Case Study: Whirlpool achieves simulation-validated oven energy-efficiency gains with COMSOL Multiphysics

Simulation Turns Up the Heat and Energy Efficiency at Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation, the world’s largest home appliance manufacturer, faced the challenge of improving the poor energy transfer in domestic ovens (only 10–12% of energy heats the food) and set a target to reduce oven energy consumption by 20% as part of the GREENKITCHEN® project. To explore new materials, thermal-element designs, and manufacturing options, Whirlpool partnered with Comsol and used Comsol Multiphysics for finite element and multiphysics simulation of oven heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation).

Using Comsol Multiphysics, Whirlpool modeled its Minerva oven and the EU “brick test,” accounting for door emissivity, wall thickness, material properties and transient heat/moisture behaviour; the simulations closely matched experiments (predicted 166 g evaporated water vs. 171 g actual) and reproduced internal temperature profiles. The validated Comsol models let Whirlpool probe the oven at any point in space and time, cut prototype iterations and development time, and advance toward the 20% energy-reduction goal with potential Europe-wide savings of ~850 TWh and ~50 million tons CO2 annually.

Whirlpool

Nelson Garcia-Polanco

Research and Thermal Engineer