Phase change materials for more efficient household refrigeration

A new review paper, Phase Change Materials for Performance Enhancement in Household Refrigeration: A Review, has been published in Strojniški vestnik – Journal of Mechanical Engineering. The paper explores the use of phase change materials (PCMs) to improve the performance of household refrigeration systems.

PCMs can store and release thermal energy during a phase transition, thereby increasing the thermal inertia of a refrigeration system. When properly selected and integrated, they can contribute to more stable temperatures, improved system efficiency, reduced peak loads, and longer preservation of suitable temperatures during power outages.

The paper presents key criteria for PCM selection and reviews different integration strategies, including PCM placement at the evaporator, condenser, inside the refrigerated compartment, and in combined configurations. The review also shows that commercially available PCMs already cover temperature ranges relevant to household refrigeration. Achieving the desired benefits, however, strongly depends on selecting an appropriate phase-change temperature and integrating the material correctly into the refrigeration system.

The work was carried out within the GreenTech project and is the result of collaboration between researchers from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, and Gorenje, Hisense Europe.

The paper was authored by Urban Tomc, Katja Klinar, Luka Porenta, Marko Kralj, Tomaž Bregar and Andrej Kitanovski.

Paper: Phase Change Materials for Performance Enhancement in Household Refrigeration: A Review
DOI: 10.5545/sv-jme.2026.1670