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Refrigerators keep food cool using the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle

Compressing and expanding chemical refrigerants transfers thermal heat out of the cabinet

Vapor-compression refrigerators circulate liquid refrigerant through an expansion valve, where it evaporates into gas and absorbs heat from inside the food compartment. A mechanical compressor compresses the gas back into a hot liquid in external condenser coils, releasing heat outside. This thermodynamic cycle transformed global food preservation and storage.

Open refrigerator with food at night
W.carter ยท CC BY-SA 4.0 ยท licence ยท source

Where this comes from

United States Department of Energy

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Tags: refrigeration, thermodynamics, appliances

Refrigerators keep food cool using the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?
Compressing and expanding chemical refrigerants transfers thermal heat out of the cabinet. The figure is taken from United States Department of Energy, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
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