Development of a Low-Cost Refrigerator for Fruits and Vegetables Storage

A low cost refrigerator was developed and its performance evaluated by determining the cooling efficiency. The refrigerator consists of an evaporator, compressor, dryer, filter, fan, condenser, capillary tube and working fluid (R12 Gas). The main source of power is electricity. The refrigerator works on the basic principle of vapour compression refrigeration cycle and was designed to accommodate about 0.02 metric tonnes (20kg) of any fresh fruits such as oranges, apples and mangoes. The capacity of the cooling chamber is 97370cm3. During the test period with fresh apples for a period of 9 hours constant supply of electricity. An average temperature of 3.640C and 26.890C were recorded for the refrigerator and the ambient respectively. Also an average relative humidity of 92.14% and 39.09% were recorded for the refrigerator and the ambient respectively. The average cooling efficiency of the refrigerator is 86.5%. The material cost for the refrigerator is about USD 97