26 



The Florists^ Review 



Ami. IS. IMC 



ployed as in the direct system and, in 

 addition, several brine tanks contain- 

 ing a saline solution are used. The ex- 

 pansion coils are not in the refrigera- 

 tor, but are placed in some convenient 

 location, immersed in brine tanks. The 

 brine, being cooled by the .expansion 

 coils of the machine, is then pumped 

 through the coils in the refrigerator, ab- 

 sorbing the heat and returning to the 

 tank, where it is cooled again. This 

 system can be made to maintain the re- 

 quired temperature in the box during a 

 shut-down of the machine or over night, 

 when it is not desirable to have the 

 compressor in operation. The latter sys- 

 tem is somewhat more expensive, but 

 the added security obtained is consid- 

 ered by users sufficient to offset the ex- 

 tra initial cost. 



. Determining Costs. 



The cost of maintaining and operat- 

 ing an ice machine depends upon the 

 cost of power and water in the locality 

 where the machine is to be installed. It 

 is highly important, however, that a 

 florist intending to install a refrigerat- 

 ing system should make an accurate de- 

 termination of the size of machine 

 necessary for his needs, as a plant of 

 too large a capacitj' would only tax 

 him with an unnecessary expense. It is 

 thought, however, that a machine should 

 be installed which has a somewhat 

 larger capacity than that absolutely 

 necessary, because in this way the flo- 

 rist is assured of a more even tempera- 

 ture. It is impossible to make an accu- 

 rate, hard-and-fast rule by which to esti- 

 mate the capacity of a machine, as the 

 conditions are apt to vary in individual 

 cases. For instance, a 1-ton machine 

 which would adequately supply refrig- 

 eration for 1,000 cubic feet contained in 

 one refrigerator, would not supply over 

 600 or 700 cubic feet if the space is 

 divided among two or three refrigera- 

 tors, because, in the latter case, there 

 are more walls through which heat will 

 leak. Again, a box which is nearly 

 square will not require so large a ma- 

 chine as one that is not. 



The proper temperature for a florist's 

 refrigerator is about 45 degrees. A 

 14-ton refrigerating machine will cool 

 approximately 600 cubic feet; a 1-ton 

 machine, 1,000 cubic feet. 



The following table gives the approxi- 

 mate cost of a machine of from ^/^-ton 

 to 10-ton size, installed, and the cost of 

 electrical current for a machine of each 

 size in Chicago: r, . . , 



" CoBt of elec- 

 trical i)Ower 



Size machine. Ori^nal coit per month 



H-ton $1,000 $ 4 



1-ton 1,200 18 



2-ton 1.800 28 



4-ton 2,500 32 



5-ton 3.200 4^ 



10-ton 6.000 80 



Operating Cost. 



Refrigerating machines are rated in 

 the tons of refrigeration produced if 

 operated continuou.sly for twenty-four 

 hours. One ton of refrigeration is the 

 amount of cooling produced by the 

 melting of one ton of ice. This is equiv- 

 alent to 288,000 British thermal units. 



It is not necessary to operate the 

 compressor in a refrigerating plant 

 twenty-four hours per day. as usually a 

 compressor is provided of such capacity 

 that the work is performed during a 

 shorter period of time. 



The power required to operate the 

 comj)reHsor varies from approximately 

 one to one and three-quarter horse- 

 power per ton of refrigpration. depend- 



ing upon the size of compressor, tem- 

 perature of condenser water and work 

 to be done. Refrigerating machines 

 may be operated by any available 

 power; namely, steam engine, electric 

 motor, gas engine, etc. 



Mechanical refrigeration is far more 

 economical than the use of ice. In prac- 

 tically every case where the refrigerated 

 space amounts to 500 cubic feet or 

 more, it is cheaper than ice. The fig- 

 ures below may be relied upon to de- 

 termine the cost of operation. From 

 this table any florist can estimate the 

 cost of operating a refrigerating ma- 

 chine. For example, a 4-ton machine re- 

 quires six kilowatts. At a cost of 5 

 cents per kilowatt hour, it will cost 30 

 cents per kilowatt hour to operate this 

 iiiafhine. To the figures stated must be 

 added the cost of water and oil, which 

 is an exceedingly small item. Knowing 

 the cost of electricity in your town, you 

 can calculate the cost of operating an 

 ice machine from the following table: 



Kilowatts 

 required 

 for motor 

 1.71 

 3.43 

 5.14 

 6 



7.7 

 8.9 

 10 

 11 

 12 

 13 



A formuhi commonly used by refrig- 

 erating engineers is that two horse- 

 power of energy is required to one ton 

 of refrigeration per day. A 1-horse- 

 power motor will consume 746 watts per 

 hour, and other sizes in proportion, ac- 

 cording to their rule. The rates for 

 electric current vary from 5 to 10 cents 

 per kilowatt hour. From these data it is 

 possible to calculate the probable con- 

 sumption of current for any size of mo- 

 tor. Ice machines are run all the way 

 from two hours to twenty-four hours per 

 day and generally about on :m average 

 of 270 days in the year. 



One might, however, deal in approxi- 

 mate figures and general statements at 

 length and still be as far from knowing 

 the real truth regarding cost and sat- 

 isfaction in service as before he started 

 to consider the subject under discussion. 

 If one can learn from florists the facts 

 regarding their machines in actual op- 

 eration, he will be in a better position 

 to determine what there is to be had 

 and what requirements are important. 

 For this reason the remainder of this 

 article deals with specific tj'pes of ma- 

 chines and florists' actual experiences 

 with them. 



Favored by Florists. 



In most of the wholesale florists' es- 

 tablishments in Chicago and in a num- 

 ber of greenhouses and retail stores in 

 the vicinity, as well as in other parts 

 of the country, the Kroeschell ice ma- 

 chine is used. In it carbonic anhydride, 

 commonly called carbonic gas, is the re- 

 frigerant. Because carbonic gas is odor 

 less, non-explosive, neutral in effect on 

 perishable goods and quite safe, this 

 machine is built on the direct system, 

 although it is occasionally used in in- 

 ilirect systems. The ice machine is 

 built by the same concern which is 

 widely known because of its boilers 

 used in greenhouses. The Kroeschell 

 ice machine is in units of from one-half 

 ton to 250 tons of refrigeration capacity. 

 A specialt.v of refrigeration for florists 

 lias been made by this concern for 

 thirty years. Study of the trade's re- 

 quiremonts has enabled it to provide a 



compact, economical equipment which 

 increases the cooling capacity of a re- 

 frigerator. A hold-over brine storage 

 tank makes necessary only intermittent 

 operation of the machine. 



As stated before, a number of the 

 wholesale houses in Chicago use the 

 Kroeschell machine. Such growers as 

 the Joseph H. Hill Co., Richmond, Ind., 

 and the A. F. Amling Co., Maywood, 

 111., as well as a number of others, use 

 this machine to cool the flowers at their 

 greenhouses before they are shipped. 



The new store of George Wienhoeber, 

 on Michigan avenue, Chicago, contains 

 two iceboxes, which are cooled by means 

 of a 3-ton Kroeschell machine. Combin- 

 ing storage and display refrigeration, 

 with all equipment concealed, it is re- 

 garded as a noteworthy engineering 

 achievement. 



The Kroeschell system of refrigera- 

 tion was one of the first used by florists. 

 The original Kroeschell installation in 

 the store of the L. Bemb Floral Co., De- 

 troit, Mich., the first Kroeschell ma- 

 chine used in a flower store, has been in 

 continuous service since, operating at 

 present at considerable overload ca- 

 pacity. 



The 5-ton machine at the store of the 

 Chicago Flower Growers' Association 

 cools three large storage rooms. The ac- 

 tual operating load considerably ex- 

 ceeds the rated capacity of the ma- 

 chine. The cost of running it is about 

 $50 a month. 



At the store of the E. C. Amling Co., 

 a 5-ton machine carries an 8-ton load; 

 in other words, sixty per cent more 

 than its rated capacity. Three large 

 rooms are cooled, two on the first floor 

 and one in the basement. 



At the range of the Joseph H. Hill 

 Co., Richmond, Ind., is a combination 

 refrigerating and ice-making system. 

 In addition to cooling storage boxes, 

 the machine manufactures 300 pounds 

 of ice each day for use in express ship- 

 ments of cut flowers. 



Not only is the Kroeschell favored 

 in Chicago, but also by florists in other 

 cities. Randolph & McClements, Pitts- 

 burgh, have a 5-ton machine; Gude 

 Bros. Co., Washington, D. C, has two 

 large ones, while William Schlatter & 

 Son, Springfield, Mass., and Dunlop & 

 Son, Richmond Hill, Ont., have 3-ton 

 machines. Robert Simpson, Clifton, 

 N". J., has a Kroeschell, as have A. 

 Washburn, Bloomington, 111.; C. 

 I>overidge, Peoria, 111.; Daut Bros., De 

 catur, ill., and William Staack, Moline, 

 111. 



Anhydrous Ammonia Machine. 



An anhydrous ammonia machine, op 

 crating by both direct and indirect 

 methods and of from V4-ton to 600-ton 

 capacity, is made by the York Manu 

 facturing Co., York, Pa. Several flo 

 rists have expressed to The Review 

 their opinion of this machine, based on 

 actual experience. 



"The average cost of running our 

 2-ton York machine, including overhaul 

 ing it once," says A. N. Kinsman, Aus- 

 tin, Minn., "has been $53.27 per year. 

 The power bill averages about .$4 to $6 

 per month and $2 worth of water is 

 used each month. It has been the most 

 satisfactory single investment we have 

 ever made on our range and we would 

 not be without it under any circuni 

 stances. We can maintain an even tem 

 perature and the flowers keep well in 

 the room." 



"We have found that the two York 



