Ice cube maker machine are widely used in industry, commerce and home. Especially in summer or industrial cooling scenes, ice is everywhere, such as cafes, bars, concrete mixing sites and family gatherings.
If you want to continue to enjoy the joy brought by ice, then you need to know how to make ice, that is, you need an ice machine that suits you. This article will explain the common sense of ice machines to you, helping you understand and choose the right ice machine.
How Ice Maker Machine Work
With the continuous development of science and technology, ice maker machine are now basically controlled by microcomputers, which do not require too much manpower. Ice making machines generally make ice cubes by air cooling, water cooling or direct cooling. The basic process is:
Water injection: Water is injected into the ice maker through a water pipe or a water tank, and the water pump inside the ice maker evenly sprinkles the water on the ice mold (different types of molds produce different types of ice cubes)
Cooling: The water is cooled to below the freezing point by air cooling, water cooling or direct cooling, and the evaporator quickly cools the surface.
Freezing: Water gradually condenses into ice cubes of different shapes in the mold.
Demolding: The finished ice cubes are removed by vibrating the mold or the Demolding device of the machine, and a new round of ice cube making is started.
The Difference Between The Three Cooling Modes
|
Features |
Air-cooled ice making |
Water-cooled ice making |
Direct cooling ice making |
|
Cooling method |
Air flow |
Water circulation |
Refrigerant contact heat dissipation |
|
Ice making efficiency |
Medium |
High |
High |
|
Environmental requirements |
Affected by temperature and humidity |
Unaffected |
Affected by temperature |
|
Operation noise |
Medium |
Low |
Low |
|
Easy installation |
Simple |
More complex |
Simple |
|
Applicable scenarios |
Small and medium-sized scenes |
Large commercial or industrial scenarios |
Commercial or industrial scenarios |
|
Operation cost |
Low |
High (high water consumption) |
Low |
Main Types Of Ice Make Machine
Depending on the usage scenarios, ice machines can be divided into the following three types
Most common in modular ice machines and split ice machines
Features: moderate size, ice production of 50-1000 kg, can meet the ice demand of small cold drink shops to large catering industries, and takes up less space, improving space utilization.
Advantages: can make ice continuously, and equipped with large-capacity storage ice box, can make ice cube in advance and store them to cope with the increase in ice demand during peak periods.
2 、Industrial ice machine
Common types are flake ice machine, block ice machine, and there are also cube ice machine and tube ice machine for consumption
Features: specially designed for large-scale industrial use or large ice maker machine enterprises, with ice production ranging from 1 ton to 40 tons, large machine size, installation and maintenance require professional installers and maintenance personnel to ensure that its ice making efficiency is not affected.
Advantages: extremely high ice production, wide range of applications, can be used in food processing, concrete cooling, dock fishery cold chain transportation and other fields, industrial ice machines use of high-strength stainless steel or anti-corrosion materials can ensure stable operation in high temperature and high humidity environment, which is an ideal choice for large-scale ice making.
3 、Ice maker for home
Common types include small ice cube machines and desktop ice makers
Features: small size, lightweight design, 8-15 kg ice production, suitable for outdoor activities or home offices.
Advantages: Easy installation, plug in and use. Small size, easy to carry, simple to operate. Makes transparent ice cubes, can meet daily ice needs.
Key Factors In Choosing An Ice Machine
1、Ice production and ice type
For home use：it is recommended that you choose a small ice cube machine or a table ice machine with a daily output of 8-15 kg. Their ice production can meet your needs and will not cause overproduction.
For commercial use：first consider the size of your business and the daily passenger flow (it is necessary to consider the possibility of increased demand for ice due to increased passenger flow during peak hours) and determine what type of ice is more popular with consumers in your industry, such as ball ice, granulated ice, cube ice, etc. Choose a commercial ice machine with a daily output of 50 kg to 1000 kg.
For industrial use：choose the type of ice that is more suitable for you according to the industry you are in. For example, fishery processing requires an industrial flake ice machine, while edible ice wholesale requires an industrial ice cube machine. And determine the output of the required industrial ice machine according to the size of your business. If you are not sure, you can ask a professional industrial ice machine manufacturer, who will provide you with a perfect solution.
2、 Ice maker machine size and installation
Before purchasing an ice maker, make sure that the size matches the installation location you have reserved and that there is enough space to operate the ice maker. When installing, you need to consult a professional to ensure that the ice-making efficiency will not be affected by the installation location. This is crucial for you, as it affects whether you can quickly operate the machine and the efficiency of obtaining ice products.
3、 Energy efficiency and noise
Choose an ice maker with low energy consumption and high efficiency, which can effectively reduce your ice-making costs and achieve green and sustainable development. Pay attention to noise, especially in home or commercial activities, low-noise design is particularly important, which will directly affect you or your customers’ ice-using experience.
4、 Brand and after-sales
Choose well-known ice maker brands such as Pecold, Scotsman, Koller, Hoshizaki, etc. to ensure that the quality of the products you purchase is reliable, and can provide you with timely after-sales service and repair support when the ice maker fails.
Ice Maker Maintenance And Care
After using the ice maker, it needs to be maintained and maintained, which can extend its service life and ensure that the quality of ice cubes is not affected. If you want to conduct long-term business, it is very important to regularly maintain and clean the ice maker.
1. Clean the water tank and mold
Regularly use cleaning tools such as soft cloth, neutral detergent (do not use acidic or alkaline detergents), clean water, etc. to clean the water tank to prevent scale and bacteria from growing. After using detergent, it needs to be thoroughly rinsed with clean water to avoid detergent residue affecting the quality of ice cubes.
2. Replace the filter
Food-grade or commercial ice makers are generally equipped with filters, which need to be replaced regularly, preferably every 3-6 months, to ensure that the ice-making water source will not be contaminated by the accumulation of filter residues, thereby affecting the quality of ice cubes.
3. Check the circuit and compressor
Regularly check whether the circuit connection is firm to avoid ice maker operation failures due to poor contact, reduce safety hazards, and ensure ice making and employee safety. It is also necessary to check whether the compressor is operating normally and whether the power is normal to ensure the efficiency of the ice machine.
4. Long-term out-of-use maintenance and care
When the ice machine is not used for a long time, the power supply should be cut off and the water tank should be emptied and cleaned. After it is naturally dried, it should be put back to avoid mold growth that affects the quality of the next ice making. And do a good job of dust prevention to extend the service life of the ice machine.
Summarize
Ice makers bring great convenience to our lives. When choosing an ice maker, you need to consider your actual needs comprehensively. When choosing an ice maker, you can choose a reliable merchant like Pecold, and combine it with correct use and maintenance skills to ensure that you can enjoy a high-quality ice-making experience. If you have other questions about ice makers, you can contact us to share them, and we will have professional technicians to answer them for you!
FAQ
How much is an ice machine?
Small tabletop ice machines usually cost between $100 and $300, commercial ice machines cost between $500 and $5,000, industrial ice machines cost more than $5,000, and large industrial ice machines cost tens of thousands of dollars.
How long does an ice machine take to make ice?
Home ice machines usually take 6 to 15 minutes to make a batch of ice cubes, while commercial and industrial ice machines take 15 to 30 minutes to make a batch of ice cubes, depending on the model.
How often to clean ice machine?
Home ice machines should be cleaned once a month, commercial and industrial ice machines should be cleaned every two weeks, and filters should be replaced regularly.
How to clean ice machine commercial?
1 、Turn off the power and cut off the water supply to remove all ice cubes. If there is ice in the refrigerator, you need to use a plastic shovel to scrape it off.
2 、Remove the removable parts and use a neutral detergent to clean the evaporator, storage bin, nozzle, sink, water pipe, and filter.
3 、Rinse thoroughly with clean water, reassemble, check whether the joints and pipes are firm, then start the machine and check the quality of the first ice making to ensure that there is no residual odor and impurities in the equipment.
Why Ice machine won’t make ice?
1、Insufficient water supply cannot meet the ice making needs, and the water pump fails to operate normally.
2、Frost appears inside the evaporator and needs to be defrosted or refrigerant is insufficient and needs to be added.
3、The compressor is underpowered and the circuit is faulty. You need to contact a professional for repair