Energy Efficiency Guide

Buying and Maintaining an

Energy-Efficient Home Refrigerator

Regional Energy Efficiency Center for Home Appliances

West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, Kolkata

Introduction
Home Refrigerator, often called a fridge, has become an essential household appliance.
Refrigerators are extensively used to store fruits, vegetables and other edible products
which perish if not kept well below the room temperatures, normally a few degrees above
0C, the freezing point of water.
A refrigerator is a cooling appliance that transfers heat from its thermally insulated
compartment to the external environment, and thus cooling the stored food in the
compartment. It also normally houses a freezer, where temperatures below the freezing
point of water are maintained, primarily to make ice and store frozen food. Crisper which
draws inside moisture to keep vegetables and fruits fresh for longer time, is normally inbuilt in most of home refrigerators.

Refrigeration System Basics

Box 1

Basic components of the system include an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and

an expansion device. A refrigerant circulates in these components. It vaporizes in the
evaporator absorbing the heat from the warm inside air drawn across the evaporator
coil. This cools and dehumidifies the air. The compressor raises the pressure and
temperature of the refrigerant vapors. The condenser condenses the refrigerant
and transforms the high pressure vapor into high pressure liquid. Heat is rejected via
outside air drawn across the condenser. The expansion device transforms the high
pressure high temperature liquid refrigerant to low pressure low temperature mixture
of refrigerant liquid and vapor. The refrigerant goes to the evaporator, and the cooling
cycle continues.

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Two types of home refrigerators are typically available in market. These are:
Direct Cool Refrigerators: These refrigerators are
with or without crisper, ice making or frozen food storage
compartment. Cooling of food is primarily obtained by
natural convection within the refrigerator. However, some
refrigerators may have a fan to avoid internal condensation
of water but are not claimed as frost free. Formation of
frost/ice in the refrigerator reduces cooling. Therefore
these refrigerators need manual defrosting periodically.
Frost Free Refrigerators: These refrigerators
normally have direct cooling system along with door
cooling technology. These refrigerators cool the stored
food through continuous internal movement of air that
restricts the formation of frost and sticking of food items
with each other. A frost free freezer has three basic parts: a
timer, a heating coil and a temperature sensor. The heating
coil is wrapped around the freezer coils. Every six hour or
so, the timer turns on the heating coil and this melts the ice
off the coil. When all the ice is removed, the temperature
sensor senses the temperature rising above 0C and turns
off the heating coil.

BEE Star Rating and Labeling of Refrigerators

In May 2006, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a
statutory body under Ministry of Power launched
Standard and Labeling Program of electrical home
appliances including Direct Cool and Frost Free
Refrigerators. Under this program, for the benefit
of general public, the appliance manufacturers could
voluntarily affix BEE Star Label on their appliances
showing the level of energy consumption by the
appliance both in terms of absolute values as well as
equivalent number of stars varying from one to five, in
accordance with specific stipulation. The greater the
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number of stars on the label, higher the appliance energy efficiency and lower its electricity
consumption (Box 2). However, from January 2010, affixing BEE star label has been made
mandatory for Frost Free Refrigerators, whereas, BEE Labeling is still in the voluntary
phase for Direct Cool Refrigerators.

Box 2

Labels for Refrigerator

Source: Bureau of Energy Efficiency

Table 1 highlights the energy cost savings for a frost free refrigerator with different Star
Ratings.
Table 1: Energy and Cost Saving for 250 liters Frost Free Refrigerator with different
Star Ratings
Star
Rating

Energy
Consumption
Per Year
(Approx.)

Per Unit
Charge
(Approx.)

Electricity
Cost/year

Total
Savings
(w.r.t No
Star Every
Year)

Refrigerator
Cost
(Approx)

Cost
Difference

Pay
Back
Period

Units (kWh)

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

Rs.

Years

1100

2.50

2750

14000

977

2.50

2443

308

15000

1000

3.25

782

2.50

1955

795

15500

1500

1.89

626

2.50

1565

1185

16500

2500

2.11

501

2.50

1253

1498

17500

3500

2.34

400

2.50

1000

1750

18500

4500

2.57

No Star

Source: Bureau of Energy Efficiency

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Before Buying the Refrigerator

Before buying a refrigerator, it is important to consider its energy efficiency aspects apart
from price, warranty, after-sales service, etc. In this context, while selecting a refrigerator,
do refer to the BEE Star Rated Label affixed on the refrigerator and also refer to the Star
Rating analysis promoted by BEE from time to time through its web site (www.bee-india.
nic.in) and advertisements.

Choosing the Right Size

Refrigerators with storage volume ranging from 86 to 605 litres (with gross volume
ranging from 99 to 653 litres) are typically available in the market at present. Make sure
you are choosing a refrigerator that is
approximately sized for your storing and
cooling needs. If your fridge is too small,
you may be overworking it. If it is too
large, you are paying higher initial cost,
and potentially wasting energy and home
space. Always ascertain the storage
volume of the refrigerator because
this is the actual space available to you
for storing food items. Therefore make
a judicious decision while buying the
refrigerator.

Identifying the Right Location

While placing the refrigerator in home, ensure that it is at least 100 mm (4 inches away)
from the walls to facilitate effective heat rejection particularly from the rear side. Care
should be taken that the unit is sufficiently away from heat sources such as stove, oven
and direct solar radiation. These heat sources affect the heat dissipation from the fridge
condenser, and may force the compressor to run longer leading to more electricity
consumption. The refrigerator unit should also be leveled appropriately to ensure that its
door closes easily and tightly after its use to minimize unwanted warm air infiltration in
the cooling space.
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Energy Saving Tips

Make sure that refrigerator is kept away from all sources of heat, including direct sunlight,
and appliances such as cooking range, oven, radiators, etc.

Refrigerator motors and compressor generate heat, so allow enough space for continuous
airflow around refrigerator. If the heat does not escape, the refrigerators cooling system
will work harder and use more energy.

Over filling of the storage capacity of refrigerator with food items should be avoided, to
ensure adequate air circulation inside.

Do not keep fridge door open for longer period as it consumes more electricity.
Therefore decide what you need before opening the door. By this practice, you will
reduce the amount of time the door remains open.

Allow hot and warm foods to sufficiently cool down before putting them in refrigerator.
It is also advisable to put them in sealed (air tight) containers. Refrigerator will use less
energy and water condensation will also be lesser.

Make sure that refrigerators rubber door seals are clean and tight. They should hold
a slip of paper snugly. If paper slips out easily, replace the door seals. The other way to
check this is to place a flashlight inside the refrigerator when it is dark, and close the
door. If light around the door is seen, the seals need to be replaced.

hen dust builds up on refrigerators condenser coils, the compressor works harder
W
and uses more electricity. Therefore clean the coils regularly.

In manual defrost refrigerator, accumulation of ice reduces the cooling power by acting as unwanted
insulation.Therefore, defrost freezer compartment regularly in a manual defrost refrigerator.

Give the maintenance contract of refrigerator directly to the manufacturer or its

authorized company which has trained and well-qualified technical staff.

If refrigerator is older and needs major repairs, it is likely to become inefficient after repairs.
It may be advisable to replace old refrigerator with a new and energy-efficient one.

For any suggestions and additional information, please contact:

West Bengal Renewable
Energy Development Agency
Director
West Bengal Renewable Energy
Development Agency
Bikalpa Shakti Bhavan, J1/10, EP GP
Block Sector V, Salt Lake Electronics
Complex, Kolkata - 700 091, India
Phone: +91-33-2357-5038 /5348 /5037
Fax: +91-33-2357 5037
E-mail: [email protected];
Web Site: www.wbreda.org

USAID ECO-III Project

Bureau of Energy Efficiency

Authors: Satish Kumar & Ravi Kapoor

International Resources Group
AADI Building, Lower Ground Floor
2, Balbir Saxena Marg, Hauz Khas
New Delhi -110016, India

Director General
Bureau of Energy Efficiency
Government of India, Ministry of Power
4th Floor, SEWA Bhawan, R. K. Puram
New Delhi -110066, India

Phone: +91-11-4597-4597
Fax: +91-11-2685-3114
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.eco3.org

Phone: +91-11-2617-9699
Fax: +91-11-2617-8352
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.bee-india.nic.in

This Guide is made possible by the support of the American People through United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) under the terms of Award No. 386C-00-06-00153-00. The contents of
the Guide are the sole responsibility of International Resources Group and do not necessarily reflect the
views of USAID or the United States Government.