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Refrigerated cooling without electricity

 
Prof-Rabbit
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User ID: 148352
Australia
12/04/2006 11:14 PM
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Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Yes, correct, refrigerated cooling without electricity! (almost if you use a fan)
before the "how too" let me ask one favour, if you make a commercial unit I would like just one dollar for each unit built, not too much to ask I'm sure.

Here's how:

Those of you who have a mobile home/caravan etc. will know you can have a refrigerator that runs on LPG/Propane gas, they are silent and work well, in rural Australia the early refrigerators used kerosene for fuel, these use a simple system comprising a heater tank and a condenser, heating the tank vaporized a gas, (usually ammonia) the expanded gas was forced through a valve with a tiny hole, the pressure liquified the gas and presto, sub zero temperatures, this liquid ammonia passes through the condenser inside the refrigerator soaking up heat and becomming a gas once more, passing to the heater tank to begin the process anew.

Now, scale up the elements, place the heater tank on your roof, the condenser inside your home and the pressure valve in between, now boost the airflow through the condenser with a small fan, you can skip the fan and rely on convection only if placed near the celing, (warm air rises, cold air falls)

The parts are easy to obtain, (pure liquid ammonia is dangerous and toxic!) anyone with basic metal work skills should be able to knock their own up in less than a week.

So is it efficient? well not as much as a compressor driven air conditioner, however unlike standard air conditioners this one can be left running constantly for free!,
(have a shutoff valve for winter) built properly it should last for many years, kero refrigerators lasted for more than 20 years except for changing the wicks. The hotter it is outside the more efficent the unit becomes.

So there it is, I built a small "test" unit out of parts from a discarded caravan fridge and it would keep a small bedroom at 25 degrees C or so when the outside temp. was 38 degrees C or thereabouts using a 1 square metre (thats 3 feet by 3 feet approx. for you Americans) black steel plate as a solar collector.

Remember the power companies are NOT going to be impressed! so market the first units for caravans/mobile homes, rural cabins infact anywhere there is no power, then start with tourist areas and travel Inns, tourists/holiday people will begin to want them at home, and before the power companies know whats happening bingo! free cooling!
You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
Whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back

Deteriorata (National Lampoon)
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 165736
New Zealand
12/04/2006 11:18 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
ROFL are you seriously trying to take credit for this "invention"? ill bet there were no people in australia when you discovered that too right?
realist
User ID: 156219
United States
12/04/2006 11:24 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Root cellars are cheaper to operate.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 164533
United States
12/04/2006 11:39 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Root cellars are cheaper to operate.
 Quoting: realist 156219


throw in some water from a deep well and you got cool
Imaid1
User ID: 165752
Australia
12/04/2006 11:39 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Zeer pots are great for city and apt dwellers in a pinch.

Instructions/pic here in this article:

[link to www.scienceinafrica.co.za]
SEADOG

User ID: 159995
Canada
12/05/2006 12:02 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
I have been playing with this a bit too. Powering a large chest freezer with plates on the woodstove. Any other good links on this stuff?
Per Ardua ad Astra
mopar28m

User ID: 165610
United States
12/05/2006 12:12 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
I have been playing with this a bit too. Powering a large chest freezer with plates on the woodstove. Any other good links on this stuff?
 Quoting: SEADOG



Here's a good link for you.

[link to www.motherearthnews.com]
vaccinefreehealth blogspot com

The risk far outweighs any benefit as the risk will vary from child to child.

facebook.com/graphixyourway
Prof-Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
12/05/2006 01:42 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
ROFL are you seriously trying to take credit for this "invention"? ill bet there were no people in australia when you discovered that too right?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 165736


I'm not quite that old, meanwhile show something positive, a link maybe?
You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
Whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back

Deteriorata (National Lampoon)
Prof-Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
12/05/2006 01:50 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Here is the Wiki page for ammonia refrigeration

[link to en.wikipedia.org]
You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
Whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back

Deteriorata (National Lampoon)
Rocketrod
User ID: 165821
Australia
12/05/2006 06:30 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Beats the Coolgardie safe.
Dr. Au fait
User ID: 163242
United States
12/05/2006 06:37 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Thanks for the info. Very Interesting!
Prof-Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
12/06/2006 03:27 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Thanks for the info. Very Interesting!
 Quoting: Dr. Au fait 163242


If anyone sets one up please take pictures
You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
Whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back

Deteriorata (National Lampoon)
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 163551
United States
12/06/2006 03:29 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Come to the Arizona desert in the summertime and watch the misting systems in action. Lowers the air temp in the immediate area by tens of degrees. They are in use everywhere here, simple, easy.

Congratulations for rediscovering the scientific principle of evaporative cooling, OP! :-)
Prof-Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
12/06/2006 06:36 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Come to the Arizona desert in the summertime and watch the misting systems in action. Lowers the air temp in the immediate area by tens of degrees. They are in use everywhere here, simple, easy.

Congratulations for rediscovering the scientific principle of evaporative cooling, OP! :-)
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 163551


Yes I've seen the misting systems you speak about, however those units use a constant supply of water, you don't seem to have understood the thread since we are talking about closed system refrigeration not evaporation..
You are a fluke of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
Whether you can hear it or not,
The universe is laughing behind your back

Deteriorata (National Lampoon)
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 373023
United States
06/30/2008 10:51 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
bump
Prof_Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
06/30/2008 11:31 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Well that's an oldie, while your all curious look up the piezoelectric principle.
"Anger is a wind that blows out the lamp of your mind"
GREY LENSMAN
User ID: 459511
Malaysia
06/30/2008 12:13 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
PROF

CAN YOU LINK WATER HEATING AND HOUSE COOLING.

HERE MANY HOUSES ARE NOW SOLD WITH SOLAR WATER HEATERS.

THESE ARE VERY EFFICIENT CONVECTION UNIT, NO PUMP.

COULD YOU LINK IN THOSE AS THE HEATER TO MAKE SPACE COOLERS.

MILLION HERE USE ONE HORSE ROOM SPLIT AIRCONS. ALL THE BUILDINGS ARE LITTERED WITH CONDENSERS AND COOLING FANS BLASTING OUT HEAT AND BURNING MILLIONS OF WATTS. THEN THEY PAY TO HEAT WATER.

ITS SO STUPID.

MAKERS STILL HAVE HEADS TOTALLY IMMERSED IN SAND

GL
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 308927
United States
06/30/2008 12:41 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Live in the Yukon. Free refrigeration 10 months of the year.
Prof_Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
06/30/2008 12:52 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Live in the Yukon. Free refrigeration 10 months of the year.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 308927


Install wind turbines and face towards middle America, problem solved!
"Anger is a wind that blows out the lamp of your mind"
Prof_Rabbit  (OP)

User ID: 148352
Australia
06/30/2008 01:01 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
PROF

CAN YOU LINK WATER HEATING AND HOUSE COOLING.

HERE MANY HOUSES ARE NOW SOLD WITH SOLAR WATER HEATERS.

THESE ARE VERY EFFICIENT CONVECTION UNIT, NO PUMP.

COULD YOU LINK IN THOSE AS THE HEATER TO MAKE SPACE COOLERS.
GL
 Quoting: GREY LENSMAN 459511


Probably, but not as efficient as ammonia refrigeration. Ask a refrigeration engineer.
"Anger is a wind that blows out the lamp of your mind"
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 459291
United States
06/30/2008 01:20 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Yes, correct, refrigerated cooling without electricity! (almost if you use a fan)
before the "how too" let me ask one favour, if you make a commercial unit I would like just one dollar for each unit built, not too much to ask I'm sure.

Here's how:

Those of you who have a mobile home/caravan etc. will know you can have a refrigerator that runs on LPG/Propane gas, they are silent and work well, in rural Australia the early refrigerators used kerosene for fuel, these use a simple system comprising a heater tank and a condenser, heating the tank vaporized a gas, (usually ammonia) the expanded gas was forced through a valve with a tiny hole, the pressure liquified the gas and presto, sub zero temperatures, this liquid ammonia passes through the condenser inside the refrigerator soaking up heat and becomming a gas once more, passing to the heater tank to begin the process anew.

Now, scale up the elements, place the heater tank on your roof, the condenser inside your home and the pressure valve in between, now boost the airflow through the condenser with a small fan, you can skip the fan and rely on convection only if placed near the celing, (warm air rises, cold air falls)

The parts are easy to obtain, (pure liquid ammonia is dangerous and toxic!) anyone with basic metal work skills should be able to knock their own up in less than a week.

So is it efficient? well not as much as a compressor driven air conditioner, however unlike standard air conditioners this one can be left running constantly for free!,
(have a shutoff valve for winter) built properly it should last for many years, kero refrigerators lasted for more than 20 years except for changing the wicks. The hotter it is outside the more efficent the unit becomes.

So there it is, I built a small "test" unit out of parts from a discarded caravan fridge and it would keep a small bedroom at 25 degrees C or so when the outside temp. was 38 degrees C or thereabouts using a 1 square metre (thats 3 feet by 3 feet approx. for you Americans) black steel plate as a solar collector.

Remember the power companies are NOT going to be impressed! so market the first units for caravans/mobile homes, rural cabins infact anywhere there is no power, then start with tourist areas and travel Inns, tourists/holiday people will begin to want them at home, and before the power companies know whats happening bingo! free cooling!
 Quoting: Prof-Rabbit


Thanks for the post
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 459278
Sweden
06/30/2008 01:27 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Google TEC ( Thermal Electric Cooling) these chips produce cold on one side and hot on the other so they can play a dual role. They can be run off of 12 volts so a solar panel works great, when a battery is added they run at night.

The are great for a fridge and can be adapted for room cooling.

Check out the Melcore website!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 460939
United States
06/30/2008 11:34 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
bump
GREY LENSMAN
User ID: 459511
Malaysia
06/30/2008 11:40 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
PROF

YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ME. I WAS REFERRING TO PUTTING A FREON COIL IN THE SOLAR WATER HEATER TO COLLECT HEAT AND THEN RUN IT TO SPACE CHILLERS IN THE HOUSE.

SEEMS THE MAIN PROBLEM WOULD BE TO REGULATE IT.

GL
gsbltd

User ID: 461037
United States
07/01/2008 12:05 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
I ran across a catalog last year [SORRY! I can't remember the name at the moment] that featured NOTHING but electricity-free appliances, including refrigerators. Their units ran on kerosene as mentioned above and were specifically made for rural cabins... in fact, everything in the catlaog was geared for an existance a lonnng way from power lines! Very old-fashioned [and pretty neat] stuff!!

I do remember that these were pretty good-sized units, about the size of a side-by-side and they were around $1,000 each. But, as I recall, they also ran for several days on just a few pints of fuel. I have NO IDEA how they worked! I was just amazed they even existed.

I think the company was located somewhere in Utah or the PNW.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 422730
Australia
07/01/2008 02:38 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Hey Prof-Rabbit greets from AU.

It's a little off topic but as an alternative to refrigeration, if you are a grower, sun drying is a way to limit the demand for refrigeration.

Cheers
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 458429
United States
07/01/2008 03:41 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Zeer pots are great for city and apt dwellers in a pinch.

Instructions/pic here in this article:

[link to www.scienceinafrica.co.za]
 Quoting: Imaid1 165752

A little off-topic but THANKS! What a cool idea!!!

Another gem in the dung of GLP. :^)

I can finally logoff and sleep in peace.

hf
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 458358
United States
07/01/2008 04:04 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
You have a problem with scale.
himself

User ID: 461357
United States
07/01/2008 02:47 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
You have RE-invented the "any heat source" ammonia cycle refrigerator:
[link to www.aboutammoniarefrigeration.com]
>The Intermittent absorption system uses a generator charged with water and ammonia. A heat source, usually a kerosene flame, heats this solution in the generator. The ammonia is vaporized and driven off.
A condenser, at the top of the system, condenses the ammonia vapor into a liquid. The liquid flows by gravity into the liquid receiver shown above and then into the evaporator. During the generating cycle, little or no refrigerating effect is taking place. As the system cools, the pressure drops, causing the liquid ammonia in the evaporator to boil (flash off) and absorb heat. The cycle is completed when vaporized ammonia is re-absorbed in the Aqua ammonia solution in the generator.<
[link to www.nh3tech.org]
[link to home.howstuffworks.com]
>About RV Refrigerators
Your RV refrigerator doesn't use a compressor or any moving parts for that matter. It works off of the principle of absorption.
Instead of applying cold directly, the heat is drawn out, or absorbed. The theory is, when there is an absence of heat there is cold. Basically your RV refrigerator uses heat, either from an electric heating element or LP gas flame. The heat starts a chemical reaction and then through evaporation and condensation causes it to cool.<
[link to www.fabuloustravel.com]
himself

User ID: 461357
United States
07/01/2008 03:04 PM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
Well that's an oldie, while your all curious look up the piezoelectric principle.
 Quoting: Prof_Rabbit


[link to www.sciplus.com]

> Peltier junction, a thermo-electric device that translates electric power into heat, and perversely, into cool.
Apply current @ 3-12 VDC to the gizmo and it extracts thermal energy from one face, thereby cooling it.
The heat is dumped onto the other face, thereby heating it.

Please note: you must use a heat sink on the hot side or the junction will fry itself, since it can quickly create a 65° C temperature differential in a no load situation.

Stack two, or build a cascade to increase the thermal differential created.

Or run it backwards.
[Seebeck effect]
Apply heat or cold to the relevant face and produce a current.<

Search term: "peltier" @
[link to www.sciplus.com]
stark
User ID: 466876
United States
07/12/2008 10:07 AM
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Re: Refrigerated cooling without electricity
real goods has a catalog with that type of stuff [link to www.realgoods.com]





GLP