Study on the effect of inclusion of thermal energy storage unit in the energy performance of a household refrigerator

Performance of two kinds of energy storage methods used in the household refrigeration is investigated and analyzed. A Mixture of De-ionized water with Natural graphite (3 wt%) and Paraffin (OM-46) were considered for phase change material (PCM) in the evaporator side and the condenser side respectively. After thorough investigation through experimental verification it is inferred that this set up has significantly enhanced the condenser heat transfer and the overall performance of the refrigerator. The variation in the compressor exit temperature exhibits a considerable dip in the maximum temperature of the compressor. This helps to increase the life time of the compressor. The evaporator and condenser temperature were approximately the same when the PCM is used on evaporator side. Under test conditions, this design of refrigerator could save energy by 16-22 % with PCM on condenser and 7-13 % with PCM on evaporator.