ICE PLANT TRAINER

INTRODUCTION

In early days, ice was the only means for producing cold. Although mechanical refrigeration have
replaced many of usages of ice now a days, Still ice is used or many purposes for e.g. short term
preservation of foods or in cold beverages etc.

This Ice plant trainer uses ice cans system. The cans filled with fresh water are kept in a tank in which
brine is circulated. The brine is cooled by refrigeration system which in turns cools the water in cans and
ice formation takes place.

WORKING

The ice plant works on vapour compressor refrigeration cycle. In ice plant the tank are filled with chilled
brine. The brine temperature is maintained at -10 degree celsius . In ice plant the function of expansion
valve is to expand the refrigerant coming out from a receiver to low pressure. Then it enter the
evaporator where evaporator vaporize the liquid refrigerant from expansion valve by extracting heat
from brine and hence brine gets cooled and it is recirculated to water tank containing 'ice can' to absorb
heat of water to freeze it and make ice. Then the vaporized refrigerant is compress by the compressor to
high pressure and temperature above the atmospheric which will ready to dissipates its heat in the
condenser. In condenser refrigerant is condensed by water and the refrigerant give up the heat which is
absorbed in the evaporator. This heat is transferred to water which is used as cooling medium in
condenser.

COMPONENTS

1) Compressor: It sucks low pressure refrigerant vapour from evaporator and compresses it to high
temperature and pressure. This ice plant uses Hermetically sealed compressor.

2) Condenser: The superheated high pressure refrigerant discharged from compressor is condensed to
liquid in air cooled condenser. The tubes of condenser are provided with fins on outside to improve heat
transfer rate.

3) Expansion valve: The high pressure liquid refrigerant is throttled through expansion device where its
pressure is reduced. Plant uses Thermostatic Expansion valve.

4) Evaporator: The metered liquid refrigerant is admitted through expansion valve to evaporator. The
evaporator is made up of copper tube suitable length bend in suitable shape and is dippedin brine. The
refrigerant during evaporation absorbs heat from brine solution. The brine is circulated in tank with help
of brine agitator. The agitator is a motor driven impeller. The ice cans are made out of galvanized sheet
and proper arrangement is made to dip the cans in brine tank. The fresh water is added in all cans and
then all cans are arranged in tank properly . The water from cans is at higher temp than brine so it loses
heat energy to brine which in turn is absorbed by refrigerant circulated through evaporator and
gradually formation of ice takes place. The ice cans are provided with taper on both side so ice block can
easily removed from cans.

5) Accumulator : This is used for extra storing of refrigerant.

6) Charging Valve : Thie is used to introduce refrigerant in the accumulator in case when the amount of
refrigerant required in the system is large than the amount stored in accumulator.

T1 : Condensing inlet Temperature

T2 : Condensing outlet Temperature

T3 : Evaporator inlet Temperature

T4 : Evaporator outlet Temperature

T5 : Brine Temperature

PRECAUTIONS :

i) Run the unit in good ventilated space.

ii) Please check level of brine in tank before starting plant.

iii) Before loading ice cans , ensure that the brine temp. is 0 0C & then load ice cans.

iv) Do not frequently open the door of brine tank.

v) Do not run plant empty for long time.

vi) Always use the soft water.

vii) Start the plant once in a week.

viii) Operates all switches gently