Refrigerators

Introduction

The history of refrigeration is known to have been introduced in the mid 1750s. The methods and techniques of developing a refrigerator were not done until the early 1800s. Mechanisms were just starting to roll out during that point of time and due to lack of advanced mechanisms the first ever working refrigerator rolled out in the market not until 1834. 

Along with time as refrigerators evolved from a simple machine to an advanced one the components of refrigerator also evolved, therefore, upbringing enhancements in working of the refrigerator.With such advancements in technology and mechanisms ,refrigerators now are being called ‘Smart Refrigerators’ in the market today. 

Body

• The History of Refrigeration

Refrigerators, also known as ‘fridge’ is a home appliance where things (especially grocery items) are stored to keep them fresh for a longer period. The now called ‘smart technology’ was introduced with a simple mechanism back in the 1800s by a Scottish scientist named William Cullen. 

William Cullen experimented how heating of liquid to a gas showed results of a cooling effect. This principle is the principle that still applies today. Sadly, William Cullen’s theory was never practiced but it had created an impact on many people to realize his idea. 

During the time of the early 1800s when Americans were beginning to move into the cities the need for refrigerators were eventually growing day by day. The history of refrigeration also brought several innovative ideas along with it. For example, in the year 1802, an American businessman named Thomas Moore created an icebox to keep dairy products cool. 

By the year 1830, the demand for refrigerators grew as demand for fresh food was also growing. However, the first working vapor-compression refrigeration system was not invented until 1834 by Jacob Perkins. 

Currently, the design, the components of refrigerator, and the working of the refrigerator have changed to eco-friendly mode. There is still a lot of research and development being conducted to provide comfortable home appliances to the common people. 

• Inside a Refrigerator

The fundamental work/function of a refrigerator is to keep food cold so that it stays fresh for a longer period. The components of refrigerator is what makes such things possible and provides a significant amount of benefit to the common people. It is because of the refrigerator and the working of the refrigerator that slows down the activity of bacteria and prevents the food from spoiling.

The modern refrigerators that are being sold in the market consist of a metal sheet in the outer casing and the inner casing is made of polystyrene. All in all, a refrigerator functions with the help of four main components. The components of refrigerator include the compressor, the condenser, the expansion device, and the evaporator. 

The working of the refrigerator evolved a lot since its invention. Some refrigeration boxes that were made out of wooden boxes lined with tin or zinc. But, now all these things are almost rare to find because of the advancements in technology and innovation. 

The history of refrigeration brought a principle of cooling that is the only primary thing that exists till date. The compressor is the very first step in the refrigeration cycle. The compressor is nothing but a piece of equipment that is responsible for increasing the pressure of the working gas. 

The work of compressors is not limited to a single one because there are three types of compressors and they are reciprocating compressors, scroll compressors, and rotary compressors. The condenser, on the other hand, is the next process of the refrigeration process. 

The condenser is located at the back of a refrigerator to remove heat supplied by evaporator, inside the refrigerant cools down and condenses. The evaporator, on the other hand, is also located inside a refrigerator and is responsible for keeping things inside the refrigerator cold. All these four components contribute to the working of the refrigerator.  

• Refrigerators In The Market

The first company to mass-produce refrigerators was the Frigidaire Company. It was in the year 1918, when the company was started by William Durant. It was the only company during that point of time that introduced the first refrigerator with any type of automatic control. 

As time went by several companies entered into the market and became a massive business. In a country like India, it was Godrej & Boyce that manufactured the first Indian refrigerator in 1958. Currently, as per some reports there are more than 23 refrigerator and freezer manufacturers in the USA alone. 

The history of refrigeration gave rise to several companies to manufacture refrigerators with the latest working of the refrigerator. Companies made sure to deliver an ideal home appliance to the common people so that people could store food and grocery items for a longer period. 

Innovation in the refrigerator and freezer industry is booming and with the help of research and development refrigerator manufacturers might be able to design a refrigerator with ‘Zero-Energy Bio Refrigerator’ concept using a cooling gel that will cool the food stored inside. 

There might also be a possibility that the components of refrigerator can be changed. With the possibility to change the method and technique of cooling sooner or later people could expect a brand new way of storing grocery and food items. 

The future of refrigerators in the market will quadruple in size. In simple words, this means more cooling and therefore leading to more warming not just because of power consumption but other dangerous effects like contributing to the greenhouse effect. 

However, chances are possible for refrigerators to become eco-friendly and not being a reason to contribute to global warming. Several experts and professionals are at work to make things like that possible in the near future. With refrigerators evolving at such a rapid rate the history of refrigeration will see a new change in the upcoming years. 

Conclusion

The history of refrigerators was quite fascinating because it became worth the idea of what it has become today. We can’t imagine a world without a refrigerator because it has become a daily need in our lives. Similarly, the components of refrigerator and working of the refrigerator has also changed with time and has become much easier for people to use. 

With evolving artificial intelligence and innovation in the technology sector home appliances like refrigerators will prove to be multifunctional. Therefore, there is still no saying that the future generations will face problems like global warming and other such environmental-related issues with evolving technology.