The first practical refrigeration device was built by American Jacob Perkins, who was working in England at the time. It was based partly on undeveloped ideas that Oliver Evans wrote of in the early 1800s.

The device was patented on 14 August 1834 as “Apparatus and means for producing ice, cooling fluids”.

Fundamentally, it was remarkably similar to a modern refrigerator: a volatile fluid in a closed circuit of a compressor, a condenser, a throttle, and an evaporator. The fluid used was ether. It had been known for at least a century before this that the evaporation of volatile fluids had a cooling effect: the trick was getting this to work in a sustained cycle.

The model that Perkins built used a hand-driven piston.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Perkins

A quite interesting individual. I hadn’t heard of him before, or if I had, I’d forgotten.

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

Rule 303 said:

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

I think their working fluid was ammonia.

Rule 303 said:

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

The Mr Fosters of Fosters beer fame was an American who landed in Australia hoping to sell refrigeration equipment. Not finding any buyers for it initially, he set up a brewery making the new-fangled lager style beer. That business took off and he sold the brewery a few years later and returned to his native land a rich man.

party_pants said:

Rule 303 said:

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

The Mr Fosters of Fosters beer fame was an American who landed in Australia hoping to sell refrigeration equipment. Not finding any buyers for it initially, he set up a brewery making the new-fangled lager style beer. That business took off and he sold the brewery a few years later and returned to his native land a rich man.

no wonder it tastes like shite…

Bogsnorkler said:

party_pants said:

Rule 303 said:

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

The Mr Fosters of Fosters beer fame was an American who landed in Australia hoping to sell refrigeration equipment. Not finding any buyers for it initially, he set up a brewery making the new-fangled lager style beer. That business took off and he sold the brewery a few years later and returned to his native land a rich man.

no wonder it tastes like shite…

Is there something else you could compare it to as I’ve never had shite?

Bogsnorkler said:

party_pants said:

Rule 303 said:

The Vestey family (of Wave Hill fame) invested heavily to develop the first refrigeration in ships and cool stores, which allowed them to slaughter in the country of origin and ship frozen carcasses.

You’re welcome.

The Mr Fosters of Fosters beer fame was an American who landed in Australia hoping to sell refrigeration equipment. Not finding any buyers for it initially, he set up a brewery making the new-fangled lager style beer. That business took off and he sold the brewery a few years later and returned to his native land a rich man.

no wonder it tastes like shite…

For the first time in ages I saw Fosters for sale in my local bottleshop. I didn’t check the label because I dadn’t have my reading glasses with me, but I think it is imported from the UK. I didn’t buy any.

sibeen said:

Bogsnorkler said:

party_pants said:

The Mr Fosters of Fosters beer fame was an American who landed in Australia hoping to sell refrigeration equipment. Not finding any buyers for it initially, he set up a brewery making the new-fangled lager style beer. That business took off and he sold the brewery a few years later and returned to his native land a rich man.

no wonder it tastes like shite…

Is there something else you could compare it to as I’ve never had shite?

what’s that shite you drink? that black stuff?

sibeen said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Perkins

A quite interesting individual. I hadn’t heard of him before, or if I had, I’d forgotten.

same, read that cheers

> Fundamentally, it was remarkably similar to a modern refrigerator: a volatile fluid in a closed circuit of a compressor, a condenser, a throttle, and an evaporator. The fluid used was ether.

Ether, that makes sense. I wish I’d thought of that.