WO2014189476A1

WO2014189476A1 - Apparatus for recirculating cold water in ice machines

Info

Publication number: WO2014189476A1
Application number: PCT/TR2014/000169
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hakan Isik ENZİLHAN
Original assignee: Enzi̇lhan Hakan Isik
Priority date: 2013-05-20
Filing date: 2014-05-16
Publication date: 2014-11-27

Abstract

Apparatus used in ice machines (120) with an integrated pump (120a) turning the water (130) received from mains or purification system into ice, wherein it comprises solenoid valve (30) that provides the intake of water (130) from mains or purification device into the apparatus; tank (10) in which the water (130) fills by the action of said solenoid valve (30); water level check device (50) that checks the water (130) level in said tank (10); electronic card (60) checking said solenoid valve (30) and pump motor (80) with regard to said water level check device (50); pump motor (80) for pumping the remaining water (130) in said tank (10) into ice machine (120); returning water pipe (90) that provides the return of unutilized water (130) in the ice machine (120) again into said tank (10).

Description

DESCRIPTION

APPARATUS FOR RECIRCULATING COLD WATER IN ICE MACHINES Technical Field

The invention relates to an apparatus used for water, electricity and time saving in ice machines. The invention particularly relates to an apparatus which provides conveyance of the unutilized water to the ice machine absorbing it by avoiding the discharge of the unutilized water following the ice making in the ice making machines using mains or purification water.

Prior Art

Use of ice for cooling food, beverage and other products started back in very first civilizations. By the start of mechanical cooling, the use of natural ice has come to an end. Production of artificial ice has become an important part of the industry. Basis of the ice production is provided by cooling. Based on the need, ice production is performed ranging from 5, 10 or 25 kg to 100-150 kg.

Thanks to the development of technology, ice machines function fully automatic. It is performed till reaching a ton of ice with a daily capacity starting from 25-50 kg. Ice is produced both in different sizes and forms. These are; cube ice, bracket type ice like thin films, and large rectangular shaped ones. There are crushing mechanisms for crushing ice cubes in some ice machines. Crushed and flat layer ice is used in restaurants and cafeterias for cooling and exhibiting salads and desserts.

In the present art, there exists an Ice Cube Creating Machine (1) with the number 2012/03559 (classification no: F25C 1/04). Said machine comprises one injection device (7) that is to supply water to multiple ice forming cells (9) located therein, at least one circulation pump (11) to supply the water received at least from one storage tank (15), which is to be converted to ice through at least one connection pipe (13) to the water injection device (7), and an access lid (21) that provides access to the storage section (19) where the formed ices are to be stored, and at least first connection means that are detachable from the machine (1), and are to be attached to said lid (21), injection device (7), and a part of said tank (15) where the water to be converted into ice is kept. Yet, the water supplying part in here is direct from the mains water or purified water, and temperature value of this water changes from 25 - 60 degrees based on the environment.

In present case, the ice machines absorb the heat of drinkable water and turn it into ice. They are named according to daily production amount (kg/day) in various capacities. Ice machines get a model capacity number according to the day/kg ice production amount that they produce in tests in laboratory conditions. It means that their label value is the amount which is the result of their ice production in one day with 15 C water and 21 C environmental (air) temperature. Considering the water and air temperature in our country where tropical category devices are produced and imported, it is nearly impossible to reach these temperatures.

Consequently, it has been made necessary to make a development in the technical field due to the abovementioned disadvantages and incapability of current solutions in terms of this subject

The Object of the Invention

The invention is created by being inspired from the present case, and aims to solve the abovementioned disadvantages.

The primary object of the invention is to avoid time and capacity loss that happens as the label values (external environment temperature 21 C and water temperature 15 C) of ice machines calculated in laboratory environment cannot be provided in real life.

An object of the invention is to avoid clean/purified water (3 tons / month to 20 tons / month) loss that is a few times more than its daily ice production being discharged to sewage during the production in present ice machines. Another object of the invention is to offer a device that enhances the ice production capacity of the ice machine to which it is attached.

Another object of the invention is to reduce water purification system costs for water passing through water purification system by avoiding unutilized water. Another object of the invention is to make it possible to utilize smaller ice machines or fewer ice machines based on the need by providing more ice production in unit of time with ice machines. Another object of the invention is to extend change intervals of system filter where water taken into machine is purified or reduce regeneration costs if it is a resinous system.

In order to achieve all the objects mentioned above and to be understood from the detailed description below, the present invention relates to an apparatus used in ice machines with an integrated pump turning the water received from mains or purification system into ice. Said apparatus comprises:

- The solenoid valve that provides the intake of water from mains or purification device into the apparatus,

Tank, in which the water fills by the action of said solenoid valve,

- Water level check device that checks the water level in said tank,

Electronic card checking said solenoid valve and pump motor with regard to said water level check device,

Pump motor for pumping the water in said tank into ice machine,

- Returning water pipe that provides the return of unutilized water in the ice machine again into said tank.

All the structural and characteristic features and all the advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following figures and detailed description written with reference to these figure. For this reason, it is necessary that the evaluation be done by taking these figures and detailed description into account.

Figures that Shall Assist in Understanding the Invention

Figure 1. It is schematic view of the Apparatus for Gaining Cold Water in Ice Machines according to the invention.

Figure 2. It is perspective view of the Apparatus for Gaining Cold Water in Ice Machines according to the invention. Figure 3. It is perspective view of the Apparatus for Gaining Cold Water in Ice Machines according to the invention. Description of Part References 10. Tank

20. Sediment filter

30. Solenoid valve

40. Upper intake pipe

50. Water level check device

60. Electronic card

70. Water pumping pipe

80. Pump motor

90. Returning water pipe

100. Overflow safety pipe

110. Discharging hose

120. Ice machine

120a. Ice machine pump

130. Mains- Purification water

140. Apparatus body

150. Polyurethane insulation By all manner of means, the drawings must not be scaled necessarily and the details that are not necessary to figure out the present invention may have been ignored. Apart from this, the elements that are at least substantially identical and that have substantially identical functions are shown via same numbers. Detailed Description of the Invention

Within this detailed description, the improvement according to the invention is described for better understanding the subject without any limiting effects. Figure 1 shows the schematic view of the water cooling device that provides gaining of cold water for ice machines according to the invention. When the ice machine (120) is operated, the water cooling device also starts to operate and drinkable water (130) received from the purification system or city mains water via the solenoid valve (30) into the tank (10) flows via upper intake pipe (40) onto the sediment filter (20) located on the top of the tank (10). The sediment filter (20) is used for blocking the sediment that is formed during the cooling process. Water (130) flowing from the sediment filter (20) starts to fill into the tank (10). Water (130) intake stops when desired level is reached by means of the check by the water level check device (50) and electronic card (60) on the apparatus. The electronic card (60) provides the management of water level check device (50), pump motor (80) and water solenoid valve (30). Water (130) to be taken into the ice machine is discharged via the water pumping pipe (70) from the residual device. There is no water (130) transfer to the ice machine (120) except for the apparatus. The pump motor (80) in the apparatus is present for pumping the water (130) in the tank (10) to the ice machine (120).

The apparatus is positioned into a frame (140) with a lidded structure in order to protect the water (130) in the tank (10) against dust and foreign matters. Furthermore, polyurethane insulation (150) is placed for decreasing the heat transfer between the outer frame (140) and tank (10).

The ice machines (120) without apparatus discharge drinkable cold water (130) with 0.3 °C in their reservoir to the drainage every time they produce ice, but thanks to this apparatus, purified and cooled water (130) is filled through the returning water pipe (90) into the tank (10) of the apparatus by the function of the ice machine pump (120a). The ice machine (120) takes the water (130) that it should get after dropping ice into its reservoir thanks to the electronic card (60) and pump motor (80). The tasks done are also done by the solenoid valve (30) on the device which are done by canceling the own solenoid valves of the ice machine (120). Following this, instead of trying to make ice by bringing the water (130) down to 0.3 °C that is received in 25-40 °C, it can make ice in a much shorter time thanks to the about +3 °C water pumped to the ice machine (120) from the device reservoir. In such a mechanism, the ice machine (120) reaches or even exceeds its label values providing energy, water and time saving. In case of a failure of water level check device (50), the water (130) to overflow is discharged without damaging the apparatus thanks to the overflow safety pipe (100) and discharging hose ( 10) connected to the tank (10).

Claims

1. An apparatus used in ice machines (120) with an integrated pump (120a) turning the water (130) received from mains or purification system into ice, characterized in comprising;

- A solenoid valve (30) that provides the intake of water (130) from mains or purification device into the apparatus,

- A tank (10), in which the water (130) fills by the action of said solenoid valve (30),

- A water level check device (50) that checks the water level in said tank (10),

- A pump motor (80) for pumping the water (130) in said tank (10) into ice machine (120),

- An electronic card (60) checking said solenoid valve (30) and pump motor (80) with regard to said water level check device (50),

- A returning water pipe (90) that provides the return of unutilized water (130) in the ice machine (120) again into said tank (10).

2. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising an upper intake pipe (40) that provides transfer of the water (130) taken via solenoid valve (30) into the tank (10).

3. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising a sediment filter (20) which is located in front of the tank (10) and provides blocking the sediment that forms during the cooling in the ice machine (120).

4. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising a water pumping pipe (70) that provides conveyance of the water (130) in the tank (10) to the ice machine (120) by means of the pump (80).

5. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising an apparatus frame (140) that protects the water (130) in the tank (10) against dust and foreign matters, and into which is the apparatus placed.

6. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising an overflow safety pipe (100) and a discharging hose (1 10) that provide discharging of the water (130) to overflow in case of a failure in the water level check device (50).

7. The apparatus for gaining cold water in ice machines according to Claim 1 , characterized in comprising polyurethane insulation (150) structure placed on the tank (10).