Caloric Heat Pump Ice Making Appliance

Abstract

An appliance includes an ice maker and a caloric heat pump system for cooling the ice maker. The caloric heat pump system includes a pump for circulating a heat transfer fluid between first and second heat exchangers and caloric material stages in order to cool the ice maker with the first heat exchanger. A related ice making appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice making appliance, comprising:
 a casing;   an auger disposed within the casing;   a motor coupled to the auger, the motor operable to rotate the auger within the casing;   a first heat exchanger coupled to the casing for receiving heat from the casing;   a second heat exchanger; and   a caloric heat pump system configured for cooling the casing with the first heat exchanger, the caloric heat pump system comprising
 a plurality of caloric material stages; 
 a field generator positioned proximate the caloric material stages, the field generator positioned such that the caloric material stages are moved in and out of a field of the field generator during operation of the caloric heat pump system; and 
 a pump for circulating a heat transfer fluid between the first and second heat exchangers and the caloric material stages. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a reversible pump. 
     
     
         3 . The ice making appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the caloric heat pump system is further configured for heating the casing with the first heat exchanger by reversing operation of the pump. 
     
     
         4 . The ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a conduit wound around the casing on an outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         5 . The ice making appliance of  claim 4 , wherein adjacent windings of the conduit are spaced apart from one another along a vertical direction on the outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         6 . The ice making appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the adjacent windings of the conduit are uniformly spaced apart from one another along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         7 . The ice making appliance of  claim 5 , wherein an inlet of the conduit is positioned at a bottom portion of the casing and an outlet of the conduit is positioned at a top portion of the casing, the inlet of the conduit being in fluid communication with at least one of the caloric material stages such that the inlet of the conduit is configured to receive circulating heat transfer fluid from the at least one of the caloric material stages. 
     
     
         8 . The ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         9 . The ice making appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice;   a water tank defining a second storage volume for receipt of liquid water;   a second pump operable to flow liquid water from the second storage volume;   a reservoir defining a third storage volume, the third storage volume in fluid communication with the second pump for receiving liquid water from the water tank; and   a chute positioned for receiving ice from the casing and directing the ice into the first storage volume.   
     
     
         10 . The ice making appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising an extruder mounted to the casing. 
     
     
         11 . The ice making appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the water tank is disposed below the container along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . An appliance, comprising:
 an ice maker;   a first heat exchanger coupled to the ice maker for receiving heat;   a second heat exchanger; and   a caloric heat pump system configured for cooling the ice maker with the first heat exchanger, the caloric heat pump system comprising
 a plurality of caloric material stages; 
 a field generator positioned proximate the caloric material stages, the field generator positioned such that the caloric material stages are moved in and out of a field of the field generator during operation of the caloric heat pump system; and 
 a pump for circulating a heat transfer fluid between the first and second heat exchangers and the caloric material stages. 
   
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the pump is a reversible pump. 
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the caloric heat pump system is further configured for heating the ice maker with the first heat exchanger by reversing operation of the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a conduit wound around a casing of the ice maker on an outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         16 . The appliance of  claim 15 , wherein adjacent windings of the conduit are spaced apart from one another along a vertical direction on the outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         17 . The appliance of  claim 16 , wherein an inlet of the conduit is positioned at a bottom portion of the casing and an outlet of the conduit is positioned at a top portion of the casing, the inlet of the conduit being in fluid communication with at least one of the caloric material stages such that the inlet of the conduit is configured to receive circulating heat transfer fluid from the at least one of the caloric material stages. 
     
     
         18 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising
 a container defining a first storage volume for receipt of ice;   a water tank defining a second storage volume for receipt of liquid water;   a second pump operable to flow liquid water from the second storage volume;   a reservoir defining a third storage volume, the third storage volume in fluid communication with the second pump for receiving liquid water from the water tank; and   a chute positioned for receiving ice from the ice maker and directing the ice into the first storage volume.   
     
     
         20 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the water tank is disposed below the container along a vertical direction.