Palfridge Ltd., a leading manufacturer of refrigerating appliances in southern Africa based in Swaziland, has developed an eco-friendly refrigeration solution. The company manufactures appliances with very thick-walled insulation made of rigid polyurethane foam based on raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience.
Thanks to its outstanding insulating properties, rigid polyurethane foam is used in most refrigerating appliances worldwide. Polyurethane insulation has therefore contributed significantly to reducing the energy consumption of refrigerators from 1950 to 2005 by 65 percent , says Robbie Buchanan, an expert for polyurethane insulation at Bayer MaterialScience in South Africa.
The Palfridge appliances have an insulating layer 10 centimeters thick, which keeps the contents cool for up to five days without electricity even at external temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius.
Some of the company s product lines are also equipped with two 90 Watt solar modules, which are a great help in powering refrigeration appliances in hot countries. Thanks to these and other measures to boost efficiency, our appliances consume substantially less energy than conventional refrigerators, reveals Mr. Roy Singh, Technical Director at Palfridge.
Long-term refrigeration of both food and medicines is essential to many people s survival in Swaziland. More than 25 percent of the population is HIV positive one of the highest rates anywhere in the world and therefore dependent on drugs that need to be stored in a cool place, as do drugs to treat malaria.
China Chemical Weekly: http://news.chemnet.com/en/detail-1403616.html
