Seek solution for poor liquid flow under evaporative cooling in ice machines (problem unresolved for three years)
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A screw-type brine direct-cooling unit from a certain manufacturer uses evaporative condensers produced by domestic firms. After the system was put into operation, it was found that the evaporative condensers experienced intermittent liquid leakage, resulting in very large fluctuations in the opening degree of the control valve connecting the liquid reservoir to the flash economizer； It was also found later that the accumulation of liquid inside the evaporative cooler led to insufficient capacity of the evaporative condenser; the exhaust pressure became very high even at 70% of the system load. Following suggestions from the manufacturer and other evaporative cooler manufacturers, the liquid delivery pipe was modified three times, and the final layout diagram of this pipe is attached. However, none of these modifications resolved the problem. I would appreciate some advice from experienced professionals in this field: There are mainly several issues: 1. How can we determine whether this problem is caused by the unit itself or by the evaporative condenser? 2. Based on various sources, it seems that the current configuration of the liquid delivery pipes meets the specifications. Is the problem related to the way in which these pipes are arranged? 3. Are there any refrigeration systems with similar specifications? Are there any successful configurations or cases where the same problems occurred? Please share them.
1. If other issues with the unit itself (such as pipelines, valves, etc.) have been ruled out, and the problem arises after replacing the evaporation condenser, it can be preliminarily determined that the issue is caused by the evaporation condenser. 2. Based on the provided diagram of the liquid discharge pipe configuration, it should meet the specifications. However, pay attention to the slope of the liquid discharge pipe and whether the drainage is smooth. If possible, check whether there are any blockages in the pipe or whether an improper design is causing poor drainage. 3. The best approach is to contact the manufacturer of the relevant refrigeration system or a professional to seek advice on related issues. Under similar circumstances, it may be necessary to replace or modify the design of the evaporation condenser, or adjust the parameters of other components in the refrigeration system. A relatively successful reference case is replacing the evaporator with a screw-type evaporator equipped with a heating device, which enables ultra-high-efficiency cooling even under harsh environmental conditions. .
Thank you very much for your reply. In fact, the brine unit and the evaporation condenser are designed to work together; both manufacturers claim that their equipment is fine, and you can’t identify where the problem lies, so it’s impossible to resolve the issue. Experts from other manufacturers were also brought in for diagnosis; we followed some of their suggestions on two occasions, but the problem still hasn’t been resolved
Is the liquid outlet tube not inserted far enough below the liquid surface? This could lead to air blockage
You can give it a try and pour the liquid in two streams.
The liquid outlet tube can’t be inserted below the liquid level, right?
Using two liquid feed paths should yield better results, but the equipment cannot be stopped, so it’s not possible to do that at any time; moreover, it doesn’t seem to be the main issue
By looking at the equipment flow diagram, is it Grasso’s equipment?