Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-07-05
HE HonoI.ln Ice Works.

lulu than pure pollIics ai VIC sNeN'h
wells to the CONTRARY notwithstanding The
Honolulu Ice Works Company is the fortunate
possessor Of spring Of this inestimable fluid
whose purity is US unqucsiioned in the opinion
OF the writer as are The greatness and goodness
OF his majesty's ministers in the opinions oi
Mcssrs. Gibson, Guliek, kapenaand Neumsnn
1t is purposed to connect this spring with he
freezing tanks of the works The result ought
to be iced perfection. The writer wonders
how many OF the Press three thousand OF more
readers know anything about the manufacture
of icel lie also wonders how many of them
know how complete manuiactnry exists half
way up Nuuanu valley II they know as
little OF both as the writer did last wees, they
are most comprehensively ignorant.
The writer visited the works last Tuesday
and was so fortunate to reach them at the
same time with Mr.. T.. W. Tucker, chief engineer
Of the Wilder Steamship Company and the
marine railway Within the past five months
extensive improvements have been made in
the works, increasing their daily capacity from
to - tons and doing so in much
more satisfactory manner than before the r.
cent improvements. which consist Of the new
engine and the new ammonia cooler, rhc
new engine was designed by Mr.. Tucker and
manufactured by the Honolulu Iron Works.
Its especial feature is the construction Of its
valves, so made that they cannot possibly fall
into the pump, II broken
Perhaps the most noticeable feature Of the
continuous coil OF one.inch iron pipe, goo
feet in length, built over square tank bold.
ing 7,a,o gallons, and incased in a circular
wooden framework q feet high and 81 feet
10 inches in diameter
To understand the use Of this huge pipe
coil some knowledge Of the process Of ice
manufacture is necessary. The writer, assum-
ing that some of his readers are as ignoran,
cure the following brief account In the
engine room is a large retort capable Of hold
ing several hundred gallons Of diluted ammo
MIA. Upon being heated the ammonia rises
as gas and passes into the receiving valve o
a large steam pump, whence it is forced unde
strong pressure into and through the coil Of cool
ing pipe, upon which spray Of water is con
s,antly playing. the water being aided by Z
! constant drah through cracks i'll the franz
work surrounding When cooled the liquic
from the ammonia flows downward by eravita
ton until it reaches valves above the free,in,
| tanks. The pipes that pass through TIL
freezing tanks are exhausted of air, and whei
the liquid ammonia enters it of course expand
into gas, in obedience to the law governin,
| expansion in vacuo. In this expansion TN
heat is exhausted from the surrounding waite
and ice formed in cake against an iron plate
placed agains, the pipes. After passini
out Of the cooling pipe, the ammonia is takei
again into the rotor, and again used in tn
same process Of alternate expansion and con
traction. II leakage could be entirel.
avoided, one charge Of ammonia might b.
used to produce definite supply of ice till thu
crack of doom. As it is, strength Of material
skill in manufacture and the greatest possibl
caution cannot positively guard against occs
sional leakage. Sometimes sudden leakag
loses an entire charge, and thousands of dollar
worth of ammonia are lost. The charge nov
in use at the Honolulu works is valued a
$4,000.
The spring OF water which will be hereafte
utilized in ice making is some 500 feet from
| the works and below the level Of the freezinI
tanks; and will have to be raised about % fee,
The presen: GU, put Of ice is =bout nine ton
to a freeze which occupies three days TIL
freezing tanks turn out as slabs Of ice; each 4
fee, long, 4 feet thick and 10 inches wide
and each weighing about I,4oo pounds
The process Of manufacture at present EN-
ployed in the works is vastly superior to tn
old plan Of "can freezing" whereby all tn
impurities of the water were frozen. The pres
en-, system does not freeze any impufi,ie
which may be in the water.
As at present constituted the works emplo
a superintendent. two engineers, two tremer
four delivery drivers, one drayman and sewers
other men are employed. Every thing abou
the works are in evidence Of progress,