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Currently, freezers/refrigerators pump heat out of the chamber and into the room.
I propose that an alternative refrigerant loop be created that routes this heat outside of the house.
This way, during the summer, the air conditioner's job is easier. Every time you open the freezer and let the
cold air out into your house, you are effectively just delegating some of your air conditioner's work over to the freezer. This way, you could open the freezer as much as you want without wasting any energy.
During the winter, the coolant loop could be rerouted back into the house to help out your heater. Additionally, the external loop could be rerouted to bring the cold air in from the outside and put it into the freezer, saving the compressor some work, and saving additional energy.
Refrigerator Cold Air Vent
Refrigerator_20Cold_20Air_20Vent
Similar idea. [phoenix, Aug 23 2008]
Power-saving Fridge
Power-saving_20Fridge
Same idea, I think. [phoenix, Aug 23 2008]
Refrigerator/Freezer heatsink
Refrigerator_2fFreezer_20heatsink
Same idea, I think. [phoenix, Aug 23 2008]
Central Compressor for all cooling
Central_20Compresso...for_20all_20cooling
Similar idea. [phoenix, Aug 23 2008]
ice energy (off peak industrially)
http://www.google.c...fQ-z5C28QWkU4Aq3ZyQ
[pashute, May 04 2010]
[link]
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Oops, this post was redundant. That makes this post redundant. |
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The post reminds us of how important energy conservation is and how easy it would be to make our homes more energy efficient. In this case, the waste heat from a refrigeration cycle could be used to heat the home, making the refrigeration cycle more efficient at the same time. |
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The heat from the refrigeration cycle could also be captured by simply incorporating a heat transfer of the condenser coil for the water input of a hot water heater. |
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I've been turning this idea over in my head for the last few years while thinking about a ground-source heat pump for heating/cooling. My train of thought was more or less as follows: |
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- In a ground source heat pump the water coming from under my garden would have a temperature of about 6-8C, after going through the heat pump it's about 2-4C on its way back underground. So why not dump the heat from a fridge or freezer into that water? |
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- If I dump it into the source, then the extra heat before the heat pump improves its efficiency. |
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- On the other hand, if I dump it into the cooler return, then I improve the efficiency of the fridge/freezer. |
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- Then I noticed something: the return temperature is 2-4C, the temperature inside a fridge should be... 2-4C. |
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- Why not have the return water cool the refridgerator directly and get rid of the compressor, heat exchangers, etc. The only cost would be a slightly larger resistance on the circulation pump. |
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- Of course, the heat from the freezer would still have to be dumped into the return. |
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- The same can be done with air conditioning: either dump the waste heat into the underground loop (slightly warming the soil and storing heat for winter), or cool the air directly by passing it through the underground water, again saving on the mechanics. |
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People talk about geothermal heating (and I've yet to understand how running a hose underground all'round the property is supposed to be more effective than simply having an underground insulated tank) but in climes which have a cold season you can do the opposite, too... during the winter run a hose through an old car radiator stuck on a pole, and cool an underground tank of salt-water... should be able to get sub-zero-C temperatures no problem...dunk the 'fridge and the A/C coils in there. (math to follow some day) |
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Alternatively for the fridge, if you don't want to drill yet another hole in the house, just put the coils under the sink countertop: dry the dishes and defrost food faster. |
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