Anyone used, constructed, or played with a solar ammonia fridge? I've been reading up on them and they seem like an interesting setup. Unfortunately I don't have room for one, otherwise I might be halfway built already.:giggle:
Information is readily available by googling "solar ammonia refrigeration" but the basis of the system is the ammonia evaporation cycle. Using a combination of ammonia and calcium chloride as a refrigerant, along with the day/night cycle to power it, you can generate ice. During the day, gas pressure in the system increases causing a portion of the refrigerant to turn to liquid and pool in a collection vessel inside of an insulated box. At night, as the system cools and pressure drops the refrigerant evaporates pulling heat with it causing the inside of the insulated box to freeze. Ideally, you put bagged water in the box every afternoon and pull out ice every morning.
I think, in theory, with moving water you may be able to speed that cycle up on a hot sunny day by alternately exposing the "hot" side to the solar reflector or running water over it. With PSI and temperature gauges you would be able to determine when each half of the cycle was complete. Given an 8' prototype made 10 pounds of ice per cycle that would provide a good way to easily keep a cooler/refrigerator box at temps low enough to vastly extend food life without power (remote cabin). Just pull the ice every morning and toss it in the cooler before you go wheeling!
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