The quality and taste characteristics of the products used for cooking, largely depend on compliance with storage conditions. In order to prolong the freshness of products and preserve their taste, it is important to place them in the refrigerator correctly. To do this, you need to know about the temperature distribution inside, namely where in the refrigerator is it colder or warmer up or down?
The study of the issue should be taken carefully. Many users, not knowing the rules of storage and temperature distribution, place products incorrectly. This, in turn, not only affects the characteristics of stored vegetables, fruits, semi-finished products, meat and other products, but can also create an additional load on the refrigerator, which may affect its operation and cause damage.
Placement of products on shelves, taking into account acceptable storage conditions
What determines the temperature distribution
It is widely believed among users that the coldest is the lower shelf, since according to the law of physics, warm air rises and cold air goes down. This opinion has a right to exist, but not in all cases. The temperature distribution in the refrigerator is affected by what design, or rather the freezing system, is implemented. On sale you can find refrigerators of the following type:
- Single chamber - cold air comes from the freezer located in the upper part;
- Two-chamber - a know-frost system is used in which the cooling system tubes are located on the rear wall and cold air is pumped by built-in fans.
Let us consider in more detail the options for household appliances and the type of temperature distribution in them.
Where colder in a single-chamber refrigerator
The single-chamber refrigerator has a fairly simple device. It is divided into section shelves and in the upper part there is a freezer, in the walls of which freon circulates through the tubes or internal jumpers, which ensures freezing of products and cooling of the entire chamber. Despite the fact that this design is technically obsolete, it is quite effective and allows you to maintain the desired temperature, both for freezing products and for their long-term storage.
In single-chamber refrigerators with a freezer in the upper part, the coldest is the shelf located directly under the freezer. The cold from Freon comes from above, and then descends to the lower shelf. It will be the warmest below, which means you can store fruits and vegetables that do not have critical requirements for the regime. If the technique is small, this difference will be quite small, within 1-3 degrees. For large single-chamber models, the temperature difference can be 5-7 degrees. If the temperature on the upper shelf is close to 0 ° С, then on the lowest shelf it can reach +7 - + 9 ° С.
Please note: In a single-chamber model with a freezer, shelves act as a natural barrier to temperature distribution. If they are excessively filled and practically do not allow air to pass through, this will affect the temperature distribution and become a barrier to the spread of cold in the lower compartments.
Placement of products in a single-chamber refrigerator in accordance with the temperature regime
Where colder in a two-chamber refrigerator
Two-chamber refrigerators are distinguished by their design.In particular, in them, for an even distribution of temperature, the cooling element is located behind the rear wall. Cold air injection is carried out by fans that distribute the cold relatively evenly across all compartments. This technology is called know-frost, with it the freezer is not covered with ice with prolonged use.
The coldest place in the two-chamber refrigerator is located near the air grilles, where the fans are located. They are usually located at the top of each compartment. Their position can be determined by the presence of openings for air distribution; on the shelf next to the fans, the storage temperature is the lowest. In addition, air circulates in a circle, and if there are no significant obstacles in the way of blowing, the lower shelf also has the lowest temperature. Thanks to a system of blowing from vegetables, fruits and other juicy products, moisture evaporates quickly, and they can lose their texture and taste. For their storage it is necessary to use hermetically sealed containers or other containers preventing contact with the external environment.
Food storage in containers in the Nou-Frost refrigerator to prevent airing and dehydration of products
Please note: an important factor in the case of two-chamber models is the individuality of their design. In particular, the exact location of the holes for the output of cold air, the number and power of fans. With this design, the coldest part is the place of direct air blowing, as well as the part at the rear wall, regardless of the height of the shelf.
Product placement in a multi-chamber refrigerator in accordance with the temperature regime on different shelves
Important Nuances
Manufacturers of refrigerators indicate the operating parameters in the equipment manual. In the instructions you can find a note with cooling modes for each shelf or zone of the device. If the equipment is working properly, then this data will be relevant throughout the entire life cycle. It is likely that after 5-8 years of operation, the modes may change in favor of increasing degrees. This is due to the gradual evaporation of freon or due to its leakage through leaking joints.
You can check the temperature yourself if you have a room thermometer at hand. Leave it for 10 minutes on each shelf to get accurate data. After the measurement, you need to get it out of the refrigerator and let it recover in the room to get accurate data on the next measurement. Distribute the products in accordance with the information received, given that some of them can be frozen, others require cooling, and the third is of a sufficiently low positive temperature.
Above all, the temperature on the door shelf, moreover, this rule applies to equipment with any models of the cooling mechanism. The circuit of the freon line is not installed in the door, and the door, when opened, is in contact with the room temperature.
The refrigerator door is the warmest place, regardless of its design
Knowing the exact temperature distribution inside the refrigerator, you can achieve better preservation of products for a long time. Avoid premature equipment breakdown due to work under high loads.
