Even in ancient times, people realized that the use of low temperatures allows you to save food. For a long time our ancestors used natural sources of cold. It was ice that was collected in frosty weather and laid in pits or cellars. Food was stored in these artificial glaciers in the summer as well. So did many civilizations that had a similar opportunity. Peoples living in hot climates had to act differently. For example, the Egyptians used special vessels filled with water to preserve food, which were cooled at night.
Of course, all these methods were so primitive that they did not allow to obtain the proper cooling effect. Everything changed only at the beginning of the 20th century, when the refrigeration device was invented. This device, amazing in its functionality, during its existence has turned from a bulky unit into an indispensable assistant, which can already be found in every home.
First Russian developments
A device that allows you to cool food in our countryappeared at the beginning of the 20th century. The first units were made during the tsarist regime. The volume of these devices was 100 liters, and the mass was 50 kg. Their dimensions were 365x505x900 mm.
This cabinet was made of wood, and the shelves were made of galvanized metal. The device cooled food up to seven degrees above zero. However, the production of refrigerators did not develop in Tsarist Russia. He was prevented by the outbreak of the First World War, and after it - the revolution. During the Civil War, and then collectivization, refrigerators were not even mentioned.
Made in the USSR
Under the Soviet regime, the development of units for cooling products began only at the end of the thirties of the twentieth century. The first Soviet refrigerator was produced in 1937. The Kharkov Tractor Plant (KhTZ) became its manufacturer. That is why the model of this unit was named XTZ-120.
The first Soviet refrigerator had a volume of 120 liters. He worked with a hermetic compressor and created a temperature of minus three degrees on the middle shelf. In the evaporator, it dropped to twenty degrees below zero. There was a light bulb inside the refrigerator. It turns on automatically when the door is opened. The dimensions of the inner chamber were 755x455x380 mm. The first Soviet refrigerator had wood fiber insulation. Its thickness reached 80 mm.
Setting up the production of food storage devices was not easy. That is why these first refrigerators of the Soviet Union were put into mass production.released only in 1939. A year later, 3,500 units of units hit the consumer market. However, in the future, the development of the production of refrigerators was suspended. It was interrupted by the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War.
Refrigerators of a different type
In addition to the KhTZ-120 brand, which was a compression brand, in the pre-war period, the development of absorption structures for refrigeration units was carried out. After the research, a prototype was made. This Soviet refrigerator had a useful volume of 30 dm3. The temperature in his cell dropped to minus five degrees, and the power consumption was 100 watts. However, despite successful tests, it was never put into production due to the outbreak of war.
Resumption of work on the creation of the refrigerator
In the post-war period, the development of absorption structures continued at the Gazoapparat plant. As a result of the work done, the Soviet refrigerator of this type was put into mass production. The first batch of such units left the assembly line in 1950. The volume of the chamber of the Gazoapparat refrigerators, which have the same name with the manufacturer, amounted to 45 l.
Improvement of developed devices
After the release of the first batch of refrigerators, the Gazoapparat plant did not stop there. The specialists of the enterprise developed and put into production a more advanced unit. It was a Sever brand refrigerator with a useful chamber volume of 65 liters. Both models of refrigerators produced at the Gazoapparat plant were electrically heated.
Experience in designing devices to preserve food has not gone unnoticed. It began to be used in their work by many other factories that began the production of absorption-type household refrigerators. Thus, Orenburg units were supplied to the country's consumer market from Orenburg. The Velikoluksky plant began producing Morozko refrigerators, and the Penza plant began producing Penza devices. All these brands of Soviet refrigerators were in great demand among the population and became faithful helpers in many kitchens of the country.
Brand "Crystal"
The most advanced absorption refrigerators were produced thirty kilometers from the city of Kyiv, at the Vasilkovsky plant specially created for this purpose. The enterprise was built in 1954 and was fully focused on the production of Kristall brand devices.
The plant provided the necessary capacity for the manufacture of almost all components for refrigerators. There were metal-rolling shops, as well as the production of foam rubber, polystyrene and plastic products. There were also assembly sections at the plant.
The most advanced absorption refrigerators of the Soviet Union had their advantages and disadvantages. Consumers were satisfied with their silent operation, which was accompanied by an almost complete absence of vibration, as well as the possibility of using not only electricity, but also gas as an energy source. But such refrigerators also had disadvantages. Among them - increased power consumption, as well as continuous operation without shutdowns.
In the eighties of the last century, the plant began producing refrigerators of the Kristall-9 brand. The total volume of such a device was 213 liters, and the freezer, in which the temperature was maintained at -18 degrees, was 33 liters.
"Crystal-9" was a full-size unit. However, its remarkable performance was maintained by a higher power consumption than that of compressor devices.
This flaw was correct in the Kristall-9M model. For the production of this unit, the Soviet Union bought a license from the Swiss company Sibir. The new device for cooling products consumed significantly less electricity, had a thermostat capable of maintaining the set temperature in the chambers, as well as an automatic defrosting system.
Saratov brand
In addition to absorption refrigerators in the Soviet Union, production of compressor household refrigerators was launched in many industries. Plant No. 306 became one of these enterprises. Initially, aircraft engines were produced here. In 1951, the Saratov refrigerator rolled off its assembly line. Contemporaries said about this model that it was "badly tailored, but soundly sewn." A similar characterization could be given to many goods produced during the construction of socialism.
Refrigerator "Saratov" had a body made of steel. They covered such devices with white enamel. The internal shelves of the freezer, as well as the evaporator, were stamped from stainless steel. Chrome was used in the decoration of the refrigerator.
First data modelsdevices were single-chamber with a volume of 85 liters. The thermal insulation of the unit was provided by the use of glass or mineral wool. A little later, the plant launched the production of two-chamber refrigerators, which were operated on freon that is safe for human he alth.
Refrigerating units "Saratov" enjoyed success not only among the consumers of the Soviet Union. The plant's products were exported to thirty-three countries of the world, including Germany and France, Italy, Belgium, England and others. And today, the old Soviet refrigerators of this brand serve as a real example of technology that corresponds to the slogan of those times, calling for “building for centuries.”
Best compressor unit
The ZIL refrigerator was a real legend among Soviet cooling appliances. This is a compression unit, the mass production of which was organized in 1949-1951. at the Moscow Automobile Plant.
The first models of such refrigerators were developed by the Design Bureau of the enterprise. They were called "ZIS-Moscow". The first sample of such a refrigerator had a volume of 165 liters.
A year after the organization of a workshop for the production of household household cooling appliances, a pilot batch of 300 units saw the light. These were the first compression refrigerators to have enough volume for the consumer.
The plant continued to develop intensively. Soon, other models of the legendary refrigerator were released to the consumer market. So, in 1960, a unit"ZIL-Moscow" KX-240. The volume of its cooling chamber left 240 liters, and the freezer compartment - 29 liters. The new ZIL-Moscow refrigerator gave consumers the opportunity to place products on the inside of the door panel.
In 1969, a new domestic rectangular refrigerator appeared. They became the unit of the ZIL-62 KSh-240 model. Such a refrigerator easily fit into the interior of a standard kitchen. In addition, the designers for the first time used a magnetic seal for its doors. This made it possible to operate the refrigerator in areas not only with a temperate, but also with a tropical and subtropical climate.
Devices from Minsk manufacturer
According to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the BSSR, from August 1959, preparations began for the creation of household cooling electrical appliances at the gas equipment plant. Production was in Minsk. It became the basis for the current Atlant software.
The first refrigerator "Minsk-1" rolled off the production line in 1962. It was a 140-liter compression unit. Its freezer compartment was 18.5 liters. At the bottom of the chamber of this refrigerator, the designers provided two vessels that were intended for vegetables and fruits. The first models were built-in. They were released immediately with a countertop. Moreover, a cabinet for food and dishes was provided on the left.
Starting from 1964, the production of units of the second model began. Refrigerator "Minsk-2" was freestanding. Then they launched the production of models of the third and fourth generations. They were different from theirpredecessors by being taller and narrower.
A refrigerator "Minsk-5" was produced under the license of a French company. Its shelves had a changeable installation height, and a special pedal served to open the doors. This model formed the basis of the improved and unified Minsk-6 refrigerators.
But the most popular units of the Belarusian manufacturer are still two-chamber. This is the Minsk-15 model and its various modifications. For the first time in them, polyurethane foam was used as a thermal insulating material.
Products of the Iceberg factory
Since 1962, the production of refrigerators began at a factory opened in the city of Smolensk. These were compression refrigerators, the volume of which, until the eighties of the last century, did not exceed one hundred and twenty liters. Compact units were very popular among the population of our country, despite the fact that they were single-chamber and had a fairly simple design with strict straight lines. Cases of refrigerators "Smolensk" were made of white or milky plastic, and the control was carried out mechanically.
From 1964 to 1999, the company mastered and produced eleven models of this household appliance, the total volume of which amounted to more than five million units.
Success of the Krasnoyarsk plant
Many older people are familiar with the Soviet Biryusa refrigerator. Its production was launched in 1963. This happened after the decision of the Government of the country to establish the production of refrigerators at the Krasmash plant.
After the releaseenterprises at the design capacity of the units began to appear on the consumer market in the amount of 150 thousand annually. But they were so popular in the USSR that it became necessary to increase their output. Since 1967, the plant has had the capacity to produce 350,000 refrigerators annually.
In the early 70s, the company launched the production of compressors with improved technical characteristics. In 1982, the plant celebrated the production of the 10 millionth unit.
Murom manufacturer
The Soviet refrigerator "Oka" entered the country's markets in the fifties of the last century. These products, manufactured by the Murom Machine-Building Plant, still work in some homes to this day.
The very first models of Oka refrigerators were two-chamber, having standard dimensions. Such a device is quite suitable for a family of 4-5 people. The design style of these refrigerators was quite strict. The case had sharp corners, and its height did not exceed 150 cm. Removable lattice-type shelves were provided in the refrigerating chamber. Below were containers for fruits and vegetables. The total volume of the first model was 300 liters. Power consumption - 50 kWh for a month.
The defrosting of such a refrigerator was manual, and its operation was accompanied by a rather loud noise.
Absheron units
Small single-chamber refrigerators were the very first to roll off the assembly line of the Bashkir plant. Their main difference was the high climatic class. In this regard, the Absheron refrigerator has becomein demand not only in the Soviet Union, but also in foreign countries. It was bought with pleasure by the countries of Latin America and Africa.
The Bashkir refrigerator was made of durable materials. For example, steel was taken for the body, covering it with a special anti-corrosion compound. The disadvantages of these models include a small volume of the freezer, which was extremely inconvenient for housewives.
In the 1980s, the company began producing overall two-chamber models. Their volume reached 300 liters. Such units were distinguished by high cooling capacity.
In general, the process of production of refrigerators in the USSR can be described as successful.
