One of many proudest moments of my life was the invention that we nonetheless had ice on Day 21 of a 21-day Grand Canyon journey in August. Name it a small victory, however I’ll take my successes the place I can get them. I lived and breathed ice for 3 weeks earlier than we left, lovingly including a half inch of water to every cooler every day and freezing the brand new additions in a single day into lovely specimens of close to airless magnificence. Even so, as soon as we have been on the river, ice administration turned a crapshoot. Each stinkin’ journey the identical argument comes up: Will we drain the cooler water or go away it in? There are extra passionate arguments about draining water than there are in regards to the politics of the presidential election.
I’ve heard unwavering opinions from all: anecdotes from journeys previous, precise rocket scientists relaying the legal guidelines of physics, quietly assured Grand Canyon guides guaranteeing that there’s an accurate course of.
To empty or to not drain? That, my pricey Shakespeare, is the true query.
For the reply, we flip to not an skilled outdoorsman. We hit up the unhealthy boy of each occasion: physics.
No scholar of physics will reply a query with out first setting parameters. For our goal, listed here are the assumptions: The cooler is comparatively environment friendly at doing its job, ice refills aren’t available, and accountable practices are being enforced by that one cooler cop who’s at all times bellowing about not conserving it open for too lengthy. We’ll additionally assume that it’s not the useless of winter and the ambient air is hotter than freezing.
The crux of the entire shebang is that we’re assuming the purpose is to maintain the cooler contents as chilly as attainable for so long as attainable. In different phrases, we’re assuming you’re extra thinking about a chilly beer than the scale of the ice chunk subsequent to it.
A Physics 101 Primer
Cold and hot at all times search equilibrium. It’s not simply a good suggestion, it’s the regulation of physics referred to as thermal equilibrium. Left to their very own units (i.e. with out exterior affect and with sufficient time) a scorching mass and a chilly mass will at all times search compromise to satisfy someplace within the center. Thermal equilibrium is achieved by warmth switch, which successfully is simply the alternate of thermal vitality by way of BTUs. We will impact the speed of warmth switch in sure conditions, however in purely scientific phrases, the speed is decided by the temperatures of every mass and traits of the medium in between them.
So how does that apply to my cooler?
Thirty-two is the magic quantity for the cooler conundrum. When ice is available in contact with air or a mass that’s hotter than 32º F, a warmth switch happens. Ice will work its H2O-based ass off to chill down any non-frozen meals or drink in its area. Extra precisely, a heat beer positioned in a cooler of ice will emit warmth because it chills. This warmth causes the ice to soften into water till the temperatures of the remaining ice, beer, and water attain equilibrium.
Even in case you have been magically capable of pack your cooler completely and with all of the contents at 32º or colder, an much more vital warmth switch nonetheless exists between the air area within the cooler and the surface air temperature. No huge shock that the warmer the day, the extra rapidly your ice will soften.
So we all know that the tipping level from ice to water and vice versa is 32º F, proper? It’s additionally the crux of the drain-or-not-to-drain quandary as a result of melting ice will keep exactly at its melting level till the conversion from strong to liquid is full. In plain English: so long as there may be some ice left within the cooler – no matter how a lot water is sloshing round – the temperature of the ice/water combination will maintain regular at 32º F.
So the ice is in a race to 32º F and it’s not getting any hotter till it’s fully melted. If you happen to drain the water, the ice isn’t going to get any colder. As a result of the water is already at 32º (and never hotter), draining it received’t decelerate the speed at which the ice melts. It could solely open up area for heat air to return into the cooler, which might speed up the speed of soften for the remaining ice.
Consequence: As a way to hold your foods and drinks as chilly as attainable for so long as attainable, don’t drain the water whereas any ice nonetheless exists within the cooler.
Cooler Finest Practices:
• If you happen to can, chill the complete cooler earlier than you employ it.
• Positively chill your meals and beer earlier than placing it within the cooler.
• Fill ‘er up. Depart as little air area within the cooler as attainable. Some suggest including some type of insulation to take up area.
• Maintain your cooler out of direct daylight as a lot as you’ll be able to. If a shade tree isn’t out there, cowl your cooler with moist blankets or burlap.
• Decrease the variety of occasions you open it and the way lengthy you retain it open.
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