Champagne is cold for the highest ice tower of Eindhoven students in China. The champagne is cold - very cold - in the Chinese Harbin for the world record attempt to build ice towers. Students from Eindhoven University of Technology and Summa College (Netherlands), among others, are participating. The record is official on Thursday.
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Tallest ice tower in China
Students from, for example, the Eindhoven University of Technology and the Summa College have, in their own words, built the tallest ice tower in China. The structure has a height of thirty meters, with which the previous own record of 21 meters was broken. For an official recognition of the record, the hot air balloon that forms the basis must still be removed. That will happen in the coming days, reports Yaron Moonen, who graduates at the TU / e on the ice tower.
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Balloon
Moonen tells how the ice, reinforced with natural fibers, is sprayed on a huge balloon. The biggest obstacle was, oddly enough, the cold, according to the student Built Environment at the TU / e. ,, Of course we need that cold when building with ice. But at minus 30 degrees all material and material freezes or it becomes so brittle that it breaks down. Fortunately, we all kept it very physically; this is also our fifth project, so we now know how to deal with cold. "Unpacking the air balloon, a colossus of thirty by thirty meters with a weight of 4000 kilos, was a big job.
The best thing, according to Moonen, is that it is possible to realize the challenge. "It was wonderful to be lifted up in a container to measure and see that we are almost there. For the whole team it is also very motivating to know that it will work. Because the tower is almost self-contained. Now we only have to remove the air balloon to make the record official. And yes, the champagne is ready, cold yes. No, not too cold. That would be a waste."
Naturally such a record, but the intention of building with ice continues, according to Moonen. "We want to put this sustainable, recyclable building material on the map as a solution for temporary constructions in cold areas, but also on Mars missions and for events. We are now working on ice constructions for the Winter Olympics that will be held in China in 2022, "says the graduate.
The design is based on the shape of traditional Chinese towers and the flamenco dress. The ice tower is in the Chinese Harbin, a city that is best known for an international ice and snow festival. The Flamenco Ice Tower will be opened Wednesday 10 January by the Dutch ambassador in China.
The ice project is the result of the cooperation between the TU/e, the University of Leuven, the Summa College and the Chinese Harbin Institute of Technology. Previously the student group realized various projects in Finland.
By: Michel Theeuwen
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