Once you determine the style of your ice machine as
discussed in our article
Choosing the Right Ice Machine – Modular vs. Self-Contained
the next step will be to choose the cooling method, air or water. In order to
make ice, you actually remove heat from water, which in turn makes the
temperature drop below the freezing point. Heat is removed via the
refrigeration system and then water or air are used in the dissipation process.
Air Cooled Ice Machines
Air cooled machines are by far the most popular ice machines
on the market today. These machines use fans and heat syncs to remove heat from
the refrigeration system. Many air cooled machines are even Energy Star
compliant today which is a drastic change in the marketplace from just a few
years ago. The only place you would not really want to use an air cooled
machine would be an environment where the ice machine is in hot, humid areas
such as outdoors, or kitchens in southern states. When these machines are in
those environments, the air that is being blown over the condenser cannot
efficiently remove the heat, so the machine will not produce the ice it is
rated for. Worst case scenario is that the machine could actually break if it
can’t remove enough heat.
Advantages of Air Cooled Machines
- Low installation costs
- Will meet all local water consumption standards
- Energy efficient
Disadvantages of Air Cooled Machines
- Hot air discharge will increase the temperature of the room
the ice machine is in - Needs venting on the sides or top (depending on where the
discharge is) - Maximum ice capacity may be reduced in warmer environments
Water Cooled Ice Machines
Water cooled machines are the most efficient type of machine
for removing heat from the machine, but in doing so, use a large amount of
fresh water. Rather than having air blown over the evaporator, water is passed
over the coils to remove the heat. Once the water has passed over the coils, it
is then sent down the drain and can’t be re-used. Since water is being used and
not air, the ambient temperature does not have any effect on the production
capacity of the machine. Many cities and towns have water conservation laws on
the books and have banned the use of water cooled machines because of the
amounts of water that is used.
Advantages of Water Cooled Machines
- Does not increase the ambient temperature of the room the
ice machine is installed in - Most effective way of removing heat from the refrigeration
system - Can be used in any type of temperature environment
Disadvantages of Water Cooled Machines
- Uses a lot of water – roughly 100 gallons for each 100
pounds of ice produced - Can increase the operator’s water and sewer bills
Other articles in this series are: