Installing laboratory ice maker machine

The ice machine is one of the most important equipment in a laboratory. It is used primarily for preserving important samples and controlling temperatures during experiments. Laboratory ice maker machines should be installed by professionals otherwise a faulty installation procedure can cause the machine to malfunction. In this small article, you will learn about how the ice machines need to be installed in order to work properly.

How Does the Ice Machine Work?

The ice machine functions in the following ways:

·         Cold water is stored inside the tank which has a pump that helps in circulation through evaporator plates and grid points.

·         Once the run through the compressor suction is done then the liquefaction process will be done.

·         Again the temperature is lowered to under minus ten degrees when the evaporated chilled water condenses on the evaporation plates and turns into ice gradually. The condensed ice will be of a specific thickness.

·         The procedure of defrosting is also available which can help with the de-icing. Thus, the process can be repeated again and again.

Ice Making Repetitions:

Water will automatically start to enter the storage tanks through the additional water valves. After that it, it will go into the flow control valves from where it goes into the pump heads and finally, the shunt. Inside the shunt, the water gets sprayed on the special ice surfaces where water gets cooled to its freezing point. The frozen water will not evaporate but will go into tank through the porous walls and thus the process continues to repeat itself again.

Ice Defrost Cycle:

After the ice reaches a certain predetermined thickness then hot gas will be discharged from a compressor. The gas is directed to the ice maker with a low temperature refrigerant for liquids. Lubrication processes help the gas to facilitate the evaporation process on the ice surface which results in gradual defrosting of the ice. The water which is generated through defrosting gets added back to the water reservoir through porous walls. Such a design also prevents the ice maker machine from getting wet when ice is being discharged.

Condensation:

Inside the laboratory ice machine, there will be mechanisms to facilitate the condensation process also. You will have both options: either water-cooled condensation or by evaporative condensers. For evaporative condensation, there is a evaporative plate which is placed inside the ice machine while for water-cooled condensation, the condenser is placed at the bottom or inside the refrigeration system. Evaporative condensation is quite useful for implementation in high air temperatures and it is also more energy efficient. But water-condensation is useful when you need to lower temperatures in the experiment set-up.

Installing the Ice Maker:

·         Go through the manual thoroughly and learn about all the different parts which need to be joined together.

·         Do not plug in the main switch before installation is complete.

It is highly recommended that you hire a professional to come and install your ice maker machine because this is a complicated job. Several suppliers offer free installation also and you should consider taking their help.

Why laboratory ice maker is important

An Ice maker or machine is a useful tool in every laboratory. There are several types of experiments and reactions which require an ice bath in their procedures. Laboratory ice maker is the answer for such requirements. They provide a convenient way to ensure the availability of ice, whenever it is needed.

 

Some of the important points are as follows:

•         Ice makers can easily produce ice from water and dry ice using liquid nitrogen.

•         When it comes to the storage of samples and reagents at a cold place during experiments or other lab activities, the laboratory ice machine are used by the laboratories to do so.

•         Ice makers are usually large shaped floor model units that are connected directly to the water source. However, smaller capacity bench-top models and under-counter are also available.

•         They may also contain replaceable air and water cartridges and may also have antimicrobial features that help in maintaining water and ice quality.

•         A laboratory ice maker can find its application in microbiology labs and for PCR.

•         Ice maker vary in size, based on the amount of ice they can produce and store. They may also vary based on the type or shape of ice produced, including cubes, flakes and nuggets/pearl-shaped.

•         Some of them are able to dispense water and ice, while others have large covered bins from which it is necessary to scoop or can transfer the ice into a secondary container.

•         Ice making can be done continuously until a threshold point is reached, whereas other ice makers can be programmed in a way that it meets the fluctuating demand.

•         Like refrigerators and freezers, almost every ice maker runs on a regular current.

•         They can be placed in smaller or enclosed areas, as they usually vent toward the front and not towards the back.

•         At a time, dry ice maker can produce small quantities of dry ice which usually amounts to 454g block. And it takes less than five minutes to form a block.

•         For production, it requires a liquid carbon dioxide tank along-with a dip tube. To produce around 8 to16 blocks of dry ice, a 50-pound tank of liquid carbon dioxide is required.

•         There are versions of ice makers that can produce dry ice as flakes are also available.

There are certain laboratory ice makers that only make ice, but then this produced ice needs to be stored in a separate ice bin, so it is preferred to have ice makers that can do both tasks i.e., make and store the ice. It should be decided, if flaked or cubed ice is preferred, and if somehow cubes are wanted, then what shape and size is required, are a few important points to determine before purchasing a laboratory ice maker. How much ice can be produced and/or stored and the size of the ice maker should also be considered before the purchase is done. So, if you are looking for the best ice makers for your laboratory then you can get the best from global lab supply too.