Underground refrigerated storage room
This article describes how to make a underground (temperature-controlled), refrigerated storage room.
Principle
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This storage room is based on natural principles (thermics); it draws on the principle that hot air rises (it will not enter lower-lying areas as easily). In addition, the room uses proven, low-cost equipment. The pipes (1) shown on the drawing are hollow pipes made from a heat-conducting metal (e.g. aluminium or composite). Fans are added to the entrance of the pipes or directed at it to conduct the heat in the room away via the pipes. The fans are to be controlled by a computerised system to allow precise cooling (at a certain amount of degrees). Finally, the ground is to be equipped with a heat-conducting grille (again in a metal), the grille allows the temperature to be evenly distributed in the room (so the sides do not become colder than the interior. This grille together with the computerised fan-system would also allow the system to be patented.
The system is proven to work due to the fact that similar, natural (above-ground) systems exist and are in use in the developing world. For example in Mali, in certain mosques a similar system is implemented to chill rooms. This may be seen in the documentary 'Around the world in 80 treasures' and 'Micheal Palin's Sahara' (note the chimneys with pots on top). In addition, heat pumps and peltier coolers work at a similar fashion (without the added thermics-advantage).
Benefits
editThe system may drastically reduce the cost of refrigeration (as the thermic effect + heat would decrease power requirements. As such, it may allow people (e.g. in the developing world) to afford a means of refrigerating food. Although less convenient than a refrigerator (getting the food is more of a nuisance), in the developing world, getting by is more of the essence. As such, they will appreciate the many advantages instead (longer storage life for their foodstuffs, healthier food (less degraded), sometimes no longer a need for other food preservation techniques (e.g. pickling, drying, smoking, ...)
Secondly, the system is entirely environmentally-friendly. Although new refrigerators are said to be this as well, this is actually untrue. This because the substances used as cooling liquid are still highly toxic, and environmentally damaging (damaging the ozone-layer at least to some degree, although less than before the Montreal-accords) and biological diversity/life (water/air pollution, toxicity, ...).
Thirdly, the system may be set-up totally self-sufficiently (when the fans are powered by a local wind turbine, PV solar panel or other microgeneration-plant).
Users
editThe system may be sold especially in the developing world (in subtropical and tropical climates). Given the increased interest in humanitarian relief (the 2015 Millennium Goals are now fully being targeted by organisations worldwide), there should be no problem in finding customers. The organisations may use this storage room within ethnic communities and villages in developing parts of the world. A good place to start are the 'Millennium Villages', being undertaken by the UN and which incorporate a high number of potential customers/organisations.
Other possible buyers are environmentalists (especially those living in confined communities) and people appreciating the self-sufficiency part of the system (survivalist-communities, ...)
Links
edit- Millennium Villages
- Documentary showing the the use of similar systems in real life