WO2019177548A1

WO2019177548A1 - Ice-making apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2019177548A1
Application number: PCT/TH2018/000010
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kittiya BUASUANG
Original assignee: Siam Compressor Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Siam Compressor Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-03-16
Filing date: 2018-03-16
Publication date: 2019-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-16

Abstract

An ice-making apparatus includes a container (1) to which water for ice making is supplied. The container includes a plurality of first partition plates (10) spaced apart from each other, a plurality of second partition plates (20) spaced apart from each other, and intersecting with the plurality of first partition plates, and a base plate (40). The plurality of first partition plates and the plurality of second partition plates are arranged on the base plate to form a plurality of ice-making cells (60). At least one of or all of the plurality of first partition plates is formed of a flat perforated pipe (10A) having a flat sectional shape and a plurality of through holes (11) through which refrigerant flows.

Description

Title of Invention

ICE-MAKING APPARATUS

Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to an ice-making apparatus.

Background Art

[0002]

There has been known an ice-making apparatus that uses, as a part of a container of the ice-making apparatus, heat transfer pipes through which refrigerant flows to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing through the heat transfer pipes and water supplied to the container, to thereby cool and freeze the water to make ice (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). The container disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a main body and a base plate. The main body has a plurality of ice-making cells passing through in one direction. The base plate is fixed to the main body and closes one open end of each of the plurality of ice-making cells. The base plate includes the heat transfer pipes and a pair of headers. The heat transfer pipes are each formed of a flat perforated pipe. The pair of headers are each connected to a corresponding one of both ends of the heat transfer pipes. The flat perforated pipe is connected to the headers in such an orientation that flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipe are parallel to axial directions of the headers, and one of the flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipe serves as one side of the ice making cells. Consequently, the flat surface is brought into direct contact with the water in the ice-making cells to make the ice in the icemaking cells.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 62-

293070 Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

[0004]

In Patent Literature 1, there is disclosed a structure in which only one of the two flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipe that are opposed to each other is brought into contact with the water and the other one of the flat surfaces is not brought into contact with the water. Consequently, on the flat surface side that is not brought into contact with the water, the refrigerant flowing through the flat perforated pipe exchanges heat with air around the flat surface and does not contribute to water cooling. Thus, heat of the refrigerant is needlessly rejected. As a result, there is a problem in that ice making time required to make ice increases to increase power consumption.

[0005]

The present invention has been made in view of the problem described above and has an object to provide an ice-making apparatus having enhanced heat exchange efficiency between refrigerant flowing through a heat transfer pipe and water in ice-making cells to reduce ice-making time and power consumption.

Solution to Problem

[0006]

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an ice-making apparatus including a container to which water for ice making is supplied. The container includes a plurality of first partition plates spaced apart from each other, a plurality of second partition plates spaced apart from each other, and intersecting with the plurality of first partition plates, and a base plate. The plurality of first partition plates and the plurality of second partition plates are arranged on the base plate to form a plurality of ice-making cells. At least one of or all of the plurality of first partition plates is formed of a flat perforated pipe having a flat sectional shape and a plurality of through holes through which refrigerant flows.

Advantageous Effects of Invention [0007]

According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least one of or all of the plurality of first partition plates that each form one side of the ice-making cells is formed of the flat perforated pipe. Two flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipe are both used as surfaces that form two sides of the ice-making cells. Thus, the ice-making time and the power consumption can be reduced.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0008]

[Figs. 1] Figs. 1 are external views of an ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, in which Fig. 1(a) is a view of ice-making cells as seen from the top, and Fig. 1(b) is a view as seen from a side opposite to Fig. 1(a).

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating a state in which second partition plates are being mounted to a heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a flat perforated pipe of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a diagram for illustrating a refrigerant circuit included in the ice- making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a view for illustrating Modification Example 1 of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a view for illustrating Modification Example 2 of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Description of Embodiments

[0009]

Embodiment 1

Figs. 1 are external views of an ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 1(a) is a view of ice-making cells as seen from the top. Fig. 1(b) is a view as seen from a side opposite to Fig. 1(a). Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view for illustrating a state in which second partition plates are being mounted to a heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a flat perforated pipe of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

The ice-making apparatus includes a container 1 to which water for ice making is supplied. The container 1 includes a plurality of first partition plates 10, a plurality of second partition plates 20, a pair of headers 30, and a base plate 40. The plurality of first partition plates 10 are spaced apart from each other. The plurality of second partition plates 20 are spaced apart from each other and intersect with (here, orthogonal to) the plurality of first partition plates 10.

[0010]

Each of the first partition plates 10 is formed of a flat perforated pipe 10a that is a heat transfer pipe through which refrigerant flows. The flat perforated pipe lOa is formed to have a flat sectional shape as illustrated in Fig. 4 and has a plurality of through holes 1 1 through which the refrigerant flows. The flat perforated pipe 10a has two flat surfaces 12 opposed to each other. Each of the flat perforated pipes lOa has both end portions that are inserted into the pair of headers 30 in such an orientation that the flat surfaces 12 are orthogonal to an axis 30a of each of the headers 30 (see Fig. 1) to be fixed to the pair of headers 30. The first partition plates 10, each being formed of the flat perforated pipe lOa, and the pair of headers 30 form a heat exchanger 50 (see Fig. 2). Consequently, the container 1 is formed of the heat exchanger 50, the base plate 40, and the second partition plates 20. During ice making, the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 50 evaporates to cause the container 1 to act as an evaporator. [0011]

Each of the second partition plates 20 is formed of a rectangular plate that is elongated in one direction, and has slits 21. The number of slits 21 is equal to the number of the flat perforated pipes lOa, which are the first partition plates 10. The flat perforated pipes lOa are each inserted into corresponding ones of the slits 21 of the second partition plates 20 under a state in which the flat perforated pipes lOa and the second partition plates 20 intersect with each other at right angles. The flat perforated pipes lOa and the second partition plates 20 are joined to each other by brazing or other methods. Then, an assembly of the heat exchanger 50 and the second partition plates 20 is fixed onto the base plate 40. As a result, a plurality of ice-making cells 60, each having a cubic shape or a cuboidal shape, are formed on the base plate 40. In this case, the first partition plates 10 and the second partition plates 20 are arranged to intersect with each other at right angles. However, the present invention is not limited to this arrangement. For example, the first partition plates 10 and the second partition plates 20 may be arranged to obliquely intersect with each other corresponding to a desired ice shape.

[0012]

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

As described above, the heat exchanger 50 includes the pair of headers 30. Each of the headers 30 is formed of, for example, a cylindrical pipe and has two closed end portions. An inlet-outlet pipe 31 is connected to an outer peripheral surface of each of the headers 30. Further, a plurality of insertion holes 32, each having a shape similar to an outer shape of each of the flat perforated pipes lOa, are formed in each of the pair of headers 30, and the plurality of insertion holes 32 are spaced apart from each other. The end portions of each of the flat perforated pipes lOa are inserted into the headers 30 through the insertion holes 32. Then, the flat perforated pipes lOa and the headers 30 are joined to each other by welding, brazing, or other methods. The interval between the insertion holes 32 is determined corresponding to an ice size. In the following description, the headers 30 in pair are sometimes distinguished from each other, and one of the headers 30 is called as“header 30A” and the other one is called as“header 30B”. [0013]

Refrigerant is supplied from a refrigerant circuit to the heat exchanger 50 of the container 1 having the configuration described above.

[0014]

Fig. 6 is a diagram for illustrating the refrigerant circuit included in the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

The ice-making apparatus includes a refrigerant circuit 70 through which the refrigerant circulates. The refrigerant circuit 70 includes a compressor 71, a four-way valve 72 configured to switch a direction of flow of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 71, the heat exchanger 50 that is a first heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device 73, and a heat exchanger 74 that is a second heat exchanger. For ice making, the flow of the refrigerant is switched by the four-way valve 72 to a direction indicated by the solid lines in the four-way valve 72 in Fig. 6 to cause the heat exchanger 50 to act as the evaporator. During ice removal, the flow of the refrigerant is switched to a direction indicated by the dotted lines in the four-way valve 72 in Fig. 6. Consequently, during the ice removal, the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 50 condenses to cause the container 1 to act as a condenser.

[0015]

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the heat exchanger of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Fig. 7, the arrows indicate the flow of the refrigerant.

The refrigerant flowing into the header 30A through the inlet-outlet pipe 31 connected to the header 30A is split inside the header 30A to flow into one end portions of the flat perforated pipes lOa. The refrigerant flowing into the one end portions of the flat perforated pipes lOa is caused to flow into the other end portions of the flat perforated pipes 10a and then merge inside the header 30B. Then, the merged refrigerant is discharged to the refrigerant circuit 70 from the inlet-outlet pipe 31 connected to the header 30B.

[0016]

For ice making in the ice-making apparatus having the configuration described above, the flow of the refrigerant is switched by the four-way valve 72 to the direction indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 6 to circulate the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit 70. As a result, the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 50 evaporates to cause the container 1 to act as the evaporator. After the refrigerant is discharged from the compressor 71, the refrigerant is cooled in the heat exchanger 74 and decompressed in the pressure reducing device 73 into low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant. Subsequently, the low- temperature and low-pressure refrigerant flows into the flat perforated pipes lOa. The water supplied to the ice-making cells 60 exchanges heat with the refrigerant flowing through the flat perforated pipes 10a to be deprived of heat of evaporation by the refrigerant. As a result, the water is cooled and frozen. In this manner, ice is made in the ice-making cells 60.

[0017]

In Embodiment 1 , the two flat surfaces 12 of each of the flat perforated pipes lOa are both used as surfaces that form two sides of the ice-making cells 60. Consequently, the two flat surfaces 12 are both brought into contact with the water in the ice-making cells 60. Thus, cooling energy can be transferred from the refrigerant flowing through the flat perforated pipes lOa to the water inside the ice-making cells 60 through both the two flat surfaces 12. Consequently, the ice-making apparatus according to the present invention can reduce icemaking time and power consumption in comparison to the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 1 in which only one of the flat surfaces 12 is brought into contact with the water to contribute to ice making.

[0018]

Then, during the ice removal, the four-way valve 72 is switched as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6 to circulate the refrigerant through the refrigerant circuit 70. As a result, the refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 50 condenses to cause the container 1 to act as the condenser. High-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 71 flows into the flat perforated pipes 10a. As a result, the ice in the ice- making cells 60 is provided with heat of condensation through the heat exchange with the refrigerant flowing through the flat perforated pipes 10a and is heated, to thereby be removed from the container 1. At least during the ice removal, the container 1 is arranged horizontally such that the base plate 40 is located upward, or the container 1 is arranged obliquely such that the base plate 40 is located upward. [0019]

A method of supplying the water to the ice-making cells 60 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, any one of the following methods.

(1) After the container 1 is arranged horizontally such that the base plate 40 is located downward, water is supplied from above.

(2) A water supply port is formed in the base plate 40 for each of the ice-making cells 60 and is closed with a stopper. Then, after the container 1 is arranged horizontally such that the base plate 40 is located downward, the stoppers are removed, and water is supplied from the water supply ports.

(3) After the container 1 is arranged horizontally such that the base plate 40 is located upward, the openings of the ice-making cells 60 are covered with a lid. Then, after a water supply port is formed in the base plate 40 for each of the ice-making cells 60, water is supplied from each of the water supply ports. During the ice removal, the lid is removed.

(4) After the container 1 is arranged horizontally such that the base plate 40 is located upward, water is supplied by spraying water to the ice-making cells 60 from below ln this case, ice is gradually increased in size inside the ice-making cells 60 by supplying water while the water is not accumulated in the ice-making cells 60.

(5) After the container 1 is arranged vertically water is supplied by spraying water to the ice-making cells 60 from a lateral side of the container 1. Even in this case, ice is gradually increased in size inside the ice-making cells 60 by supplying water while the water is not accumulated in the ice-making cells 60.

[0020]

The water supplied as described above starts freezing from a portion being in contact with the flat surface 12 of the flat perforated pipe lOa to make ice.

[0021]

As described above, according to Embodiment 1, the flat perforated pipes lOa are used as the partition plates, and the two flat surfaces 12 of each of the flat perforated pipes lOa are both used as the surfaces that form two sides of each of the ice-making cells 60. Consequently, the two flat surfaces 12 of the flat perforated pipe lOa are both brought into direct contact with the water to contribute to the ice making. Thus, in comparison to the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 1 in which one of the two flat surfaces 12 is brought into contact with air to cause heat exchange between the refrigerant and the air, the two flat surfaces 12 are both brought into contact with the water to cause heat exchange between the refrigerant and the water. Consequently, heat exchange efficiency can be improved. As a result, time to complete ice making can be reduced, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0022]

Further, the flat perforated pipes lOa are connected to the headers 30 in such an orientation that the flat surfaces 12 of the flat perforated pipes 10a perpendicularly intersect to the axes 30a of the headers 30. Consequently, in comparison to the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 1 , the following effects are obtained. In the configuration disclosed in Patent Literature 1 , the flat perforated pipes are connected to the headers in such an orientation that the flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipes are parallel to the axes of the headers. Thus, when the container 1 having the same size as that of Embodiment 1 is formed to have the structure disclosed in Patent Literature 1 using the flat perforated pipes 1 Oa illustrated in Fig. 1, the plurality of flat perforated pipes 10a are arranged in parallel so that the flat surfaces 12 are flush with each other to form the base plate 40.

[0023]

In this case, the number of flat perforated pipes lOa used for the base plate 40 is limited to a number obtained by dividing an axial length of each of the headers 30 by a length 1 (see Fig. 4) of each of the flat perforated pipes 10a in a direction in which the through holes 11 are arranged in parallel. Meanwhile, with the structure of Embodiment 1 , a larger number of the flat perforated pipes 10a than the number of flat perforated pipes lOa used for the structure of Patent Literature 1 can be connected to the headers 30. Thus, when the container 1 having the same size is formed, a flow rate of refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger 50 can be increased in the structure of Embodiment 1 in comparison to the structure disclosed in Patent Literature 1. Even from this point of view, with the structure of Embodiment 1 , the ice making can be performed within a shorter period of time and with lower power consumption in comparison to the structure disclosed in Patent Literature 1.

[0024] The structure of the ice-making apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the structure described above, and various modification examples can be implemented, for example, as follows without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0025]

(Modification Example 1)

Fig. 8 is a view for illustrating Modification Example 1 of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In Fig. 1 and other drawings referred to above, all the plurality of first partition plates 10 are each formed of the flat perforated pipe 10a. Meanwhile, in Modification Example 1, some of the plurality of first partition plates 10 are each formed of the flat perforated pipe 10a, whereas the other ones are each formed of a plate 10b having a rectangular shape. More specifically, the flat perforated pipes 10a and the plates 10b are used alternately as the plurality of first partition plates 10. As illustrated in Fig. 8, both end portions of each of the plates 10b are joined to the outer peripheral surfaces of the headers 30 without being inserted into the headers 30.

[0026]

Even when the ice-making apparatus has the configuration described above, the ice can be made using both the two flat surfaces 12 of each of the flat perforated pipes 10a. Thus, the ice making can be performed within a short period of time and with low power consumption.

[0027]

(Modification Example 2)

Fig. 9 is a view for illustrating Modification Example 2 of the ice-making apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Fig. 9, the arrows indicate the flow of the refrigerant.

In Fig. 1 and other drawings referred to above, one of the two inlet-outlet pipes 31 is connected to the header 30A, whereas the other one is connected to the header 30B such that the refrigerant flows in the heat exchanger 50 in one direction from the header 30A to the header 30B. Meanwhile, in Modification Example 2, both the two inlet-outlet pipes 31 are provided to the header 30A, while partition plates 80 each having a disc-like shape are provided inside each of the headers 30A and 30B. The partition plates 80 are joined not to form a gap between outer peripheral surfaces of the partition plates 80 and inner peripheral surfaces of the headers 30. A direction of the flow of the refrigerant is determined at positions of the partition plates 80. In Modification Example 2, the refrigerant flows between the headers 30A and the header 30B while turning back and forth as indicated by the arrows.

[0028]

Even when the ice-making apparatus has the configuration described above, the same effects as those described above can be obtained. In the configuration in which one of the two inlet-outlet pipes 31 is provided to the header 30A and the other one is provided to the header 30B, the partition plates 80 each having a disc-like shape may be provided inside each of the headers 30A and 30B such that the refrigerant flows between the header 30A and the header 30B while turning back and forth.

Reference Signs List

[0029]

I container

10 first partition plate

lOa flat perforated pipe

10b plate

I I through hole

12 flat surface

20 second partition plate

21 slit

30 header

30A header

30B header

30a axis

31 inlet-outlet pipe

32 insertion hole

40 base plate 50 heat exchanger

60 ice-making cell

70 refrigerant circuit

71 compressor

72 four-way valve

73 pressure reducing device

74 heat exchanger

80 partition plate

Claims

[Claim 1]

An ice-making apparatus, comprising a container to which water for ice making is supplied,

the container including

a plurality of first partition plates spaced apart from each other,

a plurality of second partition plates spaced apart from each other, the plurality of second partition plates intersecting with the plurality of first partition plates, and

a base plate,

the plurality of first partition plates and the plurality of second partition plates being arranged on the base plate to form a plurality of ice-making cells,

at least one of or all of the plurality of first partition plates being formed of a flat perforated pipe having a flat sectional shape and a plurality of through holes through which refrigerant flows.

[Claim 2]

The ice-making apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the container including a pair of headers spaced apart from each other, wherein both end portions of the flat perforated pipe are each inserted into a corresponding one of the both end portions to be fixed, and

wherein the flat perforated pipes and the pair of headers form a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between water in the plurality of ice-making cells and the refrigerant.

[Claim 3]

The ice-making apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flat perforated pipe is connected to the pair of headers in such an orientation that flat surfaces of the flat perforated pipe intersect perpendicularly to axes of the pair of headers. [Claim 4]

The ice-making apparatus of claim 2 or 3, further comprising a refrigerant circuit through which the refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit including a compressor, a four-way valve, a first heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device, and a second heat exchanger,

wherein the first heat exchanger is formed of the heat exchanger using the flat perforated pipe, and

wherein the four-way valve is configured to switch a direction of flow of the refrigerant so that the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger evaporates to make ice in the plurality of ice-making cells during ice making, and the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger condenses to remove ice made in the plurality of ice-making cells from the container during ice removal.