What is the most suitable setting for the ice cream freezer in summer?

In a high - temperature environment in summer, the gear adjustment of the ice - cream freezer directly affects the taste, preservation time of ice - cream, and the energy consumption of the equipment. Setting the gear correctly can not only ensure the product quality but also reduce the operating cost. This article will explain in detail the optimal gear selection of the ice - cream freezer in summer from three dimensions: the principle of gears, scenario adaptation, and practical operation skills.

Ⅰ、The core logic of gear adjustment: the dynamic balance between temperature and the environment

The gear of the ice cream essentially freezer is Sensitivity adjustment of the temperature controller，It is usually divided into 0 - 7 gears (the larger the number, the higher the cooling intensity). In summer, when the ambient temperature is high (above 30℃), the heat dissipation efficiency of the cabinet decreases. If the gear is set improperly, problems such as insufficient cooling or excessive energy consumption are likely to occur.

Refer to international specifications, for the ice cream freezer The best storage temperature is from - 18℃ to - 22℃，At this time, the ice cream has a moderate hardness (it can be easily scooped with a metal spoon), the cream has a fine texture, and the bacterial reproduction has completely stopped. The core goal of adjusting the gear in summer is to stably maintain this temperature range in a high-temperature environment.

It should be noted especially that the gear position is not a fixed value, but needs to be based on Fluctuations in ambient temperature;Adjust it flexibly. For example, when the temperature rises to 35℃ in the afternoon, the gear should be increased by 1 - 2 gears compared with that in the early morning (about 25℃) to offset the impact of ambient heat on the temperature inside the cabinet.

Ⅱ、Gear selection for different scenarios: Precise adaptation from store to warehouse

1. Street-side convenience stores / small supermarkets: recommend 3 - 4 options

Ice cream cabinets in such scenarios are mostly open or semi - open. With a large flow of people and frequent opening and closing of the cabinet doors, the cold loss is relatively fast. Setting the temperature control to 3 - 4 can keep the temperature inside the cabinet stable at around - 18°C. This can not only cope with the temperature fluctuations caused by frequent picking of goods, but also prevent the ice cream from becoming too hard due to excessive refrigeration (which affects the customer's experience of taking the ice cream).

According to the measured data of a convenience store in China: In summer, when the open - type ice - cream cabinet is adjusted to gear 3, the daily power consumption is about 8.5 kWh; when adjusted to gear 5, the power consumption increases to 12 kWh, but the temperature only drops by 2℃, which belongs to low - efficiency energy consumption.

2. Large supermarket refrigerated area: Recommended 4 - 5 gears

The ice cream cabinets in large supermarkets are mostly enclosed and have a large storage capacity (operating at full load). Settings 4 - 5 can ensure that the ice cream deep inside the cabinet is also maintained at - 20°C, avoiding local temperature increases caused by excessive stacking (especially in the corners of the cabinet).

It needs to be adjusted in coordination with the night settings: After the supermarket closes (when the ambient temperature drops by 5 - 8℃), it can be temporarily adjusted to level 3. This can not only save energy consumption but also prevent the ice cream from cracking due to the excessively low temperature at night.

3. Ice cream production workshop / warehouse: 5 - 6 gears are recommended

Ice creams in workshops or warehouses are mostly finished products for sale and need to be stored for a long time (more than 1 week). Settings 5 - 6 can stabilize the temperature at - 22℃, which can delay the oxidation and deterioration of milk fat in ice cream to the greatest extent and extend the shelf life.

Experiments have proven that the flavor retention period of ice cream stored at -22°C is 30% longer than that stored at -18°C, and its shape recovers better after melting (with no obvious ice crystal precipitation).

Ⅲ、Practical Skills and Common Mistakes: Making Gear Adjustment More Efficient

1. The "progressive principle" of gear adjustment

When starting the unit for the first time in summer or restarting it after cleaning, do not directly set it to the highest gear. It should start from gear 2, and increase one gear every 3 hours until the target temperature is reached. Suddenly increasing the gear will cause a sudden increase in the load of the compressor, which not only consumes electricity but may also cause malfunctions (such as the compressor overheating protection shutting down).

2. "Efficiency Enhancement Method" to cooperate with environmental improvement

• Avoid piling up sundries on the top of the cabinet to ensure the ventilation of the heat dissipation holes (which can reduce the cabinet temperature by 3 - 5℃ and indirectly reduce the energy consumption by one gear).
• Place ice packs around the cabinet (not in direct contact) during the noon period to assist with cooling.
• Clean the condenser filter daily (the dust accumulation rate in summer is twice that in winter) to improve refrigeration efficiency.

3. Avoid the misunderstanding that "the higher the gear, the safer"

Some people think that the higher the gear in summer, the safer it is, but this is not the case. When the gear is adjusted to 6 - 7, the compressor is operating at full load. Not only does the power consumption increase by more than 50%, but also the frost formation speed of the evaporator accelerates (defrosting is required once every 2 - 3 days). If the frost is too thick and not dealt with in a timely manner, it will instead affect the refrigeration effect and form a vicious cycle of "high energy consumption and low efficiency".

Ⅳ、Emergency Adjustment for Special Situations: Coping with Extreme Heat and Sudden Failures

When the ambient temperature exceeds 38℃ (such as during the plum rain season in the south), it can be temporarily adjusted to gear 5 - 6, and an insulating film can be pasted on the outer side of the cabinet (to reduce the penetration of external heat). If signs of melting are found on the surface of the ice cream, check whether the sealing strip is aging (aging will increase the cold loss rate by 30%). Timely replacement of the sealing strip can reduce the frequency of gear adjustment.If the compressor starts and stops frequently (not caused by the temperature setting), it should be immediately adjusted to gear 2 and contact the maintenance personnel to avoid damage to the equipment caused by forcibly adjusting to a higher gear.

The gear adjustment of the summer ice cream cabinet is centered around "dynamic balance based on the environment". In normal scenarios, use gears 3 - 4, in enclosed storage, use gears 4 - 5, and for long - term preservation, use gears 5 - 6. At the same time, by coordinating with heat dissipation optimization and regular maintenance, it can not only ensure the quality of ice cream but also control energy consumption within a reasonable range. Remember: there is no absolutely fixed gear, only adjustments suitable for the real - time environment.