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Inventor : Carl von Linde at 1876 How Does a Refrigerator Work - Basic Principle The basic principle used

for refrigeration is: Expansion of a gas, reduces its temperature. The second principle that answers how does a refrigerator work is: Second Law Of Thermodynamics: When two surfaces of different temperatures come in contact with each other, the surface that is at higher temperature cools and the surface at lower temperature warms. How Does a Refrigerator Work - Refrigerator Parts The mechanism used to keep the temperature inside the refrigerator cool involves different components that perform different functions. The different parts and functions of the refrigerator are listed below, Refrigerant: This is the substance that performs the cooling function in the refrigerator through the changes in its temperature and pressure. The refrigerant usually used is ammonia or HFCs. Earlier, freon was used as a refrigerant. The liquid used in the refrigerator evaporates at a very low temperature and results into a freezing temperature inside the refrigerator. Evaporator: It is the part that absorbs the heat inside the refrigerator with the help of the evaporating liquid refrigerant. Heat Exchanging Pipes: The entire unit of the refrigerator is surrounded by a series of heat exchanging coils. These coils carry the refrigerant from one part of the refrigerator to the other. Most of the heat exchanging pipes are placed behind the compressor. Compressor: It is a heavy metal device that is powered by a motor and compresses the refrigerant. The main function of the compressor is to raise the pressure and thus, the temperature of the refrigerant gas. Condenser: It is a part of the refrigerator that condenses the vaporized refrigerant (converts into liquid form) and reduces its temperature. Expansion Valve: The expansion valve reduces the pressure on the liquid refrigerant. Usually the expansion valve is made of thin copper coil. How Does a Refrigerator Work - Working The working of the refrigerator is a cyclic process that comprises changes in the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. Given below is a step-by-step explanation of how does a refrigerator work:

The refrigerant gas is passed through a compressor. Here, the gas is compressed and thus the pressure on it increases. The temperature of the refrigerant gas in turn increases as a result of the increased pressure and it takes the form of superheated vapor. The refrigerant passes through the heat exchanging pipes and releases heat to the surroundings. Thus, the refrigerant cools down due to the loss of heat to the surroundings. As the refrigerant passes through the condenser, its temperature reduce. However, the pressure on the refrigerant remains the same. Due to the reduction in its temperature, the refrigerant gets converted into its liquid form.

The expansion valve causes a sudden reduction in the pressure on the refrigerant. Some of the refrigerant evaporates and expands. This expansion results in the lowering of the temperature of the refrigerant. During the evaporation of the liquid refrigerant, it is present in the evaporator, which absorbs the heat from the foodstuffs kept in the refrigerator and thus, cools them. The second law of thermodynamics is used here.

The refrigerant again heats up to form a gas. This refrigerant, which is now in the gaseous form, again enters the compressor and the cycle repeats.

This is the explanation to the query of how does a refrigerator work. From the above discussion, we can conclude that refrigeration is the result of the transfer of heat from one place to other, with the help of expansion and compression of the refrigerant.

Advantages are: In the longer lasting foodstuffs due to decreased biological action and, the constant availablity of Ice and Cold drinks. Disadvantages are: Heat is added to the kitchen area from the motor, the compressor and the heat of compression of the refigerant. The A/c unit will work a little harder to take care of this extra heat. This plus the cost of running the fridge, will increase power consumption which increases the Electric Bill. Also, she sound from the fridge and it's clicking in and out of operation.

DISADVANTAGE

Your refrigerator keeps food cold, preserves it and keeps it safe from dangerous bacterial growth until you have a chance to eat it. Imaging life without one of these appliances in today's world may be difficult, but all the news on refrigerators is not good news. A few disadvantages exist to owning a refrigerator. Hardly anyone would consider that the downside of having a refrigerator is worse than not having one at all, but there are some "cold" realities associated with the appliance.

Energy Requirements

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of the refrigerator is the cost to run it. According to the California Energy Commission website, approximately one-sixth of electricity used in the typical American home is consumed by the refrigerator and freezer, and this is a sizeable improvement over the refrigerators your parents used. Since 1990, refrigerators have become much more energy efficient, using 60 percent less power today than they did back then. Refrigerators are such an energy hog that they come with two kinds of price tags. They have the retail purchase price and the estimation of what they'll cost you to run each year. Often the energy cost is enough to make up for the additional amount you have to pay for better built models.

Disposal Concerns

One of the disadvantages of refrigerators is that they are environmentally unfriendly and dangerous if not disposed of properly. If doors are not removed from old refrigerators with locking doors, they pose a hazard to children who may get trapped inside. The refrigerator also contains refrigerant that can be damaging to the environment because of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) content. This material should be recycled. Otherwise the CFCs can escape into the air. This material is suspected to be the cause of depletion of the earth's ozone layer.

Common Repairs

Repairs can be a disadvantage of refrigerators because of the many common problems that the appliance can have over its lifetime. While the owner can do some repairs at no significant cost, others may require out-of-pocket expense and payments to repair technicians. A person who owns a refrigerator likely will encounter one of the common refrigerator problems over the life of the appliance. Among the common repairs made to refrigerators include leaks and icing, icemaker malfunction, cooling problems and replaced fan motors. Some owners may not see repairs as a major problem and may never have a serious issue throughout the life of the unit while others may have to fix their refrigerator on a regular basis.

Read more: What Are the Disadvantages of a Refrigerator? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7712142_disadvantages-refrigerator.html#ixzz1eMZNRKSG

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