Solar Ice Maker: No Moving Parts, No Electricity

Intended for disaster relief situations, refugee camps, and developing nations the bright minds at San Jose State University have created an ice making machine that uses the heat from sunlight to power a chemical reaction. What happens is the tubing (or heat exchanger) is filled with a liquid refrigerant material. The convex reflective panel focuses light and heat energy from the sun onto the piping which vaporizes the refrigerant. So far, no ice. When the sun goes down however the vapor goes through massive heat loss due to pressure differences and roughly 14 pounds of ice are produced depending on the design.

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The refrigerant rapidly cools once it hits 104 degrees Fahrenheit, due to its unique properties making, it perfect for typical temperature ranges in warm climates. The system is completely closed, there are no moving parts to wear out, and overall little maintenance should be required so long as the piping doesn’t crack or leak. The implications for this device are astounding. It can produce ice off the grid, can completely sustain itself, and offers a form of food storage through the production of often hard to find ice in places that need it most.

via San Jose State University