Refrigerants: The Science, Types & Their Role in Cooling Technology
A refrigerant is a specialized working fluid central to the operation of refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump systems. Its primary function is to absorb heat from a low-temperature environment and release it to a higher-temperature area through a continuous cycle of phase changes between liquid and vapor states. This process, governed by the principles of thermodynamics, begins in the evaporator, where the cold, low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs ambient heat, causing it to boil and turn into a gas. This gas is then compressed, which dramatically increases its temperature and pressure. The hot, high-pressure gas then travels to the condenser, where it releases its absorbed heat to the outside environment, cooling down and condensing back into a liquid. Finally, an expansion valve reduces its pressure and temperature, returning it to the evaporator to repeat the cycle.
The evolution of refrigerants has been marked by significant environmental and safety concerns. Early…