| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve unification in ice making and ice thawing and prevent lowering of efficiency of a compressor by reversing a flowing direction of refrigerant between a first direction wherein the refrigerant flows from a first end side to a second end side in a heating tube, and a second direction wherein the refrigerant flows from the second end side to the first end side. SOLUTION: An ice thermal storage device 16 is arranged such that a heating tube 15 in which refrigerant flows is immersed in water 17 for making ice. Further, switching means 33-40 are provided for reversing the flowing direction of the refrigerant in the heating tube 15 between a first direction wherein the flow occurs from a first end side toward a second end side, and a second direction wherein the flow occurs from the second end side toward the first end side. In an ice making operation, when flowing of the refrigerant causes much more attachment of ice on one end portion side of the heating tube 15 than the other end portion side thereof, the direction of the refrigerant flow is switched. As a result, ice is attached more to the side which used to have less attachment of ice, thereby totally unifying attachment of ice. Also, in an ice thawing operation, by switching the refrigerant flow, the inclination of ice thawing an be prevented.
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