A NEW REFRIGERANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 10

A NEW REFRIGERANT

CARBON DIOXIDE ICE ITS MANY ADVANTAGES Great progress has been made in recent years in the methods of the transportation of perishable goods through the medium of refrigeration. A new method is at present being tried out which gives further expanse to the field. " AX interesting example of the way in which the old and familiar field may be extended is afforded by the commercial development of solidified carbon dioxide as a refrigerant,” states an article in the March issue of the “Commerce Monthly,” published by the National Bank of New York. As compared with water ice its most

unique feature is the fact that it is absolutely dry. The residue from its melting passes off in a gas for which no special provision in the way of exterior containers is necessary. This makes it possible to use carbon dioxide ice in the delivery of goods in cartons and non-returnable containers for which water ice is unsuitable. “Elsewhere the use of carbon dioxide ice is handicapped by its high initial cost. As marketed to-day, carbon dioxide ice brings 100 dollars a ton f.o.b. factory, compared with a wholesale price for water ice of 4 to 5 dollars, and a retail-delivered price amounting to 8 or 10 dollars a ton. “Carbon dioxide ice, of course, luis compensating advantages. Its quality of dryness has been mentioned. In addition, it is much colder than ice. and has greater density, and consequently occupies less space for a given weight. Under similar conditions, tlv extremely low temperature makes this ice twice as efficient as water ic< whereas the cost is 20 to 25 times as great. Much higher efficiencies can be obtained by suitable use of the insulating qualities of the gas given off. In this way a given quantity of carbon dioxide ice has been known to do the work of 15 times its weight of water ice.

"It is apparent, therefore, that carbon dioxide ice is not a factor in competitive fields where advantage cannot be taken of the insulating properties of the gas. Thus its use has been confined chiefly to the shipment of perishable commodities in relatively small quantities by mail, express or truck. “It does not seem likely that carbon dioxide ice will have very much effect on existing industries in the immediate future. It is rather extending the practice of refrigeration to new fields and supplementing the use of other refrigerants. Competition with natural ice will undoubtedly develop later, particularly in the field of rail transportation, but this is a matter for the more distant future.”