How can a refrigerator explode? What did I touch?

Audit expert: Ji Hongzeng

PhD candidate in Refrigeration and Heating Systems at Beijing Institute of Technology

On July 7, 2023, a terrible explosion occurred in an ice cream shop in Henan. The cause was incredible. It turned out to be caused by "refrigerator ice shoveling". The incident also resulted in the death and injury of a couple in the store.

Source | TikTok

You will definitely be surprised: in your impression, refrigerators are considered to be electrical appliances with a relatively high safety factor, so how could they explode? In fact, the answer is not complicated: the reason for the refrigerator explosion is closely related to the refrigerant used in its internal compressor.

1Why do refrigerators explode?

Refrigerators require refrigerants for refrigeration. Currently, the most commonly used refrigerant on the market is R32 (chemical name: difluoromethane). The danger sign on the packaging in the picture below indicates that it contains flammable and explosive gases such as methane. As long as the gas reaches a certain concentration and is combined with sparks from a sharp knife, an explosion will occur .

Source | A refrigeration company

When it comes to refrigerant, ordinary users may not have any idea about it, but professional refrigeration equipment maintenance personnel are afraid of it because the refrigerant itself is dangerous. In recent years, R32 refrigerant explosion accidents have occurred frequently.

Source | NetEase News Client

Source | CCTV.com

In most cases, in order to clean the ice in the refrigerator as quickly as possible, many people will use sharp tools such as kitchen knives or small metal shovels to scrape ice from the refrigerator while the refrigerator is powered on. If you are not careful, the pipes filled with refrigerant inside the refrigerator will be punctured, causing the flammable and explosive difluoromethane gas to leak. When the gas reaches a certain concentration and sparks appear on the shoveled circuit, it will ignite the flammable gas and cause an explosion.

In addition to the safety hazards of R32 refrigerant, similar refrigerants on the market also have this risk, such as R600a (chemical name: isobutane), which is also flammable and explosive.

The explosion was caused by improper ice-shoveling from the refrigerator, but shoveling ice from the refrigerator is not absolutely impossible. We can follow the correct de-icing methods below.

2How to defrost the refrigerator correctly?

First of all, after purchasing a refrigerator, you must first observe the model of the refrigerator refrigerant and check on the nameplate on the side of the refrigerator whether the refrigerant contains flammable or explosive gases . If there are flammable or explosive gases, do not use sharp knives to forcibly scrape ice when the refrigerator is not powered off.

Usually when you buy a refrigerator, the merchant will give you a plastic shovel, which can be used to shovel out ice. If the plastic shovel is lost, we can turn off the power of the refrigerator and wait for the ice in the refrigerator to melt by itself. After melting, wipe off the water with toilet paper or a rag , and then use it normally; if you are in a hurry to remove ice quickly, you can sprinkle a layer of salt evenly on the ice layer . The salt water mixture has a lower freezing point, and the ice layer can melt faster, making it easier for the refrigerator to return to use quickly; in addition, you can also use a hair dryer, turn on the hot air and blow it at the ice in the refrigerator , so that the ice is heated and reaches the melting point and falls off; you can also put hot water with a higher temperature near the ice layer to make the ice melt quickly.

These methods can clean the ice in the refrigerator safely and quickly, but you need to remember to turn off the power of the refrigerator before defrosting, and do not use sharp knives!

3What should I do if my refrigerator explodes?

You should know that many families use old or low-end refrigerators, and it is inevitable that the refrigerator will freeze over time. Many people do not know that you cannot use sharp objects to scrape ice from the refrigerator, nor do they have the concept that "pipes can be pierced by shoveling." If you accidentally puncture a pipe during normal use or de-icing, remember not to panic, unplug the refrigerator in time, do not use open flames, open windows for ventilation, evacuate the scene urgently, and call the fire rescue phone or seek help from professional technicians in time .

Source | CCTV.com

Safety is no small matter. When using home appliances, we must follow the instructions and not take chances on safety issues. Especially for the middle-aged and elderly, they lack awareness of safe use of home appliances. Therefore, we also need to pay more attention to this special group of people. Improper ice scraping in the refrigerator can cause explosions. This is a bloody lesson learned at the cost of life. We must learn lessons from such accidents and promptly educate family and friends on the precautions and correct methods of refrigerator defrosting. Don't let the tragedy happen again!