Einstein–Szilard refrigerator

E95710

The Einstein–Szilard refrigerator is an early 20th-century absorption refrigerator design that uses no moving parts and was created to provide a safer, more reliable alternative to conventional refrigerators that relied on toxic gases.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf absorption refrigerator
invention
refrigeration technology
commercialSuccess limited
coolingMethod evaporation of butane at low pressure
countryOfOrigin Germany
designedToAddress dangers of toxic refrigerant gases
safety concerns of early mechanical refrigerators
developmentMotivation reported fatal accident from leaking refrigerator gas
fieldOfUse domestic refrigeration
hasAdvantage no mechanical wear in the cooling circuit
hasComponent absorber
condenser
evaporator
generator
heat exchanger
hasDisadvantage higher manufacturing complexity
lower efficiency than compressor-based refrigerators
hasNameOrigin named after Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd
hasPatent DE499830
GB282428
US1781541 NERFINISHED
historicalPeriod early 20th century
inception 1926
influenced later research on safe refrigerants
inventor Albert Einstein NERFINISHED
Leó Szilárd NERFINISHED
keyFeature designed for increased safety
hermetically sealed system
no moving parts in the cooling circuit
reduced risk of gas leakage
notableFor collaboration between a physicist and an engineer
early attempt at safer domestic refrigeration
operatingPrinciple absorption refrigeration cycle
patentDate 1927
powerSource electric heater
gas flame
heat
refrigerantType non-mechanical absorption system
relatedTo Einstein–Szilárd collaboration NERFINISHED
absorption refrigerator
replacedBy more efficient mechanical compressor refrigerators
safetyRationale avoid use of methyl formate
avoid use of toxic sulfur dioxide
status historical prototype
usesGasLift ammonia vapor to circulate butane
usesWorkingFluid ammonia
butane
water

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Leo Szilard coInvented Einstein–Szilard refrigerator
Leo Szilard knownFor Einstein–Szilard refrigerator