Defrost gas flowing along the heat medium flow path 109 is discharged to the outside of the cooling case 100 through the heat medium outlet 108, and then collected in the gas-liquid separator 131 to collect the compressor 132 and the condenser 133. After passing through is collected on the upper surface of the receiver 134, the circulation cycle flowing through the defrost gas inlet 107 is repeated.

While the circulation cycle is repeated, the ice pillar surface inside the pipe 110 is melted, and the ice pillar frozen in the pipe 110 is gravityd and moved downward. At this time, the user closes the second valve 138 formed at the defrost gas inlet 107 side.

The ice column moved downward is cut into a predetermined size by the cutting member 120 formed below the pipe 1100 and rotated, and then collected in the blocking network 141 and discharged to the outside through the ice outlet 142.

When all the ice is discharged, the user restarts the circulation pump 150 and opens the first valve 137 to repeat the above-described process to generate ice.

While the surface of the ice pillar inside the pipe 110 is melted by the defrost gas during the production of the ice, water is generated in the pipe 110, and the cutting member 120 cuts the ice pillar. During the process of the predetermined water and ice debris is generated, the ice debris and water is introduced into the water tank 140 through the blocking network 141 formed on the upper surface of the water tank 140 is reused as raw water.

The present invention by the above configuration has the effect of automatically mass-producing the shaped ice having a predetermined shape and a predetermined size.

In addition, the water and ice residues generated during the deicing process are economical because they are recycled as raw water without being discarded.

In addition, since the raw water continues to circulate during the ice making process, salt and other impurities in the raw water are filled in the bottom surface of the tank, thereby producing clean and pure ice.

Claims (4)

In the ice maker equipped with the heat medium supply member 130, A cooling case 100 formed with a raw water inlet 101 through which raw water flows; A plurality of pipes (110) formed inside the cooling case (100) to guide the raw water introduced through the raw water inlet (101); Defrost gas is formed in the empty space between the inside of the cooling case 100 and the outer surface of the pipe 110 to defrost the outer surface of the ice column and the refrigerant to freeze the raw water in the pipe 110. A heat medium flow path 109 selectively flowing from bottom to top; A cutting member 120 formed below the pipe 110 to cut an ice column defrosted by the defrost gas and freely dropped by gravity; And, And a water tank (140) in which the raw water supplied to the raw water inlet (101) is stored and the ice remnants and water generated during the defrosting and cutting processes are recollected. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling case 100, A distribution water tank 102 installed on an upper surface of the pipe 110 to distribute raw water supplied to the pipe 110; It is installed on the inner circumferential surface of the cooling case 100, the upper and lower airtight fixing plate to support and fix the pipe 110, to prevent the upper and lower leakage of the refrigerant and defrost gas flowing in the heat medium flow path (109) ( 104) (105); ice maker characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling case 100, A coolant inlet 106 formed at one side of a lower circumferential surface and allowing coolant to flow into the cooling case 100; Defrost gas inlet 107 is formed on the other side of the lower circumferential surface flow defrost gas flows; And, And a heat medium outlet (108) formed on one side of the upper circumferential surface to discharge the refrigerant and the defrost gas flowing along the heat medium flow path (109) to the outside. According to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat medium supply member 130, A gas-liquid separator (131) for separating the defrost gas and the refrigerant discharged through the heat medium outlet (108) into a gas and a liquid; A compressor (132) for receiving and compressing the gas refrigerant separated by the gas-liquid separator (131); A condenser 133 for receiving and condensing the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 132; Refrigerant condensed in the condenser 133 is collected, the liquefied refrigerant is delivered to the refrigerant inlet 106, and the defrost gas gas is introduced into the cooling case 100 through the defrost gas inlet 107 Group 134; And, And an expansion valve (135) for transferring the liquid refrigerant delivered from the receiver (134) to the inside of the cooling case (100) through a refrigerant inlet (106).