The convection cooling system of the Yakutsk permafrost seed repository

Temperature is critical to maintaining seed viability under long-term storage conditions. It has been common practice to use refrigeration systems to maintain required storage temperatures. A seed repository constructed in permafrost in Yakutsk, Russia is the first seed storage facility that relies solely on natural cold. This paper describes the design and performance of the cooling system of the repository. An innovative aspect of the cooling system is that it utilizes the patterns of temperature wave propagation in permafrost. Predicted and measured ground temperatures for the first year of operation are presented and analyzed. Results indicate that convection air cooling systems can be used to control the temperature regime in underground facilities in permafrost.