Overview

People have taken advantage of natural refrigeration for thousands of years. Caves, holes dug in the ground, springs, ice and snow, and evaporative cooling have all been used to cool food and drinks. Natural refrigeration, however, has limitations. Its availability depends on location and weather conditions, and it has never been adequate to chill large quantities for long periods of time. The scientific study of thermodynamics and chemistry that began in the seventeenth century, accompanied by advances in manufacturing technology, led to the birth of the mechanical refrigeration industry in the nineteenth century.

Background

An Egyptian fresco from 2500 B.C. shows slaves fanning water jars, an early record of human efforts at cooling. The people of ancient Egypt and India knew...