Abstract: Under the background of energy saving and emission reduction, the energy-saving design and optimization of household refrigerators have become a hot spot. The progress of energy saving and efficiency increase researches on employing phase change materials in household refrigerator was reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of the application of phase change materials in key components such as the evaporator, the compartment, and the condenser were described. The feasibility of mass production of domestic refrigerator used phase change materials was also discussed. The study has shown that the use of phase change materials can reduce energy consumption and improve performance. However, in practical application, the comprehensive impact of phase change materials on the refrigeration system should be considered, such as on the working frequency of the compressor, on the refrigerant pressure, and on energy consumption under different working conditions. It was proposed that the evaluation system, user research and supporting technology can accelerate the market application process of phase change materials in domestic refrigerators.

Key words: Domestic refrigerator, Phase change materials, Energy saving, Research progress