Effect of new priorities and new materials on residential refrigerator design.

摘要

Increasing energy-efficiency requirements, combined with environmental considerations, have resulted in designs for domestic refrigerators that incorporate new thermal insulating materials. The first series of tests of these materials have been sufficiently promising that incorporation of vacuum insulations if likely within the next several years. Initial designs will probably use a combination of vacuum insulations and foam; in future designs, major parts consolidation will be possible using structural and other characteristics of the new panel assemblies. Given optimization of the refrigerator thermal envelope according to life-cycle costs, energy use by refrigerators could be greatly reduced; refrigerators could lose their significance as a major component in residential energy-use. Possible forms in which these new materials will be used are discussed, including alternatives for composite assembly and requirements for reliability and durability.