A NEW REFRIGERATOR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1727, 29 December 1887, Page 3

A NEW REFRIGERATOR.

A"hrge number of eentleraen, including several members of Parliament, Resembled recently at the stores of the East Bonrka and Filzroy Produce Exchange n v d Refrigerating Company, Weatgarth atreo 1 ;, Fl'zroy, for the pnrboae of inspecting the refrigerating rooms and cold dry-air chambers whloh have been bailt In connection with the exchange, and whloh aro fittod with Taylor's patnnt refrigerating machine, oonatrnoted by Mt>es r B Hamble and Nlo'nolaon, of Geelong. The principle on which the machine la worked is that a quantity of Hqaid ammonia ia placed m a cylinder, and by means of steam generated m a 12-horae power vortical steam boiler it la evaporated and driven throagh pipes to a condenser, after which the am monia passes through several pipes anc worms fixed m boxes and tanks containing water, and then retnrns to anotbei cylinder, where it is converted into fl'ilc again by the agency of water. Whon tht chemical m the first cylinder becomes ex hausted, which It does m about an houi an-J a-half, the steam is turned on to the second cylinder, In which the ammonia haa beoorao condensed af^er passing through the pipes and worms, and m thij manner pumps and other machinery usually to be met with In refrigerating appliances are dispensed with, and the same freezing material made to do over and over again for weeks and months If required. The walla of the cold dry-atr ohambers are thickly lined with sawdußt, aa well as the roofs and fbors, so as to ! keep the heat out. There are three ! ohamberß, separated from each other by * large tank, containing a worm through whloh the ammonia passes, and surrounding the tank Is a wall of rook, aalt, whloh absorbs the moisture In the atmosphere »nd keeps the temperature of the chambers at from 28deg to 32deg Fahr. The rooms are capable of holding about 20 tons of meat, and several carcasses of mutton and pork were shown to the vlaitorß, whloh were In splendid condition, notwithstanding that they had been banging for a fortnight m the rooms. Whilst tho ammonia waa on ita way to the cold-air chambers It passed through large boxeß In whloh ice was being made m a cone shape and In blocks, and m which fish were being preserved. The | buildings have corrugated Iroa roofs, bat thby are kept cool by meana of em ill streams' of old water emitted from pipes running along the ridges of the roofa. The company hope In the course of a fevr weeks to obtain permission to erect a refrigerating store at or near the Spenoor street station, and also to place portable accumulators, containing a apeoblly prepared freezing mixture, In a fevr railway trucks, with a view of effectively demonstrating howmeat killed m Rlvtrha In the mldet of summer, or milk, butter, and other perlahable artl lea of food, can be brought long distances by rail without fear of becoming bad during the journey to Melbourne, or m any way losing their fhvour. The accumulator would, it is said, occupy but very little space In the truck, and it would not be brought Into play until the meat or dairy produre was placed In the c»r, so that trucks need n it be Bpeclally constructed or reserved for the conveyance of perishable artiolea, but could be utilised In carrying merchandise to the country distrlo'a as well. It is also assarted that the accumulators oould be placed on board Intercolonial and oceangoing steamers, and oonld be carried by fiaHmg boaia without Interfering with the operations, ais they would oocupy bot little space.