Devices for producing clear ice products

Abstract

Devices for making clear ice are described. The devices may include at least one housing containing a cooling source and a plurality of elongate troughs concentrically arranged around the cooling source and in parallel to the cooling source, at least one fluid intake disposed to provide a flow of fluid into each of the plurality of elongate troughs, and at least one drain disposed to drain fluid from each of the plurality of elongate troughs.

1 . A device for making clear ice comprising:
 at least one housing containing:
 a cooling source and a plurality of elongate troughs concentrically arranged around the cooling source and in parallel to the cooling source; 
 at least one fluid intake disposed to provide a flow of fluid into each of the plurality of elongate troughs; and 
 at least one drain disposed to drain fluid from each of the plurality of elongate troughs; 
   wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of elongate troughs is in thermal communication with the cooling source;   wherein the at least one fluid intake and the at least one drain are configured to provide a substantially constant flow of fluid to the plurality of elongate troughs during a freezing operation of the device, the at least one fluid intake comprising an intake manifold cavity that is fluidly connected to the plurality of elongate troughs through a porous flow straightener configured to direct a flow of fluid into a respective elongate trough in the plurality of elongate troughs;   wherein the cooling source is a pressurized cooling cavity configured to control temperature for forming ice within the plurality of elongate troughs, the cooling cavity being coupled to a coolant intake valve for receiving coolant and coupled to at least one coolant outtake valve disposed to remove the coolant from the cooling cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling cavity comprises an inner cavity and an outer cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling cavity is configured to:
 receive the coolant through the inner cavity of the cooling cavity at the coolant intake valve, the coolant intake valve being located adjacent a first end of the housing and coupled to the inner cavity; and   remove the coolant through the outer cavity of the cooling cavity at the coolant outtake valve, the coolant outtake valve being located adjacent the coolant intake valve at the first end of the housing and coupled to the outer cavity.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the inner cavity comprises an elongate cylinder having an inner tube in thermal communication with the outer cavity, the outer cavity having an outer tube in thermal communication with at least one wall of each of the plurality of elongate troughs. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein a flow of coolant during a freeze operation is provided in a first direction through the inner cavity of the cooling cavity and in a second direction through the outer cavity of the cooling cavity, the first direction being opposite the second direction. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachably coupled end plate for removing a plurality of clear ice structures from the plurality of elongate troughs after a freezing operation. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one housing further contains a plurality of elongate apertures between each of the plurality of elongate troughs, wherein each of the plurality of elongate apertures is blocked by a flow blocking cap to prevent fluid from entering the respective elongate apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of elongate troughs include a base wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall defining a respective elongate trough such that a cross-section of the respective elongate trough has a tapered U-shape defined by the first side wall having an interior angle greater than or equal to about 0 degrees and less than or equal to about 15 degrees from upright. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially constant flow of fluid is provided at a velocity of at least about 0.09 m/s through each of the plurality of elongate troughs. 
     
     
         12 . A device for making clear ice comprising:
 at least one housing containing:
 a cooling cavity defining an inner cavity and an outer cavity, wherein the inner cavity comprises an elongate cylinder having an inner tube in thermal communication with the outer cavity, 
 a plurality of elongate troughs concentrically arranged around the cooling cavity and in parallel to the cooling cavity; 
 at least one fluid intake disposed to provide a flow of fluid into each of the plurality of elongate troughs, the at least one fluid intake comprising a fluid intake manifold that defines an intake manifold cavity that is fluidly connected to the plurality of elongate troughs through a porous flow straightener configured to direct a flow of fluid into a respective elongate trough in the plurality of elongate troughs; and 
 at least one drain disposed to drain fluid from each of the plurality of elongate troughs, 
   wherein the outer cavity comprises an outer tube in thermal communication with at least one wall of each of the plurality of elongate troughs.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one fluid intake and the at least one drain are configured to provide a substantially constant flow of fluid to the plurality of elongate troughs during a freezing operation of the device. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling cavity is pressurized and configured to control temperature for forming ice within the plurality of elongate troughs, the cooling cavity being coupled to a coolant intake valve for receiving coolant and coupled to at least one coolant outtake valve disposed to remove the coolant from the cooling cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a flow of coolant during a freeze operation is provided in a first direction through the inner cavity of the cooling cavity and in a second direction through the outer cavity of the cooling cavity, the first direction being opposite the second direction. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a detachably coupled end plate for removing a plurality of clear ice structures from the plurality of elongate troughs after a freezing operation. 
     
     
         18 . A method for making clear ice, the method comprising:
 providing at least one housing containing:
 a cooling cavity and a plurality of elongate troughs concentrically arranged around the cooling cavity, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of elongate troughs is in thermal communication with the cooling cavity; 
 at least one fluid intake disposed to provide a flow of fluid into each of the plurality of elongate troughs, wherein the at least one fluid intake comprises a porous flow straightener configured to direct a flow of fluid into a respective elongate trough in the plurality of elongate troughs; and 
 a plurality of elongate troughs concentrically arranged around the cooling cavity and substantially parallel to the cooling cavity along a longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of elongate troughs is in thermal communication with the cooling cavity; 
   receiving, through the at least one fluid intake, a substantially constant flow of fluid to the plurality of elongate troughs during a freezing operation associated with the housing;   receiving a substantially constant flow of coolant through a first portion of the cooling cavity at a coolant intake valve, the coolant intake valve being located adjacent a first end of the housing and coupled to the first portion;   removing the coolant through a second portion of the cooling cavity at a coolant outtake valve, the coolant outtake valve being located adjacent the coolant intake valve at the first end of the housing and coupled to the second portion; and   ejecting the clear ice from the housing upon completion of the freezing operation associated with the housing.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first portion comprises an elongate cylinder having an inner tube in thermal communication with the second portion, the second portion having an outer tube in thermal communication with at least one wall of each of the plurality of elongate troughs. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the substantially constant flow of coolant during the freezing operation is provided in a first direction through the first portion of the cooling cavity and in a second direction through the second portion of the cooling cavity, the first direction being opposite the second direction.