Ice Rink Chiller Manufacturer over 20 Years

Ice Rink Chiller Manufacturer over 20 Years | GESON Chiller

An ice rink chiller is a specially designed type of chiller. As the name implies, it is used for indoor or outdoor ice rinks. It requires a unique refrigeration cycle to cope with the unique cooling needs for this type of application.

There are various sizes and designs of custom ice chiller equipment for ice rinks. You can get small ones such as 4 tons in size and there are also those who are up to 500 tons in size. Make sure you choose according to suit your intended use and the size of your ice rink.

In order to help you determine the best type of ice rink chiller system to use, you need to know the basic components of this type of chiller system. Check the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) below to inform your decision about the best ice rink chiller to use.

How Much is an Ice Rink Chiller?

It depends on the size of the facility and whether you are going to hire a professional to build it or you do it yourself.

If DIY ice rink that is built in your backyard and designed to be portable, it cost can start at $26,000. This is just an estimated cost, however. It can go up or down based on various factors such as size, design, and other specifications.

The larger ice rink kits can cost up to $47,000.

Figure 1 – Ice Rink Chiller

How Do Ice Rink Chillers Work?

An ice rink chiller is built with a specialized refrigeration system in order to maintain proper conditions to keep the ice suitable for ice skating. You need a chiller since this is where the brine will return with heat from the ice rink surface. The heat is then absorbed by the liquid coolant.

The coolant is responsible for boiling and vaporing the liquid as it absorbs the heat from the brine. Once cooled, it is circled back into the rink to regulate ideal temperature.

It is a more complex process but you get the idea as to how the refrigeration works for this chiller system.

How is An Ice Rink Made?

There are several layers and components involved in the making of an ice rink. The ice rink chiller is the most essential component that helps to keep it cool and maintain ice on the surface.

An ice rink consists of the following layers:

1. Skating Surface

The skating surface is the one that is visible from above of an ice rink. This layer is made of ice and is supported by the layers beneath the ice rink chiller.

Water is applied directly onto the concrete slab with an average thickness of 1/32 of an inch. This layer is frozen as soon as it hits the concrete. This will also form the base of an ice rink.

Following the first layer are several other super-thin layers beneath it. The surface itself requires a lot of work to prep it for use. To give you an idea, the ones used for hockey games use up anywhere from 45,000 to 57,000 liters of water. This is enough to produce a thickness of ¾ to 1 ½ inch thick.

The ice should not be too thick or too thin. If it is too thin, the ice could be sliced through once the skaters come into contact with the surface. If it is too thick, it will use up more energy for the ice rink chiller to keep it frozen.

2. Chilled Concrete Slab

The next layer of the ice rink is a chilled concrete slab. This is crucial as it helps to maintain the required temperature for the surface to remain frozen. The pipes are embedded into the concrete slab and this is where the refrigeration system is pumped through.

The ideal temperature of the ice rink surface is at -4 degrees Celsius. There are also several factors that can impact the performance of the ice rink chiller such as the temperature within the building, outdoor temperature, and the humidity level.

Figure 2 – Ice Rink Chiller Layers

3. Insulation

There is a layer of insulation placed beneath the chilled concrete slab. It is an essential component of the ice rink chiller because it keeps the ground underneath the ice from freezing. If it freezes, this could make the ground prone to expanding and cracking. It can compromise the rink structure, if that happens.

4. Sand and Gravel Base

The entire ice rink structure sits on a base made up of sand and gravel. It also comes with a groundwater drain so any excess water melted from the ice do not just sit there.

How Thick is the Ice Rink Ice?

The ice in the ice rink is approximately ¾ of an inch in thickness. It requires a chilling temperature of -8 degrees Celsius.

What Is Under the Ice in an Ice Rink?

An ice rink is made up of a refrigerant that helps to cool the brine water. An anti-freezing agent is present in the pipes that are placed underneath the ice.

It is important to maintain a level of insulation underneath the concrete slab. This will help the ice rink to shrink and expand as needed.

The technology used in ice rinks – whether indoor or outdoor – is the same as the ones used in refrigerators and air conditioners. However, they are expanded to meet the large scale cooling needs of an ice rink.

How Does an Ice Rink Stay Frozen?

An ice rink chiller requires the use of an indirect refrigeration system in order to keep the surface frozen.

It uses a liquid refrigerant such as ammonia in order to absorb heat from another liquid source (brine). This helps to absorb heat from the source. This is why it is referred to as indirect refrigeration as it does not come into direct contact with the source of the heat transfer.

Brine is a calcium-chloride solution that acts as an anti-freeze agent. It freezes at a much lower temperature than water so that it stays in liquid form as it passes through the pipes. However, it stays cool enough so it won’t freeze the water when it comes into contact with the surface.

What Are The Main Components in an Indirect Refrigeration Cycle?

An ice rink chiller is composed of three main components to facilitate the heat exchange process: chiller, compressor, and condenser.

The ice rink chiller is where the brine returns after absorbing heat,  from the surface of the ice rink. The heat will be absorbed by the refrigerant in order to boil and vaporize it. Once cooled, the ice rink chiller will re-introduce it to the system.

The compressor takes the vaporized ammonia from the chiller and reduces the pressure level in the ice rink chiller. It adds pressure to the gas form of the liquid refrigerant so its temperature level goes from -2 to 100 degrees Celsius.

The gas is then fed onto the condenser where it undergoes further cooling. Once it goes back into liquid, it is circulated back to the ice rink chiller. This completes the refrigeration cycle of an ice rink chiller.

How Does The Refrigeration Cycle Keep the Ice Rink Cool?

As the refrigeration cycle is ongoing at the ice rink chiller, the chilled brine is pumped through the pipes. Those pipes are placed beneath the ice rink floor so it helps to keep the surface chilled at all times.

How Cold Does an Ice Rink Chiller Have to Be?

Maintaining the ideal temperature in an ice rink surface is essential to maintain proper skating conditions. It is also vital to keep the ice on the surface from melting, even if the outdoor temperature varies significantly.

The average air temperature in an ice rink is anywhere from 12 to 18 degrees Celsius. As for the on-ice temperature, it should be anywhere from -8 to -1 degrees Celsius.

You need an ice rink chiller that has the capability to maintain this temperature level. Otherwise, the ice rink conditions would not be suitable for use for its intended purpose.

How Long Does it Take to Make the Ice for the Rink?

It varies significantly according to the size of the ice rink. However, for an average size of ice rink, it should take approximately 48 hours to make the ice.

Once the ice is formed, it is usually about an inch think from the surface.

Figure 3 – Ice Rink Chiller Diagram

Why is Ammonia Used in Ice Rink Chiller?

There are plenty of refrigerants to choose from for various chiller systems. For an ice rink chiller, ammonia is the most popular choice because of various benefits it can offer.

Ammonia is considered an economical and environmentally-friendly option for ice rinks. It is also the reason why this is the choice of refrigerant in many facilities that require cool temperature.

Ammonia is also known as the most energy-efficient refrigerant in the market. It does not cause damage to the ozone layer.

How Much Water Does it Take to Fill an Ice Rink?

It depends on the size of the ice rink. To give you an idea, it takes 1,995 gallons of water, to fill an ice rink that measures 20 x 40 in size.

You can do the math if you require filling up an ice rink that is much larger than this in size. It will also take longer for the ice on the topmost surface to freeze.

Why is My Ice Rink Not Freezing?

An ice rink chiller is made up of different components that must work together in order to produce ice and to maintain its ideal temperature. If the ground is not yet frozen, a layer of water can serve as insulator. This can cause a delay in freezing of the ice on the rink.

How is Energy Efficiency Measured?

Energy efficiency is defined as the ability of an ice rink chiller system (or any refrigeration system) to produce cooling in as little amount of energy consumed as possible. This is measured in terms of tons (cooling effect) and kilowatts (energy consumed).

When designing an ice rink chiller, the goal is to consume as little electricity as possible in order to achieve (and maintain) the desired cooling effect.

Energy efficiency is a crucial factor to consider when investing in an ice rink chiller system. This is crucial to help maintain the ice rink facility while also keeping your maintenance costs affordable.

How to Choose Ice Rink Chiller Provider?

When investing in an ice rink chiller, there are a few things that you need to know about to help with your selection process.

You need to choose a chiller system that is made with ammonia as a liquid refrigerant. This type of system is up to 20% more energy efficient. It is also less expensive when compared to other types of refrigerants. And since this is a natural refrigerant, you won’t have to worry about delisting issues.

Make sure you choose a provider known for delivering ice rink chiller systems that are economically reliable. It must last for a long time with a lower life cycle maintenance cost. A good troubleshooting system will also save you lots of money in the long run.