Vapour Compression Cooling System Powered By Solar PV Array for Potato Storage

Refrigerated storage, which is believed to be best method for storing the fruits and vegetables in fresh form, is not available in rural or remote locations where grid electricity is almost not available. So, without having a conventional energy source at these areas, the present study was taken up to design and fabricate a solar PV powered vapour compression refrigeration system to attain favourable conditions for potato storage, and to evaluate its shelf life under different operating conditions. The system is designed and fabricated in the division of Agril. Engineering at IARI, New Delhi. It consisted of PV panel, lead-acid battery, inverter and the vapour compression refrigeration system consists of a drier-cum-filter besides the main components: compressor, condenser, expansion device, evaporator, exhaust and evaporator fans. The 2.50 m 3 cold storage structure was constructed and insulated with proper materials. An evaporatively cooled storage structure (1.0 m 3 ) was used for curing process. The cured potato cultivar (Kufri Chandermukhi) were stored for 5 months. The stored tubers were divided into two lots, one used as control (free sprouting) and the second was manually desprouted. Measuring of moisture loss, dry matter, sprouting, rotting, sugars content, starch and chipping quality reflected the shelf life of potato. The average daily solar photovoltaic (SPV) energy output and energy consumption by the load were 5.65 and 4.115 kWh, respectively, under full load. The obtained results indicated that, the average daily actual COP for loaded and air circulated cold storage structure was 3.25. The average temperature and relative humidity maintained inside the loaded and air circulated storage structure were 283.13 K and 86 %, respectively. Solar panel can serve as an alternative source of energy for powering cooling system.