Propane Refrigerator - How it Works

A propane refrigerator, also known as the absorption refrigerator, is a closed system refrigerator which uses propane burner, instead of the electrically powered pump which is commonly used in standard electrical refrigerators. Propane gas refrigerators are technically portable and available in various sizes. In fact, RV propane refrigerator is quite popular among outdoor enthusiasts. More importantly, they are environment friendly and hence should be preferred over their electrical counterparts.

Propane Refrigerator Parts

The process of cooling in propane gas refrigerator is not at all complicated, if you know the basics of propane gas and application of heat. Ammonia is used as a coolant in these refrigerators. A continuous ammonia refrigeration cycle is created by using water, ammonia and hydrogen gas. In order to execute the process the propane refrigerators are armed with five main parts.

• Generator
• Separator
• Condenser
• Evaporator
• Absorber

These parts are common to all propane refrigerators/freezer systems.

How do Propane Refrigerators Work?

A propane burner connected below the generator heats the generator containing water and ammonia. Due to the heat, the temperature of the solution rises, and eventually reaches the boiling point of ammonia. The boiling solution is carried to the separator by a pipe, wherein water and ammonia are separated owing to the difference in their molecular weight. At this juncture, ammonia becomes gas and rises upwards, and goes to the condenser. On the other hand, the water goes to the absorber, where it is stored for later use. An expansive component made of metal coils and fins, the condenser facilitates dissipation of ammonia's heat and condenses it back to its liquid form.

The ammonia is then transferred to the evaporator. Here it mixes with compressed hydrogen gas and evaporates to become freezing vapor inside the refrigerator. Meanwhile, the generator continuously creates pressure, which pumps the vapor through the cooling coils within the refrigerator. As the vapor travels through the coils, it reaches the absorber, where it again runs into water. A chemical reaction, which follows, combines ammonia with water and the solution is sent back to the generator, while hydrogen gas is sent to the evaporator. The whole cycle is continuously repeated again and again.

Propane Refrigerator Efficiency

Benefits of these refrigerators exist in plenty. They don't require frequent cleaning; cleaning the burner area and flue tube twice in a year is more than enough - unless you really make it a dumping ground! Even a used propane refrigerator will require less maintenance than its electrical counterpart. There is no compressor unit, which would go bad and make u spend a fortune on repair. No batteries to charge, and hence conservation of electricity. Most importantly, environment friendly propane refrigerators don't trap heat in the atmosphere like their conventional counterparts.

Owing to all the advantages of propane refrigeration, the major players in the global market are promoting them today. All these advantages also hint at the fact that very soon propane refrigerants will replace Freon and other conventional refrigerants, which are dominating the market share at present, and at the same time contributing to the greenhouse effect.