Experimental analysis of heat transfer and airflow in a closed refrigerated display cabinet

Abstract This study presents the experimental investigations on heat transfer and airflow in a closed refrigerated display cabinet. Air and product temperatures and air velocity were measured with thermocouples and a hot-wire anemometer, respectively. Temperature variation in the cabinet depends on the positions. The front areas contributed to higher temperature, whereas the rear areas were at a lower temperature. Benefits of doors were also examined by comparing the results of air and product temperatures with the case without doors. The cabinet with doors provided less temperature heterogeneity ( Δ T max = 2.1 °C) compared to the case without door ( Δ T max = 4.9 °C). The maximum air velocity in the air curtain of 0.6 m s −1 was observed at the discharge grille. The horizontal air velocity from the perforated plate was low ( −1 ) for all shelves. The loading percentage in the cabinet did not significantly affect the airflow rate through the perforated plate.