Just when you thought the wheel, or in this case, ice cube-making had already been invented, a team of engineering students from San Jose State University (US) has come up with a new ice maker that has no carbon footprint. Why? Because it runs on solar power, making it a more than useful device for someone who needs ice in remote areas with no grid access, such as the rural developing world or in disaster zones.
According to faculty advisor and Associate Professor, Jinny Rhee, this very unusual and perhaps unique solar ice maker, which recently featured on the Dvice blog, “is an electricity-free alternative to refrigeration and air-conditioning."
The solar icemaker uses a refrigerant liquid that evaporates when exposed to the sun. The vapour travels through pipes that come into contact an absorbent material, which cools when the sun goes down. Once the slow-cooling absorbent hits 40°C, the refrigerant turns back into a liquid and its temperature drops like a rock to below freezing because of pressure differences. Put some water next to the evaporator’s exterior and, hey presto, ice. The icemaker can make up to 6 kilogrammes of ice per day — more than enough for the average barbeque!
A typical icemaker uses electricity to run a compressor to do this work, but the solar icemaker just uses solar energy, with no moving parts. Furthermore, the systems are sealed, so barring a leak, they will never need replenishing. Although, the students' prototype is not yet available, plans are for it to be ready by next summer.
The project, dubbed Solar Ice, is a finalist in the 2008 California Clean Tech Open, the winners of which will be announced in October.
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