Einstein's fridge can run without power
By
siliconindia news bureau
Bangalore: Can a refrigerator work without power? Scientists at Oxford University may soon find an answer for this question as they are on the experiment on a 1930 invention by renowned scientist Albert Einstein to develop an eco-friendly refrigerator which will run without electricity.
While modern refrigerators emit greenhouse gases called freons which damages the environment, Oxford team claims that the product under development can work without power and thereby reduce the gas.
A prototype of a type of Einstein fridge has already been developed by the scientists. The design was partly used in the first domestic refrigerators before more efficient compressors became popular in the 1950s. It uses ammonia, butane and water instead of freons and takes advantage of fact that liquid boil at lower temperatures when air pressure is lower.
Malcolm McCulloch, the lead scientist said, "If you go to the top of Mount Everest, water boils at a much lower temperature than it does when you're at sea level and that's because the pressure is much lower up there."
At one side is the evaporator, a flask that contains butane. "If you introduce a new vapour above the butane, the liquid boiling temperature decreases and, as it boils off, it takes energy from the surroundings to do so. That's what makes it cold," he added.
Einstein's Pressurised gas fridges replaced by Freon-compressor fridges partly as they were not very sufficient. However, British scientists say that by tweaking the design and replacing the types of gases used it would be possible to quadruple the efficiency of the refrigerators that could well be the GenNext appliances.
While modern refrigerators emit greenhouse gases called freons which damages the environment, Oxford team claims that the product under development can work without power and thereby reduce the gas.
A prototype of a type of Einstein fridge has already been developed by the scientists. The design was partly used in the first domestic refrigerators before more efficient compressors became popular in the 1950s. It uses ammonia, butane and water instead of freons and takes advantage of fact that liquid boil at lower temperatures when air pressure is lower.
Malcolm McCulloch, the lead scientist said, "If you go to the top of Mount Everest, water boils at a much lower temperature than it does when you're at sea level and that's because the pressure is much lower up there."
At one side is the evaporator, a flask that contains butane. "If you introduce a new vapour above the butane, the liquid boiling temperature decreases and, as it boils off, it takes energy from the surroundings to do so. That's what makes it cold," he added.
Einstein's Pressurised gas fridges replaced by Freon-compressor fridges partly as they were not very sufficient. However, British scientists say that by tweaking the design and replacing the types of gases used it would be possible to quadruple the efficiency of the refrigerators that could well be the GenNext appliances.
Reader's comments(6)
1: They've been useing these kind of fridges in
Rv's forever, it nothing new at all. Would be
nice if they could improve them though.
Posted by: ErixX - 12:00 AM Oct 07, ' 08
2: about 15 years ago I observed an antique gas
fridge working fine, freezing ice trays,etc.,
absolutely silent with "no moving parts", but
was not frost free...it worked on natural gas
. It had a pilot light in back that could be
a source of ignition, so safety was an issue.
Posted by: Billy R - 12:00 AM Oct 06, ' 08
3: If this concept goes to fruitioon and the
general public benefits, I think the Einstein
Estate should benefit as significantly as any
company that assists in the development and
production of the products that surface.
Posted by: Brian - 12:00 AM Oct 06, ' 08
5: great news for mother
earth.................we need to protect our
environment.great job.congrats
Posted by: manish - 12:00 AM Sep 23, ' 08
6: woh, great, truly existing news, best wishes
to the scientists who are behind it .
Posted by: iswar kailas - 12:00 AM Sep 22, ' 08
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