Ethylene Reducer:
Produce-saving technology for the the fridge of the future

A product proposal for an ethylene gas reducer was one small component of the "unfrigerator" I designed for my MFA thesis. This tool was developed in collaboration with my science advisor.

Ethylene, a hormone released by plants to stimulate ripening, results in over-ripening and decay when left unchecked in enclosed spaces (like the crisper drawer of a regular refrigerator). Implementing simple chemical engineering can easily retard decay, allowing us to keep some produce for extended periods of time.

Ultraviolet light (UVA) emanates from a tiny LED inside a titanium-cast metal tube. Reacting with the titanium, the ultraviolet light irradiates the ethylene hormone produced by plants, along with mold and bacterial spores—neutralizing the gas and serving as an anti-microbial. The tubular form allows the ethylene reducer to act as its own pump: air is heated slightly as it passes over the LED, rising and creating a vacuum to pull more air through the bottom. A micro-current results, which, coupled with the diffusion gradient (gas molecules move from areas of high-concentration to low) circulates and neutralizes all the air inside the cabinet.