The basic principle of the Bank of ice is to “store” energy in the form of ice. Indeed, the ice has a melting heat, equivalent to about 80 Kcal / kg. This means that each pound of ice gives 80 Kcal of energy. When the ice formed in the tank can be used in a short time. The advantage of this solution is that the compressor does not run continuously but only for a few hours after the ice is available for use. For example, you can “load” the ice at night when electricity costs less than a day. Usually the ice bank is required when there is a continuing need for cooling, but only for a time a day.

Example: Dairy that needs to cool the milk that comes from producers for example in 3 hours, twice a day, once in the morning and at 1:00 p.m., after 6 hours. Then  the ice-bank will operate as follows:

Time12 hours (night)1st delivery of milk 3 hours6 hours between 2 deliveries of milk2nd delivery of milk 3 hours
Ice bank phaseIce formationIce melting for milk freezingNothing happens or ice forms if necessaryIce melting for milk freezing

To correctly select the appropriate bank for the purposes of ice you must calculate the energy needed depending on the quantity of milk and the difference in temperature. Should you ever need to chill, more than 3-4 hours a day, then the ice Bank is not appropriate but a continuous production of chilled water type RED should be installed.

Everest

trapezes pagou

EVEREST is the system that FIC SPA proposes for the ice-accumulation and it is widely used when the use of chilled water is below the 10-12 hours per day. EVEREST consists of an insulated tank with insulated lids where it is placed a heat-exchanger that is normally made of serpentines. Both the tank and the serpentines can be in galvanised steel or in stainless steel. The tank is filled with water and in the serpentines flows the refrigerant fluid (freon, ammonia, glycol). Due to cooling process, within a specific time there is ice formation in form of sleeves onto the serpentines till determined thicknesses that are controlled by specific ice-thickness controllers. After the ice formation, the tank is fed with continuous flow of normal water that in contact with ice is cooled down to the temperature of 1°C and than is sent to the user. The efficiency and the fast ice melting is guaranteed by a special air agitation system, consisting of an air blower and an air distributors placed into the tank. The system can be supplied with or without cooling machines. The accumulation capacity goes from 38.000 kcal up to over 2.000.000 kcal. Typical application for the EVEREST are in the following industries: dairy, food, beer, meat, fish.

Red

red

For the production of chilled water continuously, FIC SPA proposes the RED that consists of a completely insulated tank, with insulated lids, where it is placed a heat-exchanger made of Trapcold® plates in stainless steel. In the plates it is fed a refrigerant fluid and in the tank there is a continuous water flow rate that in this way is cooled down. The efficiency of this system is guaranteed through a special air agitation system consisting of air blower and air distribution placed on the bottom of the tank. The RED system is open, therefore there is no risk coming from the ice formation and the cleaning is very easy. FIC SPA proposes the RED in two versions: for low power the RED COMPACT that is entirely in stainless steel and that is supplied with the built-in cooling unit. When the power is higher than 60 kW there is the RED BLU whose tank can be in stainless steel or galvanised; the heat-exchanger is always completely in stainless steel and. The RED BLU may be supplied with or without cooling group.