The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-08-07
Ice.Making by Machinery.

The domain of nature is everywhere be
ing trenched upon by machinery, and a
last machine has been invented to compete
with the dame in the manufacture Of ice
1t was lately exhibited in London, ana was
found to be equal, by the propelling power
of ten horse engine, to turn out 4, 900 lbs
of ice per day.
The operation and process of manufacture
are thus described by an English journal
The Refrigeration is produced by the
evaporation OF ether in a vacuum; and the
popularity Of the invention consists in the
arrangements Of evaporating the ether at a
low temperature, and condensing it at a
higher, precisely the reverse Of ordinary
evapora,ing processes. The ether is con-
tained in a,rtight vessels, relieved from the
pressure OF the atmosphere. The cylinder
in the center Of the apparatus is filled with
valves, SO that each stroke of the piston
withdraws quantity Of ether vapor from
the left hand vessels, and forces it into a
condensing vessel on the right hand
Where the vapor is raised, an intense cold
is produced; where it is condensed, a cor
responding degree Of heat is evolved. The
ether, after resuining the liquid state, re-
turns by self-regulating valve to the eva
poratfng vessel, and the process thus con-
,inues uninterruptedy, without requiring
any attention, and without the slightest
waste of material.
The evaporating vessel is simply a tub
uar boiler. This is not misnomer, for the
ether actually boi's in it at a temperature Of
required) fifty degrees below the freezing
point. The cold produced is utilized by
means Of a stream of salt water, which does
not itsei. freeze at the temperature required
f,r ,,.i. t.,,, - "A 81.
vessels contsining the fresh water intended
for conversion into ice. This part of the
apparatus consists Of trough twenty feet
in lensgth fitted with sixty-one freezing
moudS, over the outside surfaces OF which
the cold salt water circulates n a continued
stream, After having thus parted with its
cooling power, it is returned to the efriger-
ating yesScl, and again passed through the
tubes Of the boiler. Thore is thus con
tiuu-d and regular circulation Of the fluid,
sim lar 10 that OF the ether, the whole bear
Ing a remote resemblance TO the double cir
culatiJn OF the blood. II is found that the
number Of freezing moulds is not nearly suf
ticieEt, anl that she machine will be worked
with mach better advantage II the number
be doubleh
THE Re can be made Of any required
shape or thickness. /, is al present turned
ou, in sla bs, eighteen inches square on the
sides, and an inch and half thick. The
slabs can be placed together so as TO form
blocks of any thickness The ice formed
rapidly al the c0ldest end Of the trough is
white and opabue, while that formed slowly
at the lowe end is more transparent. BY
increasing the dimensions of this trough.
and thus hsuring more uniformity of action,
the ice will be transparent throughout
The relative excellence Of white ice and
clear ice is debatable point. The white,
though actually ce.der whou formed, rnel,s
more rapidly than the clear ice-a drawback
when the ice has to be kept. but an advau-
ace wher il has TO he used
This niichine vii! prove a great institu-
ton for those regions where ice is not pro-
duced ty the natural process, as it can, ac-
cordlng 10 the statement from which we
con ense the above facts. work more cheaply
than nature herself