If you were to ask anyone on Appledore Island, what they love best, the food would probably be at the top of the list! But far less thought about is the walk-in fridge and freezer that make these fantastic meals possible! Not to mention, when most people think about sustainability, a fridge is far from their mind... but perhaps it shouldn't be! Today, it is much easier to make your appliances more energy efficient, and there are even many small steps one can take to reduce energy costs. This is why Gabby and Tak, two of our 2018 Sustainable Engineering Interns, ventured into the cold... where they found some chilling findings!
One Old Fridge, Two New Interns
The refrigerator at Shoals Marine Lab (SML) is over 40 years old. Most walk-in fridge and freezers have an estimated lifespan of roughly 15 years. Of course, this can be extended if the appliance is properly maintained... but, our 40-year-old walk-in is currently at almost triple its lifespan. So, how is it holding up? Unfortunately, not too well...
Tak and Gabby recently spent time investigating the fridge and freezer with mentors, Justin Ulrich (of Unitil) and Ross Hansen (of SML), and noticed many issues right away. The compressors are old and dirty. The rubber seal, or gasket, had many holes in it, which allows cold air to seep out, ultimately making the system work harder to keep the unit at the ideal temperature. The insulation is only 3/4 inch thick, whereas by today's standards, many manufacturers are recommending that insulation be around 4 inches thick! Insulation is key to maximizing your energy efficiency as it will keep things cool and prevent your refrigeration system from overworking itself. When you do not have good insulation, heat can flow in and cold air can seep out, forcing your system to use more energy to cool your food.
The temperature of a fridge and freezer are also important in improving efficiency! Refrigerators are recommended to be kept at 36-38°F while freezers should be around 0-5°F to operate at their maximum efficiency. The Appledore walk-in fridge is within this range, however, the freezer is currently at 10°F which is over the recommended temperature range for optimal efficiency. Other findings include the use of incandescent bulbs which are not as energy efficient as LED's, and that one of the evaporators, that circulates cool air throughout the refrigeration unit, is not working and requires lubricant.
While it may seem like the interns uncovered a lot of problems with our walk-in fridge system, these findings illustrate why this internship is so important.
Even something as small as a fridge, on our island, or even in your own home, can be cutting back your efficiency. Thus, it is important to take a look at these appliances that play a larger role in our lives than we often think! These problems would have taken even longer to discover had the Sustainable Engineering Interns not looked into them. Now, they have an idea of how this system can be improved, to further advance SML's mission to increase energy efficiency and be more sustainable.
Refurbish or Replace?
To refurbish or to replace? That is the question.
Just because a fridge has some issues doesn't mean you have to give it the cold shoulder! Many refrigeration units have issues that can be easily resolved to make them operate more efficiently, but for some, it may be easier to get a new system than to individually fix or replace multiple elements of a unit.
What do Tak and Gabby think? They recommend that the current refrigeration system ultimately be replaced with a newer unit with the addition of a KE2 Evaporator Efficiency device. This smart device would be applied to the existing unit, and although pricey, will increase efficiency by optimizing system components, like those listed below:
The team feels that getting a newer unit may reduce the energy needs of the refrigeration system, which is currently at 13% of the entire island electrical load. So, by changing out the fridge – just one appliance! – Gabby and Tak believe that the entire island could experience some energy savings, which are needed for other energy-intensive equipment on Appledore.
Stay Sustainable!
Energy efficiency doesn't start and stop with solar panels and wind turbines! Everyone has the opportunity to be sustainable when it comes to their fridge and freezer. There are many small things you can do every now and then to improve your fridge's efficiency! Here are some tips:
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