US2805557A

US2805557A - Ice making unit

Info

Publication number: US2805557A
Application number: US495408A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond G Hilger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-03-21
Filing date: 1955-03-21
Publication date: 1957-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1974-09-10

Description

Sept. 10, 1957 R. G. HlLGl-:R

ICE MAKING UNIT Filed March 21, 1955 Wm @y United States Patent ICE MAmNG UNIT Raymond G. Hilger, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 21, 1955, Serial No. 495,408

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-107) The invention relates to refrigerating units generally and more particularly to units of the type adapted for direct contact with liquid or gaseous substances to be chilled.

One object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating unit of the above general character constructed and arranged for eicient application of either a liquid or gaseous defrosting medium whereby the unit may be quickly cleared of accumulations of frost or ice and in which the defrosting medium is effectively segregated from the refrigerant and from the substance being chilled by the unit.

Another object is to provide a refrigerating unit which, considering its size, presents an exceptionally large effective area for quickly and eticiently producing sheets or slabs of ice and in which the surfaces of such areas are smoothly finished and oriented so that the accumulated ice can slide or fall off freely when loosened by a momentary application of heat to the unit.

A further object is to provide an efficient, light weight refrigerating unit that is simple yet rugged and durable, that can be fabricated from chilling elements that are commercially available and relatively inexpensive, all of which contribute to the low cost of production of the unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is -a perspective view of a refrigerating unit embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the unit showing the configuration of the various parts and the manner in which they are assembled and interrelated to form a complete unit.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View through the unit taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. l.

While a single preferred embodiment of the inven tion has been shown and will be described herein, it is to be understood that this detailed disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the specific construction shown. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The improved cooling unit in its preferred form as shown in Fig. l comprises a hollow, box-like sheet metal structure 5 which is generally trapezoidal in Vertical trans verse cross-section. More particularly, the unit has two flat side walls 6 and 7 of relatively large area, relatively closely spaced at their upper edges and joined together by a V-shaped top member 8. The side wall members diverge outwardly toward their lower edges which are joined by an inverted V-shaped bottom member 9. End wall members 10 and 11 (Fig. 2) Welded or otherwise joined to the side, top and bottom members close the opposite ends of the structure to form a liquid-tight chamber.

intimately associated with the inner face of each of the side wall members 6 and 8 is a coil, or the like,

ice

0 sired.

A refrigerant, such as liquid ammonia, Freon, or chilled brine circulating through the channels 12 quickly lowers the temperature of the sidewall members for cooling vliquids or gases in contact with their outer faces. The

location of the coils on the inner faces of the side wall members makes it possible to nish the outer faces with a smooth surface from which accumulations of ice or frost can be easily freed by application of a relatively small amount of heat to the inner faces of the members. With the particular shaping of the unit shown, the side wall members are disposed in a generally upright position, slightly inclined to the: vertical so that the ice or frost accumulations will slide off cleanly When loosened by a slight increase in the temperautre of the wall members.

The improved unit is particularly well adapted for defrosting by .the use of the heated liquids or gases readily available in refrigerating systems. TheY liquid or gaseous defrosting, medium is simply introduced into the chamber provided between the side wall members while the circulation of refrigerant through the channels 12 is temporarily interrupted. For this purpose

suitable ports

15 and 16 are provided in one of the end members, in this instance, the end member 11 (Fig. 2) for introducing and withdrawing the defrosting medium.

To produce a unit of high efficiency and yet maintain manufacturing costs low, I prefer to utilize as side wall members commercially available cooling plates with the refrigerant channels 12 formed directly therein. Such plates, commonly known in the art as platecoils, are made up of two metal sheets, one of which is formed with a groove `of serpentine or other suitable conguration for delining theV continuous refrigerant passage or channel 12. The other sheet is assembled in overlying relation to the first sheet to :close the open side of the groove, and the sheets are rigidly and permanently joined together by Welding, brazing, or otherwise.

As shown in Fig. 2, the side wall members, whether platecoils or other comparable cooling plates, are generally rectangular in form and dimensioned to present a heat exchange surface of substantial area. While the upper edges of the two members may be Welded together, if desired, I have found it preferable to join them by means of a V-shaped top member S. This may be a simple sheet metal stamping of the same length as the side wall members and having its legs dimensioned and bent to overlap the upper edges of the wall members for welding or brazing thereto so as to provide a fluidtght joint.

As the side wall members diverge toward their lower edges, the bottom member 9 is made substantially Wider than the top member 8. Preferably, this bottom member is a V-shaped metal stamping formed with inbent flanges 17 along the upper edge of each leg. These flanges may be telescoped between the side members 6 and Welded or brazed to the lower edges of the members. It will be apparent that the side, top and bottom members when assembled in the above manner define a hollow box of trapezoidal section in a vertical plane.

The end members 10 and 11 which close the ends of the chamber are simple sheet metal stampings shaped to overlie the ends of the companion members to which they are attached by welding or brazing. To Provide access to the ports 13 and 14 of the refrigerant channels 12, the end members are apertured for the reception of nipples 1S and 19 respectively inserted in the ports 13 and 14 and welded or brazedV to the adjacent channelforming structure. i

In the particular unit illustrated, end member 1Q is formed with apertures for accommodating the nipples 19 leading from the outlet ports 14 of the respective iside wall members.' Similarly, end member 11 is formed with apertures 21 for accommodating the nipples 18 leading from the inlet ports 13. Suitable gaskets of packing may be provided between the nipples and the end members to prevent leakage, or alternatively, the nipples may be welded or brazed to the end members. Nipples 22 and V23 inserted in the

ports

15 and 16 and welded to the member V11 provided for convenient attachment to the refrigerating system for circulating defrosting medium through the interior of the unit.

When installed in a refrigerating system, two cooling plates of the unit may be connected in parallel. Thus the nipples 18 for the refrigerant channel inlets are connected by elbows 24, short lengths of tubing 25, and a T-iitting 26 with a refrigerant supply conduit 27. Similarly, the nipples 19 for the channel outlets 14 are connected by elbows 28, short lengths of tubing 29, and a T-tting 3@ to the suction line 31 of the refrigerating system.

The unique shape of the cooling-unit makes it particularly suitable for Vfreezing thin sheets or cakes of ice or for cooling liquids by direct Contact. The'liquid to be frozen or Achilled is directed over both cooling plates in a thin uniform lm by a suitable header 32 adjacent the upper end of the unit. This header may conveniently comprise a piece of pipe or tubing split longitudinally along one side as at'33 and spread apart so as to straddle the tl-shaped top .member 8 ofV the unit as shown in Fig. l. To provide an outlet of uniform cross-sectional area fromthe header, the'edges may be formed with spaced projections 34 adapted to bear against the top member. it will be understood, of course, that one end of the header is closed while the other is connected by suitable piping Ywith the liquid circulating system.

It will beV apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides a refrigerating unit of novel and advantageous constructon, particularly suitable for chilling liquids and gases by direct contact. Thin sheets or slabs of ice may be quickly and efficiently produced by the unit and removal of the sheet of ice or frost accumulations on the side plates is effected quickly by a momentary application of a liquid or gaseous defrosting medium. Since s Y 4 the improved unit effectively segregates the defrosting rnedium from the refrigerant and from the substance being chilled, heated water or hot gases readily available in refrigerating systems can be conveniently used for defrosting purposes.

I claim as my invention:

l. A refrigerating unit comprising, in combination, a pair of sheet metal side wall members of substantial area disposed in oppositely inclined intersecting planes, means dening a continuous channel intimately and continuously associated with the inner face of each member and disposed so as to chill the entire surface of Ythe member suiiciently to form ice on its outer face when a re frigerant is circulated through the channel, top, bottom and end members assembled with and joined to said side members to deline a liquid-tight chamber between the side members completely isolated from said channel, said top and bottom members comprising V-shaped metal stampings having their edge portions joining the respective upper and lower edge portions of the side members in a continuous liquid-tight joint, a header supported adjacent the top member for directing liquid to be cooled over the sidewall members in a relatively thin lm, one of said end members having inlet and outlet ports communicating with said chamber for introducing and withdrawing therefrom la uid defrosting medium eective to raiseftheY temperature of the members above the freezing pointsaid Yside wall members presenting smooth, steeply sloping outer faces from which accumulated ice can fall freely upon introduction off the defrosting medium to said chamber. n,

2. A refrigerating unit as defined in claim lin which each of the side Wall members comprises a pair of relatively thin metal sheets secured together in face-to-face relation, one of said sheets' being suitably grooved to dene the refrigerant channel.

.3. A'refrigerating unit as dened in claim l in which one of the end members is apertured to provide for connection ofthe ends of thel refrigerant channel with a refrigerant circulating system.

References Citedin the tile of this patentV UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,937,804 Barnum Dec. 5, 1933 2,271,648 Kleist Feb. 3, 1942 2,288,003 Kleucker June 30, 19.42 2,682,155 Ayres' June 29, 1954 2,683,359 Green July 13, 1954 2,724,246 Lowe Nov. 22, 1955 2,729,070

Ames Ian. 3, 1956