Performance Analysis of Electrolux Refrigeration System Coupled with Flat Plate Solar Collector using Hybrid Heat Exchanger

In the present study, domestic Electrolux refrigerator has been modified by coupling with hybrid pipe in pipe heater exchanger to supply heat to the generator. A modification in the practical cycle to achieve high temperature of generator by supplying heat from solar flat plate collector is proposed. In order to achieve the generator temperature to achieve the cooling effect in the evaporator of Electrolux refrigerator, the design of pipe in pipe heat exchanger was done. The flow rate of heat transfer fluid is optimized to enhance the heat transfer rate inside the proposed heat exchanger. In order to find the effect of proposed modification in system, the refrigeration system has been initially studied by using electric heater as a heat source to the generator and temperature variation has been studied and referred as case-1 in the study. Further the domestic Electrolux refrigerator is coupled with solar plat plate collector using heat exchanger to supply heat to generator and referred as case-2. It shows that the with the increase of collector surface temperature the outlet water temperature and the generator temperature increases, but produced no refrigeration effect. In this case no refrigeration effect produced at the high generator temperature of 64.6°C which was obtained at the high-water heater outlet temperature of 74.29°C after the 6 hours of the process. In order to get desired cooling effect in the cabin of refrigerator with solar collector, it further coupled with collector and electric heater simultaneously and referred as case-3. The COP of system was found to be 0.67, 0 and 0.88 for case 1, case-2 and case-3 respectively. Hence, the gain in coefficient of performance of domestic Electrolux refrigerator using solar collector and electric heater simultaneously was found to be 31%.