Passive Refrigeration

This project will explore ways to use the cold temperatures during Alaska winters to lower the electrical demands of residential refrigerators and freezers. CCHRC is partnering with industry to test a prototype of a passive refrigerator/freezer. This refrigerator uses electricity only when the outdoor air temperature is too warm to sustain refrigerator temperatures. The unit is set up in CCHRC’s Product Testing Lab and monitored for interior temperature and energy consumption. CCHRC will also work with industry partners to determine if it is possible to retrofit an existing refrigerator to use the cold outdoor air temperatures in the winter time.