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How It Works ICEU060
Page 11
Refrigeration System
Harvest Cycle
(When the cubes are released)
The ice cubes have been formed in an inverted mold that was refrigerated. Now the refrigeration system
will change to warm the cube mold and release the cubes.
The process begins at the compressor. There, refrigerant vapor is compressed and flows from the
compressor through the discharge line as a high temperature, high pressure gas. Before the gas gets to
the condenser, it goes through a strainer. The strainer outlet is connected to two tubes, one which leads to
a hot gas valve solenoid. When this valve opens, the refrigerant gas follows the path of least resistance
and flows through the tubing from the hot gas valve to the evaporator, where the ice cubes are frozen.
At the evaporator, the high temperature gases are cooled by the cold temperatures of the cube mold, and
condense onto liquid, transferring heat to the mold which warms up and releases the cubes. The
refrigerant, now a low pressure, low temperature vapor, flows into the accumulator, which traps excess
liquid refrigerant. The vapor, now primarily a gas, goes through the suction line tube to the compressor
where the cycle is repeated.