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In this study, a series of experimental runs performed under different conditions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of a household refrigerator. Two eutectic phase change materials (PCMs) arranged in a cascade configuration have been tested on the performance of the system. The PCMs were placed on the back-side of the wire-and-tube condenser in a decreasing order of their melting temperatures along the refrigerant flow direction to achieve a high heat transfer rate and to reduce energy consumption. The operating characteristics of the novel refrigerator were studied and compared with the results of a refrigerator equipped with a single PCM and two ordinary refrigerators with and without measurement packages (M-packs). All the tests have been performed in standard condition in Philver Company in Tehran, Iran. For the novel refrigerator, the temperature of the condenser surface significantly decreased, which led to a lower condensing temperature during the refrigeration cycle and improved the coefficient of performance (COP). Also, the ratio of the on-time to the total experiment time was considerably shorter compared to the refrigerator equipped with a single PCM and two ordinary refrigerators. According to the results, integration of two different PCMs on the condenser surface in a cascade arrangement decreases the compressor work time percentage from 32.7 to 27.6, while this parameter was decreased to 29.6 with a single PCM. Finally, the energy consumption was reduced by 13% in the novel refrigerator whereas it was only reduced by 8% in the refrigerator equipped with a single PCM. • Efficiency enhancement of a household refrigerator has been studied. • Eutectic phase change materials with cascade configuration have been used in the system. • The compressor off-time of the novel system lowered significantly. • Energy consumption of the refrigerator with single PCM was reduced by 8%. • Further energy consumption reduction up to 13% has been achieved in cascade configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this article, a solar absorption chiller used in MehrAbad region of Tehran, Iran is optimized with exergoeconomic principles and genetic algorithm. After optimizing, a storage system with Phase Change Material technique (PCM) is designed for this optimum configuration for supporting system when sunshine is not received adequately, especially at night. Exergoeconomic analysis is based on finding some ways to improving the performance of a thermal system considering economic constrains. In this study, the exergoeconomic optimization is applied for LiBr–water absorption. The results show that total investment cost of main system, the whole of system except storage system, has increased 2.0568% rather than the base case that system usually operates. With adding storage system to main system in optimum point, pay back period increases from 0.61 years to 1.13 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]