Analysis of the temperature stratification of a no-frost domestic refrigerator with bottom mount configuration

The following paper presents the analysis of the temperatures stratification in the fresh food and freezer compartments from a forced-convection domestic refrigerator set in a bottom mount configuration. Initially the analysis is done through experimental tests measuring parameters like: temperature, cold air velocity and energy consumption. Thereafter, CFD is employed to model and simulate the refrigerator. The original model results reveal an inadequate thermal operational profile, which compared with a new design proposal shows a better distribution of air flow in the latter and therefore a more uniform temperature in the fresh food compartment. Experimentally, the new design proposal represents less ON stages for the compressor compared with those of the original refrigerator under the same operational conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.