X-Message-Number: 1985 From: "Mark B. Kaminsky" <fasfax!mbk> Subject: CRYONICS Cold Storage Date: Wed, 17 Mar 93 12:04:44 EST > Message: #1951 - Cold Storage > Date: Sat, 13 Mar 93 13:43:00 CST > From: Brian Wowk <> > > Yes, the possibility that -130'C storage in the room that Mike > is proposing might be *cheaper* and *safer* than dewar storage. > > Alcor's most efficient storage system is currently the Bigfoot > dewar. A Bigfoot dewar costs $18,000 and stores 4 patients, boiling off > 13 liters of LN2 a day (3 liters per patient). If the vacuum ever fails > in one of these beasts, you must immediately transfer 4 patients > elsewhere (by no means a simple task). Cheaper and better - quite likely, but it's not clear that it's safer. What happens if there is a breach in the wall of the room? Earthquakes can occur just about anywhere as can a run-away LN2 truck. Having to repair the wall or somehow transfer dozens of patients somewhere (where? I don't know) is not my idea of a pleasant Sunday afternoon. If I were an Iron Age olive oil vendor I'd want to store my stock in a number of clay jars instead of one massive jar, and maybe have an empty jar or two around just in case a full one started cracking... Mark B. Kaminsky, mbk% Fasfax Corporation, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1985