Energy saving in the refrigerator by using a salt hydrate as a phase change material

Abstract

This work aims to explore the effect of adding Phase Change Material (PCM) inside a natural convection evaporator of a refrigerator. The compressor is thermostat controlled ON/OFF regulated type and the PCM is a salt hydrate that has a transient phase change temperature of -5°C. The PCM stores cool energy during the operation of refrigerator and releases it during the cut OFF period of the compressor. The addition of the PCM pack leads to increase in ON and OFF cycle time of the compressor. However, increase in OFF period is more than the increase in ON period of compressor and hence gives the energy savings up to 23.2%, and reduction in number of cycles of operation of compressor from 86 to 34. In addition the life time of the compressor will be extended due to reduction in the number of compressor working cycles.