Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-23
DRY ICE NEW AID
IN REFRIGERATION
Many Home Electric Plants
Being Sold and Prices
Are Going Down.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO Inc star.
NEW YORK, June 23t--About A.
900, 900 of Americas population will
have their food and drink cooled by
electric refrigeration ny the end of
this year. The progress or electric
refrigeration has been remarkable,
starting with sales OF 600 units in
1924, rising to 1000 in 1919, 5000 in
1920, 1000 in 1921. 1900 in 1922, 15,-
900 in 1923, 1900 in 1924. $4,000 in
1925 and 100000 in 1926. over 45O.-
900 units will be sold in 1927, and this
total may reach 10000.
Profits from these sales. however,
are not so easily computed. In 1924
there were fewer than a dozen COM
panies making electric refrigeration
units. Today there are over 100,
One company controls approximately
rs per cent of the total business.
Prices Have Been Cut.
Despite decided Improvement IN
the quality Of the refrigeration units
turned out, prices have been cut 20
per cent in the last IS months Many
Of the companies have found DIS
tinct drop in their returns this year,
despite popularity Of electric refrls-
Grafton. For the remainder OF the
wear, results seem likely to be more
favorable. Demand is expanding ana
promises to expand for months 70
come. There are less than l'ooo,oVo
units in service and there are some
thing like 100000 dwellings, "lied
| cor electricity.
The rapid expansion in the cleo
trical refrigeration field has not war
ranted apprehension that the manu-
featured ice or natural ice industry
would suffer. The manufacture OIL
ice is now nearly at its high point.
There Is small doubt that the amount
of manufactured ice turned out this
year will exceed 100000 tons. The
rise of electrical refrigeration has
simply stressed the need for refrigera'
ton in general.
Refrigeration in the past has come
from ice or cold pipes. Now 1t Is De-
ginning to come from heat. Gas re-
frigeration has obtained real loot
hold in this country.
"Dry Ice" Now Factor.
Carbon dioxide, the waste product
of heating and steam power plants
and of various Preventative process
es, recently has attained Importance
in the refrigeration field. 1t is trans
formed into dry Ice, ana lHStSdu OA
melting to a liquid, evaporates direct
~ to a gas, so that the container is
always dry and clean. Its evaporat-
ing temperature is 146 degrees Fab
renheit lower than that Of ordinary
ice. One pound of dry ice has twice
the refrigeration capacity of pound
of ordinary ice.
Its use in solid form should not be
confused with the process of making
the gas as a working fluid in the
usual type of compressive refrigera-
ton system. The solid blocks of dry
| ice are used in exactly the same way
as blocks of wet ice. The present
cost of dry ice, however, is estimated
at about three times the cost of wet
ice and salt mixture, but the cleanli-
ness, saving of space and increased
capacity for preserving express car
shipments o. fruit and vegetables fire.
quently make it show !. profit over
| the older method. 1t Is colder than
| wet ice and cheaper than liquid air.
| However, it can be counted on only
to supplement and not to replace. the
older methods of refrigeration.
Improved insulation against heat
has placed an added premium on the
| ice frozen by nature and held in ice
| houses until needed.