Energy efficient refrigeration system using latent heat storage, PCM

This study examines the performance enhancement offered by a phase change material (PCM) connected to the evaporator and condenser of a household refrigerator that utilizes R134a as the refrigerant. The features of the refrigerant and its properties determine how quickly a refrigerator releases and stores heat. The use of PCM accelerates heat transfer, leading to an improvement in the Coefficient of Performance (COP). This experimental study demonstrates how the COP of a typical refrigeration system can be significantly improved. In the present study, the PCM is utilized in a manually constructed enclosure that encloses the evaporator and condenser of a refrigerator. The purpose of the PCM is to decrease the condenser temperature, resulting in a substantial reduction of power consumption. The heat is transmitted from the refrigerator cabinet to the evaporator through PCM by conduction. Therefore, the rate of heat transfer from the evaporator to the refrigerant increases noticeably, which enhances the COP of the refrigeration system. From the experiment, it was found that COP increased by 12.7% and compressor off time increased about 1.5 times. © 2024 The Author(s)