Abstract
The increasing global focus on mitigating global warming has driven a change in refrigerant selection for domestic
refrigerators. While most existing refrigerators use R-134a as their working fluid, there is a gradual shift towards R600a in newly manufactured products to minimize environmental impact. In order to design a more energy-efficient
isobutane refrigerator, various configurations, including both single-evaporator and dual-evaporator cycles, were
investigated. The study was conducted using a high-fidelity simulation platform, the Heat Pump Design Model
(HPDM), developed and experimentally validated by the US DOE/ORNL. This platform includes detailed segment-to-segment heat exchanger model, fan model, and compressor model, utilizing refrigerant properties from
REFPROP 10. A quasi-steady-state approach was employed to simulate the transient behavior and performance of a
domestic refrigerator. The performance of various configurations was compared, and the effects of the refrigerant
properties and operating conditions were also analyzed and discussed.
