Comparative Thermodynamic Performance of a Household Refrigerator with Solar PV and Grid Power Supply
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Nigeria faces persistent power supply failures with severe implications for food preservation, healthcare, and household comfort. This study presents a comparative thermodynamic performance analysis of a refrigeration system operated with solar and grid electricity. A solar-powered system comprising a 200 W solar panel, $12 \mathrm{~V} / 24 \mathrm{~V} 30$ A charge controller, 180 Ah battery, and 1.5 kVA inverter was designed and integrated at $\mathbf{~ 1 8 4, 6 0 0}$. Performance was assessed at $\mathbf{2 4}^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ ambient temperature by cooling 10 liters of water from $30^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$. Results show the solar PV refrigerator achieved higher COP (4.5743) than grid operation (4.0081), with superior refrigerating effect ($95.45 \mathrm{vs}.93.54 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{kg}$), higher heat rejection rate (118.75 vs. $116.88 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{kg}$), and lower network input (21.30 vs. $23.34 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{kg}$). Cooling capacities were 272.22 W (solar) and 311.11 W (grid), revealing stronger cooling under grid supply, alongside higher compressor work ($31.24 \mathrm{vs}.27.63 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{kg}$) and refrigerant mass flow rate (0.003326 vs. $0.002794 \mathrm{~kg} / \mathrm{s}$). Coldreservoir temperatures reached $-5^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ (solar) and $-10^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ (grid). The 180 Ah battery sustained 90 minutes of operation with minimal voltage discharge (13.0 V to 12.6 V). While grid supply favored higher cooling capacity, the solar system demonstrated greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Findings highlight solar energy as a sustainable alternative for refrigeration in regions with unstable electricity.
Institutions: Bells University of Technology, Yaba College of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7168258643