Mathematical modeling of the refrigeration system of a cider cellar

Abstract

This work develops a dynamic thermal model of the refrigeration system in a cider cellar and discusses its potential as
a flexible load within a photovoltaic self-consumption scheme. The installation is represented using lumped parameters, with
uniform-temperature volumes coupled through energy balances and thermal resistances, yielding a block diagram with transfer
functions that allow the identification of time constants associated with the chilled water and the cider mass. The results show
that the thermal inertia of the system enables shifting the operation of the refrigeration unit over time scales from minutes to
hours, which opens the door to demand response strategies consistent with product preservation.