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Making Ice Without Electricity
j-beda writes "Time Magazine is running an article telling us how Dave Williams is trying to make ice for third-world applications using the Hilsch-Ranque vortex-tube effect (first developed in 1930 by G.J. Ranque), where swirling air is split into hot and cold components." The method is horribly inefficient but Williams is hoping it could yield helpful results in areas where electricity is really not an option.
My mothers house has 2 ammonia Air Conditioning units built in the mid to late 40's they were "Overage" for a bank and made their way into my grandfathers new home, since it is a hot water heated house its great, let me tell you these things will even chill the upstairs of the house , at 2000 ish square feet to push cold up is not a bad trick, the volume they output is the key.
:) Designed well, and built like German tanks...
The funny part ? They still work flawlessly, and have not been serviced since at least 1977 ( In know this for a fact as thats when my grandad passed away)
Their electric consumption is actually minimal, running both all month equates to about a 60$ electricity increase. Unreal if you ask me, I kept thinking we were on an electric budget the first summer I fired em up in 20 years as it was way to hot for my grandma without air so I told her I would cover the bill. it never went up....
The beauty is these units will spill the ammonia outsie through the exhaust should the coils ever rupture (I doubt it since they are about 1/8 in thick copper