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Process Description

The document explains the manufacturing process of large ice plates in ice plants, utilizing refrigeration techniques with ammonia and brine as refrigerants. It describes the three main circuits involved: the refrigeration circuit with ammonia, the cooling water circuit, and the brine circuit, detailing the roles of various components like the compressor, condenser, and evaporator. The process involves heat transfer from water to produce ice, similar to domestic refrigerators but on a larger scale.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2 views

Process Description

The document explains the manufacturing process of large ice plates in ice plants, utilizing refrigeration techniques with ammonia and brine as refrigerants. It describes the three main circuits involved: the refrigeration circuit with ammonia, the cooling water circuit, and the brine circuit, detailing the roles of various components like the compressor, condenser, and evaporator. The process involves heat transfer from water to produce ice, similar to domestic refrigerators but on a larger scale.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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This resources will make you familiar with how the big sized 'Ice plates' are

manufactured. This ice making process involving heat transfer/extraction from


water with the help of basic refrigeration techniques. This ice plant uses 'brine'
and 'Ammonia' as refrigerants, working medium alternatively.

The function of ice plant or ice factory is to make or form ice in large quantity and in
large size. The ice making process is quite similar to the one we observe in a domestic
refrigerator. The only different lies in the ice making the stage. In freezer compartment,
the tray with water when comes in contact with very low-temperature environment
becomes ice but in ice plant which is a huge commercial factory uses separate ice
making or ice freezing circuit. The cold is produced in one circuit and it is transferred to
the water cans by another circuit.

1. Ammonia: It is primary refrigerant which takes heat from brine. This ammonia
changes phase while moving in the circuit.
2. Brine: It is secondary refrigerant which takes heat from the water and produces ice.

There are main three circuits of working medium in ice plant:

1. Refrigeration circuit: Ammonia as working medium which actually produces the


cold by changes its phase at different location

2. Cooling water circuit: Cooling water as working medium to remove the heat of
condenser

3. Brine circuit: Brine solution as working medium which transfers the cold from
ammonia to water filled cans where ice is to be formed.
Construction
 Compressor: Its function is to increase the temperature and pressure of
Ammonia vapor coming out from evaporator.

 Condenser: It liquefies the high-pressure and high-temperature Ammonia to high-


pressure and high-temperature Ammonia. Here chilled water comes in contact
with the high-pressure and high-temperature ammonia and provides the
temperature for condensation. The heated water is pumped and again taken to
circuit after it has been cooled at natural cooling tower
 Receiver: It is used to collect the liquid Ammonia from the condenser.

 Throttle Valve: It expands Ammonia coming out from receiver to low pressure.

 Evaporator: It vaporize the liquid Ammonia from throttle valve by extracting heat
from 'brine' and hence brine gets cooled and this brine solution is recirculated to
water tank containing 'ice cans filled with water' to absorb the heat of water to
freeze it and make ice.

Read more about How does domestic refrigerator work?

Working
 Low pressure and low-temperature Ammonia coming out from the throttle valve
is vaporized by taking the latent heat from the brine. Hence brine gets cooled
which is circulated in the brine circuit to freeze the water and forming an ice from
water.

 This cooled brine further absorbs the heat from water and converts water to ice.

 Vaporized Ammonia is compressed to high pressure and temperature and


passes from condenser.

 In condenser Ammonia is condensed by water circulated in cooling water circuit


having a natural cooling tower. The condenser condenses the Ammonia by water
coming from natural cooling tower.

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