Can I put a cold oxygen plasma generator in my fridge?

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com⁩ to ⁨nostupidquestions@lemmy.world⁩

TLDR - I got my hands on a cold oxygen plasma generator for preventing biofilm in ice machines; could it help food last longer in my fridge or will it mess up my food?

I’m a refrigeration mechanic and recently while decommisioning some old ice machines I found one with a functional Luminice II module in it which I snagged. Generally nobody in my area orders icemachines with this optional module. With our water quality limescale becomes an issue and necessitates cleaning far far more quickly than biofilm so they generally aren’t worthwhile here. So I have no experience with these modules.

From what I understand they use a UVC bulb to generate cold oxygen plasma which is then pumped through the ice machine to kill bacteria. At least from what I’ve heard they work really well. I’ve been trying to think of places I could use it and it occured to me that I could pump cold oxygen plasma through my fridge to kill any microbes in there and therefore potentially make my food last longer in there. At the same time though, food is also often made of cells so I’m not sure what effect cold oxygen plasma would have on my food long term. Maybe I would just be turning my fridge into an instant produce spoiling machine.

This isn’t really an issue that needs to be solved but I like tinkering and it would be cool to have a self sanitizing fridge. Is this a bad idea?

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Comments

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WhiteOakBayou@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
MaybeI’m wrong but I think you might oxidize all your produce faster. I do think you should try though.

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- kata1yst@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Especially because, if this is the device I think it is, it’s an ozone generator, which are even more oxidizing than the normal O^2.
  
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  - Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    That’s what I thought they were at first too but aparently there is a difference. A cold oxygen plasma generator does produce ozone but aparently it also does other stuff. I’m not sure on the exact science but it isn’t just an ozone generator.
    
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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  That’s what I’m kind of wondering. Maybe I should try it out with my minifridge first.
  
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  - bizzle@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Seems like a low risk way to make sure
    
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- Cevilia@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Yes, this. You can. But you probably shouldn’t.
  
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pennomi@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Science demands you perform an experiment! We are all awaiting your results with excitement.

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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I want to. I have a spare minifridge so I may run some trials with that. Unfortunately it’ll need to wait a bit because the Luminice unit needs a new bulb and I don’t have that kind of money on hand at the moment.
  
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PlaidBaron@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If it fits in the fridge, of course you can. I know nothing about cold oxygen plasma generators but I am somewhat of an expert on fitting things into other things and I have learned from my extensive studies that smaller things usually fit in larger things. So as long as the generator thingy is small enough and the fridge is big enough, Id say its absolutely possible.

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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  It do fit so I guess it do sit.
  
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DemBoSain@midwest.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Oxygen plasma sounds like something that could very easily set something else on fire.

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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  It’s not pure oxygen. It’s basically just ionizing the oxygen in the air. From what I understand it works similarly to an ozone generator but is slightly different.
  
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duckythescientist@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I know ozone degrades some plastics really quickly. I’m not sure if that’s just ozone or also the oxygen radicals, but I’m worried for the plastic parts in your fridge. I’d have to look into ice makers’ construction materials to be sure.

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- Clasm@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  In my experience, it’ll eat through the rubber seals first.
  
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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Ice machine do use a lot of plastic but it is usually designed to be more robust due to the cleaners used so it may be different from the stuff used in a fridge.
  
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litchralee@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

I got my hands on a cold oxygen plasma generator

My dude, very unique opportunities seem to be a common occurrence for you. I remember when I answered your question about 240v residential power. And now a plasma generator??

Sadly, I don’t have an answer to your present inquiry, but I hope the other commenters are of aid.

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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I spent nearly 30 years of my life with unmedicated ADHD and ocasionally it works to my benefit.
  
  Also still working on the 240V power thing. I just need to have disposable income first.
  
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Natanael@infosec.pub ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Those devices should just be used to clean emptied machines

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- Canonical_Warlock@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Nope. They run all the time. They literally just get wired direct to the hot side of the main contactor in the machine. If the machine has power the luminice unit is running.
  
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Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Yup

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