Along the lines of one laptop per child comes the idea of an inexpensive refrigerator that could help more than a billion people who have no access to electricity. Lack of access to refrigeration is a problem for people in underdeveloped countries; without refrigeration, it’s hard to prevent the spread of food borne disease, and it’s impossible to store vaccines.
Tech venture capitalist Adam Grosser, working with a thermodynamics team from Stanford, may have a solution. The prototype zero-emission fridge doesn't need gas, propane or kerosene and is powered by regular fire.
The eight pound device looks like a thermos and contains a (nontoxic) refrigerant fluid. It can be heated on a cooking fire – the kind fueled by the likes of wood or camel dung. After being heated on the fire, the device is set aside to cool for an hour. At that point it begins to grow cold, and it is inserted into an insulated container of some sort – a jug, or even a hole in the ground. It gets colder and colder, bringing the temperature of the container to just above freezing, and keeping it that way for about 24 hours.
The low pressure, non-toxic refrigerator is also fairly affordable. At low volumes, Grosser estimates each unit will cost $40. At high volumes, the price for each will drop to $25. Esquire Magazine just named the fridge one of the best and brightest ideas of 2008. Refrigeration for the masses is now closer to reality.
Via Esquire, TED
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Comments (21)
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written by Tom, December 12, 2008
Wow, $25-$40 for a non-toxic fridge. Sounds like a great thing, especially for developing nations. I was recently introduced to a site that is committed to bringing solar power to developing nations, (wrote a post about it on my blog: http://worththeenergy.wordpres...-solaraid/)sounds like this trend is starting to catch on.
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written by EcoInsomniac, December 12, 2008
I love projects like this. TED is a great think tank and source of great learning. Thanks for sharing!
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written by pp, December 12, 2008
sounds like an adaption of the "icy ball" technology... any more details anywhere?
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written by Robert Witham, December 12, 2008
This technology could certainly be useful in a number of developing areas (particularly at this low price). I would think this technology may find a wider market though as this device could be used for recreational activities like camping and as a backup refrigeration device during electrical outages.
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written by Tyler W. Cox, December 13, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icyball
Some time ago I worked in a museum that had an icyball which had indeed been used to provide campfire refrigeration. The only difference I see is that the new device contains a "nontoxic" liquid, while the old icyball contained common amonia.
Some time ago I worked in a museum that had an icyball which had indeed been used to provide campfire refrigeration. The only difference I see is that the new device contains a "nontoxic" liquid, while the old icyball contained common amonia.
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written by Bob Wallace, December 13, 2008
In lots of the less-developed world there is not a lot of fuel available. People often walk for miles to find what they need to cook their food.
When one starts talking about using camel dung, I suspect that the practical distribution of this device has yet to be thought out....
When one starts talking about using camel dung, I suspect that the practical distribution of this device has yet to be thought out....
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written by papa bear, December 15, 2008
It would be great if these were available here as well.. Like the avg. American-- I want to do the right thing, but most of the time finding this type of gadgets requires me to go to some specialty place, and it will be outrageously expensive.
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written by Bob Wallace, December 15, 2008
1) powered by regular fire
2) After being heated on the fire, the device is set aside to cool for an hour.
3) At that point it begins to grow cold, and it is inserted into an insulated container of some sort
4) Repeat every 24 hours or your milk spoils.
How many Americans (or Canadians or Europeans) are going to spend a couple of hours every day, seven days a week, dealing with their refer?
Interesting idea. Very limited application.
2) After being heated on the fire, the device is set aside to cool for an hour.
3) At that point it begins to grow cold, and it is inserted into an insulated container of some sort
4) Repeat every 24 hours or your milk spoils.
How many Americans (or Canadians or Europeans) are going to spend a couple of hours every day, seven days a week, dealing with their refer?
Interesting idea. Very limited application.
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written by Space, December 16, 2008
Bob Wallace, you are missing the point,
this is intended for people who don't have electricity and/or can't afford a fridge.
this is intended for people who don't have electricity and/or can't afford a fridge.
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written by N T Nair, December 18, 2008
The trend of looking at simple solutions, leaving aside high-tech options is laudable. Let there be many more down-to-earth devices, which are environment friendly.
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written by Casiopea4, December 18, 2008
It's a great idea but it would also cost a lot to get the wood or camel dung for people to heat this thing up.
It would still harm the ecosystem a lot, and cause massive deforestation and extra air pollution.
It would still harm the ecosystem a lot, and cause massive deforestation and extra air pollution.
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written by Rdys, December 18, 2008
How about you build a huge one, mount it on the roof, expose it to the sun, cover it, then pass air from inside the building over it and back in. Viola, sun powered AC for underdeveloped areas. Or maybe repass over several units, air several times to create a freezer. lots of thing to think about.
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written by Michael, December 19, 2008
Y'all are missing the point. This is not aimed at so-called "green" people in the developed world, it is aimed at people that already build a fire on a daily basis to cook food, etc.
AsRdys suggests, perhaps the solar cooker and this technology could be used together to cook and cool.
AsRdys suggests, perhaps the solar cooker and this technology could be used together to cook and cool.
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written by Doug, December 20, 2008
As long as I have been hearing about the shortage of fuel wood in less developed countries, I would expected that problem to be resolved by now or some time soon. Last I look trees where a renewable sustainable source of energy.
True so many of my fellow Americans need to get over themselves before they end up suffering needlessly.
True so many of my fellow Americans need to get over themselves before they end up suffering needlessly.
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written by Alex, January 06, 2009
As much as I admire simple technical solutions of which the device under consideration is a good example, I doubt it could find widespread use among intended consumers in poorly developed areas. "Deforestation problem" is laughable: the amount of heat needed to "charge" such a device is about the same as needed to boil a modest kettle of water. Here is the real problem: people who do not currently have access to refrigeration are accustomed to get by without it. Think of it: most of the products we refrigerate are bought already refrigerated, but how likely are those less fortunate folks to get to the grocery store with frozen food? Refrigerating food leftovers? How likely are they to have any to justify spending their whole month wage of $25 to purchase the device? Before making claims about saving people from poor countries one would be well advised to travel there and inquire what kind of help is needed most.
Alas I would get one for myself to go boating in areas with no access to bagged ice to keep my beer cold in a cooler. And I somehow suspect I am not the only one having such thoughts :)
Alas I would get one for myself to go boating in areas with no access to bagged ice to keep my beer cold in a cooler. And I somehow suspect I am not the only one having such thoughts :)
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written by Steve, February 12, 2009
I think it is great that companies are finally stepping up to the plate and finding new and innovative ways to power everyday things. I just read about this company called LEHR that powers garden tools with those little green propane tanks. Very cool! www.golehr.com is the site for them...
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written by James Hinds, March 27, 2009
This technology seems like a way to condense water from the atmosphere in areas that have a lack of fresh drinking water. May be even enough to do some small scale farming.
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written by F. A. Miller, July 30, 2009
If all it takes is a couple of hours of heat, a strategically positioned fresnel lens and a light baffle that only let light in for a predetermined period would provide enough heat to activate multiple units. It would work best on sunny days when refrigeration and/or air conditioning is needed the most. No fuel needed. I've thought about making a large icy ball array using rows of propane tanks and a fresnel lens to cool the house in the summer. The cost would be minimal. One big screen fresnel lens could provide enough heat to operate four propane tanks.
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written by Andrew, September 25, 2009
A lot of you are missing the point. This is not an attempt to provide everyday refrigeration, but to provide a way to keep vaccines cool so that they don't spoil, which is currently a major problem in a hot environment!
Meanwhile in the developed world we need to stop using so much energy. Perhaps commercial versions of this old technology will be more efficient than what we are currently using. I write this without knowing anything about the relative efficiencies of this cooling cycle and the one that we currently use.
Meanwhile in the developed world we need to stop using so much energy. Perhaps commercial versions of this old technology will be more efficient than what we are currently using. I write this without knowing anything about the relative efficiencies of this cooling cycle and the one that we currently use.
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written by Jay, October 16, 2009
Interesting. You could set up an amplified solar heater (cheap) to heat about 100 of these, then drop them into an ultra-insulated chest and run a fan over them for ???? 24 hours? Now that would be cheap. Over time actually would be free. Where can I see one work?
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