25-Ton Tube Ice Machine Project in Changzhou Enters Assembly Stage for Reactor Cooling

ICEMA is currently manufacturing a 25-ton/day tube ice machine system for a customer in Xinbei District, Changzhou, China.

The equipment will be installed on the customer’s new production line and will supply tube ice for reactor cooling during batch production.

Unlike common tube ice applications such as food service or commercial ice sales, this project is mainly focused on matching ice production with the customer’s actual production cycle.

The customer needs to add approximately 3–4 tons of tube ice every four hours. For this reason, the project is not limited to the selection of a 25-ton/day ice machine. The system also includes customized arrangements for equipment layout, electrical control, ice storage, and remote operation according to the actual site conditions.

25-Ton Daily Capacity Matches Batch Cooling Demand

The tube ice machine will mainly be used to provide ice for reactor cooling during production.

Based on the customer’s existing production volume and operating schedule, ice is not consumed continuously at a constant rate. Instead, the customer needs to use 3–4 tons of ice at intervals of approximately four hours.

The required machine capacity was therefore determined as 25 tons per 24 hours.

For this type of industrial application, daily ice output is only one part of equipment selection. The overall system also needs to consider the amount of ice required per batch, the available production time between batches, ice storage capacity, and the way the ice will be discharged and used.

These factors together determine how the complete ice-making system should be configured.

34mm Diameter and 7–8cm Length for the Actual Cooling Process

The required tube ice dimensions for this project are:

· Tube diameter: 34mm

· Tube length: 7–8cm

The customer specifically selected relatively long tube ice because of the actual cooling process.

Tube ice with a length of 7–8cm offers better melting resistance, allowing the ice to remain effective for a longer period during storage and after it is added to the reactor.

Rather than simply pursuing smaller ice pieces for faster heat exchange, this project places more emphasis on maintaining cooling performance during the actual process. The ice dimensions are therefore an important part of the equipment specification.

-10°C Cold Room Bridges Continuous Ice Production and Batch Ice Use

The operating cycle of the tube ice machine is different from the customer’s actual ice consumption pattern.

Under normal operation, the machine completes one ice discharge cycle approximately every 30 minutes, which means ice is produced continuously in batches. However, the customer needs to use several tons of ice at specific production times.

To bridge this difference, the project includes a cold room measuring:

4 × 2.4 × 2.6m, with a design temperature of -10°C.

The cold room is mainly used for temporary tube ice storage. This allows the ice machine to continue operating according to its normal production cycle while the customer stores enough ice for scheduled reactor cooling. A dedicated ice chute will be installed inside the cold room and connected directly to the ice outlet of the tube ice machine, allowing the ice to enter the storage area with fewer intermediate handling steps.

The cold room does not include a separate compressor unit because the customer already has an available cooling source on site. Therefore, the supplied scope mainly includes the cold room panels, air cooler, control system, and related storage components, which will be connected to the customer’s existing refrigeration source. This type of configuration is common in industrial projects where new equipment needs to be integrated with existing infrastructure rather than supplied as a completely independent system.

Split-Type Layout Adapted to the Factory Structure

In addition to the ice-making and storage requirements, the factory layout also directly influenced the system design.

There is a height difference between different areas of the site, while a dedicated electrical room is located on the second floor. For this reason, the customer requested a split-type configuration.

The refrigeration unit and local operating components will be installed in the equipment area, while the main power control cabinet will be placed separately in the second-floor electrical room.

The technical requirements also specify:

· 304 stainless steel control cabinet;

· Electrical protection level of at least IP65;

· Protective door outside the touchscreen;

· Emergency stop button with protective cover;

· Waterproof design for the local control box.

These requirements are intended to match the electrical system with the actual plant layout and operating environment.

RS485 Connection to DCS for Remote Start

The customer already has an existing plant control system, so the 25-ton tube ice machine also needs to communicate with the customer’s DCS.

The system uses a Siemens PLC and includes an RS485 communication interface for DCS connection.

The customer’s main requirement is to realize remote start of the tube ice machine.

This allows operators to start the ice-making system from the existing control platform according to the production schedule, instead of going to the machine each time.

A touchscreen is also provided for local operation and control. The electrical system uses LS components, while the motors are required to meet Class 1 energy-efficiency requirements according to the project specification.

Water-Cooled System with R404A Refrigerant

The project uses a water-cooled condensing system with R404A refrigerant.

Main refrigeration components include a Hanbell compressor from Taiwan, an ICEMA evaporator, condenser, cooling tower, water pumps, oil separator, gas-liquid separator, receiver, and other refrigeration components. For an industrial tube ice project with a capacity of 25 tons per day, the machine must not only produce ice continuously but also work together with the site’s cooling water system, electrical system, cold room, and production control system.

For this reason, the tube ice machine was designed as part of the customer’s new production line rather than as an isolated piece of equipment.

From Ice Crushers to a New Tube Ice Production Line

This is the customer’s second cooperation with ICEMA.

In 2025, the customer purchased two ice crushers, each with a processing capacity of approximately 8–9 tons per hour. The equipment performed well in actual operation and provided a basis for further cooperation.

With the construction of a new production line, the customer has now purchased a 25-ton/day tube ice system to provide batch ice supply for reactor cooling.

Compared with the previous purchase of standalone ice crushing equipment, this project covers a wider range of functions, including ice production, ice storage, electrical control, and integration with the customer’s existing plant systems.

Project Currently in Evaporator Welding and Assembly Stage

At present, the main components required for the 25-ton tube ice machine have arrived.

The project is currently in the evaporator welding and overall equipment assembly stage. Refrigeration system installation, electrical assembly, and other component integration will follow.

Because the machine will later be installed at the customer’s site, the project also requires installation personnel to hold the necessary qualifications for operations such as welding and working at height.ICEMA will continue manufacturing the system according to the site conditions and prepare for the next stages, including equipment installation, cold room connection, and DCS integration.