INNOVATION
“GREENER REFRIGERANTS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS ENERGY EFFICIENT AS WHAT THEY REPLACE, SO THERE IS A BALANCE TO BE STRUCK THERE”
diff erent ways, but our path is to design a method of isolating and then fl ushing out the solids using just a small amount of water because water effi ciency is as important as energy effi ciency.” The solution relies on measuring the conductivity of the water to assess its purity. Cleaner water is more conductive, so measuring conductivity gives an indication of the total dissolved solids (TDS) it contains. When water freezes, particulate matter is left behind and the ice coming out is low in dissolved solids, but large amounts of scale can be left behind. Furthermore, calcium, silica or
other particulate materials behave diff erently. The levels of each particulate vary around the world and even in the same location over time, so diff erent fi ltering and water treatment methods are required before water reaches the ice machine. This is what Follett’s technology measures and manages. “Hoshizaki is also making a great
eff ort on hygiene,” notes Hofer. “People clean what they can see – fl oors, surfaces – but you need to clean inside, and some users don’t even know what the machine looks like on the inside. Ice machines should be cleaned on a regular, scheduled basis to ensure customers are not at risk of contamination. If you are a manufacturer that can sell units on the point of hygiene then you will do well.”
Follet (top left and right) and Hoshizaki (above) are two manufacturers improving hygiene and sustainability in ice machines
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Green ice Covid has brought hygiene to the top of the agenda, but close behind is the long-term trend towards sustainability. Ice machines are power-hungry pieces of equipment, meaning operators’ costs could rise as the demand for ice increases.
“There has been a number of advancements over the years, some of which have been driven by customers and some by regulation, some by manufacturers seeing a need for more energy-effi cient machines,” says Bingham. “There is growing customer desire for environmentally responsible equipment, which means improvements in energy effi ciency and changes to refrigerants. “They are competing requirements because greener refrigerants are not always as energy effi cient as what they replace,” he adds. “So, there is a balance to be struck there, as we must ensure there is a gain in energy effi ciency. Manufacturers have to understand what is most important, so we deliver what our customers value the most.” Recent improvements include
Hoshizaki’s CycleSaver, an innovative design for its range of KM Edge ice machines that enables the same quantity of ice to be produced in approximately half as many cycles. This leads to signifi cant energy savings, extends the workable life of the machine and minimises maintenance requirements. Follett also has focus in this area.
“Predictive maintenance, getting ahead of failures – that is where the industry is going and we are spending a lot of energy thinking about that,” says Bingham. Large cubes, small cubes, fl aked ice
or nugget ice – it is easy to say they are all just frozen water. But there are factors that go into making ice in a way that suits customers, minimizes resource use, preserves health, and benefi ts an operator’s bottom line. The most successful manufacturers will be those that appreciate the importance of all of those factors.
For more go to
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