Charles Tellier facts for kids
Charles Tellier (born June 29, 1828 – died October 19, 1913) was a clever French engineer. He was born in Amiens, a city in France. From a young age, he was very interested in how motors worked and how to use compressed air.
In 1868, Charles Tellier started doing experiments with refrigeration. This means he was trying to find ways to keep things cold. His work eventually led to the creation of special cooling systems. These systems were used on large ships to keep meat and other foods fresh during long journeys across the ocean.
Tellier received important awards for his work. In 1911, he won the Joest prize from the French Institute. The next year, in 1912, he was honored as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. This is a very high award in France. He also wrote a book in 1910 called Histoire d'une invention moderne, le frigorifique. This book was about his amazing invention, the refrigerator.
Bringing Cold to the World
Charles Tellier was a pioneer in refrigeration. He helped make it possible to transport fresh food over long distances. This changed how people ate and traded food around the world.
First Refrigerated Ship
In 1876, Tellier made a big step forward. He used a substance called Dimethyl ether as a refrigerant. This was one of the first chemicals used to create cold. He bought a cargo ship that weighed 690 tons, which was originally named Eboe.
Tellier then put a cooling system he designed, which used methyl-ether, onto this ship. He renamed the ship Le Frigorifique. This name means "The Refrigerator" in French.
The ship made a successful trip. It carried a cargo of chilled meat all the way from Argentina to France. This showed that it was possible to move fresh food across oceans without it spoiling.
Improving the Technology
Even though Le Frigorifique was a success, Tellier knew the cooling machines could be better. So, in 1877, another refrigerated ship was launched. This ship was called Paraguay. It had an improved cooling system designed by Ferdinand Carré. This new ship also traveled on the route to South America, helping to bring more fresh food to people.
Charles Tellier passed away in Paris. His inventions helped to shape the modern world by making fresh food available everywhere.
See also
- Timeline of low-temperature technology
- Francisco Lecocq
