Zeo-Fresh™ Magic Fridge Packs Power Savings Research
Our Fridge-Packs were originally developed in 1995 at the request of Portland General Electric of Portland, Oregon. The packs consist of a specially treated, dustless, breathable tyvek bag, filled with a high grade of zeolite and some other trace minerals. It is important that a specific grade of zeolite be used that is free from impurities and is milled to a certain size. Our quarry generates this and we continually test the mineral to assure continued purity. Also, regular tyvek will not allow enough air circulation to affect change. We have developed a proprietary treatment for the material that has proven highly effective.
To quantify the energy savings of the packs, Dr. Martin Hellickson, a professor in the Bioresource Engineering Department at Oregon State University led extensive laboratory and real-world household studies. These tests generated approximately 65 megabits of data.
The best conclusion reached in these initial tests was that the energy savings was somewhere between 7.5% and 15%. However, the volume and scattering of the information points and the resulting correlation factors precluded publishing this data. The volume of the data and the highly differing variability of the conditions, such as, door openings, houses with four children, some with just two adults, outside temperature and humidity, and changing daily usage dictated that the data collected be further analyzed.
A second test was commissioned with another expert in the field, Dr. F.L. "Pete" Bunger. He reviewed the data to find the best correlations between various categories of data that would clearly represent an energy savings that would be easily recognizable and justified. He narrowed his analysis to 10 megabits of data and found the relationship between the "Air Temperature in the Cooling Coil Area" and the "Compressor Run Time" to have correlation factors of 99.5% and 98.3%, respectively.
Based on this data Dr. Bunger determined with great confidence an energy savings of 7.27% over the length of the experiment. After his findings, we felt comfortable with claiming savings at the low end of Dr. Hellickson's range. The results could also be extrapolated to an energy savings per household in a given utility service area.
In addition to, and independent of, these commissioned studies, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Louisiana tested the packets in refrigerated vending machines. They concluded use of our packets resulted in a power savings of approximately 15%. The Burger King Corporation also tested the packets in walk-in coolers and concluded savings to be roughly 10%. Once again, the full 7-15% range was in play.
Variable factors, such as the frequency a door is opened in a household refrigerator vs. vending machines and walk-in coolers may play a part in the discrepancies, but with four individual, independent sources all finding legitimate savings, we feel that our Fridge-Pack is an important household power saving device that should be valued equally with the fluorescent light bulb.
For illustrative purposes, based on data provided by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and PG&E, as well as estimates based on the most recent census figures, we estimate 12 million household refrigerators to currently be in service in the state.
When one studies how energy usage ratings are assigned to new refrigerators, a wide variance in data is found. Just as a "Miles Per Gallon" rating, affixed to the windows of new cars, would vary widely in the real world based on driving conditions, individual power usage by a refrigerator would vary on a number of factors, including how many times the door is opened in a day, the ambient temperature and humidity outside the refrigerator, etc. Regardless of these variables, even a modest savings would have a substantial affect on any power grid. If one estimates the claimed vs. real-world energy usage ratings of these 12 million refrigerators, and uses the low end of our scale of savings, an annual figure of 212 kilowatt hours saved per appliance can be attained. Extrapolating this, if every refrigerator in the state used our Fridge-Packs, the annual savings to the power grid would be 2.54 billion kilowatt hours.
The report on this page is simply a brief overview of the some 65 million points of data that comprises the studies. If you require any specific data, feel free to request it and we will search the archives to accommodate you.
Food Preservation
ODOR CONTROL - The household savings gained from using our Fridge-Packs don't stop at electricity. The packet absorbs certain gases and odors that are prevalent in refrigerators. Many of these gases and their resultant odors transfer between products in the refrigerator. Products, such as, eggs, fruit, cheese, milk, butter, oils, fats, meats, bread, and other prepared foods, readily absorb odors from each other and other foods in the cooler or refrigerator. The foods that absorb these odors become off flavor and are not useable. This property of packet is readily ascertainable after several hours of use.
When Cycletrol pouches have absorbed their maximum capacity in odorous gases, they begin to release the odors back into their environment. This signals the need to replace the pouch.
SHELF LIFE - The packet extends the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, meat, and other food products in the refrigerator or cooler via two mechanisms. The first is accomplished through the control of humidity. When air in the refrigerator reaches dew point, dew is deposited on the products in the unit. This water deposited on a food product becomes a substrate for bacteria and fungus growth. The food product putrefies. The result is decreased shelf life. The packet through its adsorption of moisture prevents the unit from reaching its dew point. However, it does not over dry the air and cause loss of moisture in the food products.
The second mechanism is accomplished through the absorption of certain gases, specifically ethylene. Researchers in the field of fruit, flower, and vegetable preservation, have established irrefutably the role of ethylene gas in the chemistry of plants. This ever present gas behaves in plants similar to a hormone triggering animal behavior. Ethylene will trigger the various life stages, such as, growth, flowering and defoliation, ripening and spoilage. In most cases, the ethylene is a product of the life chemistry of the plants and their fruit.
In bananas and tomatoes the ethylene can accelerate the ripening process and cause early spoilage. In cycle vegetables like lettuce ethylene shock can cause brown spots. Apples are heavy producers of ethylene causing premature ripening and spoilage. By absorbing ethylene and other gases the shelf life of food products can be significantly extended. Studies by the University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the University of California Davis are available to support these findings.
REGENERATION - The material in each packet can be active for many years. However, the packets will absorb their maximum capacity in odorous gases at different rates. The packets may be regenerated by placing them in a dry environment for several days, or by solar recharge in the sun.
DISPOSAL - The packet and its ingredients are approved for disposal with normal household waste.
ADVANTAGES OF THE PACKET TO ITS USERS
When the packet is used in a refrigerator or cooler, it saves energy at its peak loading, controls odors, and extends shelf life and freshness of foods. To the customer they can readily observe the odor control and preservation of food stuffs in their refrigerator or cooler. The energy savings can be readily calculated over a period of time by comparison of past utility bills.
Customers will realize a simple way to save electrical energy. In addition, the customer will visually notice the extended shelf life of food products in the refrigerator or cooler. This is a savings for the customer that is readily apparent. Additionally, the customer will notice the new, fresh smell from his refrigerator.
IN SUMMARY
The Refrigerator packet customer realizes an energy savings that safely controls odors and extends the shelf life and freshness of food products in their refrigerators and coolers.
