In this study, a modified vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with cold storage was proposed forapplications in freezers. In the cycle, the phase change material (PCM) based cold storage is used to increasethe subcooling degree for cycle performance enhancement. Theoretical evaluation for the proposed cycleusing refrigerant R290 has been conducted based on thermodynamic first law. The results indicated thatunder a typical operation condition, the coefficient of performance and volumetric cooling capacity of theproposed cycle with the PCM subcooler were higher 5.8-25.1% and 5.5- 25.4%, respectively, in comparisonwith those of a conventional vapor-compression cycle. Furthermore, the effects of operating and designparameters on the cycle performance were discussed. This study indicates that the proposed cycle for freezerapplications has the great potential to reduce energy consumption and guarantee food quality.
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