Apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity includes a water supply unit configured to supply a salted water; a spraying unit connected to the water supply unit and configured to generate a pressurized salted water-air mist; an ice generating unit connected to the spraying unit and configured to generate ice nuclei; a collecting unit connected to the ice generating unit and configured to grow the size of the powdered ice and to collect the powdered ice; and a reserving unit connected to the collecting unit and configured to transfer and store the powdered ice.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice containing salinity, comprising: a water supply unit configured to supply a salted water; a spraying unit connected to the water supply unit and configured to generate a pressurized salted water-air mist; an ice generating unit connected to the spraying unit and configured to generate ice nuclei; an collecting unit connected to the ice generating unit and configured to grow the size of the powdered ice and to collect the powdered ice; and a reserving unit connected to the collecting unit and configured to transfer and store the powdered ice; wherein the collecting unit comprises: a funnel chamber connected to an the ice chamber and configured to collect the powdered ice; and a plurality of scrapers configured to detach the powdered ice on an inner surface of the funnel chamber; wherein the funnel chamber is formed as a cone shape to generate swirling air flow motion therein to move the powdered ice downward, and contains a plurality of holes located along an inner surface of a cone shape to evacuate the freezing air therein, and wherein the plurality of holes is formed to hold the powdered ice inside the funnel chamber and evacuate only the freezing air therein.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water supply unit comprises: a water tank configured to receive and store a water from a water source; a salt provider configured to insert salt into the water tank and maintain water salinity to be same as sea water; a heater attached to the water tank and configured to maintain the water temperature; and a supply pump attached to an outlet line of the water tank and configured to pressurize and transfer the salted water to the spraying unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spraying unit comprises: an air compressor connected to an inlet line of the spraying unit configured to supply a compressed air therein; a smoke generator connected the inlet line of the spraying unit configure to supply a smoke therein; and a spraying nozzle connected to an end of the inlet line of the spraying unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the spraying unit generates and provides the pressurized salted water-air mist into the ice generating unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ice generating unit comprises: an ice chamber configured to house the spraying nozzle; a freezing unit configured to provide a freezing air into the ice chamber and maintain the freezing temperature of the ice chamber; and a splatting wall attached inside the space of the ice chamber and configured to disperse the pressurized salted water-air mist sprayed from the spraying nozzle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ice chamber has an air inlet to flow the freezing air therein; and wherein the splatting wall is set to an angle in the flow direction of the pressurized salted water-air mist to effectively generate the ice nuclei.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reserving unit comprises: a feeder connected to an end of the collecting unit and configured to transfer the powered ice; and a cooling storage connected an end of the feeder and configured to store the powdered ice and maintain the freezing temperature to prevent ice meltage.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the spraying unit is coated with fluoropolymer to generate smooth spraying of the pressurized salted water-air mist and prevent powdered ice adhesion thereon.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein inner surface of the ice generating unit and the collecting unit are shaped and coated with fluoropolymer to prevent powdered ice adhesion thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurized salted water-air mist is formed as a plurality of fine particles to generate an ice nuclei.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of particles from a smoke generator is used to form the ice nuclei faster.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the reserving unit is coated by anti-condensation material to prevent melting of the powdered ice due to water from condensation thereon.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be intended to limit its scope, the disclosure will be described with specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plane view of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

(4) FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the ice generating unit and the collecting unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of the ice generating unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

(6) FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the collecting unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;

(7) FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the reserving unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that inventive concept may be readily implemented by those skilled in the art. However, it is to be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative embodiments but can be realized in various other ways. In the drawings, certain parts not directly relevant to the description are omitted to enhance the clarity of the drawings, and like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the whole document.

(9) Throughout the whole document, the term comprises or includes and/or comprising or including used in the document means that one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or the existence or addition of elements are not excluded in addition to the described components, steps, operations and/or elements.

(10) Throughout the whole document, the term on that is used to designate a position of one element with respect to another element includes both a case that the one element is adjacent to the another element and a case that any other element exists between these two elements.

(11) Further, the term about or approximately or substantially are intended to have meanings close to numerical values or ranges specified with an allowable error and intended to prevent accurate or absolute numerical values disclosed for understanding of the present disclosure from being illegally or unfairly used by any unconscionable third party. Through the whole document, the term step of does not mean step for.

(12) Hereinafter, illustrative embodiments will be described in detail.

(13) In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, FIG. 1 is a plane view of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity, FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice, FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the ice generating unit and the collecting unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity, FIG. 4 is a front view of the ice generating unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity, FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the collecting unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity, and FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the reserving unit of the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity.

(14) Firstly, in accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the apparatus for manufacturing powdered ice with salinity (10) (the powder ice manufacturing apparatus (10) hereafter) is described in detail.

(15) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the powder ice manufacturing apparatus (10) includes a water supply unit (100), a spraying unit (200), an ice generating unit (300), a collecting unit (400), and a reserving unit (500). The powdered ice may be formed to snow-like shape, but is not limited thereto.

(16) The water supply unit (100) supplies the water of which the temperature and salinity are controlled.

(17) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the water supply unit (100) includes a water tank (110) configured to receive and store a water from a water source, a salt provider (120) configured to insert salt into the water tank (110) having a predetermined salt concentration, a heater (140) attached to the water tank (110) and configured to maintain the water temperature at predetermined value inside the water tank, and a supply pump (150) attached to an outlet line of the water tank (160) and configured to pressurize and transfer the salted water to the spraying unit (200).

(18) Another possible configuration of the water supply unit (100) may include a stirring tank (130) to separate the water from the water source such that the water tank (110) temporarily stores the water and the stirring tank (130) controls the water in terms of the salinity and temperature through the salt from the salt provider (120) and the temperature of the water by the heater (140) attached to the stirring tank (130). In other words, the stirring tank (130) receives water from the water tank (110) and receives the salt from the salt provider (120) to generate the water having a predetermined salt concentration, preferably same salt concentration as seawater. At this time, the stirring tank (130) is heated to a predetermined temperature, preferably 40 C. by the heater (140) so that the salt can be dissolved in the water smoothly. Further, the water having a predetermined salt concentration generated in the stirring tank (130) can be supplied to the spraying unit (200) through the supply pump (150).

(19) The water supply unit (100) may further includes a nano-bubble generator to manufacture the powdered ice more effectively.

(20) Referring FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the spraying unit (200) generates and provides a pressurized salted water-air mist into the ice generating unit (300).

(21) The spraying unit (200) includes an air compressor (220) connected to an inlet line of the spraying unit (205) configured to supply a compressed air therein, a smoke generator (230) connected the inlet line of the spraying unit (205) configure to supply a smoke therein, and a spraying nozzle (210) connected to an end of the inlet line of the spraying unit (205).

(22) Specifically, the spraying unit (200) sprays the pressurized water from the water supply unit (100) and the air from the air compressor (220) simultaneously into the ice generating unit (300).

(23) The water and the air is formed as the pressurized salted water-air mist through the spray nozzle (210). The pressurized salted water-air mist is formed as a plurality of fine particles to generate an ice nuclei. Also, a plurality of particles from the smoke generator (230) is used to form the ice nuclei faster.

(24) An inner surface of the spraying unit (300) is coated by fluoropolymer to generate smooth spraying of the pressurized salted water-air mist and prevent ice adhesion thereon.

(25) Referring FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, the ice generating unit (300) and the collecting unit (400) are disclosed in detail.

(26) The ice generating unit (300) comprises an ice chamber (310) configured to house the spraying nozzle (210), a freezing unit (320) configured to provide a freezing air into the ice chamber (310) and maintain the freezing temperature inside the ice chamber, and a splatting wall (330) attached inside the space of the ice chamber (310) and configured to disperse the pressurized salted water-air mist sprayed from the spraying nozzle (210).

(27) A room to house ice generating unit (300) may have a space formed therein with a heat insulating material so that freezing air is not leaked to the outside.

(28) The freezing unit (320) includes an outdoor condensing unit (322) to cool the inside of the ice chamber (310) and a freezer (321) that supplies the air cooled from the outdoor condensing unit (322) to the ice chamber (310). The freezing unit (320) is controlled to maintain the ice chamber (310) at a temperature of 30 C.

(29) The ice chamber (310) has a cooling air inlet (350) to flow the freezing air therein. The pressurized salted water-air mist sprayed into the ice chamber (310) can be formed into ice nuclei by the freezing air flowed through the cooling air inlet (350).

(30) The ice chamber (310) may be formed in a cylindrical shape. In addition, the spray nozzle (210) may be positioned so that the pressurized salted water-air mist is sprayed to be parallel to the tangent of the peripheral surface of the ice chamber (310). Accordingly, the pressurized salted water-air mist sprayed from the spray nozzle (210) collides with the splatting wall (330) installed at an angle in the flow direction of the pressurized salted water-air mist to effectively generate the ice nuclei in the ice chamber (310). [0045] the collecting unit (400) comprises a funnel chamber (410) connected to the ice chamber (310) and configured to grow and collect the powdered ice, and a plurality of scrapers (430) configured to detach the powdered ice on an inner surface of the funnel chamber (410).

(31) Inside the funnel chamber (410), the ice nuclei generated in the ice chamber (310) can be grown into the powdered ice.

(32) The funnel chamber (410) is formed as a cone shape to generate swirling air flow motion therein to move the powdered ice downward and includes a plurality of holes (421) (shown in black colored area in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3) located along an inner surface of a cone shape, and a plurality of scrapers (430) for scraping the powdered ice generated on the surface of the funnel chamber (410).

(33) In addition, the plurality of holes (421) is formed to hold the powdered ice inside the funnel chamber (420) and evacuates only the freezing air therein.

(34) Illustratively, the plurality of holes (421) is formed so that air and ice can be separated by the cyclone swirling effect. In addition, the plurality of scrapers (430) can move the powdered ice downward by scraping them on the inner surface of the funnel chamber (410) without clogging the plurality of holes (421).

(35) In FIG. 5, the collecting unit (400) further includes a scraper motor (432), a rotating shaft (433) connected to the scraper motor (432). A plurality of link portions (434) formed so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to connect the plurality of scrapers (430). The plurality of scrapers (430) may be made of a soft material so that the plurality of the holes (421) is not damaged.

(36) An inner surface of the ice generating unit (300) and the collecting unit (400) is coated with a fluoropolymer so that the generated powdered ice is prevented from adhering to thereon.

(37) Referring to FIG. 6, the reserving unit (500) can transfer and store the generated powdered ice from the collecting unit (400).

(38) In detail, the reserving unit (500) includes a feeder (510) connected to an end of the collecting unit (400) and configured to transfer the powered ice, and an ice storage (520) at an end of the feeder (510) and configured to store the generated powdered ice.

(39) The reserving unit (500) may further include a refrigeration system (530). The refrigeration system (530) can freeze the inside of the reserving unit (500). Illustratively, the refrigeration system (530) is driven such that the ice storage (500) is maintained at a temperature of 5 C. In addition, the refrigeration system (530) may be used from the freezing unit (320) of the ice chamber (300) or separately installed inside the reserving unit (500).

(40) The discharging device (550) may discharge the powdered ice stored in the storage (540) to the outside.

(41) An inner surface of the reserving unit (500) is coated by anti-condensation material to prevent melting of the powdered ice due to any water from condensation thereon.

(42) The above description of the illustrative embodiments is provided for the purpose of illustration, and it would be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without changing technical conception and essential features of the illustrative embodiments. Thus, it is clear that the above-described illustrative embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure. For example, each component described to be of a single type can be implemented in a distributed manner. Likewise, components described to be distributed can be implemented in a combined manner.

(43) The scope of the inventive concept is defined by the following claims and their equivalents rather than by the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments. It shall be understood that all modifications and embodiments conceived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents are included in the scope of the inventive concept.