Ice maker evaporator

Abstract

An ice maker evaporator includes a plurality of dividers and one or more micro-multi-port tubes that are arranged into a plurality of cells such that ice cubes can be formed therein. The evaporator can be made of aluminum and the components can be brazed, soldered or otherwise joined together.

1 . An ice maker evaporator comprising:
 a plurality of dividers;   a plurality of micro-multi-port tubes;   a supply header in fluid communication with said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes; and   a return header in fluid communication with said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes,   wherein said plurality of dividers and said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes are arranged into a plurality of cells such that ice cubes can be formed therein.   
   
   
       2 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes and said plurality of dividers are aluminum. 
   
   
       3 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes are sinuous and a plurality of valleys are formed on opposing sides of said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes, and said plurality of dividers separate said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes from one another. 
   
   
       4 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of dividers extend in a same direction as said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes. 
   
   
       5 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes are canted relative to a horizontal axis. 
   
   
       6 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , further comprising a back plate. 
   
   
       7 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of dividers and said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes are arranged on opposing sides of said back plate and form two grids with a plurality of ice cube forming cells therein. 
   
   
       8 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes has a plurality of hydraulically discrete flow passageways extending therethrough. 
   
   
       9 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes and said supply and return headers are brazed together. 
   
   
       10 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes and said supply and return headers are soldered together. 
   
   
       11 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said plurality of micro-multi-port tubes and said supply and return headers are joined together in heat-transferring relation. 
   
   
       12 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said supply and return headers contain internal baffles to divide the plurality of micro-multi port tubes into separate hydraulic circuits. 
   
   
       13 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of dividers contain pressure relief holes to allow pressure behind the ice to equalize and improve harvest. 
   
   
       14 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said supply and return headers is transitioned to round copper tube. 
   
   
       15 . An ice maker evaporator comprising:
 a plurality of dividers having a plurality of openings therein;   at least one micro-multi-port tube in a serpentine configuration, said at least one micro-multi-port tube extending through multiple openings in said plurality of dividers;   a supply header in fluid communication with said at least one micro-multi-port tube; and   a return header in fluid communication with said at least one micro-multi-port tube,   wherein said plurality of dividers and said at least one micro-multi-port tube form a plurality of cells such that ice cubes can be formed therein.   
   
   
       16 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of dividers and said at least one micro-multi-port tube are aluminum. 
   
   
       17 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , further comprising a back plate attached to said at least one micro-multi-port tube and said plurality of dividers and forming a portion of said cells, and wherein said at least one micro-multi-port tube is at least two micro-multi-port tubes, said at least two micro-multi-port tubes being disposed on opposite sides of said back plate such that a grid of ice cube forming cells are formed on each side of said back plate. 
   
   
       18 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 17 , wherein each of said at least two micro-multi-port tubes are in fluid communication with different supply and return headers. 
   
   
       19 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one micro-multi-port tube is canted relative to a horizontal axis. 
   
   
       20 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one micro-multi-port tube has a plurality of hydraulically discrete flow passageways extending therethrough. 
   
   
       21 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said at least one micro-multi-port tube and said supply and return headers are brazed together. 
   
   
       22 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said at least one micro-multi-port tube and said supply and return headers are soldered together. 
   
   
       23 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of dividers, said at least one micro-multi-port tube and said supply and return headers are joined together in heat-transferring relation. 
   
   
       24 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of dividers contain pressure relief holes to allow pressure behind the ice to equalize and improve harvest. 
   
   
       25 . The ice maker evaporator of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said supply and return headers is transitioned to round copper tube.