Patent ID: 6119467
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: A23G

Abstract:
A method for continuous production of whipped ice, comprising of the following steps:providing a solution of a predetermined chemical and physical composition, having below-zero cryoscopic temperature;delivering the provided solution to a place of cooling down and freezing treatment;passing below-zero cryoscopic temperature solution through an evaporator;passing compressed gas through the evaporator in order to improve the process;cooling down of the solution layer adjacent to an inside evaporator's surface, producing ice nuclei adhering to the inside surface of the evaporator's wall the outer surface of which is in direct thermal contact with a boiling refrigerant in an evaporator and across which heat transfer between said solution and a refrigerant is realized;providing refrigerant boiling to produce refrigerant vapors;sub-cooling the liquid refrigerant before boiling, superheating the refrigerant vapors, destroying refrigerant bubble foam that has penetrated into a liquid separator-regenerative heat exchanger, including a liquid refrigerant coil, by contact with high temperature outside surfaces of the coil, returning non-vaporized liquid refrigerant straight to a boiling cavity of said evaporator;applying means to remove said ice nuclei from said inside surface and to whip gas bubbles and wall adjacent cooled down solution layer with ice nuclei substantially uniformly throughout the entire volume of said evaporator to promote three dimensional formation of fine ice nuclei throughout said volume to intensify this process;moving away whipped ice that has compressed against the evaporator axis and removing a mixture of frozen foam with ice nuclei and gas bubbles and concentrated, unfrozen solution from said evaporator; andtransporting the mixture to storage or further utilization, wherein roughness of the evaporator inside surface, which is in contact with cooled and frozen medium, is less than 1 micron.