How would the Royal Navy in the age of sail have used a practical low-technology refrigeration device?
Short answerIt would have welcomed any system that kept food, especially vegetables, fresh for longer because diet was central to health at sea.
NotesRefrigeration would have been a logistics and health advantage at sea. Any device that prolonged the life of fresh food would have been valuable to an age-of-sail navy because vegetables helped crews remain healthy during long deployments. Endurance depended as much on provisions as it did on weapons or hull design.