A Study of Convective and Mass Heat Transfer in a Residential Refrigerator During Open Door Conditions

Knackstedt, L.N.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/11001 Copy

Description

Title

A Study of Convective and Mass Heat Transfer in a Residential Refrigerator During Open Door Conditions

Author(s)

Knackstedt, L.N.

Contributor(s)

• Newell, T.A.
• Clausing, A.M.

Issue Date

1995-01

Keyword(s)

• sensible energy loading
• latent energy loading

Abstract

As the DOE standards for energy usage become increasingly more strict, and refrigerator manufacturers seek to further improve refrigerator efficiency, door openings will become a significant portion of the equation which to date has largely gone untapped. This study investigates the heat transfer coefficients present on the interior surfaces of the refrigerator during open door conditions. Flow visualization and air exchange studies were also performed, providing a complete picture of the convective heat gains occurring during door openings. Surface heat transfer coefficients were found to range from 0.551 W/m2 (0.175 BTU/ft2-hr) on the floor of the refrigerator with three shelves in place, to 5.208 W/m2 (1.651 BTU/fF-hr) on the upper-most front plates in the cabinet. The coefficients are directly affected by the airflow patterns in the refrigerator, which are a function of the number of shelves present. Simple temperature measurements were taken to evaluate how the air temperature within the cabinet responds before, during, and after the door is opened. The air temperature decay after the door is closed was found to be in nearly perfect agreement with an exponential decay curve having a time constant of approximately 50 seconds. Further investigations involving different shelf configurations and new shelf designs (including some present shelf designs) were studied and recommendations provided on reducing the overall heat gain during door openings.

Publisher

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Series/Report Name or Number

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center TR-71

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/11001

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Center Project 11

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