The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-12
ICE IN SUMMER,
HOW 1T is MADE ARTIFICIALLY
NOWADAYS.
The Industry is Comparatively New
and Requires Expensive Ma
chinery-Cold Produced by
Means of Ammonia.


system used is the ammonia
process, whereby the well.known cakes
are frozen separately. This is in dis
tinction from the same principle sp.
piled in a totally different way when
the ice is made in large sheets, and
sfterward split up into cakes. Upon
entering the engine room the first
things seen are two enormous Corliss
engines that drive the condensers,
popularly known as the ''ice ma
chimes" 1t is through this instru-
mentality that all the power needed
in the factory is supplied. The con-
densers are two huge, upright double
cylinders, whose dimensions are re.
spectively 1892 and 1882 inches. 1t
is to these that the bulk of generated
horse power is applied, and it is upon
them that the heaviest work falls.
They are built to Withstand a very
heavy pressure and are possibly
twenty-five feet in hight, rising from
a ponderous masonry foundation.
They are separate and independent,
but can be gearod to work in unison
as one machine. This is done when
the plant is at it's fullest capacity.
It is a well-known chemical and
physical law that ammonia, which in
a pure state is gas, can be COM
pressed and congealed like all other
gases into liquid. Ammonia
IS light, diffusible and capable of
comparatively safe transportation
in this liquid form, which is
maintained, of course, only under
pressure. When that pressure is re-
leased the liquid Immediately returns
to it's original state, but gives off ian
intense degree of cold during that
transportation back into the form.
er condition. If this were brought
in direct contact with a YES.
sci containing water it would
necessarily freeze 1t, but the
process while being a speedy one
would be far from economical. Here
enters another chemical law; pure
water freezes at thirty-two degrees
Fahrenheit; water with any foreign
admixture at much lower tempera.
ture. If then we would take a tank
and fill it with specially prepared
water whose freezing point was below
that of puro water We could immerse
a vessel containing the latter in the
former and form ice in the vessel.
This is taken advantage of in the
manufacture of ice on commercial
scale. The liquid that has been found
most suitable is lime, solution of
salt containing eighty.six pounds to
every 100 pints of water. Naturally,
if. q container OF pure water is sus-
pended in this lime and the lime is
kept just above its freezing point the
water solidifying at much higher
temperature will be frozen solid if
kept there long enough. This being
the theory it is most easy to put it into
practice in way that shall be CONNER
oially valuable.
The ammonia gas, liqui6ed and
under strong pressure, is brought to
the factory in wrought iron cylinders,
weighing several hundred pounds each,
and is taken to the top of an adioin.
ing structure. Through series OF
heavy pipes it is conducted, still under
pressure, to the space beneath the
floor of the tank room. Below this
floor, which covers about two acres, is
the brine tank containing many gal
Ions of the salt solution. This is per.
meated by miles of pipe, through
which the new pressure.reduced am.
monia flows. sEe7.s,:stt- 7-ssse 40 sssss'f
The brine is pumped and kept in
constant circulation by couple OF
rotary engines. The temperature OF
the brine falls far below that of the
freezing point of water, and is bound
to CONCEAL anything that is immersed.
On the floor are square openings, pro.
tected by stout covers of oak and pine,
all of which have q number. There
are 1880 of these openings on this
floor, and similar tank room above
gives 1400 more. Through each
one of these openings heavy,
water.tight sheet iron containers
are lowered, open only on the
top. These are filled with the dis.
titled and filtered water, and as it fills
automatically, the can sinks. The
opening is then closed, and for thirty.
six hours the process goes on in that
particular can. In the meantime the
workman has gone to another con that
has been in the brine for the requisite
number of hours, and by peculiar
winch and chain, raises the can from
the freezing mixture. The water has
frozen fast to the container and the
can contains finished cake OF ice. At
one end of the floor is another tank
filed with boiling water, and by
means of mechanical trolley the ice.
pan and its contents are dipped for
moment into the hot water. This
loosens the ice, and it is emptied out
where it goes by gravity to the storage
house. The can is then ready to be
reflled and immersed for another
thirty-si1 hours. All day long. and
all night long, the lids are never on
the brine tank, as the frozen product
makes room for the continuation Of a
chain of manufacture that is endless.
The Ammonia in the meanwhile, as
is has flowed through the pipes, is
gradually losing pressure, and is
finally useless in that form. After
being driven through the circulating
pipes in the brine it is taken in its de-
based condition to the compressors.
IL this case the COMPRISING engines
are the two enormous, towering Her
cules machines, double pistoned, Of
tremendous girth and power. Within