Refrigerators and freezers consist of two basic components: a condenser coil and an evaporator coil. A liquid coolant is circulated through these coils by a compressor and a motor. The refrigerant liquid is cooled in the condenser; it then flows to the evaporator. At the evaporator, the air i...
At this point, the refrigerant’s temperature is much cooler than the inside ambient temperature of the fridge. The next step is for the refrigerant to flow through the evaporator, which is yet another set of coils. But this time, these coils are located inside the refrigerator instead of ou...
The refrigerator compressor is both a motor and a pump that move the refrigerant through the system. Temperature sensors signal the compressor to start when the temperature inside the refrigerator rises above its set point. No refrigerator is completely airtight; cold air leaks out, and warmer air...
If you were to touch this part of the system, you'd feel it change from hot to cold. The high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows from the receiver-dryer through the expansion valve, where it is allowed to expand. This expansion reduces the pressure on the refrigerant, so it can move into...
(Other fluids, including propane and various low-boiling refrigerant chemicals, have also been successfully used for transporting heat in OTEC plants.) The ammonia never leaves the pipe: it simply cycles around the loop again and again, picking up heat from the ocean, giving it up to the ...