So It's TEOTWAWKI & No More Electricity How do you Make & Maintain Ice?

I would like if someone could post a definitive source on this. Thermodynamics does not agree with the principle described. Water turns to ice when it loses enough heat, typically at 0 Celsius (32 F). The heat in the water has to go somewhere and thermodynamics state that heat travels from hotter objects to cooler objects. You place your warm hand in a bucket of cold water and your body heat leaves your hand and travels into the water. Your hand feels cold and the water warms up slightly.

The damp straw would be cooled by a breeze blowing across it as evaporation occurred. The energy in the breeze warms the water in the straw until the evaporation point is reached. The straw cools because heat is leaving the dampness. The straw temperature is now cooler than the container of water so the so the water temperature cools slightly as heat travels from it to the straw. However, as heat leaves the water container, the container itself is now cooler than the breeze so heat is transferred from the breeze to the container. This constant balancing act attempts to bring everything to the current ambient temperature. However, the temperature of the straw can only fall slightly below that of the breeze itself. Once it does, the breeze is now warmer and what would happen? The straw's temperature will increase because a warmer breeze is blowing on it.

This why the concept of windchill is so misunderstood. People hear the weatherman say the temperature is 5 degrees but with a -20 windchill. The temperature isn't actually -20 nor can it get that cold if the ambient air being blown is 5 degrees. Windchill is the rate of change of temperature...in other words, with a -20 windchill your body or other object loses heat at the same rate AS IF it was -20 without any wind at all. The object will lose heat faster such that it will reach the ambient air temperature sooner...but the object will not become colder than the ambient air.

 

That only works if the relative humidity is low or non existent.
It would be best to take two bowls , one on the outside insulated from the one inside ,
With out an insulation factor, the bowl of water will be absorbing ambient air.

If you have enough dry wind ,a canvas bag full of water will cool as well , they used this method back in the 20s 30's and 40's traveling across country. the bag was kept at the front of the car while traveling and the blast of dry air against the cloth bag which leached a little water all the time evaporated the water cooling the bag and its contains .
These methods cool water but do not make ice.

If you have an old ammonia refrigerator ,they can be modified to run on other fuels.
You can make like methane ,maybe even alcohol.
Worst case scenario, you run a generator on alternate fuels, and the generator runs a conventional electric frig, and amongst other things, you make ice that way, and barter with the ice with your neighbors .

 

Thermodynamics is a wonderful thing.

 

I have one just like that . I got it for emergencies and it works great. Short of having nitrogen for freezing Ice in the shop works well when chilling a shaft for shrinkage to install a bearing.
Sometimes I heat the bearing in a French fry cooker using engine oil which expands the bearing well . but on an especially tight fit, chilling the shaft also helps. I don't like to over cook the bearings as the seal can be damaged if abused.
I've seen and tried dry bearing heaters , they tend to over heat only the inside race putting a lot of pressure on the balls/rollers in the process and usually blue the steel.
. Oil heating has always worked best. but having ice to cool the shaft makes thing so much easier. Also having ice in the shop is nice for drinks and in the event I get burnt.

 

Same done here !

 

It's reassuring to know that a -20degrees wind chill factor won't cool my body to less than the ambient temperature, but if the ambient temperature is only 5 degrees....I'll still risk becoming a hypothermic casualty....just quicker, which is some kind of cold comfort I suppose.