The DIY fridge that runs on dirty water

(Image: Emily Cummins)

Emily Cummins is the genius behind a highly impressive sustainable design - the electricity free fridge that 'runs' on dirty water.

Taking inspiration from her gap year in Nambia, Emily designed a fridge that requires no energy whatsoever to run, just a splash or two of water.

The fridge itself is simple enough to be made by anyone, anywhere and requires no specialist equipment or materials whatsoever.

It is made up of two metal cylinders, one inside the other. In between the two pots a layer of sand, wool or locally-sourced material is packed in tightly and soaked with water. When the fridge sits around in the fierce African sun, the heat causes the outer part of the fridge to 'sweat'.

This then evaporates the water from the sand or wool and draws heat away from the inner cylinder, making the fridge, and therefore it's contents, cool.

It's a very simple idea based on historical fridges made from big clay pots.

The great thing is that it actually works better in hotter environments, meaning it is perfect for families in Africa and India.

One of the best bits of the design is that the water used to soak the sand or wool never comes into contact with what's in the fridge. So it doesn't have to be precious clean water. The dirty, undrinkable stuff will do.

(Image: Permaculture) 

To make sure it was a goer, Emily took her chiller across Nambia, teaching communities how to make their own version of her very Plugged Out fridge. In turn, they taught her how to make them sustainably, using old car parts, barrels and other day-to-day household materials.

The end result was an electricity-free way to keep food and medicine cool from materials that everyone has to hand.

Talk about one very cool idea.

(Spotted on Permaculture)

SHARE THIS