An ice machine for an ice-based thermal storage system comprises a plurality of pillow plates arranged in a plate bank, wherein each of the plurality of pillow plates includes an inlet connection and an outlet connection, with the respective inlet connections connected to a feed header, and with the respective outlet connections connected to a suction header. A water distribution pan is positioned at a top of the plate bank, and a tank is positioned below the plate bank. As an evaporator, the ice machine causes ice to form on the pillow plates, which then falls into the tank. As a condenser, the ice machine transfers heat to water flowing over the pillow plates, such that water at an increased temperature falls into the tank and melts the ice in the tank.

A flow-type ice maker including substrate, an ice-making part configured by a refrigerant pipe connected to a refrigerator and through which a refrigerant circulates in an airtight manner, an ice-making rack supporting the refrigerant pipe and including an ice mold formed along an outer periphery of the refrigerant pipe, an ice-making water flow part joined to an upper part of the ice-making rack and allowing ice-making water to flow into the ice-making rack, and an ice-separating member to rotating around a direction parallel to the axis center of the refrigerant pipe to separate ice formed in the ice mold, and an ice-making water feed pipe feeding ice-making water to the ice-making water flow part. The refrigerant pipe has a curved part; and an outer periphery of a pipe made of any one of copper and aluminum is covered with stainless steel.

A flow-type ice maker including substrate, an ice-making part configured by a refrigerant pipe connected to a refrigerator and through which a refrigerant circulates in an airtight manner, an ice-making rack supporting the refrigerant pipe and including an ice mold formed along an outer periphery of the refrigerant pipe, an ice-making water flow part joined to an upper part of the ice-making rack and allowing ice-making water to flow into the ice-making rack, and an ice-separating member to rotating around a direction parallel to the axis center of the refrigerant pipe to separate ice formed in the ice mold, and an ice-making water feed pipe feeding ice-making water to the ice-making water flow part. The refrigerant pipe has a curved part; and an outer periphery of a pipe made of any one of copper and aluminum is covered with stainless steel.

Methods of operating an ice maker with an exposed refrigerant tube. In one example, the method can include providing a water stream to an ice formation cell of an ice formation tray. A refrigerant tube can freeze a portion of the water stream in order to make an ice piece layer. An ejector can pry the ice piece layer away from the ice formation cell. The ejector can be configured to rotate about an axis.

Methods of operating an ice maker with an exposed refrigerant tube. In one example, the method can include providing a water stream to an ice formation cell of an ice formation tray. A refrigerant tube can freeze a portion of the water stream in order to make an ice piece layer. An ejector can pry the ice piece layer away from the ice formation cell. The ejector can be configured to rotate about an axis.

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system and a controller. The refrigeration system includes a freeze plate in which ice is formed and a hot gas valve for harvesting the ice therefrom. A harvest sensor is triggered when at least a portion of the ice is harvested from the freeze plate and at least one temperature sensor measures a temperature that indicates that all of the ice has been harvested from the freeze plate. The temperature sensors may include a temperature sensor for measuring the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator outlet, the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator inlet, and/or the temperature of the freeze plate. The controller closes the hot gas valve in response from the triggering of the harvest sensor and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor(s) indicating that all of the ice has been harvested from the freeze plate.

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system and a controller. The refrigeration system includes a freeze plate in which ice is formed and a hot gas valve for harvesting the ice therefrom. A harvest sensor is triggered when at least a portion of the ice is harvested from the freeze plate and at least one temperature sensor measures a temperature that indicates that all of the ice has been harvested from the freeze plate. The temperature sensors may include a temperature sensor for measuring the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator outlet, the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator inlet, and/or the temperature of the freeze plate. The controller closes the hot gas valve in response from the triggering of the harvest sensor and the temperature measured by the temperature sensor(s) indicating that all of the ice has been harvested from the freeze plate.

A cross-connected refrigeration system includes a first refrigeration subsystem and a second refrigeration subsystem that are fluidly coupled by a header, each of the first refrigeration subsystem and the second refrigeration subsystem including a refrigeration loop including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, and a heating loop including an electrically-controlled valve, and the evaporator, and a header connection that connects the refrigeration loops and the heating loops of the first refrigeration subsystem and the second refrigeration subsystem to a common header, respectively. The compressor in the first refrigeration subsystem is selectively deactivated and the electrically-controlled valve in the first refrigeration subsystem is selectively opened such that compressed gas from the compressor in the second refrigeration subsystem enters the heating loop of the first refrigeration subsystem and heats the evaporator of the first refrigeration subsystem.

An ice making assembly includes an ice mold defining a mold cavity and a refrigeration loop having an evaporator in thermal communication with the ice mold. A compressor is operably coupled to the refrigeration loop for circulating a flow of refrigerant through the refrigerant loop to cool the evaporator and the ice mold. After ice is formed, a flow regulating device may divert a portion of the flow of refrigerant around the condenser through a bypass conduit to slowly increase a temperature of the refrigerant within the evaporator to release formed ice from the ice mold while preventing thermal shock and cracking.

The disclosure relates to an Ice maker. Specifically, the disclosure relates to an ice maker having a circulating coolant fluid that is separate and distinct from the circulating refrigerant used to control the coolant's temperature in a hot coolant reservoir and a cold coolant reservoir.