Method and apparatus for producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice

Abstract

Salt water fed to an ice-maker 1 is cooled to generate ice. The ice is scraped by scrapers 1 c to form small particles of ice which are mixed with the salt water to generate salt water-mixed sherbet ice 143 . The salt water-mixed sherbet ice is fed from the ice-maker to an ice storage tank 14 so as to be stored in the ice storage tank. A predetermined amount of the salt water-mixed sherbet ice with a predetermined sherbet concentration at a predetermined low temperature is stored in the ice storage tank while the salt water-mixed sherbet ice is refluxed from the ice storage tank to the ice-maker. Water 24 is injected into the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the process of producing the salt water-mixed sherbet ice. By the method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice, salt water-mixed sherbet ice at a relatively high temperature can be produced easily.

1 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice, comprising the steps of:
 generating salt water-mixed sherbet ice by cooling salt water fed to an ice-maker to generate ice, scraping the ice by scrapers to form small particles of ice to thereby mix the small particles of ice with the salt water;   feeding the salt water-mixed sherbet ice from the ice-maker into an ice storage tank to thereby store the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the ice storage tank; and   storing a predetermined amount of the salt water-mixed sherbet ice with a predetermined sherbet concentration at a predetermined low temperature in the ice storage tank while the salt water-mixed sherbet ice stored in the ice storage tank is refluxed from the ice storage tank to the ice-maker repeatedly a plurality of times;   wherein water is injected into the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the process of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice.   
   
   
       2 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 1 , wherein the injection of water is performed in the ice storage tank. 
   
   
       3 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 2 , wherein the injection of water is performed while the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the ice storage tank is stirred. 
   
   
       4 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 1 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers is stopped while the injection of water is performed. 
   
   
       5 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 3 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers is stopped while the injection of water is performed. 
   
   
       6 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 1 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers and the injection of water are performed alternately and repeatedly a plurality of times. 
   
   
       7 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 5 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers and the injection of water are performed alternately and repeatedly a plurality of times. 
   
   
       8 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 1 , wherein water is removed from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice before the injection of water. 
   
   
       9 . A method of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 7 , wherein water is removed from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice before the injection of water. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice, comprising:
 an ice-maker which generates salt water-mixed sherbet ice under control based on a controller in such a manner that ice generated by cooling salt water fed to the ice-maker is scraped by scrapers to form small particles of ice to thereby mix the small particles of ice with the salt water;   an ice storage tank which stores the salt water-mixed sherbet ice fed from the ice-maker under control based on the controller; and   a water injecting unit which injects water into the salt water-mixed sherbet ice;   wherein control is performed by the controller so that the salt water-mixed sherbet ice stored in the ice storage tank is refluxed from the ice storage tank to the ice-maker and the injection of water is performed by the water injecting unit in steps of feeding the salt water-mixed sherbet ice from the ice-maker to the ice storage tank and refluxing the salt water-mixed sherbet ice from the ice storage tank to the ice-maker.   
   
   
       11 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 10 , wherein the injection of water is performed in the ice storage tank. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 11 , further comprising a stirrer which stirs the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the ice storage tank under control based on the controller, wherein the injection of water is performed while the salt water-mixed sherbet ice in the ice storage tank is stirred by the stirrer. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 10 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers is stopped during the injection of water under control based on the controller. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 12 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers is stopped during the injection of water under control based on the controller. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 10 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers and the injection of water are performed alternately and repeatedly a plurality of times under control based on the controller. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 14 , wherein the formation of small particles of ice by the scrapers and the injection of water are performed alternately and repeatedly a plurality of times under control based on the controller. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 10 , further comprising a dewatering unit which removes water from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice, wherein the removal of water from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice is performed before the injection of water under control based on the controller. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus of producing salt water-mixed sherbet ice according to  claim 15 , further comprising a dewatering unit which removes water from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice, wherein the removal of water from the salt water-mixed sherbet ice is performed before the injection of water under control based on the controller.