Ice making machine and ice cube evaporator

A method for making an evaporator, the method comprising:

• forming front and rear plates of the evaporator from respective flat plates, each of the front and rear plates further comprising:
• inner flat portions, each inner flat portion of the front plate facing, but being spaced from, a respective inner flat portion of the rear plate to define a respective spaced portion;
• a plurality of fins dividing the respective plate into a plurality of ice forming columns;
• a set of first protrusions defined in the respective ice forming columns, each first protrusion on the front plate facing a respective first protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective active cavity;
• and
• a set of second protrusions defined in the respective ice forming columns, each second protrusion on the front plate facing a respective second protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective passive cavity;
• wherein the active and passive cavities are interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites in the ice forming columns of the respective plate;
• forming each of the plurality of fins by bending the flat plates into a triangular shape;
• and
• sandwiching a refrigerant conduit of the evaporator between the front and rear plates, the refrigerant conduit extending through each of the active cavities but not extending through any of the passive cavities.

An ice making system comprising:

• a refrigerant system for circulating cold refrigerant through an evaporator, the evaporating including:
• a refrigerant conduit;
• and
• front and rear plates sandwiching the refrigerant conduit, the front and rear plates having:
• inner flat portions, each inner flat portion of the front plate facing, but being spaced from, a respective inner flat portion of the rear plate to define a respective spaced portion;
• a plurality of fins dividing the respective plate into a plurality of ice forming columns;
• a set of first protrusions defined in the respective ice forming columns, each first protrusion on the front plate facing a respective first protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective active cavity, the refrigerant conduit extending through each of the active cavities;
• and
• a set of second protrusions defined in the respective ice forming columns, each second protrusion on the front plate facing a respective second protrusion on the rear plate to define a respective passive cavity, the refrigerant conduit not extending through any of the passive cavities;
• wherein the location of the active and passive cavities is interspersed and separated by respective inner flat portions so as to define a plurality of ice forming sites in the ice forming columns of the respective plate;
• and
• a source of water applying liquid water to the front and rear plates whereby ice will be formed at the respective ice forming sites.