Hi People,

I read a few weeks ago, before refridgeration people would stockpile ice in the winter in an underground cellar for use in the spring and summer.

My question is, how much Ice would you need to stockpile for it to become self sustaining and not melt as temperatures rise ?

I have spent days looking for the answer on the interweb, but alas nothing found yet.. Any help would be .. well helpful.

Peace..

Rock Ape.

This has interested me a lot as well. In the BBC/HBO series Rome they send ice to people as a luxioury gift and I always wondered how they kept it kool, I also saw a show that breifly described ancient Iraqi ice storage, but no specifics I'm afriad. If noone can help try digging holes at various depths and montoring the time it takes ice to melt, you should be able to get a rough idea of how each increase in depth effects the results and be able to crudely calculate how much further to dig.

Or try google ancient underground freezing, there must be some info out there.

Ice storage for the homeowner is accomplished in this manner.

Dig a hole / cellar. The hole will need to have a ceiling three feet below the surface.

Start with a layer of straw or saw dust, this is to keep the ice clean and insulated.

Add Ice layer. Must use Block Ice, the larger block, the better, but you still must be able to move it. Normal blocks would be in the 25-50 pound size. Fit the blocks tightly to fill the first layer. Cover with another layer of straw or saw dust, repeat the process until your “cellar” is full.
The Ice stored in this manner would last until the next year. This process will be done yearly.

The Ice would be cut from fresh water ponds and lakes during the hard freeze of winter.

Side note.

This process would not be able to be performed today for two reasons. First, the lakes and ponds no longer freeze over as thickly as they did a 100 to150 years ago.

Second, which is most important, the fresh water ponds and lakes are polluted.
Another side note. Japan harvest Icebergs, Ships will hook a tow line to an iceberg and tow it back to Japan for resale.

Thankyou for the above reply's folks, this gives be the basics I need.


Peace..

Rock Ape.

Here is a good idea of what you need:



Basically, you are going to want to insulate the ice storage area as much as possible. And then fill it with as much ice as you can during the winter months.

back in the day as a child when i watched my pops in the fields plowing, and discing and planting

there was a nearby creek that he use to put his beverages for the day the water keep them ice cold

as well as people near lakes and ponds use to tie a six pack to a rope and just throw in the water and let water keep it cold.

ice tho seems too problematic without electricity these days