Eventos Anais de eventos
ENCIT 2016
16th Brazilian Congress of Thermal Sciences and Engineering
A Numerical and Experimental Investigation on Skin Condensers Applied to Domestic Refrigerators
Submission Author:
Rodolfo da Silva Espíndola , SC
Co-Authors:
Fernando Testoni Knabben, claudio melo
Presenter: Rodolfo da Silva Espíndola
doi://10.26678/ABCM.ENCIT2016.CIT2016-0185
Abstract
The aim of this work is to numerically and experimentally investigate the performance characteristics of skin condensers applied to a specific household refrigerator model. To this end a mathematical model which takes into account both the heat transfer to the ambient and to the refrigerated compartments was developed. The model predicts the condenser performance from the internal and external air temperatures, geometry, mass flow rate, and pressure and temperature at the heat exchanger inlet. Steady-state energy consumption tests – compressor running continuously with electric heaters being used to create artificial thermal load – were carried out in different operating conditions with the product maintained within a climate-controlled chamber. Tests were carried out at 25°C and 32°C ambient temperatures, 5°C to 10°C fresh-food compartment temperatures, -20°C to -15°C freezer compartment temperatures and compressor speeds of 3000 rpm and 4500 rpm. Thermograms of the outer steel shell temperature fields were also recorded during the experiments. The model predictions were compared with the experimental database with the deviations falling inside a ± 2% error band. It has been found that, on average, 68% of the condenser heat released rate is transferred to the ambient while the remaining 32% is transferred to the refrigerated compartments. It has also been found that the thermal conductivity of the tape used to attach the tubes plays an important role on the heat transfer rate, and that the tubes should not be located at the freezer walls.
Keywords
skin condenser, Household Refrigerator, mathematical model, experimental validation
