Application of phase change materials for performance enhancement of open-display supermarket refrigerators: Numerical simulation and parametric study

Open-display refrigerators are now widely used in supermarkets to store goods to maintain quality over time. Using phase change materials (PCMs) can be a great solution to increase the performance of open-display re-frigerators. In this work, we developed a dynamic model for a double-cabinet open-display refrigerator equipped with PCMs in cabinets and evaporators. Based on a PCM database, a parametric study was conducted on the effect of PCM type, location, and amount on the performance of open-display refrigerators. In the simulated open-display refrigerator, the use of PCM (with a mass range of 1.0-8.0 kg) in the cabinets reduced temperature fluctuations by up to 15.8 %, the number of compressors on/off by up to 5.0 %, the open/close of inlet valves by up to 5.0 %, and energy consumption by up to 1.1 %. Furthermore, equipping the evaporators with PCM (with a mass range of 1.0-8.0 kg), led to a 6.6 % decrease in air temperature fluctuations, a 10.0 % decrease in compressor on/off times, a 10.0 % decrease in inlet valve opening/closing times, and a 1.5 % reduction in energy consumption.

Automated summary

Open-display refrigerators are commonly used in supermarkets to maintain the quality of stored goods. The use of phase change materials (PCMs) can greatly enhance the performance of these refrigerators. This study developed a dynamic model for a double-cabinet open-display refrigerator equipped with PCMs in cabinets and evaporators. A parametric study was conducted to analyze the impact of PCM type, location, and amount on the refrigerator's performance. The results showed that using PCM in the cabinets reduced temperature fluctuations, decreased compressor on/off times, minimized inlet valve opening/closing times, and resulted in energy savings.