Dry freezing: what is it, the pros and cons of refrigerators with this function

Features of dry freezing

Everyone has probably heard the term “No Frost” (meaning “no frost”), which is often used in everyday life to refer to refrigeration equipment. This is the dry freezing system. So what does it mean?

The main difference and feature of a refrigerator with a dry freezing function is the absence of the formation of “ice crust” and “snow cap” during operation of the refrigeration device. Thanks to the operating principle of this type of refrigerator, products are cooled more uniformly and quickly compared to drip-type refrigerators.

The main difference and feature of a refrigerator with a dry freezing function is the absence of the formation of “ice crust” and “snow cap” during operation of the refrigeration device

Inside the device there is a much smaller jump in temperature when the door is opened (no more than 2 C° even in the freezer), while in the drip mode the jump reaches 5 – 9 C°. The No Frost system does not require defrosting the household appliance. But…

There is a much smaller temperature jump inside the device when the door is opened

Remember! You should unplug and wipe the insides once every six months. This is necessary to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, as well as to avoid unpleasant odors.

Refrigerators of this type have a number of advantages, thanks to which they have become popular among buyers:

• the air is distributed evenly, thereby ensuring the same temperature in all parts of the refrigerator compartment;
• the temperature is quickly restored to the required temperature when the mechanism door is opened;
• can maintain the temperature regime in the chambers for a long time in the event of a power outage, and, consequently, a temporary cessation of operation of the refrigerator;
• there is no need for constant defrosting.

Dry freeze refrigerators do not require constant defrosting

But, as with any device, the dry freezing system has some disadvantages:

• the presence of high noise during operation due to the operation of cooling fans; increased energy consumption;
• the evaporator included in the device takes up quite a lot of volume, due to which the capacity of the chambers is noticeably reduced, despite the impressive external dimensions of the refrigeration equipment;
• the high cost of this household appliance compared to other types of freezing systems;
• dry air “dries out” and “airs” food faster, so it is recommended to store them in special containers.

One of the disadvantages of such refrigerators is their high cost.

No Frost or dry freezing - pros and cons!

Refrigerators that need to be manually defrosted and washed monthly are a thing of the past. Modern models are equipped with an automatic defrosting system, which performs its functions unnoticed by the owners. True, manufacturers still recommend defrosting the refrigerator manually 1-2 times a year for preventive purposes. And yet, with automatic defrosting technology, this preventive procedure will not resemble conquering an icy mountain peak - the refrigerator parts are covered with only a slight coating of frost.

The most common automatic defrosting technologies are drip (crying) and wind, which are called No Frost. The drip defrosting system is most often found in modern refrigerators. Its essence is as follows. An evaporator is installed on the back wall of the refrigerator compartment (drip technology is not used for freezers). Usually it is hidden inside the wall itself, since the products should not come into contact with the evaporator - this impairs its operation. In this case, water may not flow into a special container, but to the bottom of the chamber. In addition, an “open” evaporator can be accidentally damaged. The evaporator maintains a low temperature of the rear wall, due to which water vapor condenses on it and ice forms. This does not happen with other walls. At the end of the refrigeration cycle, when the compressor stops, the evaporator heats up. The ice that has accumulated on it thaws, and the water flows into a special container along the grooves. When the compressor starts running again, the water in the tank heats up and evaporates. The process starts over with a new cooling cycle.

In refrigerators with a No Frost system, the evaporator is installed behind the back wall of the refrigerator compartment or above the freezer compartment. It is equipped with fans that circulate air inside the refrigerator. The evaporator, as in a refrigerator with a drip system, ensures a low rear wall temperature. When the compressor stops, the frost thaws and evaporates.

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of No Frost? Many people believe that due to the blowing system in refrigerators with a No Frost system, food dries out faster. From a theoretical point of view this may be true, but in practice there is not much difference. In different models of refrigerators with a drip system and No Frost, food remains fresh for different times, but the No Frost technology does not have a strong influence on this.

There is an opinion that refrigerators with a No Frost automatic defrosting system do not need to be defrosted manually at all. But this, again, is incorrect. Refrigerators with both drip and wind systems should be defrosted once or twice a year.

The main feature of the No Frost system, which is called its main advantage, is the uniform air temperature inside the refrigerator. The temperature difference on the top and bottom shelves of the refrigerator does not exceed two degrees Celsius. For comparison: in refrigerators with a drip system, the difference can reach five to six degrees. And in freezers not equipped with No Frost - up to nine degrees. Temperature uniformity ensures better food preservation.

Another important advantage of No Frost is that the system works in both refrigerators and freezers, while the drip system can only work in refrigerators.

The ventilation system allows the refrigerator to quickly restore temperature after the door is opened. However, this is not too noticeable - the power of the refrigerator plays an incomparably important role here.

Among the disadvantages of No Frost is the relatively high noise level during operation. Fans provide additional noise. However, some models of refrigerators with the No Frost system are equipped with very quiet fans, which makes them much quieter than some of their drip “brothers”.

A rather important disadvantage of No Frost is that the bulky evaporator mechanism “eats” the volume of the refrigerating chamber. As a result, similar refrigerators with a drip defrosting system are noticeably more spacious.

A refrigerator with a No Frost system, all other things being equal, consumes more electricity than a refrigerator with a crying defrosting system. The difference in electricity bills will be small, but for those who are used to saving wherever possible, this is still a disadvantage.

Refrigerators with a drip system and No Frost also differ in price. A refrigerator with windy defrosting technology will cost slightly more than a similar model with “crying” technology. However, this difference is also not very significant.

In general, the advantages and disadvantages of the No Frost system (compared to the common drip system) practically balance each other. Therefore, an automatic defrosting system is usually not a decisive criterion when choosing a refrigerator. But the advantages and disadvantages of different systems are still worth taking into account.

Pairs

not cooled down and still retaining the animal’s warmth (the temperature in the thickness of the thigh muscles is not lower than 35°C).

It is not used for cooking, since due to the processes of post-mortem rigor it is tough and also has an unpleasant odor, and when cooked it produces an unflavoured broth. Its structure is heterogeneous, its softness is uneven, and its moisture content is excessive. It is not subject to sale, which is also practically impossible in principle, since poultry meat is steamed for half an hour, and beef meat for 2 to 4 hours.

Probably, “steamed” is popularly used to refer to meat that has not been frozen.

Chilled

subjected to cooling to a temperature of 0 to 4°C (in the thickness of the thigh muscles), not wet to the touch, elastic. Chilled meat is elastic and has a darker color than cooled meat.

Cooling only slows down the process of rotting meat and the shelf life of chilled meat without packaging is a matter of days.

Chilled meat in vacuum packaging (a vacuum displaces oxygen, without oxygen the growth of bacteria slows down; if a certain amount of carbon dioxide is added to the packaging, the growth of bacteria slows down even more) can be stored for 8-10 weeks, a maximum of 120 days. There are technologies for using carbon dioxide that make it possible to achieve record shelf life, but in this case the meat can hardly be called chilled; rather, it is canned.

The main difference between chilled meat and frozen meat is that in chilled meat, albeit at a slower pace, decomposition processes still continue.

Meat is an ideal environment for the proliferation of harmful bacteria, and only freezing is the way to stop this proliferation.

Why shock freezing?

The water contained in fish and seafood is converted into crystals during the freezing process. When using traditional technology, these crystals turn out to be large and, cutting into the cellular space, damage the fibers and muscle structure of the fish. Products subjected to such freezing largely lose their taste and beneficial properties.

In order to avoid this, shock freezing is used. It helps to freeze fish much faster by microcrystallization: the formation of a large number of crystallization centers leads to the fact that the size of the crystals is noticeably reduced. Thanks to this, the cells remain intact.

So, let’s summarize the above : the shorter the freezing time, the smaller the crystals formed on the fish - which means that the fish is almost not deformed and better retains its taste.

Another advantage of shock freezing over traditional technology is that due to the high speed of transition from the liquid phase to the solid, the activity of the bacteriological environment decreases. The high freezing speed leaves bacteria no chance to develop.

Freezing fish in plate-based quick-freezing units

In plate-based quick-freezing units, the process of dry freezing fish is carried out by direct contact of products formed into blocks with freezing plates, inside of which a refrigerant with a temperature of -40°C circulates. In this case, refrigeration compressor units with pump-circulation or gravity refrigerant supply schemes are used.

To ensure intensive cooling of the fish, the products are pressed into blocks and pressed against the freezing plates using a hydraulic system. At the same time, heat removal occurs very quickly, which distinguishes this method from other methods of blast freezing fish .

Tile quick freezers differ in the degree of loading of products intended for freezing:

Expert opinion

Mikhailova Maria Vasilievna

Furniture store manager. Knows everything about comfort and interior design

1) in horizontal quick-freezers, products are loaded into block molds, which are then manually placed on one freezing plate, and the second is pressed on top using a manipulator;

2) the process of loading products into vertical quick-freezers is fully automated: from the cutting lines, fish is placed into vertical cells using automatic loaders, minced meat or fish pumps, which are cooled.

After freezing is completed, the freezing plates of quick-freezers of any design are moved apart and the finished blocks of frozen products are sent for storage or sale. In addition to fish, plate freezers can also cool poultry , meat, minced meat and other products that can be compressed without losing their marketable qualities.

Which freezer is better: dry freezing or regular, vertical or chest

Which freezer to choose: No Frost or regular

Dry freezers (No Frost, which is translated from English as “no frost”) thaw automatically. And this is good. Less hassle with defrosting. And all because in such freezers the evaporator is mounted behind the back wall, and fans are installed above the chamber. One or two. They evenly disperse the cold throughout the compartments through special channels.

Moisture does not settle on the walls of the chamber, as with drip system units, but accumulates in the coldest zone of the evaporator. And it gets frosty. And when the compressor turns off, the frost thaws, heated by the heater, and evaporates.

Manual defrosting freezers are cheaper than No Frost ones. But more gluttonous. This is due to the moisture that appears when the door is opened frequently. Little by little, it settles on the walls of the chamber and turns into ice, which makes it difficult to pull out the food boxes. And yes. The ice crust is a vile wasteper. Due to snow build-up, the freezer “takes on” more electricity to maintain the temperature set in the chamber. Therefore, you will have to defrost it often. Not once every six months to a year, like a dry freezing unit, but every three to five months.

So in the question: “Which freezer should I buy?” - to each his own. The only thing is to look at the freezing power. This parameter is rarely paid attention to when faced with the dilemma of which freezer is better. But in vain. It is important to understand how many products the unit can freeze per day, so as not to overload it. See the table of ratios.

If you often replenish your supplies and want to preserve the vitamins in your food as much as possible, the super-freezing mode will help! Turn it on a couple of hours before laying, the temperature in the chamber will drop to -24, -36°C (depending on the model of the unit). Fast and clear. Without slow crystallization, which is harmful to the structure of products. It’s good if there is an auto-shut-off function. There will be less load on the compressor. And the energy consumption is controlled.

Take note
- Budget models with mechanical controls freeze to -12°C.
This is not enough for long-term storage of meat, fish and poultry. And vitamins are lost in vegetables and fruits. Such cameras are indicated by two snowflakes. – In the deep-freeze stage, the freezer freezes in the ranges of -18, -24°C. These units are marked with three snowflakes. – With blast freezing mode – four. And here's another thing. If you plan to install the unit in a summer kitchen or on a balcony, look at the climate class of the freezer. Climate control is described in the product instructions. This parameter indicates the permissible room temperature for normal operation of the device.

Watch a video about Snaige F27 and F22 freezers

Comparison of which refrigerator is better: No Frost or drip

If we consider two main systems: No Frost and drip, then, of course, it can be noted that each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

You can conduct a comparative analysis and sort out all the pros and cons:

• Compared to No Frost refrigerators, drip units are represented by a wider range of models with a very affordable price;
• By purchasing a regular refrigerator, you can save energy consumption;
• Condensation on the rear wall is almost completely absent in No Frost, while the “crying” models cannot boast of this;
• The refrigerator and freezer will very quickly restore the required temperature in models with dry freezing, but drip devices will have to spend more time on this;
• The temperature on the lower shelves of drip refrigerators may differ from the temperature on the top by several degrees.

As for the noise characteristics, everything depends on the specific model, without being tied to any system.

By the way, you will have to defrost refrigerators and freezers in any case. It’s just that drip units need defrosting more regularly, while No Frost only needs to be washed a couple of times a year.

Concluding, we can say that No Frost is perfect for those people who do not want to bother with defrosting and agree to ensure that the food is well packaged and does not dry out.

A conventional drip system will suit those who do not want to overpay for electricity and the refrigeration unit model itself.

Reviews

Despite the fact that millions of users have appreciated the performance of refrigerators with the “No Frost” automatic defrosting function, such models have many supporters and opponents. On the one hand, owners of such devices note their ability to store food well and ease of use. And also the fact that caring for this equipment requires a minimum of effort, because it does not need to be defrosted periodically. But there is an opposite opinion that all refrigerators with “No frost” are very noisy, expensive and break down quickly.

But if you take, for example, the Beko CN 327120 , you can see that this is not the case. The noise level of this mechanism is only 40 dB, which allows it to be used even in small apartments. But it consumes only 310 kW/h and costs on average about 19,000 rubles. The second place in popularity is occupied by the LG GA-B409 UEQA with a noise level of 42 dB, with class A energy consumption (369 kW/h) and with an average cost of about 33,000 rubles. The third position in the ranking of the best-selling dry freeze refrigerators is held by the LG GA-B489 YEQZ with a noise level of up to 40 dB, with energy consumption class A++ (total 237 kW/h). Such a unit costs on average about 45,000 rubles.

It should also be noted that the sanitary noise standard in apartments during the day is up to 45 dB, and at night - up to 55 dB. This confirms that none of the listed refrigerators goes beyond what is permitted. And you shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that when buying household appliances from well-known companies in Russia, you can always find spare parts for them.

What to consider when choosing a refrigerator

A refrigerator is an indispensable device in every kitchen. With its help, we keep food fresh for a long time, providing the family with healthy nutrition and eliminating the need to cook every day. Choosing such equipment is a responsible step, since the unit will serve for many years.

Before purchasing cooling equipment, we advise you to pay attention to the following aspects:

1. Noise . The equipment that cools the air with a compressor operates quietly, but some sounds are still present. Most often, these are gurgling, buzzing and crackling sounds: they characterize the operation of the compressor, the thawing of ice and the movement of coolant through the pipes. In systems with dry freezing, you can hear a slight rustling sound - this is the fans working. In general, the noise should not cause any particular inconvenience, as most of the time it is minor. If the refrigerator is not level or its walls are in contact with any surface, then the volume of the sounds produced will be higher.
2. Defrosting method. Refrigerators come with manual and automatic defrosting. Models with manual defrosting are usually single-chamber with a freezer inside the cabinet. They are not in high demand due to difficulties in care. The most popular are two-chamber units; the refrigeration compartment in them is defrosted automatically, but the freezer compartment will have to be defrosted manually 1-2 times a year. The inconvenience is that you have to turn off the entire device so that only the freezer compartment thaws. If the device has two compressors, then you can disconnect one of the necessary compartments from the power supply. Refrigerators with the No Frost system do not require defrosting.
3. Location of cameras. The freezer can be located either at the bottom or at the top of the refrigerator. If the freezer is rarely used, then it is better to choose models with a bottom location. When it is needed more often, you should give preference to a technique with a camera on top. In two-door refrigerators it is more convenient when the freezers are located next to each other.
4. Cooling method. In some refrigerators, cooling occurs due to the natural circulation of air and moisture, which is why ice and frost form. In No Frost units, air is moved using built-in fans that neutralize all moisture and condensation.
5. Economical . There are nine classes of energy efficiency of refrigerators, from A++ to G. The most economical class is A++; equipment in this category is expensive, but its price quickly pays off due to energy savings.

Operation of freezers with a drip system

Such freezers are installed outside the ultraviolet radiation zone, ensuring the accessibility of ventilation holes. Storage and freezing rules are standard.

It is necessary to remove frost with a plastic scraper, which will not damage the coating of the chambers. A car brush with a spatula is suitable for this purpose to remove ice from the windshield. A thicker layer of frost requires careful manual defrosting according to the instructions.

The temperature control inside the chambers is adjusted based on the amount of food and the ambient temperature. For this purpose, there is a special regulator on the control panel. You can also use the storage and freezing modes.