Comments on: Solar Refrigeration

By: Martin

Martin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:29:08 +0000

Bravo!!! Actually, we are a team of freshman engineering students in China, which is looking for a project as our final project of this semester. I have just come up with a project about solar refrigerator for preserving vaccines, and done tons of research. However, I just found that you geniuses had made it out two years ago…. So our team decided to turn our aim at a bicycle ambulance system. We really want to minimize the scale of this solar refrigerater, make it more robust and add it to our bicycle ambulance. Can we cooperate with your team and get some detailed information from you. We are sincerely hoping that we can help some people in developing country with you. Please reply here or e-mail me to martinormajun@gmail.com Thanks for help.

By: Rowan Bagou

Rowan Bagou — Sun, 22 May 2011 05:44:14 +0000

Would it be possible that procedures on how to design a solar sorption refrigerator using activated carbon and methanol be sent to the above signed. Just need some info as an undergraduate in Food Technology at the PNG University of Technology?

Thankyou.

By: Dale Jennings

Dale Jennings — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:07:50 +0000

I’m a retired refrigeration mechanic. 30 years I designed a solar refrigerator using two 30 lbs. disposable freon cylinders. It was the old Faraday cycle, absorption system using ammonia as the fluid and water as the absorber. One cylinder was painted black and the other was left white. They were interconnected with copper tubing. They were placed on a frame with wood or metal panel separating the two cylinders. The black cylinder was exposed to the sun and the white one was shielded by the panel. The sun’s heat boiled off the ammonia and it condensed in the white cylinder. After dark the ammonia was reabsorbed by the water in the black cylinder as it evaporated from the white cylinder–cooling the white cylinder. The purpose was to cause moisture in the air to condense on the cooling white cylinder and drip down to provide supplemental irrigation to a fruit tree or veggie patch. I also tried to use water as the refrigerant under vacuum and silica gel as the absorber. The only original engineering in my devices was the idea of using them to produce potable water, the concept existed in the old “Icy Ball” refrigerators from the 1920-30s. I think those might be a better idea (if updated) because you can use local fuels to power them. You could also use a wind-powered refrigerator with the blades turning a mechanical refrigeration compressor instead of generator. You might also consider using “cold plates” which are widely used in marine refrigeration and used to be widely used in transport refrigeration. They are stainless boxes full of copper or stainless tubing filled with glycol. They “store” the cold and can last 48 hours or more without any additional refrigerating.
Dale.

By: jb

jb — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:22:08 +0000

Hi Reeves-

The design as published on the ATC website is for a small cooler. While it is technically possible to scale up the refrigerator I would question if it is the most appropriate technology for your intended use. The sun doesn’t always shine. While our refrigerator could work using biofuels as a back up to sunlight, it would need constant attention. A small refrigerator can hold thousands of vaccines and save thousands of lives.

By: Reeves

Reeves — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:17:57 +0000

We’re looking into something maybe a little more large scale to refrigerate a morgue in Kenya. How scalable do you think your design will be?

By: JS

JS — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:31:34 +0000

Mais comment réaliser pratiquement ce réfrigérateur solaire? Silicagel ou zéolithe? Quelle quantité pour quelle quantité d’adsorbat? Comment faire facilement le vide dans le circuit?

By: Rik Eppens - Ecosoft - The Netherland and Tanzania

Rik Eppens - Ecosoft - The Netherland and Tanzania — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:56:01 +0000

Your product could be very useful for our work in Tanzania. We are open to any form of cooperation.

By: jb

jb — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:57:29 +0000

Cesar-

Invite me!! I think we have a lot to offer. How do I sign up, and how do I participate? Please send more info to john (at) apptechdesign (dot) org.

By: César Cisneros

César Cisneros — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:49:33 +0000

It is a nice idea for our contries. What can we do in order to participe in this project?
I invite you to participe in the VII International Conference for Renewable Energy, Energy Saving and Energy Education (CIER 2011), to be celebrated from 1- 3 of June 2011 in The Conventions Palace of Havana, Cuba. CIER 2011 provides an excellent platform to share experiences and promote synergies towards the challenge of achieving a sustainable energy culture.

By: jb

jb — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:24:09 +0000

Ficaríamos felizes de começar um projeto no Brasil!