Refrigeration is essential for keeping food, medicine and other perishables cool as well as for air conditioning systems.

Refrigeration technicians install, maintain and repair the mechanical, electrical and electronic components of refrigeration systems.

This includes soldering pipes and the safe handling of refrigerants without causing danger to the environment.

Professionals in this area are skilled in electronics and understand airflow techniques, as well as the flexibility to work in a wide range of environments. 

They should also understand the regulations around use and disposal of refrigerants as they are hazardous and can damage the Earth's Ozone layer.

Fast Facts

The first known method of artificial refrigeration was demonstrated by William Cullen at the University of Glasgow in Scotland in 1756.  Cullen used a pump to create a partial vacuum over a container of diethyl ether which then boiled, absorbing heat from the surrounding air.
Source: http://belowzero.com.                                                                                                                     
Domestic mechanical refrigerators became available in the United States of America around 1911.
Source: http://belowzero.com. 

Featured Competitor

Danny Leerintveld

Nation: Netherlands
Competition: 2007
Skill: Refrigeration

What do you enjoy about refrigeration?

I like that fact that my job takes me to many different places, gives me a great deal of freedom, the work is never the same, and I have to solve problems myself.

Results

Gold Medal	Silver Medal	Bronze Medal