What does a refrigerator do?

The Purpose of Refrigeration. The fundamental reason for having a refrigerator is to keep food cold. Cold temperatures help food stay fresh longer. The basic idea behind refrigeration is to slow down the activity of bacteria (which all food contains) so that it takes longer for the bacteria to spoil the food.

Then, how does the refrigerator work?

The compressor constricts the refrigerant vapor, raising its pressure, and pushes it into the coils on the outside of the refrigerator. 2. When the hot gas in the coils meets the cooler air temperature of the kitchen, it becomes a liquid. The refrigerant absorbs the heat inside the fridge, cooling down the air.

Secondly, why do we keep some food in a refrigerator? We refrigerate food to keep bacteria, yeasts, and molds from the favorable temperature they need to grow. The moisture-control available in many refrigerators also helps slow the deterioration of foods, so that two of the three favorable situations for microorganism growth are eliminated.

Also Know, how does a refrigerator work thermodynamics?

According to the second law of thermodynamics heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder location to a hotter area; work is required to achieve this. Similarly, a refrigerator moves heat from inside the cold icebox (the heat source) to the warmer room-temperature air of the kitchen (the heat sink).

Can we turn off refrigerator for long period of time?

Refrigerators and freezers are endurance athletes. They have to cool food and keep it fresh 24/7. There are times when you need to switch them off for an extended period of time. You can leave the refrigerator and freezer on if you are gone for less than 4 weeks.

29 Related Question Answers Found

What are the basic parts of a refrigerator?

The main components of a refrigeration system are the condenser, the compressor, the evaporator and the expansion valve.

Condenser. Condensation changes gas to a liquid form.
Compressor.
Evaporator.
Expansion Valve.

Why is my fridge not cold?

Clogged coils can cause poor cooling. Check to make sure nothing is stuck in the condenser fan and that it spins freely (models with coils on the back won't have a fan). To do this, unplug the fridge and pull it out. Plug in the fridge and make sure the fan runs when the compressor is running.

How long should a refrigerator last?

10 to 20 years

Can I use my old fridge as a cupboard?

Turn Old Refrigerator into a Kitchen Cabinet

Instead of locking up the old fridge in the storeroom or garage, add a little bit of storage space to the kitchen with a repurposed fridge cabinet. Yes, your broken fridge can be a perfect cabinet to store packed food, or showcase wine glasses and pots.

Can you put hot food in fridge?

FACT: Hot food can be placed in the refrigerator. Large amounts of food should be divided into small portions and put in shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. Bacteria can grow rapidly on food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

What are the benefits of refrigerator?

Benefits of a Refrigerator. Nowadays, the refrigerator is commonly used in every house and it a part of a normal life. The refrigerator is used for cooling your food and water. It works at low temperature and provides colling which helps to keep your food fresh and cool.

Who invented the fridge?

Oliver Evans

What is the cycle of refrigeration?

The refrigeration cycle contains four major components: the compressor, condenser, expansion device, and evaporator. Refrigerant remains piped between these four components and is contained in the refrigerant loop. The refrigerant begins as a cool vapor and heads to the first component: the compressor.

What are the four stages of refrigeration?

The vapor-compression refrigeration cycle has four components: evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion (or throttle) valve. The most widely used refrigeration cycle is the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.

What are the three laws of thermodynamics?

The first law, also known as Law of Conservation of Energy, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. The third law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of a system approaches a constant value as the temperature approaches absolute zero.

How do you define enthalpy?

Enthalpy is a thermodynamic property of a system. It is the sum of the internal energy added to the product of the pressure and volume of the system. It reflects the capacity to do non-mechanical work and the capacity to release heat. Enthalpy is denoted as H; specific enthalpy denoted as h.

What is a good cop for a refrigerator?

For a refrigerator keeping an inside temperature of 4 ^oC = 277 K operating in a room at 22 ^oC = 299 K the best possible coefficient of performance is COP_max = 277/(299 - 277) = 12.6.

How does a dilution refrigerator work?

A ³He/⁴He dilution refrigerator is a cryogenic device that provides continuous cooling to temperatures as low as 2 mK, with no moving parts in the low-temperature region. The cooling power is provided by the heat of mixing of the Helium-3 and Helium-4 isotopes.

Can cops be less than1?

The coefficient of performance (COP) of refrigeration is always more than 1. Hence option (a) is correct. COP is the ratio of heat extracted from the refrigerator to the work done on the refrigerant. Thus it is but obvious that the value of COP is bound to be greater than unity since efficiency is always less than 1.

What is the difference between a refrigerator and a heat pump?

A heat pump is similar to a refrigerator. The only point of difference between the two is of the operating temperatures. The working temperatures in a refrigerator are of the colder level and atmosphere, whereas working temperatures in heat pump are of hotter level and atmosphere.

How is cop calculated?

Coefficient of performance (COP), is an expression of the efficiency of a heat pump. When calculating the COP for a heat pump, the heat output from the condenser (Q) is compared to the power supplied to the compressor (W). The formula to the right can be used to calculate COP. COP is indicated without units.

Can bacteria survive in refrigerator?

Spoilage bacteria can grow at cold temperatures, such as in the refrigerator. However, some bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) thrive at cold temperatures, and if present, will grow in the refrigerator and could cause illness. For additional information visit Foodborne Illness and Disease.