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

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