ICE FROM SEA WATER

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 87, 7 January 1935, Page 7

ICE FROM SEA WATER

Factory Ship Off Brazil

A gale at Rio de Janeiro early in December almost ended Professor Georges Claude’s attempt at making lee in tropical seas by the action of hot-surface and cold sub-surface waters.

His floating ice factory, the Tunisie, was 62 miles off shore attempting to sink a 20-toh pig iron base as a foundation for the half-mile vertical tube through which the cold water from the bottom of the sea would be raised to the surface. The Tunisia’s crew worked four days to place the big metal sphere, 30 feet in diameter, in position. Then, with the wind, the Tunisie was blown off the spot and the huge base was dragged out of place and hurled into the muddy bottom. It later vtas raised by electric elevators attached to a surface buoy. “We had a grand battle, finally drawing the base up through the electric elevator.abtached to the buoy intended to hold up the tube at the surface.” related the French inventor.

Favourable weather is being awaited in order to make another attempt to lower the base. Manufacture of ice, Professor Claude declared, will begin immediately after (he base is set in place. ’ Professor Claude expects with his apparatus aboard the Tunisie to be able to manufacture about 1000 tons of ice daily. The 10,000-ton ship is equipped with reservoirs; and a complex system of pipes, turbines and refrigerating units. The process consists of making warm water from the surface of tropi cal seas boil by introducing it into a vacuum, utilising the steam to run turbines. and then condensing it with cold water drawn from the depths. After the cold water tube is in place with its top fastened to a buoy, the Tunisie is to tie up alongside and start manufacturing.