Experimental Investigation of Solar Energy-Assisted DC Refrigerator

Protecting the environment and saving energy have always been a great concern for human beings. The domestic refrigerator is no more a luxurious item but is an essential commodity. Therefore, looking at a large number of refrigerators being installed every year, it is essential to account the energy consumption of the refrigerator. The focus of this chapter is to convert a conventional refrigerator to self-sustainable refrigerator operated with solar energy input. Special attention is given to experimental performance analysis of solar refrigerator operated with direct current (DC) compressor and alternating current (AC) compressor. The outcomes of the experimental analysis revealed that the per day energy consumption of a DC refrigerator is 0.87 kWh, which is indirectly saved using solar energy. The coefficient of performance of a solar-assisted refrigerator is found to be in the range of 1.98–2.49. The energy loss in AC system components is found to be 15% more than the solar energy-operated direct drive DC compressor system. The research work signifies that the solar-powered DC refrigerator has significant scope for research and development in order to operate a self-sustainable refrigerator.