History of refrigeration

Navrachana University,School of engineering & Technology Sub: Energy Conversion 1To : Sir,A.D.Badgujar

By: Dignesh Parmar12103312

History of refrigeration broadly divided into two category : 1) Age of Natural refrigeration : -From pre-historic times to the beginning of 19th century

2) Age of artificial refrigeration: - form 19th century onward

Natural refrigeration

1) Use of natural ice a) Transported form colder region b) Harvested in winter and stored for summer c) Produced by nocturnal cooling

2) Use of evaporative cooling

3) Cooling by salt solutions

Nocturnal Cooling

Evaporative cooling

water evaporates into surrounding air it produces a cooling effect because evaporation is an endothermic process .

cooling of human bodies on a hot day. That is how that is how we lose the heat on a hot day.

evaporative cooling is very effective when the surrounding air is dry. If the surrounding air is very humid then the evaporation cannot be

effective.

cooling by salt solutions : cooling that is produced is generally limited and also the recovery of salt is a difficult process

Limitations of natural methods

Dependent of local condition .

Uncertainty due to dependence on weather.

Difficult to produce large amount of refrigeration.

Not available to every one.

Artificial refrigeration

In 1755 , the Scottish professor William Cullen produce small quantity of ice by evaporating ethyl ether under vacuum .

The principle involves: absorption of large quantity of heat (latent heat) when a liquid boils at low temperature under the action of vacuum .

Vapour compression refrigeration system In 1805 , the American engineer , Oliver Evans describe a closed

cycle for producing refrigeration in continuous manner.

In 1835 , Jakob Perkins patent and builds the system describe by Oliver Evans, using ethyl ether as refrigerant in London.

Jacob Perkin's machine

Perkin's machine made by John Hague

The American engineer Alexander Twining (1801-1884) received a British patent in 1850 for a vapour compression system by use of ether, NH3

and CO2.

James Harrison obtain a patent in 1856 for a vapour compression system using ether, alcohol or ammonia

Charles Tellier of France patented in 1864, a refrigeration system using dimethyl ether.

Other landmark events

1874: Raoul Pictet design the first sulphur dioxide based system in Geneva.

1877: Carl von Linde of Germany builds the first ammonia based system

1885: Fraunz Windhausen builds the first carbon dioxide based system in Germany .

1920: Copeland and Edwards builds iso-butane based domestic refrigerators.

Domestic Refrigerators

Natural ice based domestic ice box is invented in 1803 and used for more then century.

General Electric introduces the first mechanical domestic refrigerator in 1911 in U.S.A followed by Frigidaire in 1915 and Kelvinator in 1918.

Growth in vapour compression refrigeration The rapid growth is attributed to the simultaneous development of:

1) electric motors and compressor 2) batter shaft seals 3) automatic control, and 4) introduction of CFCs in 1930s

Development of air conditioning systems 1891: Eastman Kodak installs the 1st system in New York for storage

of photographic films .

1894: 1st domestic system installed in Hamburg.

1904: Willis Carrier design a central system using air washers.

1922: Carrier develops centrifugal compressors

Vapour compression refrigeration system

Vapour absorption refrigeration system 1810: John Leslie demonstrates the basic principal using water and

H2SO4.

1860: Ferdinand Carre invents aqua-ammonia system in France.

1878: Windhausen develops water – H2SO4 system .H2SO4 is replaced by LiBr.

1922: Swedish students Platen and Munter develop pumpless absorption system.

1926: Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard patent a pumpless system.

Vapour absorption refrigeration system

Platen-Munters System

solar energy based refrigeration systems

Gas cycle refrigeration system

Dr. John Gorrie develops the 1st air cycle refrigeration system in Florida in 1844.

Steam engine driven air cycle system develops by Alexander Kirk in 1862.

Bell and Coleman carry out several design improvement .

Paul Gifford perfects the open type machine in 1875. Widely used in aircraft air conditioning .

Open type air cycle refrigeration system

Thermoelectric refrigeration system.

1821: Seebeck effct reported in Germany 1834: Peltier effect reported in France 1838: Lenz freezes a drop of water using Peltier effect with bismuth

and antimony Russian scientist Loffe pioneers semiconductor based thermoelectric

systems 1949: Russia develops thermoelectric domestic refrigerator Large capacity system are develops in USA since 1960

1821: Seebeck effct reported in Germany 1834: Peltier effect reported in France 1838: Lenz freezes a drop of water using Peltier effect with bismuth

and antimony Russian scientist Loffe pioneers semiconductor based thermoelectric

systems 1949: Russia develops thermoelectric domestic refrigerator Large capacity system are develops in USA since 1960

Semiconductor based thermoelectric refrigeration system

Vortex Tube system

French engineer Georges Ranque discovers the vortex (Ranque) effect in 1931.

In 1945, German phyisist Rudolph Hilsch explains the science behind vortex tube .

Since then mainly used in special application such as spot cooling of electric and machine part , cooling jackets etc.

Conclusions

Refrigeration system have becomes an essential part of modern life.

At present efforts are on to develops system that are:

Energy efficient Environment friendly and Affordable

Thank you