Flow Ice
The energy necessary to make one kilo of water at 0º C become one kilo of ice is 80 kcal.
Unicus® and scraped surface heat exchangers can make the change of phase through micro-crystals (tiny crystals), which allow that ice behaves like a fluid and can be pumped. This process obviously consumes electrical energy.
Applications
- Ice banks. Ice can be produced overnight when energy is cheap, then kept in recirculation or stored for being used during labor hours in refrigeration systems through a fan-coil heat exchanger.
- Fishing ships and fisheries. Fish is kept at low temperatures while being sprayed with flow ice. Unlike traditional ice flakes or blocks, flow ice can cover all the fish because if behaves like a viscous fluid.
Advantages of flow ice
- Heat transmission. Flow ice covers the whole of the fish that will be therefore cooled and maintained cool very quickly. This fast process permits higher quality of fish.
- Reduction of workmanship. Flow ice flows inside a tube or pipe while being pumped, so a single person can spray it easily.
- Reduction of energy consumption. Ice flakes and blocks are produced in the harbour, so you need energy to keep it frozen on board. However flow ice is produced just-in-time on board whenever necessary and is directly sprayed onto the fish when captured.
Schematic of HRS' flow ice
