Numerical investigation on the energy performance of a frost-free refrigerator under faulty conditions

摘要

A dynamic simulation model was used to assess the energy performance of a typical 440-litre frost-free refrigerator running under the influence of single and multiple faults, such as condenser fouling, evaporator blockage, insulation aging, and compressor wear. The model was validated against experimental data for fault-free operation showing a reasonable level of agreement for both the start-up and cycling regimes: the system energy consumption was found to be within ±10% agreement with the experimental data, while the compartments air temperatures were predicted with a maximum deviation of ±1°C. It was shown that there is a weak interaction between the faults, leading to a combined performance loss that is slightly higher than the summation of the losses induced by each one of the individual faults.