IV.

ICE MAKING
LEARNING OUTCOME

1. Calculate the Product loads and the miscellaneous loads in ice manufacturing.
2. Estimate the freezing time, number of ice cans needed and to estimate the size
and number of brine tanks necessary.
3. Calculate the ice plant capacity in tons per day.

Factors:

A. Ice Plant Capacity, W – The total weight of ice produced per day.
Tons/Day, Kg/Day, Lbs/Day

B. Cooling Load/Capacity, QT – The total heat removed to turn raw water into ice ready
for harvesting, kW, kJ/min, kJ/hr

C. The Cooling capacity is equal to the refrigeration load,

QT = QE

QT = Cooling Load
= Total heat needed to turn raw water to ice; kJ/sec

QT = Qp + Qm

Qp = Product Load

= Q1 + Q2 + Q 3

Q1 = Chilling Load
= Heat needed to reduce the temperature of raw water (tw) to freezing
temperature (tF = 0OC, 32OF).

= mi Cpw (tw-tF)

mi = mass of water or ice, kg/sec

Cpw = specific heat of water = 4.1868 KJ/kg -OC

Q2 = Freezing Load
= Heat needed to turn liquid water to ice at 0OC or 32OF

= L mi

L = Latent heat of water

= 335 kJ/kg

Q3 = Harvesting Load
= Heat needed to reduce further the temperature of ice from freezing
temperature (tF = 0OC) to harvesting temperature (tH)

= mi Cpi (tF - tH)

Cpi = specific heat of ice = 2.0934 kJ/kg -OC

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 tH < tF (Usual temp. of commercial ice ranges from -8OC to -10OC. For
design purposes, ice temp. of -9OC is recommended)

Qm = Miscellaneous Load
= Heat gain in the brine tank. (Usually 10 to 15 percent of the chilling
and freezing loads.)

D. Freezing Time, H – the total time it takes to freeze one batch of ice, hours.

From Kent’s Handbook, Power Volume pp 11-50,

7a2
H =
32 - tb
where: H = Freezing time, hours
a = Ice thickness, inches
tb = Brine temperature, OF → usually 5OF to 7OF (2OC to 4OC)
less than the harvesting temperature.

For various sizes of ice block, use table-1, pp 11-48.

Standard size of ice block,

a Weight = 300 lbs

a = thickness = 11 in.
b = width = 22 in.
d d = depth = 44 in.

E. Number of ice cans needed, N

WH
N = 24c

where: N = No. of ice cans needed

W = Ice plant capacity
= Total weight of ice harvested in 24 hours
= kg/day, lbs/day, tons/day
H = Freezing time, hours
c = Weight of one block of ice, kg, lbs
From Kent’s Handbook, Power Vol. pp 11-50

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Example:

1. A single acting, twin cylinder, 30 cm x 30 cm compressor receives saturated NH 3 vapor at

227.04 kPa and discharges it at 1203.7 kPa. Saturated liquid enters the expansion valve. Ice
is manufactured at -9OC and water is available at 26OC. The compressor runs at 150 rpm
and volumetric efficiency is 80%. Determine:
a) The refrigeration capacity in kJ/sec
b) The tons of ice manufactured in ton per 24 hours, assuming miscellaneous losses of 9%.
c) The compressor capacity
d) The number of ice cans needed in the brine tank if 300 lb/block of ice are produced
and brine temperature is -10OC.

Given: Single acting NH3 compressor

No. of cylinders = 2
L x D x n = 30cm x 30cm x 150 rpm
P1 = 227.04 kPa
P2 = 1203.7 kPa
Volumetric efficiency, v = 80%
Raw water temperature, tw = 26OC
Harvesting temperature, tH = -9OC
Miscellaneous load = 9%
Weight of one block of ice, c = 300 lb/block of ice
Brine temperature, tb = -10OC

1203.7 kPa
3 2
• •

227.04 kPa

• Ice Cans •
4 1

Brine Tank

From Ammonia refrigerant charts and tables:

h1 = hg @ P1 = 227.04 kPa
h1 = 1442.6 kJ/kg
V 1 = 528.257 L/kg = 0.528257 m3/kg
t1 = tsat @ 227.04 kPa = -16OC
h 2 = h @ S 1 = S2 & P 2
h2 = 1688 kJ/kg
h3 = hf @ 1203.7 = 346.614 kJ/kg
h4 = h3 = 346.614 kJ/kg

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 h2 = 1688 kJ/kg

t2 = 31OC

t1 = -16OC

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Volumetric efficiency, v
VD
v = 80% =
V1
VD
V1 =
v

VD = Piston displacement
π D2
VD = x L x NC x n x 1
4

Where: D = Bore diameter = 0.3 m

L = Length of stroke = 0.3 m
NC = Number of cylinder = 2
n = Axial speed of compressor = 150 rpm
1 for single acting compressor

π (0.3)2 m2
VD = (0.3 m) (2) (150 rev/min) (1)
4

VD = 6.362 m3/min

VD 6.362 m3/min
V1 = =
v 0.8

V1 = 7.953 m3/min
V1 = m x V 1

V1 7.953 m3/min
m = =
V1 0.528257 m3/kg

m = 15.054 kg/min
m = 0.251 kg.sec

Refrigeration capacity, QE in kW
QE = m(h1 – h4) = 0.251 kg/sec (1442.6 – 346.614) kJ/kg
QE = 274.987 kW

The refrigeration capacity, QE is equal to the Ice Plant capacity QT

QE = QT
QT = 274.987 kW = Qp + Qm
Qp = Q1 + Q 2 + Q3
Qm = 0.09 (Q1 + Q2)
QT = Q1 + Q2 + Q3 + Qm

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Q1 = Chilling load = mi (cpw) (tw – tF)
Q1 = mi (4.1868 kJ/kg-OC) (26 – 0)OC
Q1 = 108.857 mi, kW

Q2 = Freezing load = L mi
Q2 = 335 mi, kW

Q3 = Harvesting Load = mi (cpi) (tF – tH)

Q3 = mi (2.0934 kJ/kg-OC) (0 + 9)OC
Q3 = 18.841 mi, kW

Qm = 0.09 (Q1 + Q2) = 0.09 (108.857 mi + 335 mi)

Qm = 39.947 mi, kW

QT = Q1 + Q 2 + Q3 + Qm
QT = 108.857 mi + 335 mi + 18.841 mi + 39.947 mi
QT = 502.645 mi = 274.987 kW

mi = 247.987/502.645
mi = 0.493 kg/sec --------- mass of ice produced per second

Ice Plant capacity, W in Ton/day

3600 sec 24 hrs

W = mi, kg/sec x x
hr day

3600 sec 24 hrs

W = 0.493 kg/sec x x
hr day

W = 42,595.2 kg/day

W = 42.5952 Tons/day

Compressor capacity, WC in kW

WC = m (h2 – h1)
WC = 0.251 kg/sec (1688 – 1442.60) Kj/kg
WC = 245.4 kW

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Number of ice cans needed, N in cans

WH
N = 24c

H = Freezing time in hrs.

7a2
H =
32 - tb

For a 300-lb weight of one block of ice, the dimension is (a x b x d) 11” x 22” x 44”.
From Kent’s Handbook, Power Vol., table-1, pp 11-48.
tb = brine temperature in OF
tb = -10OC
tb = 1.8 (-10OC) + 32
tb = 14OF
7 (11)2
H =
32 - 14

H = 47.056 hrs
42,595.2 kg/hr x 47.056 hrs
N = 24 x 300 lb x 1 kg/2.2 lbs

N = 612.437 cans
Assume the next higher even number in assigning the number of cans in order get the exact
arrangement in the brine tank.
N = 614 cans

EXERCISES:

1. An ammonia compressor of an ice plant is driven by 175 kW electric motor. The belt
transmission efficiency is 94.5% while the mechanical efficiency of the compressor is 85%.
The water used in making ice is supplied to the 300-lb block ice per can at 18OC
temperature and ice leaves the plant at -6.5OC. The coefficient of performance is 2.0.
Heat losses conducted into the brine are 15% of the chilling and freezing load.
Calculate:
a) The refrigeration capacity
b) The ice plant capacity
c) The number of ice cans needed if brine temperature is -7.50OC.

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2. A performance test of an ice plant gave the following data:
Capacity: 20 tons of ice/day Refrigerant: Ammonia
Condenser pressure: 1391.5 kPa Evaporator pressure: 208.26 kPa
Raw water temperature: 32OC Harvest temperature: -7OC
Block of ice: 300 lb/block
The compressor is twin-cylinder, single acting, D/L = 1.25, 450 rpm, mechanical efficiency
is 80%. Additional heat load due to infiltration and conduction is 20%. Determine:
a) Number of cans needed
b) Product cooling load
c) Refrigerating capacity in tons of refrigeration
d) Amount of refrigerant flow
e) Size of motor to drive the compressor
f) Bore diameter and length of stroke

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