Note: These articles has been studied by our experts and we have found it as a viable technology for eco sustainable villages modules however these old technologies has been improved now.

Ice-Quick

The Ice-Quick is a small device to demonstrate the adsorption technology with the sorption pair water/zeolite. It consists of a zeolite filled cartridge, connected via an adaptor to a plastic cup, which contains some water, and which is evacuated by means of a hand-vacuum pump.

After approx. 10…20 strokes with the hand-vacuum pump the inside pressure is reduced below the vapour pressure of the water at ambient temperature, and the water start to boil. Air gases go out of the water and starts to bubble on the bottom of the glass. (The more air is removed out of the system, the better the adsorption of water vapour. The vapour above the water surface is adsorbed in the cristalline structure of the zeolite. As a result, the remaining liquid water cools down.) After a few more strokes the water calms down and finally begins to freeze. After some time the water is completely frozen: 50 g of water at a temperature of 10 °C can be cooled down and frozen within 30 sec with 500 g of zeolite. The average specific cooling power results to 390 W/kgZeo.

This process can be repeated 8…10 times with arbitrary intervals until the zeolite is saturated. The zeolite has always to be cooled down to the ambient in between processes for the adsorption to function properly. For desorption (regeneration) the zeolite has to be heated up to 250 °C for a short time. When the zeolite is cooled down again to 20 °C it is ready for further ice production.

Bottle cooler

A further development of the Ice Quick is the Bottle Cooler consisting of :

	a plastic evaporator which contains a bottle encaged with a wet, sponge-like material,
	a big zeolite cartridge,
	an adaptor and
	an electrically driven vacuum pump.

Within a time of 8 minutes the content of a bottle is cooled down from 30 °C to less than 10 °C. After finishing the process the bottle has to be taken out of the evaporator. The frozen spongelike material keeps the beverage cool for a long period of time.

Advantages of the Ice-Quick and bottle cooler

	An immediate cooling process can be started
	The cooling process (without any capacity loss) can be interrupted at any time
	Ice production is possible without any electric power

Ice-making instructions

Ice-Quick

Take a plastic cup and fill not more than 1 cm (0,4 inch) of water into it. Place the system on a flat surface.
Check that the PVC-hose is fixed to both the adaptor and the pump. The cartridge is firmly tightened to the adaptor.
Connect the cartridge and the adaptor to the plastic cup.
Operate the vacuum-pump continuously, but not too fast. Push the piston-rod to the very end. Overcome the resistance of the final air-cushion.
Check the tightness of the unit after approx. 2 strokes by lifting the cartridge. Because of the produced vacuum, the cup with the water is firmly tightened to the adaptor
After approx. 10…20 strokes the inside pressure is reduced below the vapour pressure of the water at the ambient temperature, and the water starts to boil. Air gases go out of the water and start to bubble on the bottom of the glass.(The more air is removed out of the system, the stronger becomes the adsorption of water vapour. The vapour above the water surface is adsorbed in the cristalline structure of the zeolite. As a result the remaining liquid water cools down.)
After a few more strokes the water calms down and begins to freeze. Wave the water-cup and the cartridge severaltimes so that water can reach the surface, and continue the operation of the vacuum-pump.(At the same time the zeolite gives out the heat of adsorption. After 1…2 min the heat can be felt on the outside of the cartridge. With a heat exchanger it is possible to use little heat in existing aggregates, for example, for heating water or on an air stream.)
The adaptor has a small flap. Lift it briefly in order to let air into the system, so that the cartridge and the adptor can be removed from the cup.

This process can be repeated 8…10 times with arbitrary intervals until the zeolite is saturated. The zeolite has always to be cooled down to the ambient in between processes for the adsorption to function properly. For the regeneration the zeolite granulate needs to be activated by heating it at 250 °C in the oven

Regeneration

Separate cartridge and adaptor from each other.
Unscrew the nut from the central-pipe which is inside the cartridge. Take out the lattice
Spread out the zeolite granulate on a baling tray and put it into an oven for 2 hours at a temperature of 250 °C. Alternatively, put the cartridge with the zeolite directly in the oven for 3 hours.
Cover (for example aluminium foil) the granulate after the regeneration, and cool it down so that no humidity is adsorbed by the zeolite.
Refill the cartridge in closing the central-pipe, refix the lattice and put the nut again on the central-pipe.
Please make sure that there is no zeolite granulate in the inside of the central-pipe by turning the zeolite cartridge up-side-down

The Ice-Quick is now ready to start again.

Storage

To store the Ice-Quick the zeolite cartridge has to be deposited in a dry ambient. Place the empty and dry plastic cup directly on the adaptor.

In this way the renewed energy in the zeolite during the regeneration process can be stored without losses for as long as required.

Crosley IcyBall

Crosley bought the rights to the Icyball refrigeration idea, and brought it to market. Powel Crosley had a gift for recognizing great ideas and gift for marketing. Crosley built thousands of Icyballs in at least two factories, one in the United States and one in Canada. Icyballs have been spotted throughout North America and as far away as Africa. The Canadian made Icyballs carry a tag indicating that they are Deforest Crosley Icyball, those made in the USA are labeled Crosley Icyball.

The Icyball is an intermittent heat absorption type of refrigerator. A water/ammonia mixture is used as the refrigerant . Water and ammonia combine easily. So, they combine in the hot ball at room temperature.

When the hot ball is heated, for about 90 minutes, the ammonia evaporates first because it has a lower boiling point than water. The other cylinder is in water to help condense the ammonia in the cold ball. When the balls are fully charged, the cold ball is placed in the insulated box, as the ammonia evaporates to recombine with the water in the hot ball it removes heat, cooling the inside of the refrigerator for 24+ hours. A hole in the cold ball was for a special ice cube tray.

If the above isn't completely correct, it's because I really don't know anything about refrigeration, This page is our complete file on the Icyball if you have additional ads or information please let me know.

Icyball at the Smithsonian

The exhibit at left was found while wandering through the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington DC.

The display tells how Ferdinand Carre discovered the absorption refrigeration cycle in the mid 1800s. In around 1858 he marketed the black device above the Icyball for use as a cooling device in homes.

The Carre absorption cycle was an outgrowth of an observation by Michael Faraday in 1823 of the cooling properties of ammonia and silver chloride enclosed in a bent glass tube. The ammonia absorption system was similar to the process Edmund Carre, Ferdinand's brother discovered that used strong acids under a vacuum but was much more practical.

Deforest Crosley IcyBall SN-775
Built in Toronto

This Icyball was found in the Toronto area and is in very good condition. It was successfully put through a heat charge cycle on November 28th 1998. It produced a temperature of 18 degrees F, in the ice cube tray hole with no insulated box to help the process. Not bad for a 70+ year old refrigerator.

Warning

Don't try this with your Icyball unless you are very careful, outdoors, and reasonably sure of the condition. Read the Operation Manual.

If you had X-Ray Vision

This is what you would see looking at a charged Icyball. The left ball is the cold ball and has liquid ammonia in it after the heat cycle, with gas evaporating off the surface, on its way to reunite with water in the hot ball on the right.

Icyball Ads

A few ads have shown up so far, both full page and smaller. The "Farm Mechanic" magazine was one of Crosley's favorite for advertising with 3 full page ads that I have heard about, I have only found one and have a scan of a second. The one to the Left was the outside back cover of the September 1928 issue. Country Gentlemen is another good source I have heard of two, only managed to get copies of one so far.

Crosley Broadcaster Feb 15, 1929

These two pieces are from the Crosley newspaper they sent to dealers.

The cover to the left shows several interesting Icyball applications. Lower left is a large 2 Icyball cooler and the bottom picture shows an Icyball water cooler.

Scientific American September 1929

Crosley Broadcaster April 15th 1929

"The Shuler Supply company of New Orleans, La., use a large chest on an over-size trunk rack to transport the Crosley Icyball Refrigerator to any part of the city for demonstrations. The large sides of the chest are used as advertising space to bring the Crosley Icyball Refrigerator to the public eye when Shuler salesmen speed from one demonstration to another"

Flea Market Sightings

Seen at a Steam Tractor show in Southern Indiana

Spotted at the 1998 Kent CT Tractor & Engine Show. Notice that the cold ball is different from the diagrams and Icyball 775 show above. Not sure when they changed or why. Any ideas? Is it the difference between Canadian and US built units? A reader with a sharper eye than mine wrote to point out that this is a left handed Icyball, intended for hanging off the left side of a cabinet instead of the more common right.

The Sign says "What is This?", since the Crosley Club's Yankee Region was at the show, he got tired of being told.

Home Built Some people make there own Icyball. Larry Hall built this one and it worked great. For pictures of some home made Icyballs and Larry Hall's plans to build your own click on the picture to the right.
	Instructions for Crosley Icyball Refrigerator (PatentPending) A Crosley Icyball will keep the interior of the cabinet colder than ice will keep it. Its dry, cold air preserves food better and keeps vegetables crisp.
	PROCEDURE A - Remove cap from steam dome and fill dome with water (preferably soft water). Replace cap tightly. (See "Steam Dome.") B - Remove ice tray from freezing tube in "cold ball" and place unit in draining position&emdash;(Figure 1.) C - Place tub on stand in convenient location for heating operation, preferably in basement and fill to the top bead (Figure 2) with cool soft water before submerging cold ball. D - Hang wire bracket on rim of tub, facing stove (Figure 2.) E - When cold ball is drained empty (see "Draining") submerge the "cold ball" in the tub of water, hooking the catch over the rim of the tub and resting the "hot bail" against the wire bracket&emdash;(Figure 2). F - Place the stove directly under the "hot bail" leaving a apace of about ~ of an inch between the bottom of the ball and the top of the stove (for oil stove see "Stoves"). G - For gas or gasoline, light the stove and adjust the flame so that its tips just touch the circular space inside the lower ends of the fins on the bottom of the "hot ball." H - Sizzle Test. Heat the unit slowly in this way, so that at the end of l 1/2 hours, and not before, a drop of water placed on top of the connecting tube under the handle (Figure 2) will sizzle, turn white and boil. The whistle is an additional signal which operates towards the end of the heating to remind you to make this sizzle test. (See "Heating.") I - Turn out the flame and remove the unit from the heating position. Place the hot ball in the tub of water so that the steam dome and whistle are completely submerged&emdash;thus enabling the steam dome to refill&emdash; and hook the catch over the rim of tub with the large vertical tube resting against the wire bracket. (Figure 3.) J - Leave the unit in this position until the bend of the tube, above the cold ball, becomes cool or slightly below room temperature. This should require from five to ten minutes. K - If the Icyball Stabilizer is used, remove cap from it, pour in three pints of glycerin, or the same amount of any other odorless anti-freeze radiator solution, then fill with cool water and replace cap. L - Place Stabilizer in bottom of cabinet so cold ball will fit in it when unit is in operating position (Figure 5.) M - Place the unit In the Cabinet with the hot bail outside and the cold ball resting in the bowl of the Stabilizer. The end of the vertical pipe will fit in the stirrup on the inside of the Cabinet. N - Fill the ice tray with water or liquid to be frozen and slide the tray into the freezing tube as far as it will go. O - If the Cabinet is warm or the stabilizer has just been filled when the unit is put in, the unit should be heated three times at twelve hour intervals to obtain best results from the Crosley Icyball and Stabilizer.

CARE AND OPERATION

Steam Dome - The steam dome must be filled only when the unit is first put in operation or after cleaning. At other times it fills itself when the hot ball is placed in the tub of water, after heating. This operation will completely fill the dome. When the unit is placed in the draining position before the next heating, the excess water will drip out of the whistle until the water reaches the level for proper operation.

Soft water should be used where available so that the continual boiling will not form scale, which has a tendency to stop up the whistle and vent. The steam dome should be flushed out occasionally, using sal soda to dissolve and remove scale.

Draining - The unit must be placed in the draining position (Figure 1) before each heating. The actual draining should not require more than 3 to 5 minutes. However, if the unit is new or has not been operated for several weeks or if the previous heating has been too rapid, the draining may require more time. This can be hastened and complete draining assured by slowly pouring a tea-cup full of boiling water on top of the cold ball while in the draining position. A cloth saturated with boiling water will also accomplish the same result.

To test for complete draining, place your hand on the bottom of the cold ball - (which will feel warm from the hot water) - and tip unit slowly from draining position to its normal position on the floor. (Note dotted line Figure 1.) If the ball remains warm in this operation, the unit is completely drained and ready for heating. If It chills repeat above operation.

Water - The water may be left in the tub and used for subsequent heatings, although the cooler the water the better the results will be. In very hot weather, or where cool water is not available, it is often worth while to change some of the water in the tub 20 to 25 minutes before the heating is complete. Where convenient, best results will be obtained by running a small stream of cool water into the tub while the hot ball is being heated.

However, no part of the cold ball should ever be allowed to stand above the surface of the water when heating.

Soft water should be used where available in the tub since the steam dome takes up some of this water when the hot ball is placed in it. Rain water is best, although hard water may be softened by stirring a cupful of sal soda into the tub of water.

Whistle - The whistle is adjusted at the factory and will blow towards the end of the heating to remind you to make the sizzle test.

If the whistle becomes dirty or ceases to operate at the proper time, it may be cleaned with a fine needle and some sal-soda water. Readjustment is made by means of the set screw and jock nut on the vent so that the whistle will begin to blow when the unit has been heated about 134 hours and just before it is hot enough for the sizzle test. Care must be taken not to run the set screw in too far or it will cause the water to boil out of the whistle with a possibility of putting out the fire. Dirt, scale or lime collected in the vent will also cause this difficulty.

Heating - The rate of heating is very important and may require a little practice but after a few trials you will be able to regulate the flame so that the unit will not be heated in less than 1 1/2 hours.

If it requires more than 1 1/2 hours heating, to obtain the sizzle test the efficiency of the unit will not be affected. A low flame will often take 2 hours or more to show the test; never have the flame hot enough to give the sizzle test in less than 1 1/2 hours, or you will not obtain best results.

Stoves- The position of the stove to the unit and size of flame for use with gas stoves have been described in the main instructions.

The Perfection kerosene stove has been designed especially for the Icyball and is recommended.

Any type of stove or heat can be used if the heat is regulated so that the unit will not show the sizzle test in less than 1 1/2 hours.

Stabilizer - The stabilizer need never be moved after it is installed except for cleaning in and around it. After the liquid in the Stabilizer has once become chilled, it will hold the box cold and increase the hours of refrigeration of the Icyball.

Ice Tray - The ice tray may be used to freeze ice cubes or frozen desserts, but the best results will be obtained if cool water is used in the tray or if the dessert to be frozen is allowed to become cool before placing in the tray.

	Be sure that none of the liquid is spilled when the tray is being inserted into the ball, or the tray may become frozen fast to the ball making it difficult to remove.
	The tray may be removed by lifting up on the tray handle until it loosens and drawing it out.
	Frozen cubes may be removed from the tray by holding the tray upside down and allowing water to run over it.

General Advice - The unit should be reheated whenever necessary; more often in hot weather than in cool weather.

Best results will be obtained by heating the unit in the morning, when the water in the tub is cooler than at any other time of the day. When it is heated at this time the unit will be most efficient during the hottest part of the day.

It is often convenient to heat the unit in the cellar where the water standing in the tub will remain cool.

While the unit is cooling the cabinet, the hot ball will he warm, because the heat from the cabinet and freezing ice is being transferred to the hot ball and thence to the air.

During cold weather it is possible to control the temperature inside the cabinet by covering the hot ball, with a muslin or paper bag.

If the unit is not used during the winter months drain the steam dome thoroughly to prevent freezing. The unit then will not be harmed unless the temperature is lower than 40 degrees F. below zero.

Guarantee

The Crosley refrigerator is guaranteed by the manufacturer against defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year, and such part or parts as are found in the manufacturers opinion to be defective, upon receipt at the factory. transportation charges prepaid, not later than one year after purchase by the consumer will be replaced with new and perfect parts.

The guarantee is expressly in lieu of any other guarantee, expressed or implied, and of all other obligation or liabilities on our part. We neither assume nor authorize any representative or any other person to assume for us any other liability in connection with the sale of our refrigerator.

This guarantee shall not apply to any refrigerator which shall have been tampered with so as in our judgment to affect its proper operation, or which has been subject to misuse, negligence or accident.

ISAAC Solar Ice Maker

The ISAAC Solar Icemaker is an Intermittent Solar Ammonia-water Absorption Cycle. The ISAAC uses a parabolic trough solar collector and a compact and efficient design to produce ice with no fuel or electric input, and with no moving parts.

The ISAAC Solar Icemaker operates in two modes. During the day, solar energy is used to generate liquid ammonia refrigerant. During the night, the generator is cooled by a thermosyphon and ice is formed in the evaporator compartment as ammonia is reabsorbed to the generator.

The daily ice production of the ISAAC is about 5 kg per square meter of collector, per sunny day. The construction of the ISAAC Solar Icemaker involves only welding, piping and sheet metal work, and there are no expensive materials. It is estimated that, when produced in-country where wages are low and transportation costs can be minimized, the 11 square meter
ISAAC can be produced for less than $7,000. When produced in-country, the creation of urban employment is an additional advantage of ISAAC technology.

The characteristics of the ISAAC which make it particularly well suited to provide refrigeration to unelectrified rural communities are:

1. It is solar thermally powered, avoiding expensive diesel fuel or photovoltaics.

2. Low cost construction requires only welding, piping and sheet metal work.

3. Very low maintenance.

4. The quantity of ice is sufficient to support small scale businesses while maintaining sustainability in fragile environments, or provide low cost household refrigeration.

The ISAAC design was developed by Energy Concepts Company. Over forty systems have been built and twenty installed in seven countries. The ISAAC is on display in Annapolis, Maryland and at Sandia National Lab, Albuquerque, New Mexico. ISAAC is now being distributed and commercialized by Solar Ice Co.

Providing Jobs to Remote Communities - By Providing Ice
The ISAAC Solar Icemaker makes enough ice at low cost to support many small scale businesses in rural unelectrified areas. Enterprises using ISAAC will be environmentally sustainable because no fuel is required. They will be economically sustainable because the cost of producing the ice by the ISAAC is sufficiently less than the value of the ice that it can easily be recovered by a micro-enterprise.

Ice is of major economic importance. In rural communities of developing countries, there is frequently a shortage of ice to support business activities. The result is loss of revenue, jobs, and substantial food spoilage.

Three important community needs for electricity are:

	lights
	communications and entertainment
	refrigeration.

Lights, communication and entertainment require modest amounts of electricity and are affordable even at the high cost of
electricity from emergency generators, diesel mini-grids or photovoltaics.

When refrigeration is needed also, the amount of electricity required from the power system increases drastically. Thus it is usually omitted to keep costs down. An ISAAC Solar Icemaker supplies refrigeration without the intermediary step of electricity and at a much lower cost. Thus ISAAC Solar Icemakers, in combination with mini-grids and/or photovoltaics, are a good method of supplying remote community needs.

For example, ISAAC can provide domestic refrigeration. An ISAAC produces six blocks of ice each day, weighing ten kilograms each. If an icebox requires five kilograms of ice per day to stay cool, then one ISAAC will be able to supply domestic refrigeration to twelve households. The cost of a standard electric refrigerator, plus the constant requirement of expensive electricity, would be much higher.

Note: These articles has been studied by our experts and we have found it as a viable technology for eco sustainable villages modules however these old technologies has been improved now.

Ice-Quick

Bottle cooler

Advantages of the Ice-Quick and bottle cooler

Ice-making instructions

Regeneration

Storage

Crosley IcyBall

Instructions for Crosley Icyball Refrigerator

Send mail to ghazi@wavepowerplant.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2006 Wave Power Plant Inc. Last modified: 04/08/06

Send mail to ghazi@wavepowerplant.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Wave Power Plant Inc.
Last modified: 04/08/06