Fridge Keeps Cool Without Power

screen shot via YouTube/Sure Chill

Sure Chill, a UK-based firm, has developed refrigerator cooling technology. It can keep a refrigerator cold for up to twelve days by maintaining a steady temperature without the need of a constant power source.

Vaccines are an essential part of healthcare in many developing countries. However, many vaccines require refrigeration and keeping those vaccines cool where there is little or no electricity is difficult. Thanks to the invention of the vaccine fridge utilizing Sure Chill’s technology, delivering vaccines throughout the world just got a lot easier.

No, it doesn’t work on magic, but a quite simple principal.

The refrigeration compartment is completely surrounded by water. It works by freezing the water above the compartment when there is power, which then cools the water below to four degrees. When the refrigeration unit looses power, the warm water rises as the ice starts to melt. The mixing of the warm and cool water maintains a constant four-degree temperature to keep the contents cool.

The refrigerator forgoes using batteries because they wear out quickly in warm climates and can be unreliable.

It is not much different from ice cubes in a drink during a warm day.

Currently, the technology is being used to deliver vaccines and medicines to rural areas in developing nations and is in use in forty countries. UNICEF has used this refrigeration unit earlier this year to deliver drugs to the Philippines.

This technology could find its way into hospitals and pharmacies around the world to preserve vaccines and other medicines in the event of a power outage or other disaster.

Sure Chill has built about 1,500 refrigerators so far in its factory in Wales. Sure Chill signed a deal with Indian company Godrej Appliances to produce medical refrigerators. It has also developed working prototypes of commercial beverage chillers and home kitchen refrigerators.