Self contained ice-maker energy efficiency boosting system

Abstract

A system and method of capturing and reutilizing wastewater created by the ice making process to remove heat from various inputs/outputs of the ice maker as well as cooling the input water for the icemaker and cooling the coils of the compressor using heat exchangers that utilize recirculated fluid for cooling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for capturing and transporting heat from equipment comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to be positioned in or adjacent a housing of an icemaker;   a reservoir configured to receive water from the ice maker which water is excess water which was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker;   the heat exchanger configured to receive the water to cool the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger cools a second fluid which passes the heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the second fluid is incoming water for making ice. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is expelled by the ice maker is cooled by the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger is positioned to cool air which is urged by a fan passed the heat exchanger and exhausted out of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a controller; 
 a temperature sensor coupled to said controller, said temperature sensor configured to measure either the air exhausted by the first equipment or the temperature of the fluid in the return pipe coupled to the second connection port; 
 said variable speed pump coupled to said controller; 
 wherein said controller comprises a setpoint and when a measured temperature deviates from said setpoint, said controller adjust the speed of said variable speed pump. 
 wherein said controller also adjusts electronically controlled valves to adjust flow of the water. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said heat exchanger comprises at least two heat exchangers, at a first one of the two heat exchangers is configured to cool the second fluid which is incoming water for making ice and the second of the at least two heat exchangers is configured to cool a third fluid which passes through the heat exchanger, wherein the third fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker and the third fluid is air. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the second of the at least two heat exchangers is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the second of the at least two heat exchangers is positioned downstream of a fan which blows the third fluid over a condenser if the ice maker. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a controller which controls one or more pumps, each of the one or more pumps urges the water through one of the at least two heat exchangers; 
 said controller configured to receive status data from a heating unit, a venilation unit and/or a cooling unit associated with a space where the ice maker is positioned; 
 said controller selectively operating the one or more pumps based on the status data. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system for capturing and transporting heat from equipment comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to be positioned in a housing of an icemaker;   a reservoir configured to receive water from the ice maker which water was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker;   the heat exchanger configured to receive the water from the reservoir to cool the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger cools a second fluid which passes through the heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the second fluid is incoming water for making ice. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the heat exchanger is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the heat exchanger is positioned to cool air which is urged by a fan passed the heat exchanger and exhausted out of the housing. 
     
     
         18 . A method of capturing and transporting heat from equipment comprising:
 installing a heat exchanger in or adjacent a housing of an ice maker;   connecting the heat exchanger to a water source which collects water which was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker such that the water from the water sources passes through and cools the heat exchanger;   positioning the heat exchanger and/or a source of second fluid such that the heat exchanger cools the second fluid which passes the heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the second fluid is incoming water for making ice. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the heat exchanger is positioned such that the second fluid is heated air passing through the housing which heated air is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out of the housing.