The History of Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
Refrigeration is, along with the actual cooking, one of the most important parts of a kitchen. It's something that we might often take for granted - but it hasn't always been so easy for restaurants and foodservice operations to keep food and ingredients chilled.
The History of Refrigeration
Can you imagine owning a restaurant without having a refrigerator? Your costs would skyrocket, and your menu would be rather limited. That's probably what the first inventors of "refrigeration" were thinking - way back in the prehistoric era. Ice houses were the first form of refrigeration.
Invented, probably, around 1700 BC, these were buildings that (shockingly) stored ice. Ice and snow were loaded into the building, then insulated with straw or sawdust, and then stored. While this works, it's a bit cumbersome.
Let's say that we don't expect Manitowoc to release a special ice shack that you put in the back lot of your restaurant anytime soon.
Mechanical Refrigeration
It wasn't until 1756 that mechanical refrigeration became a real possibility. William Cullen demonstrated a rather impractical, but scientifically important, machine that created a small ice box by creating a partial vacuum over diethyl ether.
This jump-started the race to creating a mechanical refrigerator, and by 1834 there was a patent issued for a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle that did not rely on chemical solutions or volatile liquids.
Beginnings of Commercial Refrigeration
Commercial refrigeration caught on quicker than home refrigeration, which was a tougher sell. After all, consumers had to replace their trusty iceboxes, and the machines being produced during this early period weren't particularly practical for the average home. Breweries and meat packing operations quickly fell in love with these machines though, and they saw widespread adoption.
Home Refrigeration
It wasn't until 1914 that a practical, electric refrigerator was built for home use. Nathaniel B. Wales, of Detroit, MI, was issued the patent and it became the basis for the Kelvinator model. From there, refrigerators exploded in popularity. And obviously, you can find them in pretty much every residence in the country now.
The Refrigeration Industry
During the 1900s, the number of commercial refrigerator manufacturers greatly increased. With advances in refrigeration, cooking and transportation, the commercial foodservice industry expanded across the country.
In the past, you may have found a tavern and a few local eateries - now, McDonald's started appearing in every nook and cranny of the globe.
This was all made possible, in part, by efficient mechanical refrigeration for keeping food and ingredients at appropriate temperatures. So next time you eat a Big Mac, thank the commercial refrigeration company that makes it possible.
Parts Town carries genuine spare parts for many of these manufacturers, so if you have a problem you can find the parts you need here.
We stock parts for the following refrigeration manufacturers:
... and many more!