New refrigerator technology will make compressors and refrigerants obsolete, boost energy efficiency
Ohio.com, March 13, 2014Your next refrigerator might not even have a compressor.
GE Appliances is developing magnetic refrigeration for residential use, a technology that needs no refrigerants or compressors and promises to increase the energy efficiency of refrigerators by 20 percent.
The company showcased its research for the media during a video conference this morning.
Magnetic refrigeration – technically called magnetocaloric refrigeration – is not a new concept, but it hasn’t yet been used in residential refrigeration. That should happen within five years, the company said in a news release.