ICE PLANT: Figure shows the layout of an ICE plant.

The ice used for commercial purposes is produced by freezing potable water in standard cans placed in rectangular tanks which are filed with chilled brine. In order to enhance the heat transfer from the water, agitators are employed to keep brine solution in constant motion. The brine temperature is maintained at - 10 0C to - 12 0C by the refrigeration plant. The refrigerant used is generally ammonia as it has excellent thermal properties like high refrigerating effect per kg of refrigerant and low specific volume. Working: The high temperature, high pressure refrigerant vapours leaving the compressor are condensed in the condenser (shell and tube type or evaporative type). The condensed liquid refrigerant is collected in the receiver and then expanded through the expansion valve. Due to expansion, the pressure of the liquid refrigerant is considerably reduced. The liquid refrigerant then passes through the evaporator coils surrounding the brine tank in which brine is filled. The low pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat from the brine solution (equivalent to latent heat of vaporization), get converted to vapour state and once again fed to the compressor to complete the cycle. Generally NaCl (sodium chloride) or CaCl (calcium chloride) is used as brine. NaCl is preferably used because of its low cost and as it is less injurious.The ice cans are fabricated from the galvanized steel sheets and are given chromium plating to prevent corrosion due to chemical reactions.