Question

How does a commercial ice machine exactly work? Take Hoshizacki for example (MODEL KM-515MWH and MODEL KML-600MWH). They have both water-cooled and air-cooled models that make ice. I want to know how these machines work mechanically during a cycle to create ice. How should the time vs. kW graph look for a cycle? Can you label the diagram to show which parts are working during each phase? How would you also figure out how efficient machine is?

Answer 1

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Ice machine -  

In air-cooled, internal condenser surrounding air is pulled by fans and vents. Compression of the refrigerant heats up the circulated air around the condenser coils . Hot air is thrown out out of the ice machine cabinet by heat transfer of circulated air, which heats up already hot environment of a eg. commercial kitchen

Water-cooled condenser uses water coils to transfer the heat from the condenser coils. Water is brought into the cabinet by waterline. The water circulates through the system and removes the heat. This hot water is drained out. For surrounding air temperatures are typically around 90 degrees Fahrenheit water cooled is better option.

The mechanism of working is -

A gaseous refrigerant is made to flow through small coils and this heats up coil due to pressurized gas. The refrigerant is released into larger tubes when gas is heated upto required temprature. This creates condensation. The gas within the coils becomes a liquid. Double flushing system is featured after condensation is taken in stainless steel evaporator. Water needs to be constantly running over the surface of the evaporator and is made sre by reservoir. Water is cooled down to freezing after it reaches a desired level. water is also filtered. The process stops when water reaches a certain point in the evaporator and now harvesting cycle begins now the valve makes the switch and ice cubes are put in dispenser and this process continous.

Efficiency can be measured by energy spend on a per-unit-ice basis i.e lower this energy more is the efficiency for practical purposes The Federal Energy Management Program provides ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements for air-cooled, internal condenser and no product go out of this law.