Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of hot-wall condenser geometry on domestic refrigerator-freezers (RFs) in terms of refrigerant charge reduction. A transient simulation model for an R600a domestic RF is developed and validated to capture the dynamic performance at various operating conditions. The hot-wall condenser in the domestic RF is determined to store excess refrigerant charge. The effects of the hot-wall condenser geometry on the performance of the RF are analyzed according to the total refrigerant charge. The coefficient of performance (COP) decreases with decreasing hot-wall condenser length and diameter; however, the decrease in the COP of the RF is compensated by the decreased energy consumption. Based on the global minimum energy consumption, the optimum hot-wall condenser design is achieved when the tube length is reduced to 70% of its original size and the tube outer diameter is decreased to 3.75 mm. Furthermore, the total refrigerant charge in the RF corresponding to the optimized hot-wall condenser geometry is shown to be 14% lower compared to the rated charge amount.
Translated title of the contribution | Refrigerant charge reduction in R600a domestic refrigerator-freezer by optimizing hot-wall condenser geometry |
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Original language | French |
Pages (from-to) | 295-306 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | International Journal of Refrigeration |
Volume | 117 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2020 Sept |
Keywords
- Hot-wall condenser
- Refrigerant charge
- Refrigerator-freezer
- Transient simulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical Engineering