Refrigeration works on which cycle

The refrigeration cycle starts and ends with the compressor. The refrigerant flows into the Compressor where it is compressed and pressurised. At this point, the refrigerant is a hot gas. The refrigerant is then pushed to the Condenser which turns the vapour into liquid and absorbs some of the heat. The refrigerant then proceeds to the Expansion Valve where it expands, losing pressure and heat.

The refrigerant coming out of the expansion valve is cold and slow due to the loss of pressure. It enters the Evaporator in a liquid state where the exchange of heat takes place thus cooling the load inside the refrigerator. As the gas cools down the load, it absorbs the heat which turns it into a gas.

The gas is then pushed back into the Compressor where it can start the cycle again. During the refrigeration cycle, a build-up of ice around the evaporator may occur. Both commercial fridges and freezers will combat this build-up with some form of defrost system.

Read more about different types of defrosting function here. The refrigeration cycle basically involves the movement of refrigerant from one place to the next and in different forms with the ultimate goal of pulling down temperatures whether in a cabinet, counter or even cold room format.

The one main importance of learning how your commercial fridge works is so that you understand how to clean and maintain equipment effectively. For example, understanding that your fridge uses an air-cooled condenser will help you find the ideal position for your unit in order to make its work easier and lower the energy consumption.

By understanding the basics, only then can one fully benefit from their commercial refrigeration. Last updated: Refrigeration is an important aspect of both domestic and commercial food management. The Refrigeration Cycle Components A standard refrigerator will have mechanical elements that make it easy for it to achieve and maintain cold temperatures. Compressor Its work is to control the flow of the refrigerant by acting as a motor and a pump. Condenser The condenser works by condensing the refrigerant.

There are three types of condensers. Tube-in-tube or double pipe type Shell and coil type Shell and tube type Water-cooled systems typically work better when operating in higher ambient temperatures. Expansion Valve The expansion valve helps reduce the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant.

There are various types of expansion valves. The Refrigeration Cycle The refrigeration cycle starts and ends with the compressor. One very important aspect to grasp when understanding the refrigeration cycle is that heat is relative. We tend to think of heat in terms relative to our everyday experiences and situations. But when we look at those temperatures in relation to other temperatures, the reality is very different. But it is important to understand that this only happens with water at sea level where the atmospheric pressure is at 1 bar.

If we were at the top of mount Everest, where the pressure is only 0. The effect of reducing the pressure to reduce the boiling temperature of water is brilliantly demonstrated by boiling water at room temperature by placing the water in a vacuum:. The changing of state within the refrigerant, from a liquid to a gas, is achieved by manipulating its pressure. If we return to the refrigeration cycle with the aid of some diagrams, we can see how these pressure changes causing changes of state within the refrigerant actually happen.

Superheat is important to ensure no liquid makes its way back to the compressor. Subcooling is important as it ensures only pure liquid makes its way to the metering device. This maximises the capacity, efficiency and reliability of the system.

For further information on the process click here. Very informative! As a non-professional, I can clearly figure out parts of a refrigeration system and what they do. Thank you for sharing! I am trained as an architect and am fairly technically adept; but, honestly, I always get confused about the refrigerant cycle.

I have read a bunch of articles like this one over the years, but they never quite stick. This description finally made it clear to me. Condensation means a change of phase from gas to liquid. In this case, heat needs to be rejected to change a gas to liquid. Subcooling, as the name suggest, means when cooling is done in little different manner, basically cools below the temperature where the water vapor turns into liquid water.

Boiling a liquid at low pressure is easy. You will be wonder when you will see water at normal pressure boils at deg. C but the same water at the mountain will be boiled at 80 deg. Why is this happen? It is because the pressure is less at the higher elevation and water boils at low pressure.

If you take an iron rod and heat one side of it holding the other side, very soon you will feel hot. Why does it happen? Because of heat transfer! Here, heat from the hotter section of the iron rod is transferred to the opposite side of the rod that was normal. Yes, possible if we do some external work. Three ways i. We are discussing mainly the vapor compression cycle in this article. In another refrigeration cycle, namely vapor absorption is used in case of waste heat is available.

It will be discussed in another article. Refrigerant circulates through evaporator, compressor, condenser, expansion valve and continues this cycle. Have you seen any inside view of our home split air conditioner during maintenance?

Or have you visited any air conditioners repair shop? There are various kinds of refrigeration machines or air conditioners, but basic refrigeration cycle has a basic cycle. Evaporator is one of the main equipment in refrigeration cycle. It is nothing but a cooling coil which works as a heat exchanger in refrigeration cycle. The continuous phase change process occurs, and cooling effects are going on so that air conditioning to be maintained. This evaporator is installed in indoor unit, or air handling unit or indoor side of packaged air conditioners.

Capacity of refrigeration units or air conditioners is based on the nos. If the capacity is more, evaporator size will be more. The compressor, the most important part of the refrigeration cycle.

I mainly the heart of the refrigeration system. The main functions of the compressor are:. As the name suggest, condenser simply condenses the refrigerant. It is a heat exchanger and it rejects heat from the refrigerant to the atmosphere.

In the condenser, vapour changes into liquid by undergoing a phase change. The expansion valve is placed after the condenser and before evaporator. The main function shall be as follows,. Refrigerant is the main working fluid in the refrigeration cycle.