An ice maker heat pump using water supercooling.

摘要

A heat pump system comprising a lower temperature heat exchanger (11) and a higher temperature heat exchanger (13). The lower temperature heat exchanger (11) being connected to a water supply circuit having a reservoir (15). The improvement in the system comprising the water (16) flowing through the low temperature heat exchanger (11) capable of being cooled to a quasi-stable supercooled liquid state at temperatures below 0 DEG C. Part of the supercooled liquid water flowing from the lower temperature heat exchanger (11) being transformed to ice (44) upon contact with the water (16) in the reservoir (15). That phase change can be utilized as the source of energy for the heat pump. The heat pump can be used for heating. The cold water/ice mixture can be used for space cooling. The ice (44) obtained by this process is in the form of small ice crystals (44) and can be utilized for separate applications of the system.