DuraTherm
DuraTherm uses long fibers to augment ice. This results in a reliable thermal function where we can adjust the temperature the ice is emitting.
In testing it was shown that fiber augmented ice could sustain temperature ranges with a 4° variation. This includes a 29% fiber by volume sample that was able to sustain a 36-40° temperature range for five hours. More so, the sample was structurally sound for approximately 4 hours, retaining a full cube shape even as melt was sustained.
Feel free to replicate the test
For the test I merely hand shredded toilet paper. Toilet paper has wood materials in the form of long fiber strands placed together in a larger structure. Any long form fiber platform should work, cotton balls, recycled newspaper, toilet paper, or other forms of long fiber.
Facts of the test:
- Seven real cubes used, 1 extra was regular ice as a control
- Units 1 and 2, with 2.9% and 5.8% fiber, performed similar to ice but eroded under 3 hours similar to the regular ice.
- Unit 3, with 8.7% fiber by volume, sustained a persistent temperature range of 32-35°F
- Unit 4, with 11.6% fiber, was found to have not been stirred appropriately and ended early.
- Unit 5 sustained 34-39.6°F, a wider range attributed to some areas having more fiber on the outside than was normal.
- Unit 6 sustained 33.4-36.7° and was the tightest range
- Unit 7 was the control icecube. It started losing shape even at the first hour check.
- Unit 8 was testing 29.1% fiber by volume as a high end test, it sustained 36°-40°f the whole time even after it had fully melted at 5 hours, 12 minutes
- Fiber can be controlled to some extent, due to the nature of the source. Inside a container the temperature range will be more balanced due to thermal balancing.
- Test is replicatable, I suggest 16 trays, with 29.1% fiber by volume, mixed and stirred after sitting for 30 minutes, and then frozen. Each tray should normally hold 1 cup of water, fill to 2/3rds-3/4's so that it best simulates the test (I wanted to make sure no cubes were cojoined)