Refrigeration-Ellen+Park

Refrigeration Ellen Park



Carl von Linde created the first successful compression refrigerator in 1873 in Germany. The invention used the properties of gasses specifically how the temperature changes due to the compression or expansion of the gas. Compression of the gas creates heat, and expansion of the gas creates the opposite effect. In Linde’s invention a liquid that changed its state to gas at low temperatures is circulated through a two-chambered system. In the first chamber, a compound that changes from a liquid to gaseous state at a low temperature is passed through serpentine-tubes. The compound, in its gaseous form, is then flowed into a compressor. The high pressure created by the compressor then changes the compound back to its liquid state while also creating heat. The compound then flows back to the first chamber, again, cools as a result of lower pressure, and repeats the circulation process. Linde chose ammonia as the compound most well suited for the compression system because it is gaseous at room temperature. However because of ammonia’s very low boiling point, the pressure created through compression allowed for the creation of such low temperatures that ice could now be artificially created. Linde, as a result, result started his own ice company. His invention not only improved his life as he began to make more money, but it also improved the life of others. The invention allowed for foods like meat and milk to be kept cool constantly and improving everyone’s overall health. Germany recognized the health benefits of refrigeration and created a law that required all slaughterhouses to have a refrigerated room to store meat. The creation of this law ties into the building of nation states because the law is applicable to all those belonging to the state of Germany.

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Bibliography Mwiemeikel2. “96 Carl von Linde and Refrigeration.” YouTube. Last modified July 4, 2012. []