July 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W, 537 



Refrigeration on the Homestead. 



Temperattjee for Cool Storage of Fruit, &c. 



H. V. JACKSON AND A. K. LEA. 



With the continual advancement which is taking place in tlie improvement 

 of machines, and the cheapening of mechanism through the simphfication of 

 parts, the use of refrigerated rooms for the storage of perishable produce is 

 extending among business people, and it is only a matter of time when, no 

 doubt, we shall see suitable plants installed on estates and dairy farms, 

 whereby, in the warmer districts especially, the farmer will not only hold his 

 milk and cream in a cool temperature, but the household will likewise take 

 advantage of the opportunity to make use of cool rooms. 



Several makers of high repute are now manufacturers of small refrigerating 

 machines, which are self-contained and automatic in their working, and are 

 easily managed by any person of ordinary intelligence. It does not require 

 an expert engineer to work these small plants. 



The time is not far distant when many successful pastoralists and farmers 

 will realise the considerable advantage dei'ived througli the installation of a 

 refrigerating plant on the estate. 



Machines working upon the compression system and cold air are employed 

 for the cooling of air in store rooms. 



It is desirable, in some instances, that the cool chamber shall certainly be 

 as dry as possible, though some discretion is necessary when using the space 

 iov the storage of fish and cheese, and even eggs may be kept in too dry an 

 atmosphere. 



As to refrigeration by means of compression machines, where the cooling- 

 is brought about through the evaporation of a volatile liquid, the refrigeration 

 must be effected by cooling a non-congealable salt brine, and pumping it 

 through a system of pipes in the store room, or by forcing a current of air 

 generated by means of a fan to strike against surfaces reduced to a low 

 temperature by expansion of the refrigerating agent. 



What is known as the direct expansion system has the advantage of being 

 more economical and more quickly effective than with the brine circulation, 

 l)ut there are certain disadvantages should a leakage of vapour from the 

 cooling pipes take place, although some experts consider fears of damage 

 from this cause to be groundless. 



The cold air-blast system is a mechanism so constructed that the refrigerat- 

 ing pipes are in a separate room, connected with the store room, so that the 

 air ))eing cooled is then circulated through the store i-oom by means of a fan. 

 An advantage of this system is that if the temperature of the store room 

 rises from any circumstance, dripping through the thawing of frost in the 

 pipes is avoided, although this can be overcome by a false roof or pipe loft. 



