Refrigerator Air Circulation and Humidity

Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

 

The refrigerator relies on forced air to transfer heat. Fans inside the appliance move air around. The faster the air flows, the more quickly the heat is removed. For this reason, you don't want to do anything to block the airflow. There are three basic types of forced-air systems in refrigerators. In ceiling-type refrigeration,

a single fan is mounted on the ceiling of the appliance. This is adequate for small-volume interiors but is not used in larger refrigerators. Because it only has a single location, it might allow for hot spots in the corners of the interior cabinet. Back-wall or mullion-type refrigeration, the airflow system takes in air above the top shelf and discharges it below the bottom shelf.

Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

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Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

The duct-type refrigeration system is a combination of thefirst two types. Here, the forced-air unit is located at or above ceiling level, and the air is circulated through a series of small air vented reflex ducts.†sounds to various spots on the back wall of the cabinet. Just how important is air circulation? Well, the difference between safe and unsafe raw foods can be as little as five to seven degrees Fahrenheit. Seafood, poultry, red meats or will spoil within 18 to 24 hours if their refrigerated temperature rises above 45 degrees to 42
Fahrenheit, and you already know the HACCP guideline of temperatures no higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Would you rather risk a lawsuit and the resulting negative publicity from food-poisoning allegations, or keep your refrigerator air circulating properly?

Humidity is the amount of moisture (water vapor)in the air. At different temperatures, air can hold different amounts of water. In refrigeration, the type of humidity we are interested in is the relative humidity, or how much of its maximum water holding capacity-the air contains at any given time, expressed as a percentage. For example, 85 percent humidity indicates that the air is holding 85 percent as much water as it could hold at that temperature. Relative humidity greatly affects the appearance and rate of deterioration of many foods. If the air surrounding the stored foods has a very low relative humidity, for instance, the air naturally picks up moisture from the foods themselves, causing surface discoloration, cracking, and drying.

If the air has a relative humidity high, some of the moisture will condense on food thatis supposed to be kept dry, causing it to soften or grow mold or bacteria. Fortunately, most foods do well in a relative humidity of 80 to 85 percent. To achieve this optimum level, manufacturers are concerned that the refrigerator's evaporator coils be large enough to operate at a temperature a few degrees lower than the desired temperature of the appliance. This differential reduces the amount of moisture that accumulates on the evaporator coils and keeps the moisture in the cabinet of the refrigerator instead. If the coils ' temperatures becomes too low, however, the moisture will turn to ice crystals and get stuck on
the coils.

In this case, airflow through the system is blocked and the moisture in the refrigerated space is business. As you can see, getting all the factorsright is a delicate balance, with your food costs and food quality at stake. In short, it is difficult to keep frost off the coils but necessary to keep them frost-free so they will operate properly. Adding heat to the area to defrost the coils, can compromise the temperature of the food inside. A fairly new concept from Hussman Modular Defrost of Bridgeton, Missouri does just what its name indicates: defrosts the coils in sections. The automated system defrosts coils at no more than nine minutes, and never for section defrosts adjacent sections at the same time, all programmed by an electronic controller capable of running up to six walk-ins.

The idea works for walk-in and reach-in refrigerators freezersbut not. It maintains food quality and saves energy by keeping thecompressors from working overtime to compensate for frozen coils. Another suggestion for humidity control inside refrigerated space was pioneered refractive by Humitech International Group, Inc. of Dallas, Texas. Humitech uses a mineral product called sorbite to absorb moisture and odors.

We mentioned most foods do well at 80 to 85 percent relative humidity, but fresh fruits and vegetables are exceptions. They require more humidity up to 95 percent. To increase moisture content, you can slow down the air circulation. This explains why there are separate, closed produces bins in most refrigerators to hold in natural moisture from the vegetables and to restrict airflow.

Refrigerator's Air Circulation and Humidity

 

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Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

When buying a new machine, get the most energy efficient you can afford, but remember:

Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

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Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

(a) for most people, time taken by washing is not an issue. Modern machines compensate for small amounts of water (and thus less energy is used to heat this) by having longer wash times. You will pay considerably more for one with short wash times

(b) high spin speeds are only important if you do most of your final drying by tumble dryer. If you do most of your drying outside on a line, high spin speeds are less important

(c) get a machine with a high load capacity only if you are going to utilize it. If, most of the time when using the machine, you do not use the maximum amount of load, what is the point in paying extra for this?

When using the machine:
Always leave the door slightly open when not in use, because closing it causes premature deterioration of the door rubber by allowing this to stick to the glass door causing a bit of the rubber to deteriorate every time it is opened. It also allows the machine to air and dry out.
If you are very fussy, dry the rubber door gasket after each use and coat it with talcum powder.
Always use automatic, low foaming detergents,
Clean the soap drawer periodically (even if you don't use it for detergent). You would be surprised how much 'gunge' there is in water.
Never allow the machine, or its associated hoses, standpipes etc. to become frozen - this could cause expensive leaks. Get all leaks attended to straight away to avoid expensive repairs.
Empty all pockets, turn jeans inside out, check there are no coins, credit cards, etc. in the machine.
Small items such as socks, handkerchiefs, children's clothes, etc. can be dragged between inner and outer drum and cause a blockage. Such items should be put in a pillow case or mesh bag sold for this purpose.
If the machine is fitted with a filter, make sure it is kept clean. Those with traps underneath can also be cleared by a competent DIY person. Failure to empty - the most common fault - is usually caused by a blockage, which is often cleared by cleaning the filter or trap.
In hard water areas, it is advisable to use a proprietary cleaner every few washes, to prevent limescale building up. Follow the manufacturers' instructions. In soft water areas, the use of these can be less frequent.
Use the lowest temperature which gives suitable washing results, but every few months do a 60 degree wash if you never normally do one.
Do not use thick liquid detergents - in my opinion these ruin the machine. Also undiluted soft rinse is not good for the machine. I prefer powder detergent, or thin liquids you put in the drum.
Most people use far too much detergent. Use just enough so that you can see a small amount of lather during the wash cycle.

Washing Machines - How to Get the Best From Them

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