Room icebox

The room icebox (also referred to as a refrigerated storage cabinet) is the predecessor of the refrigerators we use now, and it worked without the use of electricity by using ice as cooling agent. The icebox presented here uses a physical phenomenon related to the absorption of heat – a simple drainage system installed in the device chilled its interior. A block of ice was placed in the upper part of the refrigerator, in a permanently installed, spacious container especially insulated with zinc plated sheet steel. That enabled the constant movement of air to be maintained, which became heavier and sank as it was cooled, and then rose as it became warmer at the bottom of the device. Temperature fluctuations caused by the melting ice, usually between 8 and 11°C, were reduced by using insulation around the door and the top hatch. Manufacturer: Roman Sienkiewicz, Kraków, 2 Bracka street, 1930s Inv. No.: MIM1004/IX-61 Model prepared on the basis of photogrammetric measurements Licence: CC BY-NC-SA