How Does An Ice Maker Work?

Having an ice maker at home or even a more compact one for traveling brings you convenience at its best. There is quite a long history behind the modern ice makers we see today, they have been with us for many many years in different forms. 

In this article, we are going to take a closer look at ice makers and how they work. Keep reading and let’s dive in. 

The History of Ice Makers

Ice makers go way back in history, starting with Dr. John Gorries’ invention in 1850. Later on, Thaddeus Lowe invented the ice maker for commercial use in 1866. 

In 1953, refrigerators started being sold with built-in ice makers. Finally, ice makers for domestic use were created for us all to enjoy a cold one on a hot day. 

On the market today, there are many different brands and types of ice makers globally. You get ice makers for residential use, commercial use, countertop ice makers, and also those found in refrigerators. You should check out the Kismile store to see the variety of ice makers available. 

This has been one of the best inventions! Can you just imagine a hot summer’s day without any ice or cold beverages? I certainly couldn’t!

Components of an Ice Maker

The ice maker has the same type of components as a walk-in fridge, fridge freezer, camping fridge, and fridge standing in your kitchen. The main components that make up a fridge or freezer are a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator.

The Compressor

Each component alone can not do anything for the fridge, but together they work in sequins to be able to transfer heat from one place to another and by transferring the heat, it also makes the area cold. It is known by some of the laws of physics, where hot air lacks there you shall find cold air. The refrigerant at a fluid level is transferred through the compressor where it gets turned into a gas. 

The Condenser

The condenser then releases the heat just as the expansion valve moves in and releases the pressure and the liquid turns into vapor again which is not as hot anymore. 

The Evaporator

The last of the four components is the evaporator and its purpose is closely the same as the condenser and is part of heat transfer. 

How an Ice Maker Works

There are a few stages that need to take place for an ice maker to be useful. If any of these stages fail, then you could end up very disappointed and longing for snow-covered mountains where ice is plentiful. 

The First Step – The Ice-Making Process

The first step is for the icemaker to receive water, just enough to cover the ice trays situated inside the machine. The icemaker then uses a thermostat to manage the temperature of the trays and when cold enough or “ice cold” then the system proceeds to harvest the ice blocks.

Second Step – Harvesting the Ice

Harvesting the ice means the system should eject the ice from the trays or molds and the ice should be moved to the collection tray. This is done by adding some heat to the tray separator plates and the ice releases and falls into the collection tray. There are sensors and mechanical components that safeguard the ice maker from overflowing when it is deemed full.   

Quite simple, for you it is just a few easy steps, simply add water and let the ice maker do the rest. Once the ice falls into the collection tray, you are ready to serve those ice-cold drinks. Most ice makers on the market today are generally quite quick in filling the collection tray with ice, and will also refill as the ice is removed from the collection tray. They are the best invention ever, and great to use both in the home and whilst traveling. 

Final Thoughts

As we can see taking a look at the history of ice makers, they have evolved through the years and now come in a variety of forms suitable to the needs of each individual or business. It doesn’t take much time to make ice through an ice maker, and with an understanding of the basic functionality, should you run into any problems, troubleshooting is not that time-consuming or mind-boggling.