The FREECOLD Ecotainer
Ecotainer®, the FREECOLD solution for autonomous refrigeration without battery
The FREECOLD products are powered by solar energy, the major disadvantage of which is intermittence. Our autonomous refrigeration systems must therefore be able to overcome this problem, as the quality of refrigeration has to be maintained even at night and on days without Sun.
In most cases, this intermittence problem is solved by using batteries. They make it possible to store the excess electricity produced during the day, and to release it at night. It is a fairly simple and proven system, but which however has the disadvantage of the battery lifespan. This is indeed rather short and they must be changed after a number of cycles. In addition, maintaining safety during charges and discharges may require complex and therefore expensive electronics. Last but not least, the impact of manufacturing and end-of-life treatment of batteries is far from being harmless for the environment.
The FREECOLD solution
Based on these facts, COLDINNOV developed for FREECOLD the patented Ecotainer® system. This battery-free solar refrigeration technology maintains a suitable temperature for up to 75 hours. Our eutectic process works by releasing during the night or on sunless days the cold stored thanks to the energy of the Sun.
The salt tank is placed in the middle of the evaporator of the cold unit. It thus gathers cold and releases it into the refrigeration compartment to maintain an almost constant temperature
The operation of the Ecotainer is similar to the eutectic plates used in some of our solar cold rooms:
- Non-toxic salts are frozen during the day in a specially designed area of the refrigerator.
- When night falls, the accumulated cold is slowly released and maintains the required temperature inside the unit.
This solution patented by COLDINNOV allows to maintain the quality of the cold at night and on sunless days with a complete autonomy of 3 to 4 days.
FREECOLD products equiped with the Ecotainer®
With its experience in the field of refrigeration with and without battery, COLDINNOV has designed several FREECOLD products equipped with the Ecotainer®.
180 L direct solar refrigerator
The FREECOLD® RSI-180 direct solar refrigerator has a net volume of 155 L and a very good thermal insulation. Its main feature: it is directly connected to a photovoltaic module without additional electronics! This innovative system makes it possible to do without batteries or inverter, costly and with a limited lifespan.
The excess energy of the day is transformed and stored, not in batteries, but in a cold accumulator built into the heart of the evaporator: the FREECOLD Ecotainer®. This cold is then slowly diffused in the refrigerator during the night and days without sun. This allows to maintain the quality of the cold in autonomy for 3 to 4 days depending on the ambient temperature.
Download the RSI-180 presentation sheet
FrigoMobile
The FREECOLD® FrigoMobile is a solar-powered street vending cart, the ideal solution for developing a micro-enterprise in rural or peri-urban areas without reliable electricity grid. An actual wheeled refrigerator, it adapts especially to the street vending of fresh or frozen products on markets and tourist places.
The FrigoMobile is sold with:
- a RSI-180 battery-less solar refrigerator,
- a handcart
- a 240 Wc photovoltaic module,
- a Solar Energy kit to get light,
- a USB Duo kit for charging mobile phones
COLDINNOV makes the cart plans freely available but can also deliver the complete trolley, assembled or in kit form.
Download the FrigoMobile presentation sheet
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