What are the liquid nitrogen tanks on the streets of NYC for?

Question

There are many standing on the sidewalk, especially in the downtown area, all covered in ice and with ruber tubes snaking underground somewhere. I found a picture here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emilywhetstone/18715430/in/set-401333/
My only guess is cryogenic cooling for quantum-encrypted communication channels used to transmit sensitive financial information between banks, but surely there must be a simpler explanation.

Answer 1

"A. Dry-cleaning with chemistry! But before you get images of Nynex workers freezing their fingers off while washing with supercold liquids, here are the facts. Nynex has many, many three-inch cables running under the streets, each of which contains 3,600 pairs of copper wires (each pair carries a conversation). Steam, created by subways and heating vents, sometimes gets inside these cables and causes crossed connections and corrosion of the copper wires, said Bob Varettoni, a spokesman for Nynex."

Wow! That was hard to find!

Answer 2

Liquid Nitrogen Nyc

Answer 3

Those caught in a fire who have breathed super heated air are called the walking dead, they look OK, most can walk, they have a bad cough and request water but their chances of still being alive in 72 hours is near zero. But there are fools who still think it's safe to down flaming spirits, extreme cold burns just as well as extreme heat, liquid nitrogen hitting the stomach would burn right through the lining.

Answer 4

Another answer, from a long time ago was to pressurize, and thereby protect lead-encased communications cables.

Years ago, cables suspended from poles (and I must assume those pulled through underground conduits) were protected by a thin lead coating, making something like a pipe with wires inside. Nitrogen under low pressure was injected into these cables to pressurize them and prevent the entry of rain water or snow to protect the wires within.

Just my guess

Ouzinki

Answer 5

Ok,

try this...

to kill rats by driving out oxygen from the sewer system.

to keep homeless people out of the underground.

to reduce the smell from rotting organic material in the underground.

to supercool magnets for a maglev rail system

to air condition the city????

Answer 6

Anti-terrorist devices!

Answer 7

They use it to cool the magnetic resonator windings on the underground terrorist evaporators.

Answer 8

to cool swers and prevent gases andvapor to get out

Answer 9

think about it.... N2 inert gas they send it into the sewer system to suffocate rats and alligators.. you idiot!