In the previous post, I proposed some design principles for the construction of a better refrigerator, and suggested that an “open source design” model could be used to improve it continually through collaborative effort, and an iterative process. Being that…
Yearly Archives: 2015
Who’d Build a Refrigerator?
Tagged with: collaborative consumption, modular design, open design, open source, refrigerator
Posted in Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Posted in Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Free Fridge -or- The Collaborative Cooler
“Think free as in free speech, not free beer.” -Richard Stallman Refrigerators are not software, but they could be designed and shared freely like software. Granted, I’m talking about hardware: steel, glass, copper, insulation, etc., but why not have an…
Tagged with: butane refrigerant, natural refrigerant, open desing, open source, propane refrigerant, r290, refrigerator
Posted in Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Posted in Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Disposable Refrigerator and Something Better
The modern domestic refrigerator doesn’t use much more electricity than refrigerators from the 1940s. Admittedly, modern models have greater volume, and no need to manually defrost, but it remains to be seen just how long they will remain functional. What…
Disposable Refrigerators
I hardly know where to start, but that is why I am writing about this – to get my thoughts somewhat in line. What happened to technology? I know that is a broad question, probably too broad so I’ll narrow…
Change of Course – 3 ? 4 ?
This is at least the third or forth time I have decided to change the course of this blog, and my focused area of research. You could say I wander wherever my attention is captured. I remain interested in all…
The Power Plant -or- The Wood Fired Refrigerator
I don’t like heat pumps. Wait, let me rephrase that: I don’t like grid tied heat pumps. It’s the electricity! Heat pumps are an amazing technology which I am currently obsessed with, and I am in fact in the process…
Tagged with: biochar, diy refrigeration, gasification, gasifier, homesteading, HVAC, off grid, refrigeration, refrigerator, steam engine, thermal mass
Posted in Dehumidifiers, Dwelling, Hot Water, Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator, Tiny House, Water
Posted in Dehumidifiers, Dwelling, Hot Water, Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator, Tiny House, Water
Ejector Assembly Construction
This is a three part series on refrigeration ejectors. Part I on theory, is Ejectors in Refrigeration – an Expressor, and Part II on manufacturing techniques, Handmade Copper Ejector. There is a lot of video media, so I will jump…
Tagged with: brazing, diy refrigeration, ejector, expressor, heat pump, HVAC, hydrocarbon refrigerant, injector, jet pump, natural refrigerant, propane refrigerant, R-290, r290, refrigerant ejector, refrigerant jet pump
Posted in Refrigeration
Posted in Refrigeration
Handmade Copper Ejectors
This is part two of a three part series to get my blog up to date on my ejector research. Part I was about ejector theory: Ejectors in Refrigeration – an Expressor. Part III is about assembling and testing: Ejector…
Tagged with: brazing, copper annealing, diy refrigeration, ejector, HVAC, jet pump, refrigerant ejector, refrigerant jet pump, refrigeration, venturi
Posted in Refrigeration
Posted in Refrigeration
Ejectors in Refrigeration – an Expressor
Having developed a degree of confidence with copper brazing, and reaching the potential limits of what can be learned, I have decided to move past my original work with the Ebullator. I document my progress with that device in Refrigeration…
Tagged with: diy refrigeration, ejector, ejector refrigeration, exergy, heat pump, HVAC, injector, jet pump, refrigerant ejector, refrigerant jet pump, refrigeration, vapor compression
Posted in Refrigeration
Posted in Refrigeration
Sealing Thermocouples Into Refrigeration Lines
I thought I would provide some media to help describe my method of installing thermocouples into refrigeration lines. I’ve found in working with the Ebullator, that the temperature readings I was getting by taping thermocouple tips to the outside of…
Tagged with: diy refrigeration, epoxy, HVAC, natural refrigerant, propane refrigerant, R-290, refrigeration, temperature sensor, thermocouple, vapor compression
Posted in Refrigeration
Posted in Refrigeration
Cannibalizing the Ebullator
I’ve moved on, in regards to what I think can be learned from the first flooded evaporator system, I have been calling “The Ebullator”. Far too many limiting features were preventing me from moving on to the next step in…
Amateurish Refrigeration Research
I have a High School Diploma, and that is about the extent of my formal education. My real education comes from years of mechanic jobs, fiddling with and fixing things around the house, building things I need rather than buying…
Tagged with: dehumidifier, diy refrigeration, hc refrigerants, heat pump, organic rankine, propane refrigerant, r290, refrigeration, refrigerator
Posted in Hot Water, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Posted in Hot Water, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Refrigeration Test Bench – Part III
In Part I, I shared a lot of media relating to my efforts in building a refrigeration test bench. I intended to build the whole thing from a DIY approach, and utilize a York 210 – Belt Driven Air Conditioning…
Refrigeration Test Bench – Part II
In Part I, I summarized my efforts to build myself a testing platform for refrigeration projects. I cut that post short at about the point where I began doing some heavy brazing work. Also, the amount of media in that…
Tagged with: dry evaporator, ebullator, enthalpy, flooded evaporator, gravity flooded evaporator, propane, propane refrigerant, r290, refrigeration, saturated vapor, subcooling, superheating, vapor compression
Posted in Refrigeration
Posted in Refrigeration
Refrigeration Test Bench – Part I
This post is going to be a bit long because it will be largely media, since I’ve done no writing for the last several months and have been busy in my shop. I will let the pictures and videos do…
Refrigeration – Back at it!
Oh my; where to start? I’ve been away from the blog so long, and have so much to discuss, I fear I know not where to start. I’ve written quite a bit about refrigeration in the past, but that…
Tagged with: diy refrigerator, propane, r290, refrigeration, refrigerator, vapor compression
Posted in Dehumidifiers, Hot Water, Personal, Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
Posted in Dehumidifiers, Hot Water, Personal, Philosophy, Refrigeration, Refrigerator
The Super-Insulated Tiny House
Housing ideas come to me so fast and change with such regularity, while my writing and drawing lags behind hundreds of iterations. No bother; I will offer my latest version of a tiny house for your consideration, and for the…
Tagged with: insulation, minimalism, super-insulation, thermal mass, tiny house
Posted in The Squatch
Posted in The Squatch
Determination and Resolve
I feel a little lost lately. I’m still looking for a cause to devote myself to. It’s not like there aren’t enough options; the list of interests I have is endless, but I have little structure in my life to…
Posted in Personal
Build A Community, As If Your Life Depended On It
These are uncertain times to be sure. The human population is almost 7.3 Billion, and as of this writing, the net population growth on Earth this year is about 602,000; yet it is only January 3rd. I don’t look at…
Tagged with: "tiny house community", extinction, intentional community, minimalism, overpopulation, overshoot
Posted in Dwelling, Personal, Philosophy
Posted in Dwelling, Personal, Philosophy
musings on entropy 