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Calvin D. MacCracken

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Calvin Dodd MacCracken, also known as Cal (1919-1999) was an American inventor who made important contributions to energy storage technology and the construction of ice rinks.

Early life

Calvin D. MacCracken, nicknamed Cal, was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Henry Noble MacCracken, a president of Vassar College [1] and Marjorie Dodd MacCracken.[1] Henry M. MacCracken, coined the term "Hall of Fame".[2]

Cal MacCracken entered Princeton University at age 16 and graduated in 1940.[3] After briefly working with Thomas Edison's son[4] he attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering.

From college, MacCracken went to work at General Electric Corporation, where he designed the first combustion chamber and throttled the first jet engine.[3]

Later life

In 1947, MacCracken left General Electric to found Jet Heat Inc. (now known as CALMAC Corp.) in Englewood, New Jersey. In the following 50 years CEO of CALMAC, he produced over 250 inventions and had 80 patents.

MacCracken is best known for his work in energy storage and ice rinks. He developed the IceBank energy storage system,[5] a form of thermal energy storage used to cool buildings by making ice at night when electricity rates are less expensive and using it during the day. IceBank systems are used in over 4,000 installations in 60 countries for commercial buildings, schools, government buildings, hospitals, hotels and retail.[6]

MacCracken also invented the IceMat ice rink.[7] This ice rink system was placed at over 2,000 ice rinks worldwide, including the one at Rockefeller Center in New York City.[8] MacCracken also invented the SunMat roll-out solar collectors, comfort controls for space suits used by the Apollo program, the JetHeet furnace, the AquaJet water powered sump pump, the KPad for burn victims, the HI-V high velocity furnace with flexible duct system for adding central heating and air conditioning to homes and the Roll-A-Grill hot dog cooker.

Another of MacCracken's inventions was the Alumazorb low-emissivity ceiling[9] that dramatically reduces radiant heat loads from the warm ceiling to the cold ice below, reducing energy consumption for freezing ice by up to 30 percent.

Cal was so far head of his time, that on a “futuristic” 1953 T.V show [10] entitled 2000 A.D., Cal correctly predicted, in detail, the coming of the Solar Age.

On November 10, 1999, MacCracken died of pneumonia at a retirement community in New Hampshire.[1]

Achievements

MacCracken was an 11-time national squash champion and local councilman. In the 1960s, he appeared in TV commercials for Ballantine Ale that were run by the P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company.[11] Author of the book "A Handbook for Inventors", MacCracken was responsible for 80 patents.[12]

MacCracken was honored for his contributions to ice sports through posthumous receipt of the Ice Skating Institute’s Frank J. Zamboni Award.[13] He was an inaugural inductee into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame[14] and was inducted in the ASHRAE Hall of Fame in 2016,[15] for his contributions to the growth of ASHRAE.

Today his son, Mark M. MacCracken continues in his father's legacy. CALMAC Corp. boasts over 1GW of energy storage and 1000 ice rinks have been installed in 60 countries.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Calvin Dodd MacCracken, 79, Inventor Who Held 80 Patents". The New York Times. 27 November 1999.
  2. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/25/nyregion/neighborhood-report-university-heights-original-hall-fame-tries-get-back-its.html
  3. ^ a b "He Built Better Mousetraps - Manhattan, New York, NY - News".
  4. ^ "Calvin D. MacCracken, Founder of CALMAC Corp., Inducted into ASHRAE Hall of Fame".
  5. ^ "What is energy storage and how does thermal energy storage work?".
  6. ^ "IceBank Energy Storage Installations".
  7. ^ "IceMat ice rinks".
  8. ^ "The Rink at Rockefeller Center".
  9. ^ "Aluma-Zorb Ceiling".
  10. ^ http://www.calmac.com/video-2000-ad-calvin-d-maccracken. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Heating, refrigerating company founder MacCracken recognized by industry hall of fame".
  12. ^ "BOSS KETTERING AND INVENTIONS". The New York Times. 26 June 1983.
  13. ^ "CALMAC Founder Posthumously Awarded".
  14. ^ "Inaugural Members - njinvent".
  15. ^ https://www.ashrae.org/membership--conferences/honors--awards/hall-of-fame
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