CHAPTER 14 HOUSEHOLD TECHNOLOGY Design and construction of a standard refrigerator
• Outer casing: an outer casing made of enamelled steel coated with a layer of plastic in a variety of colours. Integrated refrigerators have a door attached that matches the kitchen cabinets.
• Inner casing: an inner casing that consists of a layer of moulded polystyrene plastic.
• Insulating material: a layer of insulating material between the outer casing and inner casing keeps the fridge cold.
Outer casing (enamelled steel)
Inner casing (moulded polystyrene plastic)
Icebox Interior light
Adjustable shelves
Insulating material (inside)
• Door with rubber gasket and magnetic strip: a door with a rubber gasket and a magnetic strip that form an airtight seal when the door is closed.
Flex Vegetable drawers Door with rubber gasket and magnetic strip
It contains adjustable bottle or carton holders and cheese and egg compartments. • Interior light: an interior light that switches on when the door is open.
• Adjustable shelves: adjustable shelves made from moulded polystyrene plastic, glass or metal.
• Clear plastic vegetable drawers: clear plastic vegetable drawers are at at the base of the fridge.
• Icebox: an icebox is located at the top of the refrigerator with a one- to four-star rating.
• Thermostat: a thermostat that controls the internal temperature. Once set, it maintains a constant temperature of 3–4°C, unless changed by the dial control.
è For information on star ratings see page 315.
• Flex and three-pin plug: a flex and a three-pin plug connects to the electricity supply. Modern design features Zoned refrigeration
Bottle/carton holders
Cheese/dairy compartment
Thermostat control Egg compartment
• Not all foods benefit from being kept at the same temperature. Some refrigerators come with a multi-temperature drawer which can be set to different temperatures, e.g. –18°C to 15°C, depending on the foods being stored.
• Food stored at the correct temperature lasts longer and is less likely to spoil
Automatic defrost
• This setting regularly defrosts a refrigerator or freezer, removing built-up ice. It is controlled by a timer.
• It works by heating the evaporator with an integrated heating element for a short period of time, which melts any ice. Any resulting water drains through a duct at the back of the unit.
