Method and apparatus for prechilling tap water in ice machines.

摘要

A process and apparatus (10) for prechilling tap water by using a heat exchanger (40) to provide a path of flow for the warm tap water fed into an ice maker machine (10) and another path for the cold waste water (54) ejected by the machine by means of which heat can be transferred through walls separating the fluids. The prechilling is achieved by using an insulated, elongated casing (12) having top and bottom ends (18,16) forming there between a closed reservoir (14) housing the heat exchanger (40) made of copper tubing (46) or the like. The heat exchanger is in the form of a coil (50) followed by a substantially straight tube (44) within and surrounded by the coil's turns 52). A heat-insulating hollow member (58), which is closed at one end (60), is spaced from the straight tube (44) to be surrounded by the turns (52) and to form between the hollow member (58) and the straight tube (44) an elongated chamber (64) whose bottom (59) is open to the interior of the reservoir (14).