Flow-down type ice making machine and operation method therefor

Abstract

An ice making machine includes a freezing cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, a pressure reducing valve, an evaporator, and the compressor are successively coupled, and a melting cycle in which the compressor, the evaporator, and the compressor are coupled through hot-gas introduction tubes, and the freezing cycle and the melting cycle are switchable therebetween. The ice making machine includes at least two ice making racks arranged in series on evaporation coils of the evaporator, the ice making racks including ice molds, ice making water flow-down portions connected to upper parts of the ice making racks, the ice making water flow-down portions causing ice making water to flow down to the ice making racks, and ice cube release members releasing ice cubes formed on the ice molds, and the hot-gas introduction tubes are coupled to the evaporation coils, respectively, in front of the ice making racks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An operation method for a flow-down type ice making machine, the flow-down type ice making machine including:
 a freezing cycle in which a compressor ( 53 ), a condenser ( 55 ), a pressure reducing valve ( 57 ), an evaporator ( 52 ), and the compressor ( 53 ) are successively coupled; and   a melting cycle in which the compressor ( 53 ), the evaporator ( 52 ), and the compressor ( 53 ) are coupled through hot-gas introduction tubes ( 63 ,  65 ) having valves ( 61 ,  67 ) interposed respectively in the gas introduction tubes, the freezing cycle and the melting cycle being switchable therebetween,   the flow-down type ice making machine further including:   at least two ice making racks ( 11   a,    11   b ) arranged in series on evaporation coils ( 13   a,    13   b ) of the evaporator ( 52 ), the ice making racks ( 11   a,    11   b ) including ice molds;   ice making water flow-down portions ( 17   a,    17   b ) connected to upper parts of the ice making racks ( 11   a,    11   b ), the ice making water flow-down portions ( 17   a,    17   b ) causing ice making water to flow down to the ice making racks; and   ice cube release members ( 21 ) configured to release ice cubes formed on the ice molds,   the hot-gas introduction tube ( 65 ) being connected on the upstream side from the ice making rack ( 11   a ) disposed on the upstream side of the evaporator ( 52 ), on the downstream side from the pressure reducing valve ( 57 ),   the hot-gas introduction tube ( 63 ) being connected on the upstream side from the ice making rack ( 11   b ) disposed on the downstream side of the evaporator ( 52 ), on the downstream side from the evaporation coil ( 13   a ), the method comprising successively repeating:   forming ice cubes on the ice molds of the ice making racks ( 11   a,    11   b ) after causing ice making water to flow down from the ice making water flow-down portions ( 17   a,    17   b ) to the ice making racks ( 11   a,    11   b ), and causing a refrigerant to successively pass the compressor ( 53 ), the condenser ( 55 ), the pressure reducing valve ( 57 ), the evaporator ( 52 ), and the compressor ( 53 );   stopping ice making water flowing down after formation of the ice cubes; and   introducing hot gas from the hot-gas introduction tube ( 65 ) to the evaporation coil ( 13   a ), after introducing the hot gas only to the evaporation coil ( 13   b ) from the hot-gas introduction tube ( 63 ).