Ice supply device and ice making system

Abstract

An ice supply device includes an ice storage tank, a supply path, and a water flow path. The ice storage tank is configured to store sherbet ice. The sherbet ice may be taken out of the ice storage tank through the supply path. The water flow path joins the supply path. The water flow path is configured to carry flow of water there through.

1 . An ice supply device comprising:
 an ice storage tank configured to store sherbet ice;   a supply path through which sherbet ice may be taken out of the ice storage tank; and   a water flow path that joins the supply path, the water flow path being configured to carry flow of water therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump disposed downstream of a junction at which the water flow path joins the supply path in a flow direction of the sherbet ice.   
     
     
         3 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1  , further comprising:
 a flow rate regulating valve provided in the water flow path; and 
 a. control unit configured to control the flow rate regulating valve to control a salinity of the sherbet ice after joining the flow of water to become a target value. 
 
     
     
         4 . The ice supply device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 one of
 a first temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature of the sherbet ice and 
 a first concentration sensor arranged to detect a salinity of the sherbet ice downstream of the junction in the flow direction of the sherbet ice, 
   the control unit being configured to control the flow rate regulating valve so that the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor or the salinity detected by the first concentration sensor becomes a target value.   
     
     
         5 . The ice supply device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature of the sherbet ice downstream of the junction in the flow direction of the sherbet ice,   the control unit being configured to
 calculate a salinity from the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and 
 control the flow rate regulating valve so that the salinity calculated becomes a target value. 
   
     
     
         6 . The ice supply device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to control at least one of an opening degree and an opening time of the flow rate regulating valve.   
     
     
         7 . The ice supply device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second concentration sensor arranged to detect a salinity of the sherbet ice in the ice storage tank, wherein   the control unit prohibits an operation of taking out the sherbet ice in the ice storage tank when the salinity detected by the second concentration sensor is not within a predetermined range.   
     
     
         8 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature of sherbet ice in the ice storage tank; and   a salinity calculation unit configured to calculate
 a salinity of the sherbet ice based on a temperature of a medium to be cooled supplied to the ice storage tank, the temperature of the medium to be cooled being detected by the second temperature sensor before an operation of an ice making device, and 
 a temperature of the sherbet ice stored in the ice storage tank, the temperature of the sherbet ice being detected by the second temperature sensor after a start of the operation of the ice making device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an input unit configured to receive a salinity and an amount of the sherbet ice taken out from the ice storage tank.   
     
     
         10 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the supply path includes a takeout port through which the sherbet ice in the ice storage tank is taken out, the takeout port being disposed in the ice storage tank, and   the takeout port is disposed below a liquid level of the sherbet ice in the ice storage tank by a predetermined distance.   
     
     
         11 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the water is cooled water that flows through the water flow path.   
     
     
         12 . The ice supply device according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a cooling apparatus configured to cool the water that flows through the water flow path. 
 
     
     
         13 . An ice making system including the ice supply device according to  claim 1 , the ice making system further comprising:
 a refrigerant circuit that produces the sherbet ice.   
     
     
         14 . The ice making system according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit includes
 a compressor, 
 a first heat exchanger configured to dissipate heat from a refrigerant compressed by the compressor, and 
 a second heat exchanger configured to
 exchange heat between
 the refrigerant having dissipated heat in the first heat exchanger and 
 a medium to be cooled serving as a raw material of the sherbet ice and 
 
 cool the medium to be cooled. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The ice making system according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit further includes a third heat exchanger configured to
 exchange heat between
 the refrigerant having dissipated heat in the first heat exchanger and 
 the flow of water through the water flow path and 
 
 cool the water. 
   
     
     
         16 . The ice making system according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a water tank that stores the water cooled by the third heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . The ice making system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a third temperature sensor arranged to detect a temperature of the water in the water tank;   a control valve configured to control a flow of the refrigerant in the third heat exchanger; and   a second control unit configured to control an operation of the control valve based on the temperature detected by the third temperature sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The ice making system according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the third temperature sensor is disposed in a lower part of an inside of the water tank.   
     
     
         19 . An ice making system including the ice supply device according to  claim 1 , the ice making system thither comprising:
 an ice making device.