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I wonder why they don't use propane powered refrigerators. They use very little propane and a single 20 lb tank would last much longer than 35 days. I'm guess

by tonyb 12y ago

I wonder why they don't use propane powered refrigerators. They use very little propane and a single 20 lb tank would last much longer than 35 days. I'm guessing it would be smaller and lighter than these too.

jmadsen 12y ago
propane will eventually run out. this is potentially "set it up once and never fuss with it". It doesn't seem like portability was a major concern. Hopefully if this catches on, other improvements in size, weight and purposes will come about. This one seems to be for a very specific purpose.
- tonyb 12y ago
  How is this "set it up and never fuss" if the ice has to be replaced every 35 days? I would think delivering a small propane tank would be much easier than delivering ice.
  - jmadsen 12y ago
    The ice will replenish itself if an electric source and can be found later. (for example, the ones with solar panels, or once it reaches a remote field hospital with a generator) I think you are imagining it being used differently than what they have in mind
    - ars 12y ago
      Ice replenishing by using electricity is a completely different topic than delivering ice.
- toomuchtodo 12y ago
  As others have mentioned in the thread, RV refrigerators can run on a combination of electricity or propane. While this has a longer non-powered endurance period, I would think that a multi-fuel refridgerator would be more appropriate for remote vaccination campaigns. Mount refrigerator on vehicle, use electricity ("shore power") when at depo/distribution center, burn propane while in transit, and then either continue to use propane on-site or switch to solar-powered electricity (or village electricity, if available).
dredmorbius 12y ago
Vaccines and certain other medical supplies are very sensitive to temperature variations and storage conditions. I've had some modest earlier experience with medical refrigerated storage systems, and a key requirement is maintaining the specified temperature. Propane refrigerators are an option and are found fairly frequently in environments where a consistent and uninterrupted electricity supply is difficult to maintain, particularly in RVs and boats, also in remote cabins. Electrically powered refrigerators are generally more powerful, however, and if you can use some of the cooling capacity to create a thermal storage (or sink) mass in the form of ice to survive power interruptions, that might prove more useful. Clickbait headline definitely overstates the case. Site should be penalized for that.

by tonyb 12y ago

jmadsen 12y ago

propane will eventually run out. this is potentially "set it up once and never fuss with it". It doesn't seem like portability was a major concern. Hopefully if this catches on, other improvements in size, weight and purposes will come about. This one seems to be for a very specific purpose.

tonyb 12y ago
How is this "set it up and never fuss" if the ice has to be replaced every 35 days? I would think delivering a small propane tank would be much easier than delivering ice.
- jmadsen 12y ago
  The ice will replenish itself if an electric source and can be found later. (for example, the ones with solar panels, or once it reaches a remote field hospital with a generator) I think you are imagining it being used differently than what they have in mind
  - ars 12y ago
    Ice replenishing by using electricity is a completely different topic than delivering ice.
toomuchtodo 12y ago
As others have mentioned in the thread, RV refrigerators can run on a combination of electricity or propane. While this has a longer non-powered endurance period, I would think that a multi-fuel refridgerator would be more appropriate for remote vaccination campaigns. Mount refrigerator on vehicle, use electricity ("shore power") when at depo/distribution center, burn propane while in transit, and then either continue to use propane on-site or switch to solar-powered electricity (or village electricity, if available).

dredmorbius 12y ago

Vaccines and certain other medical supplies are very sensitive to temperature variations and storage conditions. I've had some modest earlier experience with medical refrigerated storage systems, and a key requirement is maintaining the specified temperature. Propane refrigerators are an option and are found fairly frequently in environments where a consistent and uninterrupted electricity supply is difficult to maintain, particularly in RVs and boats, also in remote cabins. Electrically powered refrigerators are generally more powerful, however, and if you can use some of the cooling capacity to create a thermal storage (or sink) mass in the form of ice to survive power interruptions, that might prove more useful. Clickbait headline definitely overstates the case. Site should be penalized for that.