Ice-making apparatus

Abstract

An ice slurry generator includes: a heat exchanger configured to absorb heat energy while a refrigerant is evaporated; multiple heat exchange passages aligned horizontally within the heat exchanger and configured for heat exchange between flowing ice slurry and refrigerant; an inlet chamber that is connected to the heat exchange passages, through which the ice slurry is introduced; a discharge chamber that is connected to the heat exchange passages, through which the ice slurry is discharged from the ice slurry generator; scrapers, that each consist of a rod member with a blade wrapped in a spiral fashion around the outside of the rod member, that is inserted into the heat exchange passages and transports ice slurry from the inlet chamber toward the discharge chamber during rotation; and a driving unit that provides a rotational driving force to the scraper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice slurry generator comprising:
 a heat exchanger configured to absorb heat energy while a refrigerant is evaporated;   multiple heat exchange passages provided horizontally within the heat exchanger and configured for heat exchange between carrier fluid flowing therethrough and the refrigerant;   an inlet chamber that feeds carrier fluid into the heat exchange passages;   a discharge chamber to which the carrier fluid is discharged from the heat exchange passages;   a scraper that comprises of a rod member formed in a rod shape and a blade protruded in a spiral shape outside the rod member, that is inserted into the heat exchange passages and transports the carrier fluid from the inlet chamber toward the discharge chamber during rotation, and that is extended into the inlet chamber and/or into the discharge chamber; and   a driving unit that provides a driving force to the scraper.   
     
     
         2 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the scraper is extended into at least one of the inlet chamber and the discharge chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a stirring unit,   wherein the stirring unit includes multiple radial paddles in at least one of the discharge chamber and the inlet chamber, suppressing clogging caused by phase separation of the carrier fluid during rotation.   
     
     
         4 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 2 ,
 wherein a gap between an end of the blade and inner surfaces of the heat exchange passages is in a range of from about 0.1 mm to about 0.4 mm.   
     
     
         5 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 2 ,
 wherein one side of the blade forms a curve in its cross section view and the other side forms at least one of a single straight line or a plurality of straight lines combined together.   
     
     
         6 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one supporting member that supports the heat exchange passages.   
     
     
         7 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the supporting member is made of plastic.   
     
     
         8 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the discharge chamber includes:   a discharge opening configured to discharge the carrier fluid to the outside; and   a guide plate that is formed in a flat plate shape and inclined with respect to the heat exchange passages and guides the carrier fluid toward the discharge opening.   
     
     
         9 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 8 ,
 wherein a part of the scraper penetrates the guide plate.   
     
     
         10 . The ice slurry generator of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the inlet chamber includes one or more inlet openings that is connected to the outside and that feeds carrier fluid into the inlet chamber, and if there is multiple inlet openings, the inlet openings are arranged symmetrically or radially with respect to the inlet chamber.