Refrigerator

Refrigerator A device for keeping food and other substances cool. It works on a cycle of vaporization and compression of volatile fluid (refrigerant). The liquid refrigerant is made to expand through a valve and evaporate, extracting heat from the contents of the refrigerator. The vapour formed is then compressed by a compressor and passed through a condenser, whereupon it loses heat and liquefies. It is then recycled.

Refrigerant A substance, used as the working fluid in refrigerators, which will vaporize readily and condense readily when compressed. The commonest refrigerants are ammonia and the freons