Working principle of ice machine

Introduction to the working principle

The refrigerant is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas by the compressor, cooled by the condenser, liquefied into medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid, and after being throttled by the throttling system, it flows to the evaporator and evaporates in its pipeline. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from the surrounding environment to freeze the water, then flows back to the compressor through the return pipe, and is compressed and discharged. This cycle makes the water freeze until the ice reaches a certain thickness.

The refrigerant is compressed into high-temperature and high-pressure gas in the compressor and discharged, and then directly enters the evaporator through the heating pipe, so that the temperature of the evaporator increases, and the ice falls off the evaporator under the combined action of the refrigerant and the supplementary water. After completing the ice-making process once, continue to repeat until all the ice in the refrigerator is piled up, and the ice-making process is suspended. After taking out the ice, the ice maker continues the above cycle.

Ice-making process

After the machine is powered on, the indicator light is on, the water pump and the drainage solenoid valve are powered on for a few seconds (the specific time can be set), and the remaining water in the water tank is discharged, thereby ensuring that the water used for ice making is fresh and clean. When draining water, the hot air valve is also energized, and the electronic control board detects whether the refrigerator is full of ice cubes. If the ice cubes are not full, the compressor is started, the condenser cooling fan is started at the same time, the water pump and drain valve are turned off, the water inlet solenoid valve is opened, and the ice making state is entered.

During the entire ice making and de-icing process, the compressor always keeps running. The hot air valve is closed after the compressor starts for a few seconds. The compressor precools the ice chamber (evaporator) for a few seconds and then starts the water pump. The water level detector contacts the water in the water tank for a few seconds (when the water level detector contacts the water, the controller water level indicator lights up) or the water inlet valve is closed after continuous water inflow for a few minutes. Under the action of the water pump and water separator, the water flows evenly through the compartments of the freezer. As ice cubes are formed, the water level drops and the water level indicator goes out. At this time, water will be replenished once until the water level detector contacts the water for a few seconds to ensure that there is enough water to make ice.

During the ice making process, the electronic control board will continuously detect the temperature of the condenser. Once its temperature exceeds its set temperature, the condenser cooling fan will be started to rapidly reduce its temperature.

It is worth mentioning that the condenser cooling fan and compressor of some ice makers are controlled by the same contactor, and a pressure switch is connected in series in the main circuit of the condenser cooling fan as the start and stop control of the condenser fan. When the condensing pressure is higher than about 1.7MPa, the condenser fan starts, and when it is lower than about 1.4MPa, the condenser fan stops.

2. Deicing process

When the ice thickness detector contacts the water flow (not ice) for a few seconds, the water pump works, the drain solenoid valve opens, and the water in the sink is drained (the drainage time can be selected by the drainage time switch on the panel). After draining according to the set time, the water inlet solenoid valve, the drain solenoid valve, and the water pump are closed, and the entire deicing process is no longer in action. When the drainage starts, the hot gas valve opens, and the hot refrigerant vapor flows into the evaporator, heating the ice cubes on the surface of the evaporator. The ice cubes slide into the ice storage room in blocks under the action of gravity, and the box switch is turned on to end the deicing process, and then enter the ice making state again.