STUDY OF A SMALL-SCALE COOLING SYSTEM BASED ON AN ICE-STORAGE AND A DC-POWERED VAPOUR COMPRESSION REFRIGERATION UNIT TO IMPLEMENT SOLAR ENERGY IN REMOTE AREAS

Identifier:  TDX:3369

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3369

Authors:  Hussen, Muaz Bedru

Abstract:
Refrigeration and cooling maintains the sensory quality of the product and minimizes the loss in cold value chains. Remote areas of the developing countries were mainly characterized by low levels of technology, limited access to modern energy and dominance of small-holder farms as a challenge. Hence, the main objective of this thesis is to develop and characterize a modular-multipurpose cooling system based on an ice-storage for small-scale applications. As part of the experimental system, the ice storage with a variable speed DC-compressor was developed and fabricated. The refrigerant charge and the capillary tube dimensions were experimentally optimized to maximize performance and avoid suction line temperature drop. Moreover, performance of the system under varying parameters was evaluated. Uses of the ice storage for milk cooling and cold room applications were also experimentally investigated. Conventional milk-cans with insulated box and a heat simulated room with a FCU were utilized as respective experimental systems. Chilled water recirculation rates, ice-storage energy density, and air flow rate across FCU were varied as main experimental parameters. Improvement of the ice production technique and corresponding performance data obtained were among main contributions of this research. In general, the research work performed in this thesis contributes more knowledge on development of low-carbon cooling technologies suitable for developing countries. Therefore, piloting and field testing of the technology are among major recommendations for future work.