Scientists are interested in ice “coats” in Yamal. It is suggested modernizing them

Interest to use of natural cryogenic resources as industrial cooling units increased in a row of foreign countries. This information was given by a researcher of the International institute of cryosophy and cryology of Tyumen State University Roman Fyodorov. 

According to him, it is connected with expensive tariffs for electric energy being consumed by freezing equipment, and it is a considerable factor increasing prime cost of food production. Ecological problems connected with freon coolants are also obvious. Therefore, study of people’s experience being formed in centuries is receiving its significance.
The world’s biggest natural refrigerator is located in Yamal in Novy Port: caves were cut in permafrost and stretch on more than one kilometer. This giant refrigerator was created in the 50-s of the XX century for storage of fish. It was created during 10 years. The ice “coat” does not thaw in summer, during a year the temperature here is stable – 15-17C degrees below zero.
The so-called merzlotnik – the natural refrigerator – consists of 200 ice caves cut in permafrost with the total amount 3200 cubic meters. It was never repaired or reconstructed, staying in its original form. Since 2007 it has been under state protection, but operates according to its direct purpose – as a place for storage of whitefish caught in the Gulf of Ob.
According to the information given in the board of strategic combinations of Tyumen State University, special interest is aroused with study of regional specifics of traditional technologies: today this unique experience can be interpreted in innovative approaches directed to solving of important issues of modern economy.
It is too soon to speak about full loss of economic and ecological advantages of constructions that use natural cold for storage of products. Russia as not any other country is rich with cryogenic resources, which should be considered as unique competitive advantage given by nature. Today it becomes more obvious that on the basis of study and systemization of the unique experience of the past it is possible to elaborate innovative methods directed to solving of a row of important socioeconomic problems of modernity, as the scientist notes.
As Roman Fyodorov considers, modern achievements connected with creation of new building materials, which have thermal insulating properties that their analogues did not have earlier, give the opportunity to create innovative freezing systems, for stable functioning of which their filling with ice just several times a year can be enough.
Standard storages being cooled with underground cold or refrigeration units with intellectual control systems that allow rationally combining natural and artificial ways of cooling in dependence on seasonal climate conditions can have bigger economic effectiveness for regions with long winters and availability of permafrost.