Patent · US Expired

Method and device for the manufacture of an ice slurry

US4845954A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1988
Grant dateJul 11, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25C1/16
  • WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Ice is formed by allowing water to partially evaporate in a vacuum. The ice can then be removed and be collected for subsequent use. For the creation of the vacuum, means for reduction of the pressure are required. A vapor compressor may be used for suction and compression of the water vapor to a pressure which enables condensing on a cold surface without freezing occurring. To be able to manufacture ice in a vacuum without using an expensive water vapor compressor, a method and a device for the manufacture of an ice slurry include which several cooperating vacuum chambers (1, 2, 3) with cold surfaces (6, 7, 8) used in a plant without a water vapor compressor. In this plant fresh water is supplied to one of the vacuum chambers for defrosting thereof, the thermal energy of the fresh water being utilized for that purpose. The precooled water thus formed is supplied to the other vacuum chambers, in which they will then form ice. From the chambers the formed ice is brought via pumps (22, 23, 24) to a collecting vessel (26), in which the proportion of ice in the ice slurry, thus formed, is increased by separating ice and water. The water is returned to the chambers and the ice slurry is…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.