Commercial Ice Machines

Icemakers are essential to industries in the fields of recreation, healthcare, grocery, convenience stores, hotels, and of course the humble individual home where parties and get-togethers are very much a part of normal everyday life.

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Commercial Ice Machines Overview
Ice is no longer a luxury and the prerogative of few, thanks to continuous technological advances and commercial activity. It is in the interest of commerce to make any new commodity available to many. Commerce means expansion of markets. Hence, ice has become affordable to the majority around the globe. Why is ice making of such great importance in today’s commerce? Firstly, it is largely and most importantly used as a preservative in food processing and research organizations. Secondly, it caters to the lip-smacking ice cream taste-buds of the modern generation. Thus, icemakers are essential to industries in the fields of recreation, healthcare, grocery, convenience stores, hotels, and of course the humble individual home where parties and get-togethers are very much a part of normal everyday life. It is not unusual for the home to suddenly become the hub of a fairly large party spilling onto the lawns. This is when large icemakers of the commercial variety come in handy to go with drinks, beverages, and of course with sweet mouth-watering ice cream desserts.

Plus Points
When shopping for a commercial ice machine for your business purpose, what are the points to note? With décor becoming more and more fine and important, there is no longer any need to hide your ice machine. It will add bonus points to your interior decoration, if kept in a prominent place right in front of everyone. Secondly, choose a design that will save labor costs and yet provide safety from bacteria being built up. There are models that clean or sanitize the water distribution system in a matter of less than half an hour. The cleaning unit is built-in for customary satisfaction. Thirdly, do not hesitate to pay a little bit more and opt for the branded ones – these have the government standard seal. Ask yourself – what shaped cubes do you want? Rhomboid shaped cubes are easy to work with and ideal for drinking and cooling purposes. Some models churn out sixty-five to two thousand lbs per day. There is a choice of three cube sizes. Last but not least, see that the commercial ice machine you have voted for is the right solution for bringing large volumes of ice to the point of drink. Narrow depths should give easy access to the dispensing equipment to allow for cleaning, if required.

Maintenance
Despite all the assurances given regarding maintenance, there are some eternal rules that forever apply. After all, machines are extensions of your hands. You cannot totally dispense with the use of your fingers! Commercial ice machines, whether big or small, need to be cleaned inside and outside, if you wish for it a long and efficient life. However, always follow the instructions of the manufacturer. Clean door gaskets and sill. Check if the temperature is at the required level. Do not always depend on the hum of the machine. If the temperature wavers, then perhaps the condensing coil needs to be checked. If you know the ins and outs, then the sales talk will not take you for a ride. Dirty coils can definitely affect operations. Vacuum the coil periodically, but again remember – follow the instructions of the manufacturer.

Odors
Odors are not just offensive, but warning signals that all is not well; bacteria are multiplying. When edibles are spoiled, odors persist. They persist even after disposal of the offending item. First, wash the inside of the unit with baking soda diluted in a tepid warm water solution. Scrub with a clean cloth the gaskets, shelves, sides, and door. For a couple of days, expose the machine to open air. In other words, air it. Use your standby machine during the shut down. Sprinkle fresh ground coffee powder and or baking soda loosely in the bottom or place this mixture in an open container inside the unit. Then, keep a swab soaked in vanilla. Now close the door and keep it closed for twenty-four hours. You may also use commercial cleaning products, but it is no harm to know about the traditional methods, which are far less toxic and more user friendly.

The Process
Just a hundred years ago, ice was not easy to find in most parts of the world. In hot places, hefty blocks were imported from a colder part of the world, which had installed an industrial refrigeration plant. Naturally, the price of ice was steep. But there was hardly any choice. Now the story has changed. There are many ways to configure a large free-standing commercial ice machine. What is required are a refrigeration system, water supply, and a way of collecting the ice that forms. One of the simplest systems in use in the professional world is a large metal ice cube tray, placed vertically. The metal ice tray is connected to a set of coiled heat exchanging pipes. A compressor drives a stream of refrigerant fluid into a continuous cycle of condensation and expansion. What happens is that the compressor compresses or forces the refrigerant through a narrow tube, alias the condenser, to condense it. Then, it releases it into a wider tube called the evaporator where it expands. The process of compressing the refrigerant causes its pressure to rise which results in increase of its temperature. As the fluid passes through the narrow coils, it loses heat to the cool air outside and it condenses into a liquid. When the compressed fluid passes through the expansion valve, it evaporates and expands to become gas. This process of evaporation draws in heat energy from the metal pipes and the air around the refrigerant. This cools the pipes and the metal tray that is attached. The icemaker has a water pump that draws water from a collection sump and pours it over the chilled ice tray. As the water flows over it, the water freezes, forming ice cubes in the hollows of the tray.

Ice Cubes
In commercial ice making machines, ice cubes are formed in the refrigerated system as discussed above. In this way, layer by layer of water is frozen and clear ice is formed. When the freezing process is done all at once, as in the home ice maker, the ice is cloudy. After a fixed time, the ice maker triggers a solenoid valve connected to the heat-exchanging coils. Switching the valve changes the path of the refrigerant. The compressor stops forcing the heated gas into the narrow tube and instead forces the gas into a wide bypass tube. The hot gas is cycled back to the evaporator without condensing. This causes the pipes and ice tray to become warm and the ice cubes to loosen. The individual cube wells are slanted, so the loosened cubes will slide out on their own into a collection bin below. Some models have a cylinder piston that gives the tray a little push and thus knocks the cubes loose. This system is very popular in large restaurants and hotels. The cubes come in standard shapes and sizes. Other business units such as grocery stores or scientific research centers require smaller ice flakes used for packing perishable items.

Flake Icemakers
Flake icemakers are another variety of commercial ice making machines. These work on the same principle, but there is an added component that is known as the ice crusher. This machine uses a set of heat exchanging coils and a stream of water to build up a layer of ice. But, here the coils are placed inside a large metal cylinder. Water passes through the cylinder as well as around its outer edges. The flowing water gradually builds up a large column of ice embracing the cylinder from the outside as well as the inside. A solenoid valve releases hot gas into the cooling pipes and after some time, the loosened ice tumbles into the ice crusher below. The latter breaks the ice into pieces, which pass into the collection bin. The size of the ice pieces depends on the mechanism of the crusher, which might break the ice either into irregular chunks or fine flakes. Thus, we see the basic idea is that the refrigeration system builds up a layer of ice as well as a harvesting system.

Safety
Usually, while talking about commercial ice making machines, we tend to overlook the fact that ice is food. Generally, we tend to forget it. As such, the importance of the machines double. These are now dealing with a highly volatile subject related to human health. Thus, certain basic guide lines, irrespective of the model of the ice maker should be followed. Each time an ice bin is opened, there is the chance of cross-contamination. The waiter scooping up the ice might have forgotten to wash his hands or duster just after cleaning the table or handling the poultry. There is a fair chance of passing on micro organisms. The containers used to transport and hold ice must be for ice and ice alone. Put a label “Ice Only.” Even then, have the bins thoroughly sanitized after each operation. Next, there is every possibility of glass being broken near ice. The two look very similar, and the dangers are obvious. It is wiser to keep more than one machine even in small business concerns. Last but not least is a word of warning about location of the ice making machine. Keep it as far as possible from garbage bins, back doors, and places where food is cooked.

Models
Commercial Ice making machines come in various types of models. There are counter tops or stand-alone equipment. Some sit on top of soda dispensers and pour ice directly into ice storage bins. Such units are labor saving while guaranteeing that the customer gets the ice as required. Large ice production units have specially designed dispensers that load ice directly into buckets and carts. Nugget ice is becoming more and more popular, because it takes longer to melt and consumes less water and electricity. Large floor-model ice makers produce anywhere from 300 lbs. to about 2,000 lbs. in 24 hours and average about 25” in height. These are available in widths from 22” to 48”. Some models are designed to be stackable, doubling daily production. Under counter ice makers can produce 100 lbs. to 200 lbs. in 24 hours. These fit in spaces 35” to 40” high. Newer countertop nugget icemakers and water dispensers produce larger amounts of ice. Storage capacity is smaller, but efficiency is greater. Dispensing options include ice only, water only, or ice and water combinations. High-capacity models are suitable for theme parks, institutional kitchens, cafeterias, casinos, etc. Ice production ranges from 1,450 lbs. to 1,880 lbs. of ice cubes per day. There is a choice between air, water, or remote air-cooled condensing units. Suitable configuration remarkably reduces energy bills. Air-cooled condensers, which require no additional water for cooling, function best where ambient air temperatures do not exceed 80°F. In hotter regions, remote air-cooled condensers may be installed on a roof. This simplifies cleaning and maintenance and reduces demands on air-conditioning systems. When rooftop units are not possible and temperatures exceed 80°F., operators can make use of self-contained water-cooled condensers. However, it is better to bear in mind that these will escalate plumbing costs.


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