Even the most ordinary consumer must know how the refrigeration cycle works so as to know the most basic cooling processes and food preservation are carried out. For those who want to know how to repair basic refrigerator problems, a well-informed background on the refrigerator cycle is highly recommended. It’s not a surprise that the entire process will always appeal to the most curious minds. How do refrigerators cool themselves?
Let us assume that a typical refrigerator uses ammonia as a refrigerant. Most refrigerator models, especially the earlier models and the most mass-market refrigerator units use ammonia as a substance to cool the refrigerator. The compressor of the refrigerator (assuming that the fridge has one compressor) compresses this ammonia gas so that it is then pressurized. The refrigerator coils that are usually found at the back of the refrigerator, release and dissipate the heat from the ammonia gas so then it transforms into an ammonia liquid. The ammonia liquid is then condensed at such a high pressure.
After the main condensation process, the high pressure ammonia liquid is redirected into the expansion valve of the refrigerator – a two-way hole where the high pressure ammonia liquid and the low pressure ammonia liquid flow. The liquid ammonia boils and vaporizes, the result of which is cold air circulation inside the fridge. The cycle repeats when the compressor sucks the cold ammonia gas again.
Ammonia as a refrigerant is an earlier choice for refrigerator brands and manufacturers. It is an effective refrigerant although it has been found that it is extremely dangerous and highly toxic to humans if leakage is involved. CFCs became another alternative choice as a refrigerant but it has also been found out that it is harmful for the environment. The high-end refrigerators are usually CFC-free units.
Home refrigeration and commercial refrigeration follow the same trajectory when it comes to the cooling process. The same process goes for air conditioning system, more or less, although there may be slight differences.