An ice maker (100) includes an ice-making water tank (10), a water storage tank (20), a pipe assembly, a reversing member (40), and a driving member (50). The pipe assembly comprises a first branch pipe (310), a second branch pipe (320), and a third branch pipe (330). The first branch pipe (310) is connected to the water storage tank (20). The second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) are separately connected to the ice-making water tank (10). The reversing member (40) is separately connected to the three branch pipes to control two of the branch pipes to be communicated and the rest one of the branch pipes to disconnected. The driving member (50) is connected to the third branch pipe in series. During ice making, the reversing member (40) controls the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) to be communicated and controls the first branch pipe (310) to be disconnected. The driving member (50) operates to drive the water to circulate among the ice-making water tank (10), the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330).

An ice maker (100) includes an ice-making water tank (10), a water storage tank (20), a pipe assembly, a reversing member (40), and a driving member (50). The pipe assembly comprises a first branch pipe (310), a second branch pipe (320), and a third branch pipe (330). The first branch pipe (310) is connected to the water storage tank (20). The second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) are separately connected to the ice-making water tank (10). The reversing member (40) is separately connected to the three branch pipes to control two of the branch pipes to be communicated and the rest one of the branch pipes to disconnected. The driving member (50) is connected to the third branch pipe in series. During ice making, the reversing member (40) controls the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330) to be communicated and controls the first branch pipe (310) to be disconnected. The driving member (50) operates to drive the water to circulate among the ice-making water tank (10), the second branch pipe (320) and the third branch pipe (330).

An ice making system includes: a tank that stores a medium to be cooled; an ice making machine that cools the medium and makes ice; a pump that circulates the medium between the tank and the ice making machine; a de-icing mechanism that performs a de-icing operation of heating and melting the medium in the ice making machine; and a control device that controls operations of the ice making machine, the pump, and the de-icing mechanism. The ice making machine includes: a cooling chamber in which the medium is cooled; a blade mechanism that rotates in the cooling chamber and disperses the ice; a detector that detects a locked state of the blade mechanism; and a first temperature sensor that is disposed at a discharge port of the cooling chamber and detects a temperature of the medium discharged from the cooling chamber.

An ice making system includes: a tank that stores a medium to be cooled; an ice making machine that cools the medium and makes ice; a pump that circulates the medium between the tank and the ice making machine; a de-icing mechanism that performs a de-icing operation of heating and melting the medium in the ice making machine; and a control device that controls operations of the ice making machine, the pump, and the de-icing mechanism. The ice making machine includes: a cooling chamber in which the medium is cooled; a blade mechanism that rotates in the cooling chamber and disperses the ice; a detector that detects a locked state of the blade mechanism; and a first temperature sensor that is disposed at a discharge port of the cooling chamber and detects a temperature of the medium discharged from the cooling chamber.

An ice making system includes: a tank that stores a medium to be cooled; an ice making machine that cools the medium and makes ice; a pump that circulates the medium between the tank and the ice making machine; a de-icing mechanism that performs a de-icing operation of heating and melting the medium in the ice making machine; and a control device that controls operations of the ice making machine, the pump, and the de-icing mechanism. The ice making machine includes: a cooling chamber in which the medium is cooled; a blade mechanism that rotates in the cooling chamber and disperses the ice; a detector that detects a locked state of the blade mechanism; and a first temperature sensor that is disposed at a discharge port of the cooling chamber and detects a temperature of the medium discharged from the cooling chamber.

An ice making system includes: a tank that stores a medium to be cooled; an ice making machine that cools the medium and makes ice; a pump that circulates the medium between the tank and the ice making machine; a de-icing mechanism that performs a de-icing operation of heating and melting the medium in the ice making machine; and a control device that controls operations of the ice making machine, the pump, and the de-icing mechanism. The ice making machine includes: a cooling chamber in which the medium is cooled; a blade mechanism that rotates in the cooling chamber and disperses the ice; a detector that detects a locked state of the blade mechanism; and a first temperature sensor that is disposed at a discharge port of the cooling chamber and detects a temperature of the medium discharged from the cooling chamber.

Disclosed is an ice making device that is able to selectively make ices having different transparencies from each other. The ice making device includes: an ice making chamber including an ice making container to accommodate ice making water therein; a cooler configured to supply cool air to the ice making chamber to cool the ice making water; an ice making fan configured to circulate the supplied cool air; an ice making heater configured to supply heat to the ice making water when the ice making water is cooled; and a controller configured to control at least one of the cooling unit, the ice making fan and the ice making heater to adjust a rate of change of temperature of the ice making container to generate one of two types of ice having different transparency. The ice making device may adjust the rate of change of temperature of the ice making container to have the transparency desired by a user.

A method for continuously producing a flowable, pumpable, cooled mass or cooling mass, in particular for use as foodstuffs and food products and/or for foodstuffs and food products made of a flowable base mass, including the following steps: filling a housing with the flowable base mass; cooling the flowable base mass by bringing it in contact with a heat exchanger device disposed in the housing while stirring the base mass so as to generate the pumpable, cooled mass or cooling mass, wherein, when a layer, and in particular an ice layer, forms on the heat exchanger device, cooling is interrupted as soon as the layer, and in particular the ice layer, reaches a predetermined thickness, and cooling is continued as soon as the layer drops below the predetermined thickness, wherein the base mass and/or the mass is moved radially outwardly along the heat exchanger surfaces during stirring, and a force is transmitted for stirring from outside the housing to the inside, without contact and without apertures through the housing. The invention further relates to an air conditioning method, to a cooling mass production device, to an energy system, and to a use therefor.

A method for continuously producing a flowable, pumpable, cooled mass or cooling mass, in particular for use as foodstuffs and food products and/or for foodstuffs and food products made of a flowable base mass, including the following steps: filling a housing with the flowable base mass; cooling the flowable base mass by bringing it in contact with a heat exchanger device disposed in the housing while stirring the base mass so as to generate the pumpable, cooled mass or cooling mass, wherein, when a layer, and in particular an ice layer, forms on the heat exchanger device, cooling is interrupted as soon as the layer, and in particular the ice layer, reaches a predetermined thickness, and cooling is continued as soon as the layer drops below the predetermined thickness, wherein the base mass and/or the mass is moved radially outwardly along the heat exchanger surfaces during stirring, and a force is transmitted for stirring from outside the housing to the inside, without contact and without apertures through the housing. The invention further relates to an air conditioning method, to a cooling mass production device, to an energy system, and to a use therefor.

A refrigeration appliance includes an ice maker is disposed within a freezer compartment. The ice maker includes a water fill assembly for conveying water from a source of pressurized water to an ice tray. The water fill assembly includes a water fill tube fluidly connected to the source of pressurized water. A removable fill and heater assembly includes a plate disposed above the ice tray of the ice maker. The plate has an opening positioned above the ice tray. A shroud extends from an upper surface of the plate and has an inlet end fluidly communicating with the water fill tube. An outlet end of the shroud directs water into the ice tray in a predetermined direction. A heating element is disposed on the upper surface of the plate for applying heat to the plate to maintain a portion of the plate at a temperature in excess of 0 C.