SolarChill SDD Vaccine Refrigerator by GEF SolarChill Project.
Kenya, Botswana and Colombia
The refrigerator uses R-600a and runs on solar power, generated by solar panels through a direct drive compressor. This is a solution for the off-grid and rural based health facilities with tangible impact to health outcomes.
The compressor powers the refrigerant cycle creating an ice-bank. The power of the sun is essentially stored in an “ice battery”. The cold temperature is transferred from the ice-bank to the storage cabinet. A thermostat maintains the required temperatures in the storage compartment. In low-solar input situations, or when the power is completely disrupted, the thick insulation of the cabinet maintains acceptable temperatures for up to 5 days.
Reliable refrigeration is vital for storing vaccines and some medicines, e.g. liquid antibiotics within a specified temperature range. Solar vaccine coolers are already prequalified by WHO, meeting PQS standards for solar direct-drive refrigerators.
GEF-funded UNEP Project “SolarChill Development and Testing and Technology Transfer Outreach Project”
Installed and managed by Christian Health Association of Kenya, www.chak.or.ke
Joseph Rugut, jrugut@chak.or.ke,
Nancy Finger, nancy.finger@heat-international.de