Vogt built the Largest Single Ice Machine in 1994

So cool: Vogt Builds the World’s Largest Ice Machine

Weighing in at 83,000 pounds, the world’s largest ice machine was sent from Vogt in Louisville, KY by truck to Carolina Power & Light Co. in 1994. Imagine the immense size of such a machine traveling down the highway to its new home in Goldsboro, North Carolina. In order to clear the front gates of the Vogt Factory, the team had to let the air out of the truck tires.

 

The ice maker that Carolina Power & Light ordered is the world’s largest icemaker. The mammoth machine turns out as much as 700 tons of ice in a 24 hour period. In contrast, the largest single Tube-Ice machine built today, the P42AXL, will produce 125 tons of ice per day.

This incredible machine was used at one of Carolina Power & Light company’s power generating plants in Goldsboro, N.C. Utility engineers have found that by cooling the air that feeds the gas turbine generators, the generators can operate more efficiently during peak- demand periods. Engineers have used other air-cooling devices to feed turbines but have determined that ice is an efficient alternative. Vogt made the first ice maker for another electric power plant in Nebraska in 1991. Ice makers work at night, when power demand is lower, and recycle the water from melted ice to make new ice.

Due to the demand for electricity, newer power plants have been constructed. This installation was taken out of service several years ago, yet remains the largest ice machine ever built.