An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an ice formation device, and a condenser fan comprising a fan blade and a condenser fan motor for driving the fan blade. The water system supplies water to the ice formation device. The control system includes a controller adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a first speed in a forward direction when the ice maker is making ice and adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a second speed in a reverse direction when the ice maker is not making ice. Operating the condenser fan motor at the second speed in the reverse direction is sufficient to reduce the amount of dirt, lint, grease, dust, and/or other contaminants on or in the condenser.

An ice maker for forming ice having a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, an ice formation device, and a condenser fan comprising a fan blade and a condenser fan motor for driving the fan blade. The water system supplies water to the ice formation device. The control system includes a controller adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a first speed in a forward direction when the ice maker is making ice and adapted to operate the condenser fan motor at a second speed in a reverse direction when the ice maker is not making ice. Operating the condenser fan motor at the second speed in the reverse direction is sufficient to reduce the amount of dirt, lint, grease, dust, and/or other contaminants on or in the condenser.

A method may include selecting a first set of values for a first set of parameters of one or more hardware components of an ice-making machine; identifying a water temperature at a water inlet of the ice-making machine; identifying an ambient air temperature surrounding the ice-making machine; calculating a second set of parameters of the ice-making machine based on at least a portion of the first set of values, the water temperature and the ambient temperature, the second set of parameters corresponding to operation of the ice-making machine in a freeze mode in which liquid water is cooled by an evaporator; and calculating a third set of parameters based on at least a portion of the first set of values, the water temperature and the ambient temperature, the third set of parameters corresponding to operation of the ice-making machine in a harvest mode.

A method may include selecting a first set of values for a first set of parameters of one or more hardware components of an ice-making machine; identifying a water temperature at a water inlet of the ice-making machine; identifying an ambient air temperature surrounding the ice-making machine; calculating a second set of parameters of the ice-making machine based on at least a portion of the first set of values, the water temperature and the ambient temperature, the second set of parameters corresponding to operation of the ice-making machine in a freeze mode in which liquid water is cooled by an evaporator; and calculating a third set of parameters based on at least a portion of the first set of values, the water temperature and the ambient temperature, the third set of parameters corresponding to operation of the ice-making machine in a harvest mode.

A system and method for controlling ice-making and ice-separating of an ice maker is proposed. In the ice maker that is configured to change an ice-separating time so that ice is cleanly separated in accordance with a changed required icing when the required icing time is changed, the system and method count a consumed ice-making time when ice-making is performed, set a target ice-separating time longer than a predetermined reference ice-separating time when the consumed ice-making time is out of a reference time range, and control the ice maker to perform ice-separating for the set target ice-separating time by means of the controller.

An ice maker comprising a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The control system includes a controller comprising a processor and a water level sensor. The water level sensor is adapted to externally sense a capacitance corresponding to a sump water level. The controller is adapted to control the operation of the refrigeration system and the operation of the water system based upon the sump water level and to detect one or more failure modes of the water system based upon the sump water level.

An ice maker comprising a refrigeration system, a water system, and a control system. The control system includes a controller comprising a processor and a water level sensor. The water level sensor is adapted to externally sense a capacitance corresponding to a sump water level. The controller is adapted to control the operation of the refrigeration system and the operation of the water system based upon the sump water level and to detect one or more failure modes of the water system based upon the sump water level.

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.

Disclosed are various embodiments for systems, apparatus, and methods for making ice. According to some embodiments, a refrigerant tube is disposed within an ice formation cell. The ice formation cell receives a water stream, and the portion of the water stream makes direct contact with the refrigerant tube is frozen by the refrigerant tube. Thus, an ice piece is generated.

Disclosed are various embodiments for systems, apparatus, and methods for making ice. According to some embodiments, a refrigerant tube is disposed within an ice formation cell. The ice formation cell receives a water stream, and the portion of the water stream makes direct contact with the refrigerant tube is frozen by the refrigerant tube. Thus, an ice piece is generated.