Abstract
A DESCRIPTION is given in the Electrical Review of September 15 of the Chelmsford Egg Supply Co. (1934). This company utilizes a process for the preservation of eggs which, it is claimed, keeps them fresh indefinitely. It is said that, if eggs are frozen below 28° F. they crack, so that storage by freezing is impracticable. Storage in gas is better, but it takes time for the gas to percolate through the shell. The company has, however, overcome this difficulty. Every egg has a small air space at the top. This increases as the egg ages. By means of apump the air is extracted and replaced by carbon dioxide and nitrogen under a pressure of 250 mm., this pressure being maintained all the time the eggs are in storage. The eggs are stored in large cylinders each holding 234,000 eggs and are kept at a temperature of 30° F. Each refrigerating unit is driven by a 6 h.p. motor, and in addition, two extra motors are employed, 5 h.p. and 2·75 h.p. respectively, for circulating the water and ammonia. The gas-tight cylinders in which the eggs are stored look like large boilers. An additional chamber held at a much lower temperature is used for freezing liquid eggs, that is, those which have been accidently cracked, and are sold to local bakeries. The factory is also a national mark packing station capable of dealing with a million and a half eggs a week. The electricity taken per annum from the public supply is nearly 60,000 units. As this load is very nearly constant, and is heaviest during the summer months, the load factor is excellent and an attractive tariff is available. The seasonal difference in the price of eggs practically makes up for the cost of storage.
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Egg Storage. Nature 144, 545 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/144545a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/144545a0