SELF CONTAINED ICE-MAKER ENERGY EFFICIENCY BOOSTING SYSTEM

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods related to improving the energy efficiency of compressor-based restaurant equipment, more specifically ice-making equipment. Various methods or reutilizing the cold wastewater generated from the ice-making process are proposed including utilizing this wastewater to cool the exhaust air of the icemaker, to cool the input air of the ice maker before reaching the coils, as well as using the wastewater to cool the input water to the icemaking process. Further, a control system to manage and select between the approaches based on seasonality and machine learned historical performance is presented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Quick Serve Restaurants (QSRs) are generally run in relatively tight spaces with an abundance of equipment positioned in close proximity to each other within the space. A great deal of time and effort are put into determining the most efficient layout of this equipment to generate the maximum amount of food in the most expeditious manner possible. This has typically led to equipment being tightly packed in and around the food cooking and preparation area. Even larger restaurants with large seating areas may have the same constraints within their kitchens.

Much of the equipment used to store, prepare, and cook food generates a considerable amount of heat. For example, a refrigerator or freezer operates on the principle of removing heat from inside the equipment and exhausting this heat, usually right into the space adjacent to the equipment and into the tightly packed food preparation area. This hot exhaust is uncomfortable to those working in the space. It also affects other equipment causing it to be less efficient. The HVAC units must work harder to cool the space, and even then, hot spots in tightly packed areas are difficult to address with typical HVAC ducting and ventilation.

While stoves and grills are provided with hoods that function to exhaust smoke and other biproducts to the exterior of the building, these cooking areas still create ambient heat which affects the space within which they operate. Other restaurant equipment, such as food warmers, heating lamps, ovens and toaster ovens also contribute to the release of heat into the surrounding workspace.

During cold winter months, all this release of heat may function to warm the space, and even to reduce the need for heating by the HVAC, raising the temperature in the space to a comfortable level. Often, however, the confines of the hot kitchen area still get so hot that they must be cooled even in the winter months due to the tightly packed equipment and the resultant heat from cooking that is generated.

During the hot summer months, the additional heat can add a significant load to the HVAC equipment. Lowering the temperature in the kitchen area to a comfortable level and reducing hot spots in the working area is also much more challenging.

While the main cooking area of the restaurant may be the most affected by this phenomenon, even self-serve drink stations with ice makers and other congregations of equipment suffer from the same effects.

Cooling equipment, such as ice makers, ice-cream makers, frosty or snow-cone makers, etc. are some of the largest energy users in a QSR and some of the largest heat generators. Further, these are used the most during hot summer months when cooling the space is the most challenging and takes the most energy due to an already large temperature differential with the outside air and the desired inside temperature. To maintain the cold temperatures required inside these types of equipment to make the ice, compressors or cooling systems within the machines expel a significant amount of heat into the working space by means of fans. Each of these pieces of equipment can expel air at a temperature that can exceed 120° F.

Due to the limited space available, there is usually insufficient areas to to run ductwork to extract the hot air expelled from these units. In addition, the equipment in question may be relocated or may be reconfigured making any form of venting difficult if not impractical.

As a result of the above, the ambient temperature of the surrounding working space rises causing the HVAC equipment to cycle on to compensate. This means that energy is being used to cool the inside of the equipment, which causes the space to be heated, which in turn requires still more energy to be used removing that resultant heat from the space. This very inefficient system has been the norm for many decades.

Energy costs continue to climb. As electricity rates climb, the need to eliminate unnecessary energy equipment loading and reduce the impact of equipment on HVAC loads is even more important. One challenge that QSRs face is that the footprint of the space is relatively small, and as stated above, the amount and location of the equipment may be predefined and limited due to the space constraints and process engineering requirements. In some circumstances, new machines are required to support new products or offerings, and these must be added into an already tight configuration.

Further, rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns have led to an increased awareness and desire to reduce energy consumption. Energy efficiency has grown beyond a simple number on a spreadsheet than a successful restaurant can write-off as an energy expense on a spreadsheet. Concern for the environmental impact has become an important driver towards rooting out and identifying energy inefficiencies. Government incentives also play a role, but conscientious business owners are looking for energy efficient solutions and implementing these when these are available.

Various systems have been proposed in the past with limited success for removing hot exhaust air from various appliances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,911 to Johnson, describes a system for removing hot air via ducts and fans from racks of equipment. The system includes a fan unit preferably configured to serve as a back door of an equipment rack or enclosure and configured to provide access to an interior of the rack or enclosure. The fan unit provides multiple fans coupled to internal exhaust ducts that are arranged to draw and to remove exhaust air vented from rack-mounted equipment. The fan unit is further configured to vent exhaust air to an area external to a rack or enclosure, such as an external exhaust duct or plenum. Removal of hot and warm exhaust air vented from rack-mounted equipment enables the equipment to operate effectively, drawing sufficient amounts of cooling air to meet its cooling requirements. The fan unit is constructed for portability and for easy attachment to and removal from a rack or enclosure, providing flexibility in handling equipment exhaust needs.

Chinese patent CN201041443Y describes a system for reusing the runoff water from the evaporator coils for re-circulation in future ice making processes. However, there are significant food safety concerns in doing so.

Therefore, a need exists for a better solution for avoiding the addition of hot air into rooms where such hot air is created by ice-making machines in tight spaces. Further, a system that can reutilize the generated cold-water runoff with little to no additional energy burden would be ideal to efficiently capture and transport heat from equipment positioned in a QSR.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When looking at icemakers in particular, a byproduct is a large amount of runoff water which is typically drained. This water is relatively cold, near freezing, and is generated when the system sprays water on ultra-cold plates to make the ice. While icemakers come in various forms, in general there is an ice making cycle and a harvesting cycle. During the ice-making cycle, water is sprayed on or otherwise contacted with cold surfaces and ice begins to form on what are typically metal plates, usually stainless-steel. As more water is sprayed, the ice thickens. When the ice reaches a given thickness or after an elapsed time or other measure such as weight or visual sensing, the process switches to harvesting. The harvesting cycle warms the plate creating a thin layer of water under the newly formed ice allowing the ice to fall off the plate and into a collection tray where the ice is ready for consumption. This process then repeats itself to the extent additional ice is needed. This is usually at an interval of about 10-20 minutes.

In a typical commercial ice-machine, 3-5 gallons of near freezing water are generated in each ice making cycle. This wastewater is usually just run down the drain. This near freezing water can have many secondary uses as will be described herein. Particularly, waste water from the ice making process is fed through one or more heat exchangers to cool other fluid(s) which are associated with the ice making process such as new water to freeze, incoming air and/or exhaust air. This water left over from the ice making process can be used as a coolant within a cooling system for the hot air that is expelled by the ice maker, it can be used to cool in incoming air that flows over the compressor coils, and/or it can be used to precool the water flowing into the icemaking process. All of these provide an energy efficiency boost to the icemaker or to the overall room efficiency and can be incorporated into an existing icemaker with minimal effort. Further, the incorporation of intelligent management through a controller can prioritize and adjust the flowrates and utilization of the system to maximize efficiency based on external factors such as seasonality, historical savings or efficiency, environmental conditions, and utility rates.

Accordingly, it is desired to provide a system and method that captures and transports the cold run-off water from the ice-making process and uses it to reduce the heat of the exhaust air, to cool the air blowing over the coils of the compressor, and/or to cool the input water feeding the ice making process are all ways an icemaker can be made more efficient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of cooling the expelled air from the vents of restaurant refrigeration equipment in an efficient manner. This allows for this air to enter the environment in a cooled state thus reducing the ambient heat that can impact the surrounding temperature and have a negative impact on HVAC systems. Further, such a system eliminates the need for expensive and bulky duct work to exhaust the air out of the space. It also makes the movement and adjustment of equipment easier as there are no bulky and immovable vents to contend with.

It is further desired to provide a system and method for capturing the wastewater in a reservoir and providing a level sensor, and a pump that feeds water into a heat exchanger with a thermostat and controllable valve to manage the water flow. The cold water is pumped to one or more heat exchangers and these heat exchangers are installed in front of the vent where the hot air is exiting, or where warm air is entering to blow over the coils.

It is further desired to provide a heat exchanger used to transport the water input to the ice making process and passing the water through a heat exchanger placed in a bin of collected cold water from the ice making process.

It is further contemplated that one could use multiple heat exchangers in the same system, combining the above approaches as the ice water cools. As an example, the water coming from the utility may be at 60 degrees, and cold ice water at 35 or 40 degrees can help to cool this water. Even after the ice maker run-off water used in this process that is collected in the bin through which the tap water passes warms up to, say 50 degrees, that 50 degree water is still cold enough to provide cooling to the input air which comes in at 75-85 degrees and blows across the coils. Similarly, even after this second heat exchanger warms up the water further, for example to 60 degrees, that water can be used in a different heat exchanger to cool the exhaust air which may be coming out at well over 100 degrees.

Of course, maximum efficiency is used by providing the coldest water possible to each system, if multiple systems are employed and while a limited supply of run off water can be used in series as described above, it is also possible to utilize a system of valves to send the cold water directly to each heat exchanger.

Accordingly, a system comprising a wastewater reservoir, one or more heat exchange devices coupled to a pump via a supply line, which are in turn connected to the reservoir, along with thermostats to measure the water temperature and controllable valves to manage the water flow into the heat exchangers is described.

In one configuration, a system for capturing and transporting heat from equipment is provided, comprising a detachable heat exchanger detachably connected to a first equipment, the detachable heat exchanger comprising an internal coil structure, a first connection port adapted to receive a quick-connect hose connector, the first connection port connected to a first end of the internal coil structure, and a second connection port adapted to receive a quick-connect hose connector, the second connection port connected to a second end of the internal coil structure. The system further comprises a pump including a supply pipe extending from the pump to the first connection port, and a heat exchange device including a supply pipe extending from the heat exchange device to the pump, and a return pipe extending from the first equipment to the heat exchange device. The system is provided such that the supply pipes that extend from the heat exchange device to the pump, and from the pump to the first connection port which comprises a supply loop, and the return pipe that extends from the second connection port to the heat exchange device comprises a return loop. The system is still further provided such that heated air exhausted by the first equipment is directed into and captured by the detachable heat exchanger, and the captured heat is transported to the heat exchange device.

In another configuration, a system for capturing and transporting heat from equipment is provided comprising a detachable heat exchanger detachably connected to a first equipment, the detachable heat exchanger comprising: an internal coil structure, a first connection port adapted to receive a quick-connect hose connector, the first connection port connected to a first end of the internal coil structure, and a second connection port adapted to receive a quick-connect hose connector, the second connection port connected to a second end of the internal coil structure. The system further comprises a pump including a supply pipe extending from said pump to said first connection port, and a heat exchange device including a supply pipe extending from said heat exchange device to said pump, and a return pipe extending from said first equipment to said heat exchange device. The system is provided such that heated air exhausted by the first equipment is directed into and captured by the detachable heat exchanger, and the captured heat is transported to the heat exchange device.

In a further configuration a system is provided for capturing and transporting heat from equipment. A heat exchanger is configured to be positioned in or adjacent the housing of an icemaker. A reservoir is configured to receive water from the ice maker which water is excess water which was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker. The heat exchanger is configured to receive the water to cool the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger cools a second fluid which passes the heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.

In certain aspects the second fluid is incoming water for making ice and in further aspects the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. In yet other aspects the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. In still other aspects the heat exchanger is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is expelled by the ice maker is cooled by the heat exchanger. In yet other aspects the heat exchanger is positioned to cool air which is urged by a fan passed the heat exchanger and exhausted out of the housing. In yet other aspects a controller is provided with a temperature sensor coupled to the controller. The temperature sensor is provided to measure either the air exhausted by the first equipment or the temperature of the fluid in the return pipe coupled to the second connection port. The variable speed is pump coupled to the controller and the controller comprises a setpoint and when a measured temperature deviates from the setpoint, said controller adjust the speed of the variable speed pump and also adjusts electronically controlled valves to adjust flow of the water.

In certain aspects the heat exchanger comprises at least two heat exchangers, at a first one of the two heat exchangers is configured to cool the second fluid which is incoming water for making ice and the second of the at least two heat exchangers is configured to cool a third fluid which passes through the heat exchanger, wherein the third fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker and the third fluid is air. In certain aspects the second of the at least two heat exchangers is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out the housing. In still other aspects the second of the at least two heat exchangers is positioned downstream of a fan which blows the third fluid over a condenser if the ice maker. In still other aspects the controller controls one or more pumps, each of the one or more pumps urges the water through one of the at least two heat exchangers. In further aspects the controller receives status data from a heating unit, a venilation unit and/or a cooling unit associated with a space where the ice maker is positioned and the controller selectively operates the one or more pumps based on the status data.

In other aspects a system for capturing and transporting heat from equipment is provided including an ice maker having a housing and a heat exchanger configured to be positioned in the housing. A reservoir is configured to receive water from the ice maker which water was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker. The heat exchanger is configured to receive the water from the reservoir to cool the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger cools a second fluid which passes through the heat exchanger. The second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.

In certain aspects the second fluid is incoming water for making ice. In other aspects the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. In certain aspects the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. In other aspects the heat exchanger is positioned such that heated air passing through the housing which is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out the housing. In still other aspects the heat exchanger is positioned to cool air which is urged by a fan passed the heat exchanger and exhausted out of the housing.

In other aspects a method is provided for capturing and transporting heat from equipment and includes one or more of the steps of: installing a heat exchanger in or adjacent a housing of an ice maker; connecting the heat exchanger to a water source which collects water which was directed at a cooling plate for making ice in the ice maker such that the water from the water sources passes through and cools the heat exchanger; and positioning the heat exchanger and/or a source of second fluid such that the heat exchanger cools the second fluid which passes the heat exchanger, wherein the second fluid is fluid which enters the housing of the ice maker.

In certain aspects the second fluid is incoming water for making ice. In other aspects the second fluid is air which is urged by a fan over a heated portion of the ice maker to cool the heated portion of the ice maker. In still other aspects the heated portion of the ice maker is a condenser of the ice maker. In yet other aspects the heat exchanger is positioned such that the second fluid is heated air passing through the housing which heated air is cooled by the heat exchanger and expelled out of the housing.

Adaptations of the above for providing cooling of the input air into the ice maker to cool the compressor coils and to provide cooling to the input water for the ice making process as well as cooling for the air exhausted from the ice maker used to cool the condenser.

While the examples above primarily utilize the wastewater from the ice making process, the cold water may also be fed by other equipment that uses water to generate cooling such as shaved ice machines and slushy machines and the like. In some circumstances it may be possible to provide an alternate cold water source or a secondary cold water source such as a cooling tower, or by passing the water through the ground using geothermal systems, or any other means by which the liquid can be sufficiently cooled to provide a large temperature differential to extract the heat from the air passing by the coils of the heat exchanger.

Other objects of the invention and its features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and accompanying detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is perspective drawing of the equipment in a typical ice making system, specifically the ice making process.

FIG. 1B is front view of the internal equipment in a typical ice making system depicting the whole ice making machine.

FIG. 2 is another front view of an adapted water recovery system added to the ice maker with output air cooling.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an adapted water recovery system added to the ice maker with input water cooling.

FIG. 4A is front view of adaptation of a water recovery system with a heat exchanger designed to cool the air going over condenser coils.

FIG. 4B is a perspective exploded view of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 shows an overview of the logic in a block diagram depicting the valve control and energy saving process.

FIG. 6 is a depiction of the various components that are addressable and controllable by the intelligent controller including its external inputs and data sources.

FIG. 7 is a representative flow of the intelligent controller logic used to control the various components in the various configurations.

FIG. 8 shows a process of installing a heat exchanger system on an ice maker.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding structure throughout the views.

FIG. 1A shows a commercial/industrial ice making machine and depicts the ice making process in general. While a commercial/industrial machine is shown, it is understood that smaller ice makers may benefit from the disclosure herein, including those in drink machines, refrigerators and other situations which cold water is generated but normally discarded. Input water from the water utility 5 is transported to sprayers 20 and sprayed onto a cold surface 10. After some time, this water builds up on the cold surface 10 as ice and the surface 10 is briefly heated to cause the ice to fall down into a bin below (not shown). As the water is sprayed onto the cold surface 10, some of the water does not stick but runs off into a collection bin 55. This water is then drained 60 or may be recirculated during a particular ice making process and then finally drained once ice making is complete for and the system will transition to heating briefly to harvest the ice from the plates.

FIG. 1B shows a typical ice making process. The internal structure within the housing 1 of the ice maker is shown. Input water from the water utility 5 is transported to sprayers 20 and sprayed onto a cold surface 10. After some time, this water builds up on the cold surface 10 as ice and the surface 10 is briefly heated to cause the ice to fall 85 off into a bin 90. The resultant ice 95 is then stored in bin 90 and a level sensor 95 is used to stop and start the process when the bin is full. As the water is sprayed onto the cold surface 10, some of the water does not stick but runs off into a collection bin 55. This water is then drained 60 or recirculated and drained as described above.

FIG. 2 provides further detail of the ice making machine with the enhancements introduced for use of the cold water. The ice making process 100 is made up of cooling plates 195 and a sprayer 190. Water is intermittently sprayed onto the plates 195 allowing ice to build up. While ice is forming, some of the sprayed water may 110 may collect in the upper tank and the level thereof may be determined by a float sensor 120 (or other level sensor). After the ice has formed, a harvest cycle is started whereby the plates 195 are slightly warmed causing a layer of water to form under the ice, and the ice falls into a collection tray 90. While the ice-making process is more complex, for the sake of explaining the enhancements within the above basic explanation will suffice. Throughout the ice-making process, the sprayer 190 also creates run-off water 110 which builds up in a reservoir. When full, or when the ice making process completes and goes into harvest mode, a valve 130 is opened and the water 110 runs down into a secondary collection tank 140. As an alternative, the valve 130 may be plumbed such that the water is run through one of the heat exchanger coils directly in order to reduce the need for that water to be pumped through the exchanger. In the tank 140, a float sensor 145 (or other level sensor) is present to detect the water level and a thermostat 165 to detect the water temperature. A pump 160 is used to flow water 170 to a coil 117 which is placed in front of the exhaust fan, thus placing a heat exchanger filled with near-freezing water in front of the hot exhaust air coming from the coil. Another thermostat 119 is placed by the coil 119 with a valve 180 allowing the water from the coil to exit to the drain valve.

Cold water from the reservoir 140 is thus pumped to the heat exchanger coil 118 until it warms up beyond a threshold and is then drained and replaced with fresh cold water from the reservoir. Meanwhile as the ice making process continues, additional water is supplied to the reservoir. If the reservoir float 145 detects the reservoir is too full, the system will drain water through the coil allowing water to pass through regardless of the temperature.

Turning now to FIG. 3 we see an adaptation of the icemaker efficiency system applied to cooling input water to the ice making process. An additional tank 140′ is provided below the ice maker process tank containing water 110 (see FIG. 2). Or alternately the plumbing/additions shown in FIG. 3 may be applied to the tank of FIG. 2. A heat exchanger coil 210 is provided so that input water 200 coming from the water utility (or other supply for ice making) is pumped 230 through the coil 210. Valve 235 is provided for moving water from tank 110 into tank 140′ as needed. Tank 140′ also has a float sensor 145′ and thermostat (which may be integrated with the float sensor or a separate sensor) in order to measure water level and temperature so that it can be determined if valve 130 should be opened to move the water into another tank (e.g. 140) or to the drain. Pump 165′ circulates the water in tank 140′ through the coil 210.

If the water level 110/140′ as measured by sensor 120/145′ shows sufficient water to continue spraying, the ice maker may continue to use that water until sufficient ice has formed, thus reducing the need for utility supplied water (which is usually warmer) to be introduced into the system. However, when utility water is needed for purposes of ice making, it may be beneficial to recirculate some of the stored water through the heat exchanger coil 210 to pre-cool that incoming warmer water.

FIG. 4A shows an icemaker with alternate configuration where the heat exchanger coil 530 is placed on the back of the unit cooling the input air drawn in by fan 520 which is generally directed over the compressor coils and out an exit vent.

FIG. 4B shows another view of where the heat exchanger coil icemaker with alternate configuration where the heat exchanger coil 530 is placed next to the condenser coils 540 the back of the unit cooling and the input air path 550 and output air path 560 for illustration purposes.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4A show various embodiments with different tanks and coil configurations. It is understood that these may be stand alone systems or that the systems may all be combined into one with a heat exchanger located both before and after the fan 520 and the coil/heat exchanger 210 provided for cooling incoming water. It is understood that some or all the sensors/thermostats disclosed herein may be and preferably are connected to the controller and that the various valves and pumps or other devices to implement the controls may also be connected to the controller which will manage operation of and use of the cold water in connection with the heat exchanger.

It is understood that configurations of icemakers may vary and the application of one or more of these systems, combinations thereof can all be considered either individually or combined for the ice maker at hand.

FIG. 5 shows an overview of the logic in a block diagram depicting the valve control and energy saving process.

The ice making process begins 600 with the sprayers spraying water onto the cold surfaces and water running off into the first storage bin as excess water is accumulated during ice making. The level of this first reservoir is checked 605 and if full 610 the water is drained 615 into a storage tank which may be insulated to keep the water at the cold temperature desired.

The level of the storage tank is also monitored 620 and if this tank becomes full, water is pumped 625 through the exchanger coil and drained to avoid overfilling the tank or moved to a different holding tank which feeds one of the other coils/heat exchangers described herein.

Normally, the system accumulates the water in reservoir 2 and keeps that water ready to feed into the heat exchanger as needed. The temperature of the water 630 in the heat exchanger is read and if it meets the threshold temperature 635 the valves are opened 640 and the cold water is pumped into the heat exchanger and the previous water that is now warmed by the air flow, water flow, or input air flow process, which ever the case may be, is then drained 645 and the process restarts. The drain may move the water to a different tank which feeds a different heat exchanger/coil.

The threshold of the water temperature can vary based on the amount of water in the storage tank 650. If there is sufficient water in the tank the water in the heat exchanger may be discarded and refreshed more frequently. If there is less water, it will be retained for a longer period to supply cooling power.

FIG. 6 shows the various example inputs and outputs for the intelligent controller 900 which may be a processor with software executing thereon. These can include temperature sensors 910 which are placed to monitor both air and water temperature throughout the system. Valve controls 915 which are employed to stop and start the flow of the cold water through the various heat exchangers and drains. Level sensors 920 are used to detect reservoir water level and amount of water supply available to the system. Drain controls 925 are used to expel the water from the coolant bins. Directional valves 935 are used when using multiple heat exchangers in parallel for water flow. Leakage detection systems 950 are used in various areas to monitor and alert should there be any leakage. External data such as environmental data 940, billing data 945 and energy metering data can be used by the intelligent controller 900 in conjunction with the data from the sensors to control and direct the flow of the cool water.

FIG. 7 shows sample simplified logic employed by the intelligent controller. Starting 1000 the controller uses the sensors to check the fluid level in the water storage bin 1005 and then checks where it would be most appropriate 1010 to send the cold fluid. For example, if the temperature on one of the heat exchangers has increased to beyond where it can provide sufficient cooling this system may be selected to receive new coolant. The intelligent controller opens one or more valves 1015 to the target systems and validates and adjusts programming as required 1020 taking into account actual energy savings 1040 based on run cycles and temperature measurements collected. External environmental factors 1045 are taken into account also such as temperature variations and differentials with external and internal temperature that may affect runtime and performance of the system. Machine learning 1050 is applied to improve the algorithm with the measurements against the predictions. The system then stops draining 1025 the liquid from the heat exchanger when the fluid has been replaced and measured the starting temperature 1030 again with the newly introduced cold water. The temperature is measured and compared to a threshold 1035 to see if the newly delivered cold water has warmed above a set threshold. If so, the reservoir of available cold water is checked 1060 and if sufficient fluid exists, the heat exchanger is drained replacing the fluid in it with fresh cold water.

In some situations, cooling the exhaust air of the ice maker is not desirable as the building needs to be heated. Thus it is more desirable to use the excess ice making water for recirculation to pre-cool the incoming water used to make new ice as shown in FIG. 3. This would increase the efficiency of the ice maker and reduce the energy requirements for ice making and also produce heat expelled into the room which may be desirable in the winter. However, in the summer, air conditioning is working to keep the room cool and thus hot air being expelled would be working against the air conditioner and in this case the user of excess ice making water to cool exhaust air may be overall more efficient. If there is significant additional water being generated in the ice making process, the combination of pre-cooling new incoming water (FIG. 3) and cooling exhaust (FIG. 2) may be utilized. The temperature sensors 910 that input into the computer based controller with software thereon can provide both temperature inputs of the water and device in question but may also be temperature sensors indicating exterior temperature, room temperature and the like. From these inputs, the controller 900 can determine if the building or room HVAC system is providing heat or cooling and make appropriate adjustments to the use of the water for cooling components of the ice maker system.

The configuration of the system can be adjusted in many ways depending on the availability of cold water in the system, the size of the heat exchangers, and the environment in which the ice maker operates for maximum benefit.

In some configurations, it is contemplated that a control system is used to manage multiple valves where each system can receive the cold water directly and independently. The system then selects which valves and which heat exchangers are to be used in the system at various times. This external management software also has access to historical billing data, environmental data, and data from sensors that meter energy used by the ice maker and other energy consuming devices at the facility including the HVAC.

In some configurations a pumping system is used to transport the cold water from the collection bin. In other configurations, gravity can be used to supply the cold water rather than a pump, and systems to reduce the flow rather than a valve that fills and empties the heat exchanger can also be used.

In yet another configuration, multiple heat exchangers can be configured in series where the water exiting one system is fed into the next system in line. It is contemplated that the coldest water is fed to the system that can provide the greatest efficiency. As an example, if the cold water is used to cool the input water allowing the ice to form more quickly, the compressor will run less and generate less heat. This may be the best place to put the coldest water. Next, the HVAC may take a lot of energy, and may be required to cool the ambient air, so the ability to cool the exhaust air and thus reduce the load on the AC is also crucial. This may be the second area to pump or direct the cold water. Finally the cold water, now slightly warmed by the previous processes, can be used to cool the air entry going over the compressor coils providing better efficiency for the compressor. Also, while the water may now be well above the initial temperature, it still provides a capacity for cooling when compared to 110-degree air and can still function to reduce the temperature of exiting air.

The control system measures the temperature of the water at the various stages and is able to turn on and of drainage and filling of each of the systems. Machine learning can be used to maximize efficiency based on historical performance such as how quickly the fluid warms, and how often it is exchanged. For example, in some configuration the system may decide to open all the valves and pump the coldest water throughout the system filling all three heat exchangers. This is also dependent on the capacity of the ice making process to generate cold water.

In the example above, if the water is cooled extensively allowing it to form ice faster, a byproduct will be the production of less residual wastewater to be used by the system. The system may decide to periodically switch where it directs the water, allowing for cycles of more and less water to be generated, or the pre-cooling of the incoming new water for ice making may increase the efficiency of ice making such that less waste heat is generated.

In yet other configurations, the wastewater, after being warmed, can also be reutilized for other processes. If the temperature is sufficiently cool, it may be used in other heat exchangers to provide additional cooling. In other applications if the water is sufficiently warmed, it may also be used in warming applications such as food warmers, water heaters, and even radiators before being drained. The drained water can also be directed to irrigation or other applications of non-potable water.

In some cases the heat exchangers may be detachable heat exchanger systems that can mount directly onto equipment and present a small footprint such that it can be used in tight spaces. The use of the cool water may reduce the number and length of compressor cycles required to make a given amount of ice thereby saving electricity and extending the lifespan of the equipment.

In one configuration, the heat exchanger is mounted directly onto the equipment covering an exhaust vent where heated air is expelled from the equipment. The cool liquid is circulated through an internal coil in the detachable heat exchanger. The heat is thus pulled from the exhaust air and captured in the liquid circulating through the internal coil. The configuration includes a heat exchange device connected to a pump which is then connected to an input port on the heat exchanger mounted to the equipment that connects to a reservoir that is fed by the drainage of cold water from the ice making process.

In another configuration, the heat exchanger is mounted directly onto the equipment covering an input vent where room temperature air is pulled in and blown across the coils of the compressor. The cool liquid is circulated through an internal coil in the detachable heat exchanger. The heat is thus pulled from the air radiating from the hot coils making the ambient air colder. The heat is captured in the liquid circulating through the internal coil. The configuration includes a heat exchange device connected to a pump which is then connected to an input port on the heat exchanger mounted to the equipment that connects to a reservoir that is fed by the drainage of cold water from the ice making process.

In yet another configuration, the heat exchanger is mounted directly onto the input line of the water that enters the icemaking process. The input water is from the utility water source. This heat exchanger is placed in the reservoir of cool liquid that is fed by the drainage of cold water from the ice making process. The input water supply is circulated through an internal coil in the detachable heat exchanger within the collection tub, or within a secondary collection tub of cold water and the heat is thus pulled from the input water making this input water colder. The heat is captured in the liquid housed in the reservoir. This configuration includes a reservoir connected to a pump which is then connected to an input valve on the reservoir.

In each of these configurations, a controller is used to open and close controllable valves that fill the secondary reservoir used to cool the input water, or the heat exchangers used to cool the air in or out of the ice maker as well as control pumps to move the water. The pump is utilized or in some configurations, simple gravity is used to feed the cold water in other applications. While the controller may be implemented by a valve controlled by a timer, or a valve controlled by a thermostat, in other configurations the controlled may also utilize external data such as historical performance, or predicted performance based on knowledge of external factors such as environmental data, business data, and energy cost and savings data. Machine intelligence and machine learning can also be incorporated into the controller to optimize the savings obtained and to optimize the utilization of cooling wastewater in the various stages of cooling, namely the input air, the output air, and the input water cooling functions.

In yet another configuration, the system employs one or more of the above cooling methods in series, whereby the output water, which will increase in temperature as it absorbs heat at each individual stage, is then passed on to the next stage where the temperature of the water remains cool enough to provide some additional heat absorption at the next stage.

In yet another configuration, the system employs one or more of the above cooling methods in parallel, whereby the output water, will be directed by a series of valves directly to each of the heat exchangers or collection bins without passing through prior heat exchangers as with the series approach. As such the cold water can be distributed at intervals that may vary from one heat exchanger to another directly from the cold-water collection bin and thus arrive at its coldest temperature.

The heat exchanger may be provided with a relatively low profile allowing it to be used even in areas with tight space constraints. Additionally, the detachable heat exchanger can be provided with an inlet port and an outlet port each connected to the internal coil structure of the detachable heat exchanger where each of the inlet and outlet ports are adapted to connect with a quick-connect hose connector.

It should be noted that the pressure in the system can be held to minimal levels which will allow for the use of the low cost and easy to operate quick-connect hose connectors with flexible hoses. The pressure and flow of the fluid in the system can be controlled through controlling pump speed and through the adjustment of the flow valves. These can serve to balance the cool liquid distribution through the system and adjust the flow rate and resultant cooling of each unit.

It is further contemplated that temperature sensor(s) can be provided at heat exchangers of multiple pieces of equipment measuring both the exhaust air temperature from the detachable heat exchanger and the supply/return fluid temperature. A controller can be connected to and receive these temperature values. Automatic valves can be provided for each discrete supply line for each detachable heat exchanger. In this way, if one piece of equipment is generating a relatively large amount of heat, the valves to the other equipment could automatically be restricted and/or closed to provide more cooling or more frequent cold water to the detachable heat exchanger coupled to the equipment that is generating the most heat. As such, the ice-maker cold water may be used to cool the output air of an adjacent freezer, drink machine or ice-cream maker.

In another configuration, a steady flow of water can be fed through the system using a variable speed motor allowing the controller to increase or decrease the pump speed to correspondingly increase or decrease the cooling needed where the valves could be used to adjust the cooling balance between the detachable heat exchangers and collection reservoirs.

Furthermore, it is possible to mount multiple heat-exchange units on equipment that have the highest discharge air temperatures if it is determined that a single heat exchanger would not be sufficient to capture all of the exhausted heat. Heat exchangers can also be configured and designed to house additional coil lengths with the understanding that sufficient airflow must be available to allow the air to pass through the heat exchanger without causing backup pressure.

The air coming from the vents of the equipment expelling the heat is not contaminated or polluted, it is only hot. In essence room air which has passed over the heated elements in an attempt to cool the equipment used for refrigeration. The air is breathable and there is no problem delivering this air into the space, except for the temperature.

By placing the cooling design proposed directly on the exhaust vents of these systems, the breathable air is expelled into the room at a near room temperature reducing drastically the variances in temperature across the room present in the existing design leading to more efficiency regardless of the placement of the thermostat.

Referring to FIG. 8, an installation process for the system is shown. The heat exchanger(s) are mounted 800 as is the reservoir(s) 802. These may be mounted in convenient spaces within the housing or adjacent the housing. The heat exchanger is plumbed to the fluid source 804, typically this may be the mounted reservoir 802 or the drain line from the ice maker itself. A pump is connected 806 to allow the cold water to be circulated through the heat exchanger and the sensors and valves/other control devices 808 are connected as is the controller 809.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.