Ancient Technology for Refrigeration

This is a fridge that is very easy to make and operates completely without electricity. It is called a zeer pot or the pot-in-pot. The zeer pot, is just two simple pots, one pot smaller than the other. The smaller pot is put inside the bigger pot, and then the space between the pots is filled with sand. The sand is wet twice a day and the top is covered with a wet towel to keep warm air from entering the interior.

reply to post by wavemaker


Never heard of this science guy - fun to watch - S & F

old news im afraid, just a simple wet towel or dishcloth on a hard jar or pot in the sun will lower the internal temprature drasticly, this dual pot is just a development of that.

reply to post by Biigs


You mean a simple wet towel on top of a single pot can also chill the drinks inside to a freezing temp like that in the video? I don't think so.

reply to post by wavemaker


no no, im just saying this tech isnt new...

I dont know about you but i dont carry two pots one slightly smaller, around with me.

A wet peice of cloth over a few beers is doable and helps tremendously!

reply to post by Biigs


thought its was a great, practical video of how to make free refrigeration

you know..when the cme's come

reply to post by Biigs


You are right. This tech is indeed not new. This tech is actually very old. Ancient. And we have already forgotten about it.

This could be essential to keeping meat good for days after a kill in a why'd scenario. Thanks for the tip.

Originally posted by KevinB
This could be essential to keeping meat good for days after a kill in a why'd scenario. Thanks for the tip.

to keep meat days over what is normal, use the pots described above but also sink the main pot near a river, where wet soil is and you will boost the cooling potential significantly.

thanks OP for the video

in arab countries you still can go to some stores and buy a Zeer, yes i think this is an arabic word, a Zeer is a jar made of clay, it comes in different sizes, the big sized ones are actually called Zeer, the small ones called Olla in Eygpt for example. these are not double layered with sand in between like in the video, ofcourse they don't go down to a very low tempreture but still good for cooling water in summer for example, i like the video really amazing, i will try and make one just for the fun of it

reply to post by wavemaker

You are right. This tech is indeed not new. This tech is actually very old. Ancient. And we have already forgotten about it.

IT is an interesting take on the refrigeration cycle, no doubt about that.
But to say that we have forgotten about it just flies in the face of the facts, I'm afraid.

It's called the Absorption Refrigeration Cycle (Or Evaporation Refrigeration, if you prefer)




en.wikipedia.org...

We, as an industrial society, have been using this system of cooling for.... Decades!

You don't know about it, because it is not as efficient in low volume chilling applications.... instead we use the Vapor-compression based refrigeration cycle for everyday use.

en.wikipedia.org...

Nice, found some more old methods to add

1: If you are camping, check to see if there is a running stream nearby. Gypsies and travelers traditionally kept butter and milk from spoiling by placing it in a metal bucket and wedging the bucket between rocks in a running stream.

3: Make a Coolgardie safe. This is an Australian bush invention to keep heat and flies from spoiling meat.

Coolgardie_safe

4: Make a mini cellar. Dig a deep square hole in the earth and line it with straw, then with large sheets of corrugated cardboard. You can add a metal lining if you have anything suitable. Make a cover for your cellar out of straw sandwiched between cardboard sheets. You will need to erect a sloping shelter over your mini cellar so rain can run off. Keep vegetables and drinks in your cellar.

cooling-food-without-a-fridge

Zeer pots require a dry heat as humidity causes less evaporation to occur and it is the evaporation that removes the heat from the center pot.

reply to post by ErtaiNaGia


What I mean we forgot is using those pots as refrigeration system. We have electricity at home and we prefer to use refrigerators. I never heard of zeer pots before. Maybe you use this at home but most people don't.

I didn't watch the video, but based on the OPs description, it sounds very much like a Thermos, only that the Zeer is using sand, where a Thermos uses vacuum. I wonder if that invalidates the Thermos patents...

reply to post by DragonsDemesne

Just watch the video. It's not a long video. A thermos will not chill a drink if the drink is not originally chilled.

Great video with a potentially useful tip in a difficult situation (like a major catastrophe or not having money for the electric bill).

I can't believe some people will come into a thread and try to discredit it without even looking at the information provided first.

I don't know if anyone remembers the guy in New York that tried living with a zero footprint for a year? He tried the pot in pot and it simply didn't work for them...Kept things cool but not cold.

No Impact Man

Awesome!

Never heard of this before, thanks for posting!

Does anyone know how well this would work indoors in a constant temp? I'm thinking of a SHTF situation wherein people would not go outdoors. I wonder too if all meat salvaged from a freezer (blackout situation) ought not to be cooked first before putting it in such a system? Anyone know?