A method for testing a normal operation of a refrigerator, the method including allowing a user to implement an application of a terminal for testing the refrigerator; displaying a list of controllable loads on a display unit of the terminal; allowing the user to select a desired load and input a setting command for the load; implementing a controller of the refrigerator to operate the load according to the setting command received from the terminal via the tag unit; and implementing the terminal to display state information of the operated load on the display unit.

An actively heated or cooled dishware or serverware device (e.g., a plate, a bowl, a serving dish, such as a platter) can have a temperature control system that can include one or more heating or cooling elements operable to heat or cool a surface of the dishware or serverware device to thereby heat or cool the food on said surface.

A heat exchanger includes: a water-repellent coating film on part of a surface of the heat exchanger. The surface on which the water-repellent coating film is disposed includes a surface structure including protrusions. D/L<0.36, D/L>0.4?(L/H), D<200, L?D<1000, H>700, 0>1.28?D?10.sup.?2+2.77 ?(L?D)?10.sup.?3?1.1?D.sup.2?10.sup.?5?5.3?(L?D).sup.2?10.sup.?7?9.8?D?(L?D)?10.sup.?6?2.0, and 90?<?<120?, where L is an average pitch of the protrusions in nm, D is an average diameter of the protrusions in nm, H is an average height of the protrusions in nm, and ? is a contact angle of water on a smooth plane of the water-repellent coating film.

An air conditioning system includes an air conditioning device, a detector, and an alarm. The air conditioning device has a control unit and conditions air in an indoor space. The detector detects the concentration of refrigerant in the indoor space. The alarm notifies of refrigerant leakage in the indoor space. The detector or the alarm transmits information indicating whether or not the detector and the alarm are connected to each other in a wired or wireless manner, to the control unit. The control unit inhibits operation of the air conditioning device when the information indicates that the detector and the alarm are not connected to each other in the wired or wireless manner.

Remote control of energy consumption is realized using a readily installable, flexible approach. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a remote source communicates with a wireless controller for executing energy usage control. The remote source sends signals to the wireless controller via a gateway located near or, in one implementation, forming part of the wireless controller. In response to the signals, the wireless controller sets control settings for operating one or more of a variety of equipment types, such as a furnace, air conditioner, water heater or heat pump.

An apparatus for cooling bottled beverages may include an open-topped vessel defining a bottle chamber. The vessel may have a tubular wall and a base. The apparatus may further include a cooling device in thermal communication with the base of the vessel and with a heat exchanger. The apparatus may also include a tubular housing surrounding the vessel and enclosing the cooling device and the heat exchanger. Additionally, the apparatus may include a fan configured to provide an air flow along an airflow path. The airflow path may extend from an inlet of the housing, across the heat exchanger, to an outlet of the housing.

The disclosure features various embodiments and aspects of a chest for quenching beverages. The chest can include a tank for holding a chilled mixture of ice and water, an ice maker adapted for making ice having an output for ejecting ice into a conduit in fluid communication with the tank, and a plurality of quench trays disposed above the tank for holding containers of beverages located in first and second positions. The trays can be filled with cold water by way of a conduit in fluid communication with the tank. The quench trays can include a compartment defined by a bottom and a plurality of walls, and defining therein a plurality of rows for aligning and containing a plurality of beverage containers. The drawers can further include at least one drain orifice configured to guide water out of the quench tray.

A refrigerator includes a casing including storage compartments, doors attached to the casing to expose or cover the storage compartments, hinges connecting the doors to the casing and supporting the doors so that the doors are openable and closable, electrically non-conductive hinge covers detachably attached to the casing and covering the hinges, and a wireless adapter disposed on the hinge cover and including an antenna unit configured to transmit and receive radio waves.

An actively heated or cooled food container can have a lid movable between an open and a closed position and an insulated body to which the lid can be attached. The insulated body can have a sidewall that defines a perimeter of the container body and a base, the sidewall and base defining one or more chambers that can be sealed by the lid. The food container can have a temperature control system that can include one or more heating or cooling elements in thermal communication with one or both of the sidewall and the base and operable to heat or cool one or both of the sidewall and the base to thereby heat or cool the one or more chambers in the food container.

Vertical cold chain temperature-controlled storage and methods of operating the same are provided. In some embodiments, a vertical cold chain temperature-controlled storage system includes: a vertical lift module which includes: a plurality of shelves; and at least one opening. One or more of the plurality of shelves includes a power subsystem for powering a tote. This might enable more efficient and more dynamic temperature control during storage.