To understand the working of an ice making plant, it is necessary to understand its working mechanism. There are several components in an ice making plant. These parts include the electric box, Porous tank, and Refrigerant. To better understand the mechanisms, let us examine them in detail. Besides, you should also be aware of the components that make up the ice-making process. To make it easier for you to understand how the machine works, we will discuss each of them one by one.

Refrigerant

Ice plants are large commercial factories that produce a large volume of ice in large sizes. The process of ice making is the same as that used in a domestic refrigerator, except that the ice making process is more complex. The ice-making process is a combination of two steps. In the first step, water is cooled by coming into contact with a low-temperature environment and is then frozen. In the second step, water is cooled by passing through a secondary circuit. The cooled brine is circulated through a heat exchanger, while the water in the secondary circuit is cooled by evaporation. In the final step, a water economy stop prevents wet ice from being discharged.

Flake Ice Machine

Once the ice-making process is completed, it is conveyed to the dock side. A continuous operation without a harvest cycle decreases the refrigeration capacity per ton of ice. The process of flake icemaking uses a lower evaporating temperature than other types of icemakers. This results in an ice that freezes rapidly, resulting in a white to opaque appearance.

Block ice maker

Block ice makers have four basic types. These machines make chunks of ice by filling galvanized iron cans or molds with water. The ice blocks are then submerged in a secondary coolant, usually a solution of sodium or calcium chloride, which helps to maintain the temperature. The size and shape of these blocks vary depending on their density. These ice blocks can vary in thickness from 1mm to 15mm. They are also available in colored or milky white varieties.

The Block ice maker working mechanism is similar to that of a commercial ice machine. Indirect refrigeration is used when the refrigerant can leak and affect the product. The ice making process is identical in direct and indirect block ice machines. The size and thickness of the ice block depends on its use. Industrial block ice is usually five to fifty kilograms in weight. There are several ways to adjust the size and thickness of the ice blocks.

Electric box

The electric box is a key component of the ice making plant's working mechanism. It houses multiple relays, contactors, and PLC controllers. The assembled electrical box is safer, more reliable, and more convenient to maintain than a circuit board. The electrical box also contains a solenoid valve that regulates the flow and pressure of refrigerant. Small and large ice makers have very different structures.

An auxiliary water valve on the ice making plant automatically enters the water storage tank and is connected to a splitter head. The splitter head evenly distributes the water on the freezing wall of the ice maker. When the water inside the box reaches the freezing point, the motor activates and rotates a gear attached to a long plastic shaft. An ejector blade is connected to the shaft and scoops out the ice cubes. The ice cubes are sucked out of the mold as one unit.

Porous tank

The porous tank ice making plant works on the principle of circulation. The water is pumped into the reservoir through the replenishment valve, which then passes it through the flow control valve to a diverter head, which sprays the water onto the ice surface. As water passes through the diverter head, it is cooled down to freeze point and the evaporating water flows back to the water reservoir. The cycle of circulation then repeats itself.

When the water falls on the crusher mechanism, it grinds it into fine flakes. Some ice flakes may be irregular in shape. Then, the refrigerator system ejects the flakes into the harvesting basket. When the ice is finished, the water that formed during the flake ice making process passes back to the reservoir tank. This prevents wet ice from being discharged.

Scraper mechanism

In an ice making plant, a scraping device is used to remove melted ice from the inner surface of a cylindrical vessel. These devices have sharp edges and are connected to a support by clamping nuts. The devices are mounted at right angles to the cylindrical vessel and scrape the ice that has accumulated on it. They can also be equipped with deflector plates that direct melted ice away from the center of the mac and into the hopper.

A scraper mechanism in an ice making plant may be equipped with a cover disposed above the ice collecting channel and water tank. A pressure sensing switch connected to the drive motor interrupts further harvesting of ice to prevent the ice from being compacted in the channel and around the auger. Various sensors may be used in a scraper mechanism to prevent this problem. The scraper mechanism is a key component of a frozen product dispenser.