The core of the question is enthalpy of phase change, and heat transfer. Melted water has blown its wad from a thermodynamic standpoint, it is then only acting as a very efficient heat transfer fluid, allowing heat from the wall of the container to be carried to the ice. If the goal is to reduce ice melt, drain the water and insulate it in air. If the goal is to quickly get something cold, leave the water in.

Timelapse of cups melting

This post was edited on 8/3/22 at 6:15 pm

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Posted by Tigris

Mexican Home

Member since Jul 2005

12445 posts

Posted on 8/3/22 at 7:09 pm to TheDrunkenTigah

quote:
Melted water has blown its wad from a thermodynamic standpoint, it is then only acting as a very efficient heat transfer fluid

Not exactly true, water has blown most of its wad when compared to ice, but it still has a much higher ability to store cold temperatures than air does. It takes roughly 3,100 times as much heat to increase a volume of water 1 degree compared to a volume of air. Per weight it's about 4 times as much, but water weighs so much more that that is basically irrelevant.

Don't throw away cold water, it will still keep the chest cold longer than a chest full of air. And yes, water is a better heat transfer medium. But with the heat capacity of water vs. air that becomes a moot point.

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Posted by baldona

Florida

Member since Feb 2016

20639 posts

Posted on 8/4/22 at 9:35 am to TheDrunkenTigah

quote:
The core of the question is enthalpy of phase change, and heat transfer. Melted water has blown its wad from a thermodynamic standpoint, it is then only acting as a very efficient heat transfer fluid, allowing heat from the wall of the container to be carried to the ice. If the goal is to reduce ice melt, drain the water and insulate it in air. If the goal is to quickly get something cold, leave the water in.

You are leaving out an important detail though, and that’s if everything is already cold inside the cooler and that you have 3rd party items keeping cold that your want to maintain the water.

If all you are doing is trying to keep ice as ice for say adding to a cup, then yes dump the water you are correct.

But ice with the melted water will keep the temperature colder longer then ice and air with the water constantly draining.

So:
Icey water with drinks/ food= keep water
Ice just for ice- dump water

ETA: remember if you remove the cold water, it’s then replaced with hot air. So while your actual frozen ice will last longer with water drained, the ability to keep say beer cans cold is diminished.

This post was edited on 8/4/22 at 9:40 am

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