Whether you run a bustling restaurant or manage a large social service organization, commercial ice machines are likely to be a key cog in your operation. However, behind his constant supply of ice and cold beverages to your operation often lies a question full of sustainability implications - do commercial ice machines use a lot of water? As commercial ice machines are inherently large, and fast and make a lot of ice, this article will reveal the truth about this pertinent question and provide insights that will equip you with the knowledge to choose your ice machine wisely and run it efficiently.
The process of making ice is fundamentally dependent on water - an essential ingredient for converting ice into ice. The first step before using one of our ice machines is also usually a water refilling operation, so it's obvious that a certain amount of water is required to run any ice machine. However, looking deeper into actual water usage, we have found that water consumption is highly dependent on a few key factors.
Work Of The Refrigeration System:
The main function of the refrigeration system of an ice machine is to cool and freeze the water through refrigerant circulation. Its working principle is based on the operation of the refrigeration system, which consists mainly of components such as the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigerant circulates through the system and achieves the cooling effect through four basic processes: compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. During this process, part of the water is converted into ice, while the other part is discharged as wastewater, as the operation of the refrigeration system results in the evaporation and condensation of water, which generates wastewater. Specifically:
(1) compression process: the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor into a high-pressure gas, this process absorbs a large amount of heat.
(2) condensation process: high-pressure refrigerant gas into the condenser, where heat is released and condensed into liquid.
(3) Expansion process: the condensed refrigerant liquid is throttled through the expansion valve, the pressure is reduced, and it becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant.
(4) Evaporation process: low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant into the evaporator, where it absorbs the heat of the water so that the water is cooled and frozen.
Ice machines utilize this refrigeration cycle process to cool and eventually freeze the water through the evaporator to form ice cubes. This process involves not only physical changes but also the transfer and conversion of heat, ensuring the efficient operation of the ice machine.
Water Circulation System:
The main purpose of the ice maker water circulation system is to promote refrigeration through the circulation of water for ice production. It allows the water to be continually circulated during the ice-making process to ensure uniform ice generation. This process is not 100% efficient in the use and recycling of water, so there is some water waste. There are several systems involved in the operation of an ice machine, with the water circulation system playing a key role. During the ice-making process, water enters the water reservoir or tank through the water intake system and is then pumped through the pump to the ice-making surface of the evaporator. Here, the water exchanges heat with the refrigerant, which absorbs the heat from the water and evaporates, thereby cooling the water. The cooled water then passes through the water recirculation system to the condenser for cooling, a process that is critical to ice production. By controlling the water temperature below freezing, the electronic control system keeps the water temperature stable, thus ensuring that the ice machine is able to produce ice consistently and efficiently.
In addition, the water circulation system involves the use of a cooling water cycle, which is a feed water system that uses water as the cooling medium. It consists of two types, open and closed, and consists mainly of cooling equipment, pumps, and pipework. After the cold water flows through the production equipment that needs to be cooled (such as heat exchangers, condensers, and reactors), the temperature rises, and if it is discharged directly and the cold water is used only once (called a DC cooling water system), it will increase the amount of cold water used significantly. Through the use of a cooling water circulation system, a large amount of industrial water can be saved, because after the warmed-up cold water flows through the cooling equipment, the temperature of the water will drop, and it can be pumped back to the production equipment to be used again, so as to realize the recycling of cold water and reduce the amount of water consumption.
Defrost System：
After an ice-making cycle is completed, if the ice or frost builds up inside the ice machine, its normal operation will be seriously affected, so the ice machine is usually equipped with a defrost function for the next ice-making, which is mainly realized in the following two ways:
(1) Time setting defrost: Users can set the time interval or frequency of defrost according to their needs. This means that the user can set the time for defrosting according to the actual situation, ensuring that the equipment is defrosted after a period of continuous work to avoid ice or frost build-up. The implementation of this approach relies on the setting options provided by the automatic freezer slicer, which can be adjusted by the user according to the specific needs of the equipment.
(2) Temperature-controlled defrosting: In addition to triggering defrosting through a time setting, the automatic freezer slicer can also automatically initiate defrosting based on changes in internal temperature. When the internal temperature of the equipment decreases to a specific degree, the defrost function will be automatically activated to melt the ice or frost inside the equipment, in order to maintain the normal operation of the ice machine and the quality of ice production.
It should be noted that the specific defrost settings and operation methods may vary depending on different ice machine models. Therefore, users should refer to the equipment's instruction manual or contact the equipment manufacturer for the most accurate instructions.
Selection Of Water Source For Ice Maker:
The choice of water for the ice machine mainly depends on the water quality. If the water quality is good and does not produce scale, tap water can be used directly. But if the water quality is poor, it is recommended to use pure water or install a water purifier. This is because poorer water quality is prone to scale in the ice-making process, and long-term accumulation will block the water holes, affecting the efficiency of ice-making and ice-making time, at the same time, the poor quality of water will also lead to whitening of the produced ice, the water content and cooling effect is greatly reduced. Therefore, in order to ensure the quality of ice and the efficiency of ice making, users may choose to install a water purifier on the ice machine, which not only ensures the quality of ice but also improves the efficiency of ice making.
In addition, water standards for ice machines are particularly important for food service industries such as milk tea shops. In recent years, there have been regulations suggesting that milk tea shops should use water that meets the national hygiene standards for domestic drinking water, or they may face fines. This suggests that as the industry develops and regulations are improved, higher requirements are being placed on the quality and safety of water used in ice machines.
In summary, in order to ensure the proper operation of ice machines, improve the efficiency of ice production, ensure the quality of ice cubes, and comply with relevant regulations, it is more appropriate to use purified water or install water purifiers to treat tap water.
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