Thermally conductive ice-forming surfaces incorporating short-duration electro-thermal deicing
First Claim
1. An ice making machine comprising:
- a thermally conductive plastic evaporator assembly comprising an array of ice forming surfaces;
a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on said ice forming surfaces and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said evaporator assembly to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said surfaces.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ice making machine comprising: a thermally conductive plastic or aluminum evaporator assembly comprising an array of ice forming surfaces; a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source; and a controller that during a freeze mode operates the water supply and the refrigerant supply to form ice on the ice forming surfaces and during a harvest mode operates the electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy (e.g., pulsed energy) to the evaporator assembly to melt an interfacial layer of the ice such that it is freed from the surfaces. Alternatively, the thermally conductive plastic or aluminum evaporator can include freezing tubes with resistance energy deicing (e.g., pulsed energy) or shell and tube type evaporators with pulsed energy deicing.
42 Citations
57 Claims
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1. An ice making machine comprising:
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a thermally conductive plastic evaporator assembly comprising an array of ice forming surfaces;
a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on said ice forming surfaces and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said evaporator assembly to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises a thermally conductive plastic evaporator assembly comprising an array of ice forming surfaces, a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on said ice forming surfaces; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said evaporator assembly to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
- a thermally conductive plastic base portion and an electrical resistance heater, wherein said heater is affixed to a surface of said thermally conductive plastic base portion, such that said heater is disposed between said ice and said base portion.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An ice making machine comprising:
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an evaporator assembly comprising at least one freezing tube and at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator plates, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator plates;
at least one refrigerant conduit disposed within said thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator plates;
a water supply in communication with an inlet port of said freezing tube;
a refrigerant supply in communication with said refrigerant conduit;
an electrical energy source in communication with said freezing tube; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube or to a heater disposed about said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises an evaporator assembly comprising at least one freezing tube and at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator plates, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator plates, a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said interior surface of said freezing tube. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
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at least one freezing tube;
at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator plates, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator plates;
a refrigerant conduit disposed substantially within said evaporator plate; and
an energy source connected to or disposed about said freezing tube for applying electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube or to a heater disposed about said freezing tube, thereby melting an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An ice making machine comprising:
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an evaporator assembly comprising at least one freezing tube and at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator segments, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator segments;
at least one refrigerant conduit disposed substantially perpendicularly through said thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator segments;
a water supply in communication with an inlet port of said freezing tube;
a refrigerant supply in communication with said refrigerant conduit;
an electrical energy source in communication with said freezing tube; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube or to a heater disposed about said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises an evaporator assembly comprising at least one freezing tube and at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator segments, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator segments, a water supply, a refrigerant supply and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said interior surface of said freezing tube. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
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at least one freezing tube;
at least two thermally conductive plastic or metal evaporator segments, wherein said freezing tube is disposed between oppositely disposed evaporator segments;
a refrigerant conduit disposed substantially perpendicular to said evaporator segments; and
an energy source connected to or disposed about said freezing tube for applying electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube or to a heater disposed about said freezing tube, thereby melting an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. An ice making machine comprising:
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an evaporator assembly comprising a freezing tube, a shell disposed about said freezing tube, a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of said freezing tubes, and refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell;
a water supply in communication with an inlet port of said freezing tube;
a refrigerant supply in communication with said refrigerant inlet port;
an electrical energy source in communication with said freezing tube; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises an evaporator assembly comprising a freezing tube, a shell disposed about said freezing tube, a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of said freezing tube, and refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell, a water supply, a refrigerant supply connected to said refrigerant inlet port, and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said interior surface of said freezing tube. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
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a freezing tube;
a shell disposed about said freezing tube;
a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of said freezing tube; and
refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell; and
an energy source connected to or disposed about said freezing tube for applying electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube, thereby melting an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. An ice making machine comprising:
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an evaporator assembly comprising a plurality of freezing tubes, a shell disposed about said freezing tubes, a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of each said freezing tubes, and refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell;
a water supply in communication with an inlet port of each said freezing tube;
a refrigerant supply in communication with said refrigerant inlet port;
an electrical energy source in communication with each of said freezing tubes; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tubes and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tubes to melt an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises an evaporator assembly comprising a plurality of freezing tubes, a shell disposed about said freezing tubes, a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of each said freezing tubes, and refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell, a water supply, a refrigerant supply connected to said refrigerant inlet port, and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tubes; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tubes to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said interior surface of said freezing tubes. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
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a plurality of freezing tubes;
a shell disposed about said freezing tubes;
a plurality of insulating rings disposed at spaced apart longitudinal locations about the length of each said freezing tubes; and
refrigerant inlet and outlet ports disposed within a sidewall of said shell; and
an energy source connected to or disposed about said freezing tubes for applying electrical resistance energy to said freezing tubes, thereby melting an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tubes such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. An ice making machine comprising:
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an evaporator assembly comprising a helical tube, said helical tube comprising a freezing tube and at least one refrigerant conduit disposed about said freezing tube;
a water supply in communication with an inlet port of said freezing tube;
a refrigerant supply in communication with refrigerant conduit;
an electrical energy source in communication with said freezing tube; and
a controller that during a freeze mode operates said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube and during a harvest mode operates said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A method of making ice with an ice making machine that comprises an evaporator assembly comprising a helical tube, said helical tube comprising a freezing tube and at least one refrigerant conduit disposed about said freezing tube, a water supply, a refrigerant supply connected to said refrigerant conduit, and an electrical energy source, said method comprising:
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during a freeze mode operating said water supply and said refrigerant supply to form ice on an interior surface of said freezing tube; and
during a harvest mode operating said electrical energy source to apply electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube to melt an interfacial layer of said ice such that it is freed from said interior surface of said freezing tube. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. An evaporator assembly for forming ice, said assembly comprising:
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a helical tube, said helical tube comprising a freezing tube and at least one refrigerant conduit disposed about said freezing tube; and
an energy source connected to or disposed about said freezing tube for applying electrical resistance energy to said freezing tube, thereby melting an interfacial layer of said ice formed on said interior surface of said freezing tube such that it is freed from said interior surface. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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Specification