Technologies for Modular Refrigeration

The future Battlefield Kitchen (BK) will be configured with modular, man-portable appliances that attach to each other with a standard locking mechanism. Under the Modular Appliances for Configurable Kitchens (MACK) program, modular appliances for cooking, sanitation, and serving are being developed. This SBIR topic addresses the need for a modular refrigerator to provide refrigerated food storage within a kitchen configuration using modular appliances. The design approach that we are proposing uses super insulation on all of the wall areas to minimize wall conduction heat leak through minimum thickness walls, maximizing the useable interior volume. The refrigeration system will use a microchannel evaporator and condenser, minimizing the temperature lift of the refrigeration system. A small variable speed and capacity refrigerant compressor will be used, minimizing on-off cycling losses and the heat rejection load on the condenser, while having extra capacity for cool-down. In Phase I, an engineering model prototype modular refrigerator will be designed, built, and tested. In Phase II, several prototype modular refrigerators will be built and delivered.