Horizontal bottom-freezing apparatus

Claim 1

A heat transfer device for promoting ice growth in a horizontal plane for use in arctic foundation structures comprising in combination: a horizontal bottom member adapted to be buried so that its lowermost point is located where ice growth in a horizontal plane is to be promoted and comprising a tubular member having upturned end portions; an intermediate portion for such device comprising a pair or more of upright tubular members having disconnectable coupling means engageable with the upturned end portions of the bottom member; hoist engagement means secured to said upright intermediate members to assist in vertical removal thereof after dIsconnection of the intermediate member from the bottom member; and an upper member extending into an area above the surface where a horizontal frozen strata is to be produced, said upper member being tubular in nature and having downturned end portions adapted for disconnect engagement with the upper ends of the intermediate members, said upper member also having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins radially disposed and serving to accelerate heat dissipation from the device into the atmosphere; at least one of said fins being apertured to receive lifting hooks to assist separation of the upper member from the intermediate member when desired; a low freezing point liquid refrigerant normally filling the space within the assembled heat transfer structure; and means through which such refrigerant liquid may be introduced into the hollow interior of the apparatus so formed, such refrigerant serving to conduct heat from the horizontal bottom member to the finned upper member to dissipate heat conveyed thereto by convection flow from the bottom member and hence encourage formation of ice about the bottom member, said means also serving to permit introduction of a heating element inside a vertical portion of an intermediate member to facilitate freeing the disengageable coupling means thereof so that the intermediate member may be disconnected from the bottom member to leave it in situ while the remainder of the device is removed.