A Hybrid Refrigerator with Heat Pipe combines a standard vapor-compression system (compressor–condenser–expansion–evaporator) with copper heat pipes to move heat much faster and more evenly. The heat pipes spread “cold” across shelves and/or carry condenser heat to a remote fin stack, giving quicker pull-down, better temperature uniformity, and lower energy use. Great for demonstrating refrigeration, phase change, and two-phase heat transfer in a single project.

Parts Used:

1. Insulated Cabinet – PU-foam box with inner liner, magnetic door seal, LED light.
2. Compressor Unit – 60–120 W R600a/R134a mini compressor with start relay & overload.
3. Condenser + Fan – Finned coil; optional remote fin radiator fed by heat pipe.
4. Expansion Device – Capillary tube (or small TXV).
5. Evaporator/Cold Plate – Aluminum plate with embedded copper heat pipes for fast and uniform cooling.
6. Heat Pipes (2–6 pcs) – Ø6–10 mm copper, sintered wick; working fluid ethanol/methanol/acetone (for 0–60 °C range).
7. Fans & Air Ducts – Low-noise DC fans to circulate air across evaporator and shelves.
8. PCM Cold Packs (Optional) – Phase-change modules (−1 to +5 °C) thermally linked via heat pipes for longer holdover.
9. Controls – Thermostat or Arduino/ESP32 with NTC/DS18B20 sensors, SSR/relay for compressor, OLED display, data logging.
10. Power & Safety – 230 VAC input, SMPS 12 V for fans/control, fuse/MCB, earthing, service ports.
11. Instrumentation (Optional) – Wattmeter, thermocouples, differential temp sensors, manifold gauges (demo only).
12. Build Hardware – Thermal paste, clamps, brackets, insulation tape, grommets.