Utilizing of KNO3, KCl, and NaCl as phase change materials within the refrigerator for energy saving

Abstract

Practical experiments were conducted on a home refrigerator with a capacity of 289 L, under hot weather conditions, to improve energy consumption and coefficient of Performance (COP) using several phase change materials (PCMs). A comparison was made between different materials (KNO₃, KCl, and NaCl) at a mixture ratio of 10% with 90% H₂O, and using H₂O. A stainless-steel container with volumes of 1 L and 1.5 L was placed under the evaporator, without sacrificing any space for freezing or cooling. PCM materials have demonstrated their effectiveness in minimizing temperature variations within a refrigeration environment. The results indicate that using a 1 L KNO₃ mixture achieved the most significant improvement, increasing COP by 12.1% and reducing electricity consumption by 8.6%. The KCl mixture came in second place, followed by NaCl, while the least effective was H₂O. All results showed that PCM contributes to reducing compressor operating periods by up to 7.1%.