The most popular household appliance today is a refrigerator. Modern models of refrigeration units allow you to store a large number of food products in the apartment, without worrying that they can deteriorate.
Constantly increasing consumer requirements forces manufacturers to improve their equipment. This is especially true of kitchen appliances, which is an indispensable assistant to a modern housewife. It is in this category that refrigeration equipment with an ice generator belongs. To answer the question, the ice generator in the refrigerator - what is it, it is not very difficult if you know the principle of operation and types of generators.
Purpose of the ice generator
In hot summer weather, it is pleasant to drink cool water to quench your thirst. At a party with friends, various cocktails with ice are very popular. But sometimes a simple refrigerator can not cope with such a load.
It is for this reason that the ice generator in the refrigerator was developed, which is designed for preparing edible ice, as well as cooling water.
Such a device turns pre-filtered water into ice cubes, which then move into a special container. You need to know that the ice generator in the refrigerator is a design that can be connected directly to the water supply network, as well as filled with water in manual mode. Automatic devices that use running water are expensive and often in demand in the field of catering. Manufacturers of the Samsung refrigerator have long begun to build ice generators in many of their models.
The advantages of refrigerators with an ice maker
Despite the fact that refrigerators with an ice generator appeared on the household appliances market recently, they managed to gain great popularity among many housewives, as they have wide functional capabilities and quality indicators.
These units have the following positive characteristics:
- the ability to automatically obtain ice, while the state and temperature of the system are maintained without human intervention;
- the versatility of the device allows the generator to be used both at home and in the field of catering.
- according to technical characteristics, refrigerators with an ice generator are not inferior to the most economical models;
- The modern design of the device fits perfectly into the interior of any apartment.
Ice forms
In the presence of a special ice mill, it takes various forms.
- The ice cube is very good at cooling various drinks, it melts slowly, therefore it is widely used in restaurants and bars.
- Flake-shaped ice resembles shards or chips. It is widely used for cooling dishes, as well as for medical purposes (compresses).
- The most popular among visitors to cafes and bars is granular ice, as it is relatively soft and chews easily.
- The original crescent or hexagonal shape is in demand in restaurants to give aesthetics to dishes.
Remember that the ice maker in the refrigerator is a structure that produces a product of a specific shape.
The principle of operation of the ice maker
To understand that this is an ice generator in the refrigerator, you need to understand the principle of its operation.
The system operates in several actions:
- A supply voltage is applied to the water valve, it opens, water enters a special container for freezing.
- The equipment of the refrigeration unit freezes water for a certain period of time. The role of the generator at this stage is only to control the temperature of the liquid. The freezing process takes place on the principle of air or water cooling.
- After the formation of ice, a special engine launches blades that push the finished product into the storage tank.
Further, the entire process is repeated.
Types of Ice Makers
By capacity, ice generators can be divided into the following types:
- industrial, which are capable of producing a large amount of ice, are most often used in catering establishments;
- household ice makers, which are most often built into a home refrigeration unit.
By the method of water filling:
- generators with automatic filling, which are connected to the central water supply network;
- jellied type generators whose working capacity is manually filled with water.
Ice formation can occur in two ways:
- brine, in which freezing occurs due to a liquid with a temperature of up to -10 ℃;
- using a compressor, where ice is formed on the unit's evaporator.
The cooling unit can be cooled:
- by air;
- water cooling is used in rooms where there is little space for air circulation.
Modern manufacturers produce refrigerators with an ice generator on the door. This design allows you to fill the drinking tank with chilled water without opening the door of the main unit.
Water-cooled refrigerator
Ice generators that connect to the plumbing system operate automatically. A removable flask for water filtration, which is equipped with replaceable cartridges, is installed on the back wall of such an aggregate. One cartridge is enough for effective water purification for six months with the worst liquid quality.
The technology for connecting an ice generator is as follows:
- A special separate tap crashes into the central water supply system.
- The pipe (plastic or metal) is connected to the stopcock. The length must be calculated so that it is enough to connect to the unit without tension.
- The other end of the connecting pipe is connected to the inlet pipe, which is located on the rear wall of the unit. If the water quality is poor, experts recommend installing an additional cleaning filter at the inlet.
A two-door refrigerator with an ice generator, which has a large volume (500-600 l), operates in automatic mode with the obligatory connection of water.
Features of the built-in refrigerators with an ice generator
Built-in structures can have one or two cabinets, the height of which reaches two meters. There are built-in refrigerators with an ice generator, operating both in automatic mode and in manual filling of the tank with water.
A feature of such units is:
- high efficiency of the space of the room;
- the presence of special furniture hinges that allow you to open the refrigerator door without much effort;
- special pads contribute to a slight change in the appearance of the front panel.
The built-in refrigerator with an ice generator must be placed in a well-ventilated area. You need to install it at a distance of at least 50 cm from the stove and sink, while the refrigerator should recede five centimeters from the wall.
A refrigerator with an ice maker fits perfectly into the interior of any room. Moreover, the presence of additional functions allows to increase the comfort of its use. Despite the fact that the price of refrigerators with a generator can be considered high, they are becoming increasingly popular among consumers.