United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/SR-92/158 December 1992
EPA Project Summary
Energy Use of Ice Making in
Domestic Refrigerators
Alan Meier
This study developed and tested a
procedure to measure the electrical
consumption of ice making in domes-
tic refrigerators. The Department of En-
ergy (DOE) test procedure was modified
to consider the energy used for ic«
making in conventional refrigerators
and those equipped with automatic icc>
makers. The procedure assumed that
500 g of ice per day would be pro-
duced. Using the new ice making test
procedure and the existing DOE test
(as a benchmark), four modern, effi-
cient refrigerators equipped with auto-
matic ice makers were tested for icei
making energy use. The test showed
that electricity consumption increased
about 10% due to ice making. The teslt
also confirmed the viability of estab-
lishing procedures for measuring en-
ergy use of specific loads and other
activities related to domestic refrigera-
tors.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Tri-
angle Park, NC, to announce key find-
ings of the research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).
Introduction
Most large, domestic refrigerators sold
in the United States are equipped with an
automatic ice maker or designed so that-
one can be easily added after sale. The
energy consumed for ice making will be-
come relatively more important as standby
losses due to conduction through the walls
are reduced. The goal of this investigation
was to develop a simple laboratory proce-
dure to measure the electricity consumed
by automatic ice makers in domestic re-
frigerators and then test typical units.
Ice making is not considered in the De-
partment of Energy's (DOE's) energy test-
ing procedure for domestic refrigerators.
The DOE test procedure was modified to
consider the energy used for ice making
in conventional refrigerators and those
equipped with automatic ice makers. A
key issue in developing the test proce-
dure was the determination of typical ice
consumption. A wide search for measured
data was undertaken but, at present, there
are no publicly available data. With no
measured data, ice consumption of 500 g
per day was arbitrarily selected.
Using the new ice making test proce-
dure and the existing DOE test as a bench-
mark, four modern, efficient refrigerators
equipped with automatic ice makers were
tested for ice making energy use. The test
found that electricity consumption in-
creased about 10% due to ice making.
Theoretical estimates of ice making en-
ergy use suggest that about 25% of the
energy consumed is for heaters and mo-
tors, rather than for chilling and freezing
the water. The test also confirmed the
viability of establishing procedures for mea-
suring energy use of specific loads and
other activities related to domestic refrig-
erators.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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Alan Meier is with Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720.
Robert V. Hendrlks is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Energy Use of Ice Making in Domestic Refrigerators,'
(Order No. PB92-232206/AS; Cost: $17.00; subject to change) will be available
only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Center for Environmental Research Information
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
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EPA
PERMIT No. G-35
EPA/600/SR-92/158
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