Overview
The Ice Plant Trainer is a scaled-down industrial ice production unit that uses a vapour compression refrigeration system to cool brine tanks containing water cans to below 0 degrees C, producing block ice. The apparatus demonstrates the indirect refrigeration system where the primary refrigerant cools a secondary medium (brine) that in turn freezes the water cans. Students study the refrigeration cycle performance, brine temperature profile during ice formation, freezing time, and energy consumed per kg of ice produced. The ice plant concept is widely used in food preservation, fisheries, construction, and industrial cooling applications.
Specifications
| Refrigerant | R22 or R404A |
| Brine tank | stainless steel, 50 to 100 litre |
| Brine | calcium chloride solution |
| Brine temperature | -5 to -15 degrees C |
| Ice can | stainless steel, 5 to 10 kg capacity |
| Compressor | semi-hermetic reciprocating |
| Freezing time | 12 to 24 hours (1/4 scale) |
| Power supply | 220V AC, 50 Hz |