DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING AND STORING ICE

Abstract

The device comprises a closed, a heat-insulated storage tank with a water reservoir embedded inside, wherein a plurality of inner chambers are separated by horizontally mounted and spaced apart units with tubular heat exchangers, wherein each unit comprises two similar heat exchangers included in parallel the thermodynamic medium circuit through the inlet collectors (7.1) and the outlet collectors (8.2), wherein the inlet collectors (7.1) are connected with the outlet collectors (8.2) through the perpendicular tubular flow channels (5.1), wherein final sections (10.2) of the flow channel connections (5.2) to the outlet collector (8.2) are bent off the plate of the radiator (4) common for both exchangers by a dimension (e) greater than half the sum of the outside diameters of the inlet (7.1) and outlet collector (8.2), wherein the tubular nozzle distributors (11), having many nozzle orifices on the side, directed coaxially to the flow channels (5.1), are introduced to the inside of the inlet collectors (7.1).

Claims

1. The device for manufacturing and storing ice, in particular for cooling and air-conditioning systems, comprising a closed, a heat-insulated storage an (A) with a water reservoir (W) embedded inside having a plurality of inner chambers (K), separated by heat exchange units (1) horizontally mounted and at intervals above each other with tubular heat exchangers (2, 3) each of which is incorporated in parallel in the thermodynamic medium circuit of the heat pump through the inlet collector (7) and the outlet collector (8), in parallel position and connected through the perpendicular tubular flow channels (5) heat-welded together by the plate of the radiator (4), wherein the device is incorporated in the heat pump circuit (S, Wc, Zr) comprising the valve assembly (Z4) controlling the flow direction of the thermodynamic medium, characterized in that each heat exchange unit (1) consists of two identical heat exchangers incorporated in parallel in the heat pump circuit (S, Wc, Zr) of the exchangers (2, 3) having the final sections (10.1, 10.2) of the flow channel connections (5.1, 5.2) to the outlet collector (8.1, 8.2) bent off the radiator plate (9-9)determined by long, straight sections of the flow channels (5.1, 5.2) coming out from the inlet collector (7.1, 7.2)by a dimension (e) greater than half the sum of the outside diameters (d1, d2) of the inlet (7.1, 7.2) and outlet (8.1 8.2) collector, the neat exchangers (2, 3) being superposed so that the straight long sections of the flow channels (5.1, 52) alternate with each other in the plane of the radiator (9-9) and the inlet collectors (7.1, 7.2) in both heat exchangers (2, 3) are arranged above the outlet collectors (8.1, 8.2), wherein the tubular nozzle distributor (11), having many nozzle orifices (12) on the side, directed coaxially to the low channels (5), and whose diameters (d3) increase successively from the end of the thermodynamic medium supply is inserted longitudinally to the inside of each inlet collectors (7.1, 7.2).

2. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that each heat exchange unit (1) has an inter-collector insulating strip (14) inserted between the vertically adjacent inlet collector (7.1, 7.2) and the outlet collector (8.1, 8.2) in both exchangers (2, 3) and moreover, the surface between the outlet collectors (8.1, 8.2) in both heat exchangers (2, 3) is covered from the bottom by a counter-plate (6) made of waterproof material with a low thermal conductivity coefficient and it adheres to the flow channels (5.1, 5.2) and to the plate of the radiator (4).

3. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that in both exchangers (2, 3) of each heat exchange unit (1) the areas of vertically adjacent pairs of the inlet collector (7.1, 7.2) and outlet collector (8.2, 8.1) are longitudinally covered by the waterproof, edge thermal insulation (15).

Description

[0011] The solution of the device according to the invention is approximated by a description of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, the individual figures of which show:

[0012] FIG. 1general diagram of the device with the systems of connections with the remaining heat pump units,

[0013] FIG. 2diagram of the heat exchange unit,

[0014] FIG. 3unit in a perspective view,

[0015] FIG. 4vertical cross-section through the axis of the flow channel of the first exchanger,

[0016] FIG. 5the middle section of a vertical cross-section of an exemplary embodiment of a heat exchange unit according to a line A-A of FIG. 3,

[0017] FIG. 6vertical cross-section of the unit according to a line C-C of FIG. 3 through the axis of the flow channel of the first heat exchanger,

[0018] FIG. 7vertical cross-section of the unit according to a line D-D of FIG. 3 through the axis of the flow channel of the second heat exchanger,

[0019] FIG. 8vertical cross-section of the left side of the heat exchange unit, with a counter-plate and edge thermal insulation and

[0020] FIG. 9 a fragment depicting the formation of ice on the heat exchange unit.

[0021] The device for manufacturing and storing ice according to the invention, for example, can be used as a source of chilled water at a temperature of approximately 6 C., safe for the environment in the event of a leak. Ice made from water at night at the cost of cheaper electricity is stored in the device and then the cooling energy contained therein used during operating hours of the air conditioning installation. The device is embedded in the thermodynamic medium circuit of the heat pump composed of interconnected compressor S, the heat exchanger Wc, the expansion valve Zr and the device according to the invention. Depending on the direction of flow of the thermodynamic medium determined by the valve unit Z4, the device works in the phase of ice manufacturing as an evaporator and during de-icing in the condenser function. The device comprises a closed, a heat-insulated storage tank A with a water reservoir W embedded inside having a plurality of inner chambers K, separated by heat exchange units 1 horizontally mounted and at intervals above each other. Each heat exchange unit 1 consists of two tubular heat exchangers: first 2 and second 3, incorporated in parallel in the thermodynamic medium circuit. The exchangers 2 and 3 have parallel inlet collectors 7.1 and 7.2 and outlet collectors 8.1 and 8.2 and are connected through the perpendicular tubular flow channels 5.1 and 5.2. The outlet collectors 8.1 and 8.2 are located below the axis level of the inlet collectors 7.1 and 7.2 by a dimension e greater than half the sum of the outside diameters d1 and d2 of the inlet 7.1, 7.2 and outlet 8.1, 8.2 collector. With such arrangement the final sections 10.1 and 10.2 of the flow channel connections 5.1 and 5.2 to the outlet collector 8.1 and 8.2 are deflected from the straight long sections of the flow channels 5.1 and 5.2 coming out from the inlet collector 7.1, 7.2. The heat exchangers 2 and 3 are superimposed so that their straight long sections of the flow channels 5.1 and 5.2 are alternating with each other in one plane 9-9 and are heat-bonded to one common plate of the radiator 4. Inlet collectors 7.1 and 7.2 in both heat exchangers 2 and 3 are arranged above the outlet collectors 8.1 and 8.2 and the inter-collector insulating strips 14, eliminating the possibility of heat exchange are introduced into the gaps in-between them. The tubular nozzle distributor 11, having many nozzle orifices 12 on the side, directed coaxially to the flow channels 5 is inserted longitudinally to the inside of the inlet collectors 7.1 and 7.2. The diameters d3 of the nozzle orifices 12 increase successively from the end of the thermodynamic medium supply. The surface between the outlet collectors 8.1 and 8.2 of both exchangers 2 and 3 is covered from the bottom by a counter-plate 6 made of waterproof material, with a low thermal conductivity coefficient. Grooves for the flow channels 5.1 and 5.2 are performed in the counter-plate 6, which allows the counter-board 6 to adhere to the entire surface of the flow channels 5.1 and 5.2 and to the plate of the radiator 4. In each heat exchange unit 1 the areas of vertically adjacent pairs of the inlet collector 7.1 and 7.2 and outlet collector 8.2 and 8.2 are longitudinally covered by the waterproof, edge thermal insulation 15.

[0022] The operation of the device depends on the flow direction of the thermodynamic medium in the heat pump circuit, the direction which determines the position of the four-way valve Z4. In the ice manufacturing phase, the device works as an evaporator with the flow direction of the medium indicated in the diagram of FIG. 1 with arrows with a solid line, for the de-icing phase the direction is indicated by arrows with a dashed line. In both phases it is obvious that it is necessary to maintain a constant flow of the thermodynamic medium in the gas form through by the compressor Sp. In the ice manufacturing phase, compressed gas thermodynamic medium is directed from the compressor S to the heat exchanger Wc, where it condenses. Then, after passing through the expansion valve, Zr it is supplied to heat exchange units 1 in the device according to the invention, which operates as an evaporator. The evaporation of the medium is accompanied by the removal of heat from the water, which turns into ice 16 in the radiators 4. Further, already in gaseous form, the medium flows through the four-way valve Z4 sucked in by the compressor S. In the de-icing phase the compressed medium at a temperature of about 35 C. is directed by the four-way valve Z4 to the heat exchange units 1 of the device, where as a result of condensation it gives off heat by heating the plates of the radiator 4 while detaching the ice plates.

[0023] As the ice thickness increases, the rate of ice layers build-up on the radiator 4 decreaseswhich is accompanied by the pressure drop in the suction line of the compressor Sp. The change of the operating phases of the device is made by the control system not shown in the diagram of FIG. 1, which can determine the optimal moment of changing the setting of the four-way valve Z4 on the basis of the vacuum value in the suction line. The value of the vacuum for overloading the four-way valve Z4 should be correspondingly higher than the limit, lower suction pressure indicated by the manufacturer of the compressor.