Posted: February 21st, 2023

The History Of The Refrigerator

Before refrigerators were produced, people were forced to cool their food with ice, snow, or nearby rivers and springs. Most people also had to can, salt, and pickle their food to preserve their meals. During these times, inventors were working towards the creation of the refrigerator.
In 1758, Benjamin Franklin experimented with the effects of evaporation on temperature. With the help from chemist John Hadley, both men were able to find a way to drop thermometers temperature below freezing. Franklin and Hadley’s work was soon picked up by the American inventor, Oliver Evans.
Using principles drew up by Franklin; Evans drew the design for a refrigerator in 1805. Jacob Perkins modified Evan’s design and built the first practical refrigerating machine in 1834. Soon after, John Gorrie used Evan’s design to build a refrigerator to make ice to cool the air for his yellow fever patients in 1844.

Over 30 years later German engineer Carl Von Linde discovered the process of liquefying gas which is part of basic refrigeration technology. From the 1800s until the 1920s, refrigerators used toxic gases as refrigerants. With research developed, corporations discovered a less dangerous refrigerant called Freon. Freon soon became the standard for almost all home kitchens. Carl Von Linde was born in 1842 and was the son of a Lutheran minister.
He studied science and engineering at the Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, Switzerland. His research led to the development of the first compressed-ammonia refrigerator. In 1917, Linde formed the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation.
On January 1, 1913, the first electric refrigerator in the United States was invented by Fred W. Wolf. The refrigerator was an air-cooled refrigeration unit mounted on top of an ice box and was called the Domelre. Exactly two years after the Domelre was created, the first self-container refrigerator was built by the Guardian Refrigerator Company.
The company struggled and produced less than 40 appliances in two years. The company was purchased by General Motors and the business was renamed Frigidaire. In 1918, the first Frigidaire refrigerator was produced. There were more than 200 different refrigerators on the market by 1920. Ice cream cabinets were added to models in 1923, soda fountain equipment in 1924, and water and milk coolers in 1927.
One million refrigerators were produced by 1929. In 1947, GE was the first company to introduce the two-door refrigerator-freezer combination. By 2005, 99.5 percent of homes had refrigerators. The refrigerator has changed the world in many ways. We are now able to preserve our Foods such as fruits and vegetables for longer periods of time and beverages are now able to be kept cool. Without refrigeration, medicines and vaccinations would not have been able to be developed. Refrigeration is also used for air conditioning in homes, public places and large warehouses.
Even those beautiful Valentine’s Day roses would not be able to be delivered without refrigeration. Just imagine school without air conditioning, everyone would smell horrible from sweating all day. Everyone’s favorite ice creams would not have been created without the freezer. Long car rides would be dreadful without an air conditioner.
Refrigerators use refrigerants to carry heat away from the inside of the fridge. This is done by injecting the refrigerants into a tube inside the refrigerator in liquid form and it slowly begins to vaporize. Taking heat away makes the temperature cooler. When the liquid is done vaporizing, it travels to a coil on the outside of the fridge where it releases heat and becomes a liquid again. The process starts over again.
After researching the history of the refrigerator, I have learned how much it has impacted the world and how much people take it for granted. I would have never been able to enjoy my favorite ice creams or drinks if it was not for the refrigerator. I would not be able to preserve my favorite foods or keep my fruits and veggies fresh.
My favorite Eleven slushies would not even exist. Some people do not take the time to realize the importance of the refrigerator and how much of a difference it has made in America.

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