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For insulation, lighting. Key aspect is that the cooling element in a fridge is seperate from the white insulation and is often raw metal. Now, if you look at
by Zenst 8y ago
For insulation, lighting. Key aspect is that the cooling element in a fridge is seperate from the white insulation and is often raw metal.
Now, if you look at the back of the fridge where is expels/radiates the heat - that is black. For me, I've often thought that heat could be utilised. Be is pre warming up water designated for hot water use (which would also aid in cooling fridge and increase its efficiency and life expectancy as well). Or some peltier/sterling type energy recovery.
But good question and in the same spirit:
Why is thermal paste and pads white?
- hollerith 8y agoThermal paste isn't designed to radiate heat -- it is intended to conduct it -- so its being black wouldn't make it more effective.
- AceyMan 8y ago> For me, I've often thought that heat could be utilised. It's a specific use case, but this exhaust heat is very useful. Use the top side of the refrigerator as a delicate drier for damp things that cannot be tumble dried. Soggy umbrellas. Leather gloves (even shoes). Hats made sweaty from work or exercise. Put them on the top of the fridge overnight and IME by morning they are just about perfectly dried out.
- bacon_waffle 8y agoUm, it just happens that I'm sitting behind a brand new fridge (not as awkward as it sounds, this old house doesn't have cabinetry for the fridge yet). It's white.
- Zenst 8y agoThat's unusual - as in never seen one that's not black. Wonder why - aesthetics perhaps.
- bacon_waffle 8y agoI don't think it is unusual at all to be honest; the one this fridge replaced was also white, and the neither seems to have a back that is intended to be looked at - there are plenty exposed seams, plumbing, the compressor. Offhand, it doesn't seem like there would be much thermodynamic advantage in the heated surfaces of a fridge being black. If there were, wouldn't you expect that car radiators and such would be black anodised too? I'd imagine conduction is going to be a much much bigger effect than radiation - other concerns like cost, durability, thermal conductivity of the paint, and aesthetics will likely be more important in deciding what colour paint to use.