- Water Supply: The machine is connected to a clean water source. The water flows into the water reservoir, where it’s held ready for the ice-making process.
- Refrigeration Cycle: The machine uses a refrigeration cycle, which involves the compressor, condenser, throttle valve, and evaporator. The compressor condenses low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This gas is then cooled and condensed into a liquid by the condenser. The liquid refrigerant goes through the throttle valve and drops in pressure before it enters the evaporator.
- Ice Formation: In the evaporator, the liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat from the water and evaporates again into a gas, reducing the water temperature. As the water temperature falls below freezing, ice begins to form on the inner wall of the evaporator, which is cooled by the refrigerant.
- Ice Flake Creation: The 20-ton flake ice machine has a high-speed scraper that rotates against the inner wall of the evaporator. As the ice forms, the scraper continually shaves thin layers of ice off the wall. These thin shavings are your ice flakes.
- Ice Discharge: The ice flakes fall into the ice storage bin, ready to be used. The ice-making cycle continues, providing a constant supply of fresh flake ice.
- Temperature Control: Throughout the process, the machine’s control system monitors and adjusts the ice-making cycle to maintain the desired ice production rate and flake ice quality. The system ensures the machine operates efficiently, reducing energy usage and wear and tear on the machine components.