Artificial glacier growing in the desert (2017)

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/ice-stupa-sonam-wangchuk/index.html

by wjb3 • 3 years ago

144 39 3 years ago

How does this compare to damning water, in terms of evaporation?

ChuckMcM• 3 years ago

In terms of cost it seems way way cheaper. The water is stored near where it is needed (so no canals to dig), and you can throw up another one for $125K vs the millions of $ to build a dam.

So I'm guessing the evaporation challenge isn't a deciding factor here.

That said, I wonder how much longer you could keep the ice if you had reflective blankets to cover them once you've "grown" them as much as you can (enter the dry season).

ChatGTP• 3 years ago

Since white is reflective, why do you need blankets ?

antupis• 3 years ago

Long if you have high-tech blankets https://www.snow-forecast.com/whiteroom/finnish-resort-to-cr... but you can also low a tech version with saw dust https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sawdust-slows-rate-of-melting-s... which is also good.

aftbit• 3 years ago

It's been 6 years. How many of these are in the world now?

anonymouskimmer• 3 years ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38427231

In 2019 at least 12, and earlier this year at least one updated design requiring minimal pipe maintenance.

AndyNemmity• 3 years ago

25 as of a report from 3 years ago.

canadaduane• 3 years ago

This article is from 2017.

Here is a short 2019 update: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/j-k/villages-in-la...

2023:

"Kulum village, a remote high-altitude #mountain community facing the effects of climate change, was #abandoned by its residents in 2010 due to water scarcity. In #collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA), the Ice Stupa team of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh, began the process of #rehabilitation in 2019.

"On 27/02/2023, teams from HIAL & SECMOL along with volunteers trekked to Kulum’s Ice-Stupa site to set up the Automated system – a new and efficient Ice-Stupa-making system that requires very little maintenance. It helps reduce the blockage of pipes, which is a major concern in Ladakh due to the harsh winters. However, the best solution is to drain the pipe before it freezes. Various attributes of the process like the structure’s shape, size, density and weather conditions were tried and tested in Kulum village.

"This project is planned to be scaled up in various high-altitude geographic locations to combat the effects of climate change and global warming."

https://hial.edu.in/hial-secmol-team-trekked-to-kulums-ice-s...

jamesmurdza• 3 years ago

Fun connection—"3 Idiots" is a Bollywood film about the journey of three engineering students at an Indian college, inspired by Wangchuk's (the engineer's) life!

jhloa2• 3 years ago

I have this one on my list but haven't gotten around to watching it yet. Would you recommend?

AlphaWeaver• 3 years ago

Yes! It's a great film!

signa11• 3 years ago

oh i was under the (probably mistaken) assumption that it is based off of 'five point someone' novel by mr. chetan-bhagat ?

asicsp• 3 years ago

IIRC "3 Idiots" was indeed based on "Five point someone", but the plot substantially changed. There was a court case filed by the author, etc.

aaron695• 3 years ago

One of the first impressive creator blogs on the internet, I guess ~2001, was someone, somewhere (Canada or Alaska?) making one of these. It was massive, bigger than these from memory.

I don't think the blog was archived.

I assume this is a 'thing' in colder rural communities in North America. Their version of pallet stacking.

lorenzk• 3 years ago

I remember those but can’t find them.

They added different food colors to theirs, making them look like giant frozen rainbows.

Does anyone remember the name or URL?

darklycan51• 3 years ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakhch%C4%81l

I'll leave this here...

whynotkeithberg• 3 years ago

That's cool & somewhat similar. But used for keeping cool & not providing irrigation.

ggm• 3 years ago

"desert" comes in all shapes and sizes. The Tibetan plateau is huge, a high altitude arid zone. it encompasses deserts, steppes, it's distinct from the Gobi and it's not death valley, or the sahara. I had to rid myself of barchan dunes marching into the distance and the camels are two humped, and shaggy like ponies.

bartread• 3 years ago

Indeed. I think the dry valleys in Antarctica are one of the driest deserts on earth - not necessarily where you'd expect to find a desert at all, but an absolutely fascinating place with all those dessicated/mummified seals.

arethuza• 3 years ago

Isn't the whole of Antarctica categorised as a polar desert?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_desert

djmips• 3 years ago

My mental connection is the dense snow piled by Zambonis outside ice skating arenas that lasts into the summer.

dang• 3 years ago

Discussed at the time (of the article):

An artificial glacier growing in the desert (2017) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21721208 - Dec 2019 (9 comments)

3seashells• 3 years ago

Now make it pillar shaped, on an onion pressure seal pressing down on a reservoir of its own making. Water, a little energy and coolant store all ar once.

noduerme• 3 years ago

sorry, dumb question: As cool as this is, what's the advantage over keeping the water in cisterns? Just cheaper to build?

jmopp• 3 years ago

For one, frozen water won't grow microorganisms as quickly as liquid water would — makes purification easier.

marcosdumay2• 3 years ago

You can't beat the initial or operation costs of just piling up the water you need, above ground, uphill from the place you'll need it.

It's cheaper and easier for everything. Not just to build.

Artificial glacier growing in the desert (2017)

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