If you've even poked around the back of your fridge to dig out that stray bag of catnip the cat batted behind there, you might have been surprised to notice that the coils on the back of the fridge actually get hot as part of the effort to keep your munchies cold. The truth is, most cooling devices like fridges and air conditioners use a heat exchange process that cools one area by creating heat in another.
Following simple logic, a group of scientists at the Innovationszentrum Wiesenbusch Gladbeck and University of Applied Science in Gelsenkirchen, have developed a prototype of a fridge using a process called ammoniac-water absorption, that harnesses the power of the sun for cooling. This should be a tremendous boon in parts of Asia and Equatorial Africa where refrigeration and or conditioning is rare.
From DW-World
editor@dvice.com
By dr,d at 7:59 AM ON 02/21/08
It's been done before
By Frogman27 at 8:39 AM ON 02/21/08
This is the same process used to cool RV propane powered fridges. It's the same process used at the turn of the century to make ice. Nothin majorly new here.
By Jack at 9:54 AM ON 02/21/08
What's new is using the sun. If they are using electricity from solar panels that is not new.
By bumblebeejeep at 10:33 AM ON 02/21/08
I suspect the coils are exposed directly to sunlight with a concentrator.
By westcoast at 10:39 AM ON 02/21/08
sine they are calling it "ammoniac-water absorbtion" I am wondering if they are using ammonia as the coolant? That would be old technology re applied. in teh 1930s they used ammoina as the refigerant.
NOt sure i would like an ammonia leak in my home, that's why we don't use it any more.
By Delosworld at 2:18 PM ON 02/21/08
That photo proves that cold beer has a large amount of estrogen-like hormone compounds.
By Diggs at 4:36 PM ON 02/21/08
First of all, let me say that I was impressed by the large number of alcoholic beverages contained within said fridge'.Secondly,the name "Innovationszentrum Wiesenbusch Gladbeck and University of Applied Science in Gelsenkirchen" is alot of words for "school of people making really cool stuff".And last but, not least, I am greatly surprised that noone has yet commented on dudes mighty fro'!
By HotVidMan at 3:29 AM ON 02/22/08
Like one poster said, the RV and "Off Grid" folks have been using these for a LONG time now with a small flame from propane gas. It does not take much heat at all to make an ammonia absorption refrigerator do it's job. As the other poster states, just a small concentrator would work best. Also, the fact that the refrigerator is PACKED full actually will help the process. I know, as I now need to replace my RV refrigerator at the tune of $1400.00! Oh, when the ammonia leaks out (the most common problem when these go bad) it smells like HELL! Not likely to kill you, if you are able to air it out, but not an odor that you would like stuck in your sinuses for a while either.
By kevs at 7:08 PM ON 02/22/08
did you ever see the movie Mosquito Coast with Harrison Ford
this concept has been around for years.
By bluezmn at 12:55 AM ON 02/23/08
Thanks for the comment about hormones. As an HVAC Tech. I can say that you don't want to have a refrigerant line develop a leak while working on these. I've heard about guys going home never to return.
By captaincarter1st at 4:45 PM ON 02/23/08
in a recent episode of Jericho, the power is gone and a family member has a high temp. so they use ammonia, and a couple of bowls. the steel bowl contains the water as a conductor, well after about 20 min, the water in the bowl froze, i didnt pay attentio to the complete process, but i guess you can google it.