Freezer - the Wonderful Refrigerating Machine

A fridge or refrigerator is a cooling appliance that transfers heat from its inside to the surroundings. The process helps the machine keep its temperature at an optimum level. These machines are extensively used by households to prevent spoilage of their food items by bacteria. A refrigerator keeps its temperature a little above the freezing point of water. The kitchen appliances are relatively new invention. It has replaced the traditional icebox which was widely used about a century ago.

A cooling appliance that keeps its temperature below the freezing point of water is called a freezer. The appliance keeps its contents frozen. The machine usually maintains a temperature of about 0 °F or -18 °C. Domestic refrigerators contain a separate compartment for freezing purposes. This separate unit may share the mechanism of the main appliance, or it may be a stand alone unit with its own colling mechanism. Earlier models of these cooling machines were operated on toxic ammonia gas systems that made them unsuitable for domestic use. Most current freezing machines use freon gas for refrigeration purposes.

Fridge freezer are generally free standing and are meant for domestic use. It is basically a heat pump that runs a multi phase refrigeration cycle to achieve the desired level of cooling. In the cycle's compression phase, a refrigerant like freon enters into the machine's compressor in avapour form. Thereafter, the superheated vapour is exited by the compressor. As the vapour travels through the condenser of the machine, it loses its heat and is condensed into liquid form. This cold liquid is completely vaporised as it passes through the coils of machine's evaporator. The vapour extracts heat from the surrounding air whiletravelling through the coils. The process results in the overall cooling of the food compartment.

Modern compact freezers come with many advanced features like automatic defrosting, a status indicator and power failure warning. A thick layer of ice is usually built up in the machine that reduces its cooling power. Therefore, modern refrigerators are equipped with a frost free mechanism. These machines have a thermostat and a heater fitted around their cooling coils. The machine turns off cooling for a period of 6 to 24 hours and simultaneously turns on the heater. It keeps its heater on until the temperature around its coils reaches slightly above the freezing point of water. This results in melting down of any snow that may have accumulated around its coils. The melted snow falls down in water form. The machine then resumes its normal cooling operation.

Refrigerants need to be replaced periodically. As a freezing machine runs, its coolant may evaporate slowly and slowly. This decreases the efficiency of the machine and may ultimately make it unusable. Many high quality refrigerants are available in the markets that may be used by individuals for domestic purposes. One such refrigerant is theArtic Freezer. The refrigerant is formulated with advanced QwikBoost chemistry. Its manufacturer says that it takes 50 percent less time in cooling than other conventional coolants. The product comes fitted with a built in gauge that makes its filling much easier.

Many manufacturers like Bosh and Kelvinator have rolled out newer and more sophisticated fridges into the markets. The Bosh Fridge Freezer consists of 4 compartments that are maintained at varying temperatures. Each compartment is suited to keep different types of food items like fruits, vegetables and meat. The machine usually operates between -24 to +8 degreeCelsius temperatures.

Freezers have allowed households to purchase, store and preserve food items in a fresh state for long durations. The households can purchase food items in bulk without worrying for their spoilage. A bulk purchase also saves money to consumers. These refrigerating machines have given new dimensions to human eating options. For example, in earlier days, one had to travel long distances to eat ice cream as it was only available at the site of its production. It was not possible to transport them in frozen state to different locations. This food item has now become ubiquitous and is commonly available everywhere. One can get ice on demand now a days. One can also store food packets in their refrigerators for picnic or later use. These machines have changed eating habits of humans in a variety of ways.