
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
IntheSIMAGcubeicemakers the waterusedto
make the ice is kept constantly in circulation by
an electric water pump which primes it to the
spray system nozzles from where it is diverted
into the molds of the evaporator.
Asmallquantityofthesprayedwaterfreezesinto
ice; the rest of it cascades by gravity into the
sump assembly below for recirculation.
FREEZING CYCLE
The hot gas refrigerant discharged out from the
compressorreachesthecondenserwhere,being
cooleddown,condensesintoliquid.Flowinginto
the liquid line it passes through the drier filter,
thenitgoesallthewaythroughthecapillarytube
where, due to the heat exchanging action, it
loosessomeofitsheatcontentsothatitspressure
and temperature are lowered as well.
Next the refrigerant enters into the evaporator
serpentine (which has a larger I.D. then the
capillary) and starts to boil off; this reaction is
emphasized by the heat transferred by the
sprayed water.
The refrigerant then increases in volume and
changes entirely into vapor.
The vapor refrigerant then passes through the
suction accumulator (used to prevent that any
small amount of liquid refrigerant may reach the
compressor)andthroughthesuctionline.Inboth
theaccumulatorandthesuctionlineitexchanges
heatwiththe refrigerantflowingintothe capillary
tube (warmer), before to be sucked in the
compressor and to be recirculated as hot
compressed refrigerant gas.
Thefreezingcycleiscontrolledbytheevaporator
thermostat(whichhasits bulbin contactwith the
evaporatorserpentine)thatdeterminesthelength
of its first portion of the cycle.
When the temperature of the evaporator
thermostat bulb drops to a pre-set value, the
evaporatorthermostatchangesitscontacts(from
3-4 to 3-2) suppling power to the finishing timer
thattakesthecontrolofthesecondtimedportion
of the freezing cycle up to its completion.
The length of this second timed portion of the
freezing cycle is pre-fixed and related to the
setting of the upper part of the timer cam.
The electrical components in operation during
the freezing cycle are:
COMPRESSOR
CONTACTOR COIL (SC70-120-210)
FAN MOTOR (in air cooled version)
WATER PUMP
and during the second phase of freezing cycle
(Time mode) they are joined by the
TIMER
On the SCN 45, SC70, SC120and SC210 air
cooledtherefrigerantheadpressure,inthecourse
of the freezing cycle, ranges between 8÷10 bars
SCN 45, 8÷9,5 bars SC70 and 15,5÷20 bars
SC120-210 being controlled by the hi-pressure
control.
When the discharge pressure rises up to a pre
setvalue,thepressurecontrolclosesitselectrical
contacts suppling power to the FAN MOTOR.
As soon as the discharged refrigerant pressure
drops, the pressure control opens its contacts to
temporarelyde-energizethefanmotor.Onothers
air cooled models (SCN 35) the fan motor is
constantlyactivatedandretaintheheadpressure
between 8÷10 bars (110÷140 psig).
On the models from SCN 35÷45 water cooled
version the same hi-pressure control is used to
intermittently energize a water solenoid valve
locatedonthewatersupplylinetothecondenser.
On the other models SC70-120-210, in water
cooled version, the discharge pressure is kept
constantbythewaterregulatingvalvethatmeters
the water flow to the condenser.
NOTE.Incaseofshortage/insufficientcooling
waterorair condenserdirty, the operationof
thesafetydevicebyhandresetwillstopthe
machine as soon as the temperature reach
70/75
°
C (160/170
°
F) or the corresponding
pressure. After eliminated the cause of the
stop, put the machine in operation by
pushing the reset button of the safety
thermostat or pressure switch across the
holesinthedown/rightsideofthefrontpanel
or removing it.
At the start of the freezing cycle the refrigerant
suctionorlo-pressure lowers rapidlyto0,8 bars
(11 psig) SCN 35÷SC70, 3,6 bars (50 psig) SC
120and 2,4 bars (34 psig) SC210 then it
declinesgradually-inrelationwiththegrowingof
the ice thickness - to reach, at the end of the
cycle,approx.0,1bars(1,4psig)SCN35÷SC70,
1,5 bars (21 psig) SD 125, and 1,3 bars (18
psig) SC210 with the cubes fully formed in the
cup molds.
Thetotallengthofthefreezingcyclerangesfrom
18 to 20 minutes.
DEFROST OR HARVEST CYCLE
As the electric timer has carried the system
throughout the second phase of freezing cycle,
the defrost cycle starts.
NOTE.The lengthofthe defrostcycleispre-
determinedbythesettingofthelowerportion
of the timer cam.
In case it is possible to modify the defrost
cycle length through its setting screw.
ATTENTION. The defrost period is the
most critical for the icemaker main
components expecially the compressor.
To avoid to abuse of them it is strongly
recommended to limit the harvest cycle
extension to 4 minutes at the most.
The electrical components in operation during
this phase are:
COMPRESSOR
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