DESC:FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
“A System For Producing Ice Slurry Using Sea Water”
2. APPLICANT(s):

Name Nationality Address
Chirag Ice Factory Pvt. Ltd Indian Company D-29/12, M.I.D.C.,
Turbhe, Navi Mumbai – 400705

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
PROVISIONAL
The following specification describes the invention. COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system for producing ice, more particular, the present invention relates to system for producing ice slurry using sea water. The system may be installed on fishing boats, motor vessels, seafood processing factories, aquaculture and fishing farmers and the like.

Background of the invention

Slurry ice is a phase changing refrigerant made up of millions of ice “micro-crystals” (typically 0.1 to 1 mm in diameter) formed and suspended within a solution of water and a freezing point depressant. Some compounds used in the field are salt (sodium chloride), ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, various alcohols (Isobutyl, ethanol) and sugar (sucrose, glucose). Slurry Ice has greater heat absorption compared with single phase refrigerants (Brine) because the melting enthalpy (latent heat) of the ice is also used. Slurry ice is used for preservation of seafood but can also be used for preservation of either items.

At present, the existing systems are expansive, bulky and require more space. Therefore, there is need to provide a system for producing slurry ice, which can be used on sea fishing boats or on any marine vehicles and which overcomes all the drawback of the prior art.

Objects of the invention

Object of the present invention is to provide a system for producing slurry ice by using seawater.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for producing slurry ice, which is compact and cost effective.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system for producing slurry ice, which is light in weight.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention there is provided a system for producing slurry ice using sea water. The system having a prime mover, a compressor, a condenser, a receiver and at least one ice maker. The compressor is coupled to the prime mover. The compressor compresses the refrigerant which is in the gaseous form. The condenser is connected to the compressor with a oil separator therebewteen for receiving refrigerant from the compressor, the oil separator separates oil from the refrigerant and allows to pass refrigerant only to the condenser, the condenser condenses the refrigerant. The receiver is provided for storing condensed refrigerant and an accumulator for accumulating refrigerant. The at least one ice maker receives the refrigerant from the accumulator through an expansion valve, wherein the at least one ice maker produces slurry ice by using sea water.

Brief description of figures

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a system for producing slurry ice in accordance
with the present invention.

Details description of the invention

For a thorough understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the following detailed description in connection with the above-described drawings. Although the present invention is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The present invention provides a system for producing slurry ice by using seawater. The system is compact and cost effective. Further, the system is light in weight.

Referring now to figure 1, a schematic block diagram of a system 100 for producing slurry ice from sea water in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The system 100 include a prime mover 10, a compressor 12, a oil separator 14, a condenser 16, a receiver 18, a first filter 20, a second filter 40, a accumulator 22 and at least one ice maker 24. The compressor 12 is used for compressing the refrigerant. The compressor 12 can be any type of compressor, which is capable of compressing refrigerant. For example, the compressor 12 can be the reciprocating, rotary, and centrifugal type. it may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to used any of the above listed compressor or any other compressor, which is obvious to a person skilled in the art. Also, the compressor 12 is well known to a person skilled in the art, therefore, it will not be described in detail. The compressor 12 is driven by the prime mover 10 as shown in figure 2. In an embodiment, the prime mover 10 is a diesel engine and it may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to use any other suitable prime movers. The compressed refrigerant compressed by the compressor 12 is then passed through the oil separator 14 to the condenser 16. The oil separator 14 separates refrigerant from the oil if any. Presence of oil in the refrigerant may degrade cooling efficiency, thereby degrading quality of slurry ice produced, which in turn affects stored sea food using this slurry ice for preservation. The oil from the separator 14 is supplied back to the compressor with an oil return valve 12a therebetween.

Further, the system 100 includes the condenser 16 for condensing the compressed refrigerant. The condenser 16 is well known to a person skilled in the art, therefore, it will not be described in detail. The condenser 16 receives refrigerant from the oil separator 14 through an inlet valve 16a. The condenser 16 egress out the condensed refrigerant through an out let valve 16d. The condenser 16 also includes an air purge valve 16b and a pressure relief valve 16c. The air purge valve 16b is installed at high points of the condenser where air accumulates. Refrigerant pressure automatically forces air out, and when it reaches the valve, the internal float of the air purge valve 16b creates a liquid tight seal. The air purge valve 16b is mounted vertically. It seals effectively at pressures from 2 to 100 psi. Under suction, the valve draws in air, functioning similar to a vacuum breaker. The pressure relief valve 16c enables to maintain predefined pressure in the condenser 16. The pressure relief valve16c releases the extra pressure out by releasing the pressurized vapour therethough. This arrangement increases efficiency of the system 100 and ensures effective condensation of the refrigerant. The condenser 16 which first cools and removes the superheat and then condenses the vapor into a liquid form by removing additional heat at constant pressure and temperature. In an embodiment, the condenser 16 may include a pump for circulation of refrigerant therein.

The condensed refrigerant from the condenser 16 is received in the receiver 18 through a receiver inlet valve 18a and releases out through outlet valve 18b. The receiver 18 stores the liquid refrigerant therein for further use. The refrigerant is then passed through the first filter 20. The first filter 20 having an inlet valve 20a and an out let valve. Alternatively, bypass way (not shown) may be provided, which may enable flow of refrigerant from the receiver 18 directly to the accumulator 22, bypassing the first filter 20. In an embodiment, the first filter 20 is a catch-all filter. It may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to us any other type of filter suitable for similar operation. The Catch-All Filter-Drier removes moisture from the refrigerant and lubricant by adsorbing and retaining moisture deep within the desiccant granules. The blend of desiccants used in the Catch-All is specially formulated for exceptional moisture removal. The high degree of activation ensures maximum water capacity, which means the core removes large amount of water in one pass, thereby protecting the expansion valve from possible freeze-up. Since the refrigerant must flow through the core, maximum contact between the two ensures rapid system dehydration thereby increasing efficiency of the system 100.

Further, the filtered liquid refrigerant from the first filter 20 is received in the accumulator 22 and passed through liquid sub cooling coil tube which is mounted inside the accumulator 22. Heat absorbed by suction vapour from high pressurized condensed liquid refrigerant which passes through sub cooling tube coil & high pressure condensed liquid refrigerant becomes sub cooled liquid. The accumulator 22 in a heat pump or refrigeration system is to catch and hold any unused portion of the system charge/refrigerant. The accumulator 22 must also prevent liquid slugging of the compressor 12 and excessive refrigerant dilution of the compressor oil. The accumulator 22 must return refrigerant and oil of the compressor 12 at a sufficient rate to maintain both operating efficiency and proper crankcase oil level. To make sure these are accomplished, the accumulator 22 has sufficient internal volume. A properly sized and protected oil return orifice is required to ensure positive oil (and refrigerant) returned to the compressor 12. The pressure drop across the accumulator 22 should be as low as possible.

Further, the sub cooled refrigerant from the accumulator 22 is passed into the ice maker 24 through an expansion valve 22a. The present invention is shown to include two ice makers 24, but it may be obvious to a person skilled in the art to use one, two, three or more ice makers. The expansion valve 22a is a thermal expansion valve. The expansion valve 22a is a component in the present system 100 that controls the quantity of refrigerant flow into the ice makers 24, thereby controlling the superheating at the outlet of the ice makers 24. Thermostatic expansion valves are often referred to generically as "metering devices". In an embodiment, the ice makers 24 is an evaporate capable of producing slurry ice by using sea water. In the present invention two ice makers 24 are used as shown in figure 1.

The refrigerant from the ice maker after getting its latent heat of evaporation from the water in there is collected back in the accumulator 22, which is again passed through the compressor 12, thereby providing a continues process. Further, the ice makers 24 and the condenser 16 are connected for providing gases from the condenser 16 directly in to the ice makers 24 with a solenoid valve 24a and an another valve 24b there between.

Further, the ice makers 24 may include an inlet for water and an out let for extracting the slurry ice. As the water used in the present invention is seawater, therefore, the freezing point depressant is not required. Alternatively, freezing point depressant is selected from the group of salt (sodium chloride), ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, various alcohols (Isobutyl, ethanol), sugar (sucrose, glucose) and the like. The system 100 may also include an additional inline thermostatic expansion valve 22b for enhancing efficiency of the system 100. Specifically, the thermal expansion valve 22b is disposed on return pipe connecting of the ice makes 24, which carries used refrigerant back to the accumulator 22. The refrigerant from the ice makers 24 after getting its latent heat of evaporation from the water in there is collected back in the accumulator 22, which is again passed through the compressor 12, thereby providing a continues process. An additional filter 40 with an inlet valve 40a is disposed in line to filter the refrigerant from the accumulator 22 before passing the refrigerant to the compressor12. This filter 40 filters any contaminants from the refrigerant. Further, the ice makers 24 and the condenser 16 are connected for providing gases from the condenser 16 to the ice makers 24 directly and the flow of gases are controlled by a solenoid valve 24a and another valve 24b therebetween. This arrangement ensures effective cooling of the water inside the ice makers 24.

The slurry ice completely engulfs the fish without any air pocket thereby ensuring rapid and even heat transfer therebetween. The ice is produced in the ice maker at about the rate of 250 Kg/hr using sea water. The ice can be pumped therefore there is no need to carry ice or ice crusher. The produced ice is soft and has no sharp edges thereby ensuring highest grade quality of ice. The temperature of the ice is between -02 oC to -4oC, which ensures rapid cooling preserving the freshness of the fish. The entire system 100 is made of stainless steel 316 food grade. The system 100 is compact and light weight.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

,CLAIMS:We Claim:

1. A system for producing ice slurry using sea water, the system comprising:
a prime mover;
a compressor coupled to the prime mover, the compressor compress the refrigerant which is in the gaseous form;
a condenser connected to the compressor with a oil separator therebewteen for receiving refrigerant from the compressor, the oil separator separates oil from the refrigerant and allows to pass refrigerant only to the condenser, the condenser condenses the refrigerant;
a receiver for storing condensed refrigerant and an accumulator for accumulating refrigerant;
at least one ice maker receives the refrigerant from the accumulator through an expansion valve, wherein the at least one ice maker produces slurry ice by using seawater.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ice maker is a shell in tube type of heat exchanger.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the used refrigerant from the at least one ice maker is collected in the accumulator, filtered and again sent to the compressor for next cycle of cooling.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filter is catch all type filter.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condenser has a air purge valve for releasing excess air and a pressure relief valve to maintain predefined pressure therein.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one ice maker is connected to condenser for receiving condensed refrigerant directly from the condenser.

7. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flow of the refrigerant from the condenser to the at least one ice make is contorted by a solenoid valve disposed therebetween.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system having a thermal expansion valve disposed on return pipe connecting of the ice make, which carries used refrigerant back to the accumulator.