Cool by Nature
By Aislinn Dressler
Senior Category (Grades 11-12)
Innovation | Energy and Natural Resources, Engineering and Computer Science
Cool by Nature is a more efficient freezer and fridge system that utilizes outside air, and not the cooling system, when the weather is cold enough. This saves both energy and money, therefore benefiting both the environment and people’s wallets.
To cool the freezer there is a pipe that connects the inside of the freezer to the outside of the home. Within the pipe a circuit system uses two bimetallic strips to control the flow of air. When the temperature outside is too warm, above -2, the fridge uses the regular coil system to cool itself. However, when the temperature outside is below -2 the cooling system is shut off and the inside of the freezer is cooled through air from the outside.
It is estimated that currently it costs $300.00 per year per fridge in British Columbia. This cost is increased for many people as fridge and freezers are often improperly set up. This innovation would save an average of $100.00 per year per fridge in BC as the majority of homes experience around 110 days of temperatures below -2. In colder environments this innovation would save even more money. In addition, while much of BC’s energy is clean energy, the savings in energy would also benefit the environment.
