Self-heating can

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A self-heating can is an extension of the common food can. It involves the use of dual chambered cans, where an inner chamber holds the food or drink and the outer chamber houses chemicals that undergo an exothermic reaction when combined. When someone wants to eat the food, they pull a ring on the can that breaks the barrier separating the chemicals in the outer chamber. After the heat has been absorbed by the food, the eater can then enjoy a hot meal or drink. While it offers benefits to campers and people eating away from a stove or microwave, the concept is not yet widespread because of the added expenses and problems with heating the food evenly.

History

Self-heating tins started being produced around 1900 for use by mountaineers and explorers. Inca Land - Explorations in the Highlands of Peru[link] by Hiram Bingham reports travels in 1909-1915 in which he used self-heating cans produced by the Silver's and the Grace Brothers firms.

In 1910, aerial pioneer Alan R. Hawley reported that, on the flight of the balloon America II they had taken "three cans of soup, self-heating with lime""Lionized in Montreal," The New York Times, October 29, 1910, p. 1.

In 1941 a New York Times food column reported:

Yesterday, we had our first cup of coffee, our first baked beans and our first spaghetti out of the amazing self-heating cans now being introduced by a department store in Manhattan... There's a fifteen-minute wait while the canned food, enclosed in an outer tin, heats without benefit of gas, electricity, or flame of any sort. This trick is accomplished by a chemical inside the first container, and the action is started when four holes are punched in the bottom. The whole mysterious apparatus is turned upside down for the stipulated number of minutes, then righted, and presto! there is your steaming coffee, or food, all ready to serve.Holt, Jane (1941) "News of Food: War Emphasizes Benefit of Prune Vitamins--Hammering Opens Oysters," The New York Times, March 26, 1941, p. 19

In 1947, the same column reported "Food in Self-Heating Cans Reappears" (their having been reserved for the military during the war). Referring to the cans as "Hotcans," the columnist noted that "Chocolate is made with milk and is delicious (65 to 72 cents). Four hamburgers in tomato sauce with mushrooms are small but good, and the sauce is ample (89 to 98 cents). Coffee tastes something like the instantly brewed type, leaving something to be desired (49 cents)."Nickerson, Jane (1947), "News of Food: Food in Self-Heating Cans Reappears Here; Recommended for Motorists and Campers," The New York Times, November 26, 1947, p. 28. (49 cents in 1947 is approximately equivalent to $4.64 in 2005).

References

See also

• FRH
• Beverage can

External links

• [An article on the concept]
• [Single-serving coffee can heats itself]
• [Will Self-Heating Coffee Be Cool?]
• [The world's first self-heating coffee with demonstration pictures]
• [Dawn of the New Can]
• BBC News Online - [Hot drink can tested in Midlands]
• [Taking the Heat Out of the Kitchen]
• [An article with photos on disassembly]

 

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