EXPERIMENT NO.

4
TESTING OF A MINI ICE PLANT
NAME 1. Ashley Justine Rowan DATE PERFORMED: SCORE:
2.Phillippe Martell Torres March 19, 2024

3.Gwen Harvin Tarroza DATE SUBMITTED

4. March 26, 2024

INSTRUCTOR:
SECTION 57052
Engr. Dexter Lyndon Q. Sabusap
GROUP # 14

I. OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this experiment is for the students to analyze the performance of a mini ice plant
machine.

II. LEARNING OUTCOME:

The students shall be able:

1. The activity aims to demonstrate the operation of mini-ice plant.
2. To determine suitable ratio of salt and water for brine solution.
3. To calculate the coefficient of performance for the mini-ice plant.
4. To calculate the product load of making water into ice.

III. THEORY:
Brine is a solution formed by dissolving a soluble substance in water. Water is used as the
secondary refrigerant for temperature applications above its freezing point of 0 oC and for sub-zero
applications, brines and glycols are employed. The soluble substance could be salt such as sodium
chloride or calcium chloride or a glycol. On mixing a soluble substance in water, its freezing point is
lowered, or in other words, the solution so formed has a lower freezing point than water. Following are the
important factors to be considered when selecting the brine:
● Freezing point. The brine should have a concentration for which the freezing point has necessarily
be lowered by 5 to 8oC than the brine temperature to be maintained for the application.
● Safety. The brine should be non-inflammable and non-toxic.

● Suitability. It should be compatible with the materials used in the equipment.

 ● pH value. It should ideally be neutral to minimize corrosion.

Sodium chloride (common salt) is preferred for most applications, because of its lower freezing
point. Ideal pH values for sodium chloride brine is 7.5 to 8.5. Standard steel pipes shell be used for brine
piping – copper pipes cannot be used. The recommended inhibitor concentration is:

Figure 4.1. Sodium Chloride Brine Table

(https://www.brinemaker.com/wp-content/uploads/SodiumChlorideTable.pdf)

Ice-making calculation for ice plants, there are three types of common calculations to be considered, this
calculation are as follows,

Capacity – ice-making capacity is usually equal to about 50 to 70% of the refrigeration capacity as
expressed in tons of refrigeration per day. Of necessity, however, such operating conditions as initial
temperature of the water supply, room temperature, and effectiveness of insulation will influence this ratio.
If heat-leakage losses are known, the ice making capacity can be closely estimated. The total amount of
sensible and latent heat to be removed in a cooling product is given by:

Temperature
T1

Above Freezing

T2 = T3 time

Below Freezing
T4
 Figure 4.2. Heat load needed in making water into ice.

For sensible cooling without change in phase or without freezing,

Q1=m C p ( T 2−T 1 )

Where,
Q1−sensible heat above freezing

m−mass of the product ¿ be frozen per unit time

kJ
C p−specific heat above freezing , 4.187
kg−K
T 2−final temperature/freezing temperature

T 1−initial temperature of water

For latent cooling with change in phase from liquid to solid,

Q2=mL

Where,
Q2−latent cooling

kJ
L−specific latent heat of fusion , 355
kg K

For sensible cooling without change in phase or freezing,

Q3=mC p ( T 4 −T 3 )

Where,
Q1−sensible heat below freezing

m−mass of theice
kJ
C p−specific heat below freezing ,2.09
kg−K
T 3−initial temperature /freezing temperature

T 4−final temperature of ice

For total cooling load,

 Q A =Q1+ Q2+ Q3

Where,
Q A −total cooling load

Heat Loss at the Condenser – the simplest air-cooled condenser consists of a plain tube containing the
refrigerant, placed in still air and relying on natural air circulation. The flow of air over the condenser surface
will be by force convection, i.e. fans.

Figure 4.3. Air flow in the condenser.

The amount of heat removed from the product can be calculated,
Q R=[ m C p ( ∆ T ) ]air

Where,
Q R−heat removed ¿ the condenser

m−mass of the air that passes thru condenser

C p−specific heat of air

∆ T −dry bulb temperature of air rise throught the condenser

For mass of air,
m=ρ air V̇ = ρair Av

Where,
V̇ −volume flow rate of air
v−velocity of air
'
A−area must be calculated according ¿ the instrument manufacture r s
instruction∨by multiplying thelength of the coil ¿ by the width

Freezing Time – freezing time is dependent upon the brine temperature the extent of brine and water
agitation. Water in the ice can placed in the brine, cools rapidly up to about 3 o to 4oC (47oF to 39oF).
Thereafter, it takes more time to touch 0oC (32oF). The rate of freezing decreases substantially, as the
thickness of ice formation progressively increases. This is because ice offers thermal resistance for the
heat flow from water to the brine; the resistance increasing as the thickness of ice increases.
The following empirical formula has been used to determine the freezing:
2
Aa
Freezing Time ( hours ) =
32−T
Where,
a−ice thickness ( short side of can ) , inches
T −temperature of brine , ° F
A−constant (usually taken as 7)

Coefficient of Performance – coefficient of performance or COP is defined as the ratio of heat extracted
in the refrigerator to the work done on the refrigerant. Since the heat extracted in the refrigerator is the
refrigerating effect, COP can be written as:
cooling load QA
COP= =
power consumed by compressor W C

For power consumed by the compressor,

W C =Q A−Q R
IV. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

Figure 4.4. ICE Plant Trainer.

Figure 4.5. Parts and Components of ICE Plant Trainer.

V. PROCEDURES:
The following equipment and tools will be used for this experiment:
1. Check the machine to see if it is in the proper position where its level is horizontal and well-
ventilated at normal conditions.
2. Prepare brine solution and fill the brine tank.
3. Place the ice cans on the grill and fill it with potable water.
4. Take initial temperature readings for both the brine solution and water inside the ice can.
5. Start the agitator motor switch and start the condenser motor switch. Allow 3 to 8 minutes, before
switching ON the compressor motor.
6. Record necessary data every 10-minute time interval until the temperature of the water reach 0°C.
Fill up the data sheet and calculate necessary values.
7. Observe the formation of ice at 0°C until the temperature reaches -5°C.
8. After formation of ice, remove the ice blocks from the can by pouring tap water from outside can.
Do not hammer the container.
9. After the experiment, drain the tank completely. Rinse thoroughly with clean, potable quality water
and then allow it to dry. Never allow the brine water to remain in the tank.

VI. DATA
Table 4.1. Brine Solution:
Volume of the Water: 162 Liters
Amount of Salt: 18 Kilograms
pH Value:
Salometer Reading: 11.2
Specific Gravity of the Brine Solution: 1.0218

Table 4.2. Ice Making Capacity

Time (minutes) Temperature of Ice, °C Temperature of Brine, °C

0 minute 16 11.4

5 minutes 9.2 8.3

10 minutes 8 6.8

15 minutes 6.3 5.2

20 minutes 5.3 3.7

25 minutes 4.3 2.7

30 minutes 2.9 1.2

35 minutes 1.3 0

40 minutes 0.3 -1.6

*45 minutes 0.1 -2.7

REF STOP 0.9 -6.2

50 minutes

55 minutes -5.7 -7.2

60 minutes (1 hour) -6.5 -7.6

5 minutes -7.2 -7.8

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

25 minutes

30 minutes

35 minutes

40 minutes
 45 minutes

50 minutes

55 minutes

60 minutes (2 hour)

5 minutes

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

25 minutes

30 minutes

35 minutes

40 minutes

45 minutes

50 minutes

55 minutes

60 minutes (3 hour)

Table 4.3. Cooling Load Calculation

Mass of the Water: 4.92 kg

Initial Temperature °C Final Temperature °C Calculated Heat

Sensible Cooling (Above

11.0 0°C
Freezing)

Latent Heat of Fusion 0°C 0°C

Sensible Cooling
0°C -7.8
(Below Freezing Point

Total Cooling Load

Table 4.4. Heat Loss at Condenser

Area of Condenser: 0.41 m2
 Velocity of Air: 7.1 m/s
Temperature of Air Inlet: 30 °C
Temperature of Air Output: 32.5 °C
Density of Air: 1.293 kg/m3
Mass of the Air: kg/s
Specific Heat of Air: 1.005 kJ/kg-K
Heat Loss at the Condenser: kW

Table 4.5 Coefficient of Performance

Total Cooling Load: kW
Heat Loss at the Condenser: kW
Power consumed by compressor: kW
COP:

Table 4.6 Freezing Time

Weight of the Ice: kg
Thickness of the Ice: 1.5748 inches
°
Temperature of the Brine: F
Freezing Time: hours
 Computations

Solving for the Mass of Salt

Graph of Result
Draw the graph for ice temperature versus time and schematic diagram of the Ice Plant with component
specification.

Above Freezing
Temperature

Below Freezing
Temperature

Graph 4.1 Ice Temperature VS Time

 Illustration 4.1 Schematic Diagram of Ice Plant with Component Specification

VII. DISCUSSION:
Guide Questions:
1. Specify the effect of the mixture of brine your group formulated for the experiment.

The group formulated that the mixture of brine affected the freezing process of freshwater in the
mini ice plant by effectively lowering the freezing point of fresh water, and increasing the cooling efficiency
of the system. These effects are evident in the data and graph above as the change in temperature of fresh
water near the freezing temperature (0°C) gradually slows down around the 35 to 45 minute point before
the mini ice plant unfortunately malfunctions and turns off. (cooling efficiency)

2. What is the importance of Illustration of the ice making capacity of the machine by plotting the
temperature of the ice and temperature of the brine versus time?

Understanding the machine's performance over a certain length of time requires graphing the
temperature of the brine and ice against time to illustrate the machine's ice-making capacity. We can see
the cooling process and spot trends in the temperature fluctuations that occur during ice formation thanks
to this graphical representation. We may evaluate the efficiency of the refrigeration system, including the
potency of the brine solution, the insulating qualities of the ice cans, and the condenser unit's performance,
by tracking the changes in temperature over time for both the ice and brine. We can also examine the rate
of ice formation, the length of the freezing process, and any variations from typical cooling trends by
charting these temperatures.

VIII. CONCLUSION:
The examination of the operation and performance of a mini-ice plant machine was made possible by
the experiment. We were able to assess several factors, including ice-making capacity, cooling load, heat
loss at the condenser, coefficient of performance, and freezing time, by carefully crafting the brine mixture,
collecting data, and doing a thorough analysis. The experiment's outcomes highlight how crucial it is to
choose the right brine combination and comprehend the refrigeration process to produce the best possible
ice. We were able to comprehend refrigeration engineering ideas and their practical applications on a
higher level by putting theoretical principles to use in practical experiments.