The refrigeration cycle, sometimes called a heat pump cycle, is a means of routing heat away from the area you want to cool . This is accomplished by manipulating the pressure of the working refrigerant (air, water, synthetic refrigerants, etc.) through a cycle of compression and expansion.
How does refrigeration work?
Refrigerators work by causing the refrigerant circulating inside them to change from a liquid into a gas . This process, called evaporation, cools the surrounding area and produces the desired effect. ... When you release the contents into the lower pressure open space, it turns from a liquid to a gas.
What happens in a refrigeration cycle?
The refrigeration cycle starts and ends with the compressor . The refrigerant flows into the Compressor where it is compressed and pressurised. ... The refrigerant is then pushed to the Condenser which turns the vapour into liquid and absorbs some of the heat.
What are the 4 cycles of refrigeration?
Principles of Refrigeration
For this reason, all air conditioners use the same cycle of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation in a closed circuit. The same refrigerant is used to move the heat from one area, to cool this area, and to expel this heat in another area.
How does refrigerant absorb heat?
As refrigerant absorbs heat from indoor air , it transitions from a low-pressure gas to a high-pressure liquid. ... The refrigerant then cools down and turns back into a low-pressure gas. Another fan located inside the home blows air over the cool coils to distribute the resulting cold air throughout the building.
What is the basic principle of refrigeration system?
The Refrigeration basic principle is that with the aid of a heat pump, the refrigerant is being compressed to the condenser and capillary tube thus increasing its temperature (50-60°C) and pressure (750 kPa) in the refrigerator being cooled down by the condensing unit to 32°C depending the existing ambient temperature.
What are the three major refrigerant lines?
The suction line connects the evaporator to the compressor , the discharge line connects the compressor to the condenser, and the liquid line connects the condenser to the expansion device.
What are types of refrigeration?
- Evaporative Cooling. Evaporative cooling units are also referred to as swamp coolers. ...
- Mechanical-Compression Refrigeration Systems. Mechanical compression is used in commercial and industrial refrigeration, as well as air conditioning. ...
- Absorption. ...
- Thermoelectric.
Why does food become cold once placed in a refrigerator?
The compressor is attached to a grill-like device called a condenser (a kind of thin radiator behind the refrigerator) that expels the unwanted heat. Photo: Humid air inside your fridge contains water vapor. When the refrigerator cools, this water turns to ice .
How cold is refrigerant?
Like anything that is put under pressure, the increased pressure from the compressor causes the temperature of the refrigerant to rise. As it leaves the compressor, the refrigerant is a hot vapor, roughly 120° to 140°F.
What is the refrigeration cycle called?
When the working fluid is a gas that is compressed and expanded but does not change phase, the refrigeration cycle is called a gas cycle .
Which cycle is used in refrigeration?
The vapor-compression refrigeration is the most widely used cycle for refrigerators, air- conditioners, and heat pumps.
What is COP in refrigeration?
The coefficient of performance or COP (sometimes CP or CoP) of a heat pump, refrigerator or air conditioning system is a ratio of useful heating or cooling provided to work (energy) required. Higher COPs equate to higher efficiency, lower energy (power) consumption and thus lower operating costs.
What refrigerants are banned?
The hydrocarbon refrigerants propylene R1270 and R443A have been banned for new residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps, cold storage warehouses, centrifugal chillers, and positive displacement chillers.
Is refrigerant liquid or gas?
The refrigerant, a chemical compound that changes easily from liquid to a gas . When the refrigerant is pushed into the compressor, it is a low pressure gas.
What carries the heat from the evaporator to the condenser?
When the air conditioner uses the heat pump to circulate heat, the gas freon is pressurized by the compressor and becomes a high-temperature and high-pressure gas. The evaporation vaporizes and absorbs heat to become a gas. ...
