Master’s Thesis at EKA: How Energy Price Variations Affect the Operating Costs of Refrigeration Systems

Antonia Rydberg from KTH (Department of Energy Technology – EGI) is carrying out her master’s thesis at EKA. She is one of two students completing their thesis projects with us, and in this article, we present her work. The second student will be featured in a separate article.

The master's thesis is titled: Energy price variation impact on refrigeration

system operating cost and focuses on refrigeration systems and their heat recovery potential. Refrigeration systems are used in a wide range of applications and can also serve as a source of recoverable heat that can be utilized in other processes. By capturing and reusing this heat, the overall energy efficiency of the system can be improved.

Natural Refrigerants and System Performance

As substances with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) are gradually phased out, interest in natural refrigerants for refrigeration and heat pump systems is increasing. These alternatives are often regarded as more future-proof solutions.

At the same time, different natural refrigerants have different properties, making them more or less suitable depending on the application and operating conditions. For example, ambient temperature can affect system efficiency and, consequently, energy consumption.

The Impact of Energy Prices on Operating Costs

In addition to the technical performance of the systems, energy cost is a key factor influencing the total operating expenditure (OPEX) of refrigeration systems.

A particular challenge today is that electricity prices fluctuate significantly over time. Defining and analyzing these variations is an important part of the project.

Analysis of Systems, Models, and Real-World Data

The thesis includes literature reviews, information gathering, the development of calculation and simulation models, and the analysis of field data from real-world installations.

A key objective is to investigate how the efficiency of different refrigeration systems varies with ambient temperature and other relevant factors.

The Relationship Between Energy Consumption and Energy Prices

An important part of the project is to link the energy consumption profiles of different refrigeration systems to variations in energy prices over time. This may involve the use of historical patterns, external forecasts, and theoretical approaches to develop predictive models.

By combining these perspectives, the project aims to provide a better understanding of how the operating costs of refrigeration systems are affected by energy price fluctuations and how these systems can be operated more energy-efficiently.

Who is Antonia?

Antonia is studying Energy Technology at KTH. As part of her education, she is now carrying out her master's thesis at EKA.

Previously, Antonia completed a bachelor's thesis at KTH focusing on energy efficiency improvements in the wood industry through the use of high-temperature heat pumps.

The project investigated how heat pump technology can help reduce energy consumption in industrial drying processes.

See other master's theses from previous years in our archive:

Reports