Block Ice Machine
1. Category Introduction
DAXTRO block ice machines produce solid ice blocks from 5 kg to 50 kg in daily capacities from 1 ton to 40 tons. Block ice has the lowest cost per ton of any ice format, both to produce and to store, and in many markets it is still the reference format for fishing fleets, ice depots and rural distribution.
The machine freezes water in aluminium or stainless moulds immersed in a refrigerated tank, then releases the blocks in a single harvest. Blocks are dense, melt slowly and can be stacked in a store for days without significant loss, which makes them practical where transport is irregular.
Two designs are available: direct expansion with hot gas release and brine tank with salt water release. Ice contact surfaces are 316L where the block leaves the mould cleanly, with 304 structural pans and frames. CE marked, ISO 9001 production.
2. Working Principle
How the ice is made
Moulds are filled with clean water and lowered into a refrigerated tank. Refrigerant coils around the tank wall or in the tank itself pull heat out of the water from all sides, so the block freezes from the outside inward over several hours.
How the ice is released
On direct expansion units, hot gas warms the tank and the blocks release from the moulds. On brine units, the tank is diluted or warmed slightly and the blocks float free. The blocks are then lifted out and either stored or weighed and packed.
Why block ice is still specified
Freezing is slow and the equipment is simple, so capital cost per daily ton is the lowest of any ice type. A block also holds its mass for a long time, which matters where ice is moved by boat or truck to sites with no power.
3. Performance Advantages
▪ Lowest cost per ton of ice. A simple refrigeration circuit and a large thermal mass mean fewer moving parts and less energy per daily ton than any other ice format.
▪ Long storage life. A dense block loses far less mass in storage than flake or tube ice, so production can be scheduled ahead of demand and stock built up.
▪ No crushing needed for bulk cooling. One block provides a large, slow release of cooling for hold cooling, fish boxes or transport, without any handling equipment.
▪ Multiple block weights. 5 kg, 10 kg, 25 kg and 50 kg moulds to match how the ice will actually be moved and sold in your market.
▪ Simple field maintenance. Few moving parts, easy access to the tank and the moulds, and a design that a local technician can service with basic tools.
▪ Direct expansion or brine. Choose hot gas release for lower water consumption, or brine for the lowest capital cost and the simplest operation.
4. Applications
▪ Fishing fleets and landing sites. Blocks for hold cooling on board and for chilling catch at landing, where power and transport are both unreliable.
▪ Ice depots and rural distribution. Production ahead of demand, storage in a simple insulated room and distribution by truck or boat.
▪ Concrete and mining. Bulk cooling where a large, slowly melting mass is more useful than a fast melting one.
▪ Meat and poultry transport. Block ice in insulated trucks and containers for long distance movement.
▪ Food preservation in remote areas. Where the grid is weak, block ice is often the only practical cold chain.
▪ Ice plants with cold room. Block production combined with a cold room and a crusher, sold as a complete depot.
5. After-Sales Service
▪ Global spare parts stock. Nine service hubs hold moulds, tank components, controls and compressor parts.
▪ Mould and tank service. Mould condition drives block release. Replacement moulds and alignment guidance are supplied, and the tank can be opened for inspection on site.
▪ Remote commissioning and support. Tank charging, refrigerant levels and harvest timing are reviewed before shipment and during commissioning by video.
▪ Documentation package. Operation manual, electrical drawings, refrigerant schematic and spare parts list in English.
▪ Warranty and response. Twelve months warranty on the machine, longer on the compressor per its own terms. Inquiries answered within one working day.
