Experimental Evaluation of Household Refrigerator Performance with Different Wire Condenser Configurations and Refrigerants

Abstract

This experimental study assesses the thermodynamic performance of a home refrigeration system using three refrigerants (R134a, R600a, and R1234yf) and three wire-tube condenser configurations (full-wire, half-wire, and no-wire) at ambient temperatures of 20°C, 30°C, and 40 °C. According to the findings, R600a demonstrated excellent energy efficiency by achieving the best coefficient of performance (COP: 2.8–4.5), lowest pressure ratio (5.6–8.1), and lowest specific heat rejection (62.41–91.39 kJ/kg). R134a had the lowest freezer temperatures (-20°C to -30°C) and compressor work (38.22–69.88 kJ/kg), but it needed significantly more heat rejection (220.00–239.46 kJ/kg). With comparatively more compressor work and less cooling, R1234yf demonstrated intermediate performance. The higher ambient temperature led to higher condensation pressures and pressure ratios, thus lowering the COP for all refrigerants. The removal of part or all of the condenser wires resulted in a decrease in heat dissipation and thus a significant drop in COP, especially at high ambient temperatures. In conclusion, R600a with a full-wire condenser is a recommended choice for domestic refrigeration systems due to its energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.