Direct contact icemaker with finned air cooling capacity
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsLUIZ ANTONIO D. LOPES, LORRAINE J. WESTLAKE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator includes a direct contact ice making system in conjunction with a circulating coolant. The ice making system includes a cold air loop including a plurality of fins to cool ambient air adjacent the cold air loop in the ice making system. The cooled air is passed by a fan assembly through a supply duct into an ice storage container or compartment to cool the area within the ice storage compartment, thus preventing ice cubes in the compartment from melting. The ice making system also includes a return duct for directing warm air from the ice storage compartment to the cold air loop for re-cooling and recirculation. The cold air loop may generally be a heat exchange zone for cooling the ambient air.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a refrigerator cabinet;
- a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;
- at least one door providing access to the fresh food compartment;
- an ice making compartment in the refrigerator cabinet for making ice comprising an ice mold and a coolant loop adjacent the ice mold;
- an ice storage compartment adjacent to the ice making compartment;
- and
- a cold air loop positioned in the ice making compartment for cooling air for the ice storage compartment, the cold air loop including a plurality of fins positioned on the coolant loop, and a fan assembly adjacent the fins such that the fan assembly can direct cooled air to the ice storage compartment.
A direct contact ice making system comprising:
- an ice mold;
- a water supply;
- a coolant loop adjacent to and in contact with the ice mold;
- an ice storage compartment adjacent the ice mold, the ice storage;
- and
- a cold air loop adjacent the coolant loop including a plurality of fins positioned on the coolant loop, and a fan assembly adjacent the fins such that the fan assembly directs cooled air to the ice storage compartment.
A method of providing re-circulated cooled air for an ice storage compartment in a direct contact ice making compartment, the method comprising:
- providing a direct contact ice making compartment including an ice mold, a water supply, a coolant loop adjacent to and in contact with the ice mold, an ice storage compartment adjacent the ice mold, and a cold air loop including a plurality of fins and a fan assembly adjacent the plurality of fins;
- providing a flow of coolant through the coolant loop;
- allowing air adjacent to the fins in the cold air loop to be cooled by the fins;
- directing the cooled air from the cold air loop to the ice storage compartment;
- and
- directing warmed air from the ice storage compartment to the cold air loop, wherein the warm air is re-cooled and redirected to the ice storage compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.