Just about every household and business in America has a refrigerator. Refrigerators preserve our food by maintaining a cold temperature inside an insulated box. Regardless of their commonality, few understand how they are able to cool the temperature inside their insulated space. This is done through a simple thermodynamic system.
Thermodynamics and the conservation of energy govern everything in our universe. Thermodynamic systems define how heat transfer occurs, these systems are defined by their boundaries. These boundaries help to determine the processes that are allowed to occur and affect the area within these boundaries. In the case of a refrigerator, the system would be the heating and cooling elements that make up the refrigerator and their surroundings would be the household.
Six simple components make up the refrigeration loop. These six components are: a compressor, a pump, an expansion valve, a condenser, a evaporator, and refrigerant. Each of these are an integral part of the cooling system. A simple model of this system can be seen below.
Thermodynamics and the conservation of energy govern everything in our universe. Thermodynamic systems define how heat transfer occurs, these systems are defined by their boundaries. These boundaries help to determine the processes that are allowed to occur and affect the area within these boundaries. In the case of a refrigerator, the system would be the heating and cooling elements that make up the refrigerator and their surroundings would be the household.
Six simple components make up the refrigeration loop. These six components are: a compressor, a pump, an expansion valve, a condenser, a evaporator, and refrigerant. Each of these are an integral part of the cooling system. A simple model of this system can be seen below.
