[Greenbuilding] Refrigerator cabinet?

[Speireag Alden]

On 2007, Dec 12, at 23:29, Bob Korves wrote:

> Wouldn't it be much easier to simply build the refrigerator into  
> the north
> (polar facing) wall and then use movable insulation to open the  
> outside
> (north) wall of the refrigerator to the cold when the weather is  
> suitable?
> It would save 80 feet of copper tubing and 50 feet of aluminum heat
> exchanger.

     Probably, but I don't have a north wall.  My house is earth- 
bermed on that side.  So, to get access to the cold air, I'll have  
four-inch insulated pipes up through the peak of the roof, and let a  
natural thermosiphon happen in the winter.  That's what I meant by my  
system being simpler, because it just lets air do its thing.

     (I say "my" system, but I got the idea from Laren Corie, so  
credit where credit is due.  I've been tweaking it since then.)

     Also, incoming well water for all household uses is going to be  
routed around the outside of the insulation, through some thermal  
mass.  This will help (a) raise the temperature of the incoming  
water, so I spend less energy heating it, and (b) keep the delta-T  
from inside of the fridge (except through the door) to about 20°F,  
even in the summer.

-Speireag.