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1. Introduction
Thermodynamics describes the movement of heat and its relation to work and energy.
Thermodynamics is inextricably linked to our everyday life and its principles can be used to explain
many natural phenomena in life. For instance, the laws of thermodynamics dictate the direction in
which heat flows and this explains why our skin feels warmer while standing under the hot sun, and
colder while holding onto a piece of ice. Further, the laws of thermodynamics are extensively applied
in various engineering applications. Some of these engineering applications manifest in the household
appliances that we deal with in our daily life. Most of these appliances, such as the refrigerator, heater
and air conditioner serve to regulate the temperature of the space and surroundings that we live in.
This paper will explore the concept of thermodynamics in the application of refrigeration.
2. Laws of Thermodynamics
There are four laws in thermodynamics that define the physical quantities, namely energy, entropy
and temperature of a system1. However, only the first and second laws will be covered within the
scope of this paper.
2.1 First Law of Thermodynamics
The 1st law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of energy conservation, dictates that energy
cannot be created nor destroyed, but can be changed from one form to another.
Energy can exist in many different forms such as mechanical energy, gravitational energy, chemical
energy, and thermal energy, and their sum constitutes the total energy of the system. In
thermodynamic analyses, we typically concerned with the change in energy of the system rather than
the absolute value of the total energy.
In a closed system, the first law can be summarized in the form of an energy balance by considering
the energy transfer into and out of the system, as well as the change in the internal energy of the
system.
U =QW
The above equation elucidates that an increase in the internal energy of a system,
(1)
U is equivalent
to the net amount of heat, Q added into the system minus the net work done by the system, W.
(2)
Furthermore, the second law also characterizes the flow of thermal energy. It states that heat always
flows spontaneously from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature 1. The
second law of thermodynamics, along with the two equivalent statements from Kelvin-Planck and
Clausius, forms the fundamental principles in engineering applications such as heat pumps and heat
engines.
This violation is avoided and refrigeration is made possible by the input of work into the system.
Within the refrigerator, work is input in the form of electrical energy. This electrical energy is
converted to thermal energy during the refrigeration cycle and then released as heat to the surrounding
air2. The conversion of electrical energy to thermal energy causes an increase in entropy of the
process. The net entropy is positive, allowing refrigeration to be carried out spontaneously.
3.2 First Law of Thermodynamics in Refrigeration
Apart from the second law of thermodynamics, the refrigeration process must also fulfill the first
principles. The first law of thermodynamic dictates that energy must be conserved in the refrigeration
process. In this process, heat is transferred from the colder region to the warmer region. Since
refrigeration is a cyclic process, the refrigerant, which absorbs and rejects the heat, must return to its
initial state where its internal energy is the same. Hence, the heat released from the refrigerator to the
warmer surroundings, Qh must be equivalent to the heat absorbed from the cabinet air, Q c plus the
work input by the compressor, W (Figure 1) to fulfil the first law of thermodynamics. In other words,
Qh = Qc + W.
Thermodynamics is a vital concept of physics that govern many daily phenomena. In this paper, we
have covered the first and second law of thermodynamics, demonstrated how these two laws govern a
real-world application the refrigeration process, and then applied a thermodynamic analysis to
elucidate the inner workings of a refrigeration cycle. Finally, we extended our discussion to the
common household application of refrigeration on food preservation. Here, we see that physics and
life sciences are in fact intertwined and present in many large and small aspects of life that most
usually overlook. If we take a closer look into some of these daily phenomena and apply our scientific
concepts in physics and the life sciences, we will be amazed by how these concepts come to life.
7. References
1. Y. A. Cengel, M. A. Boles, Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach. (McGraw-Hill,
2011).
2. Wikipedia (November 4, 2013); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump
3. Appliance 411 (November 5, 2013); http://www.appliance411.com/faq/defrostproblem.shtml
4. J. M. Smith, H. C. Van Ness, M. M. Abbott, Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Thermodynamics. (McGraw-Hill, 2005)
5. Wikipedia (November 7, 2013); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Refrigeration.png
6. New World Encyclopedia (November 7, 2013);
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Refrigeration
7. Y. A. Cengel, Heat Transfer: A Practical Approach. (McGraw-Hill, 2002)
8. T. Audesirk, G. Audesirk, B. E. Byers, Biology: Life on Earth with Physiology. (Benjamin
Cummings, 2011)
9. Brooklyn College (November 8, 2013);
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/enz_act.htm