Mark H.

Garcia
BSABEn - IV

The Components of Refrigeration Cycle

Condenser
The condenser is one of the easiest components to spot on a refrigerator. It is a large
grid of coils often on the back or underneath the refrigerator accompanied by a cooling
fan that draws air over the coils to help them dissipate heat, according to the Repair
Clinic website. The condenser's job is to act as a vessel for the refrigerant to travel
through, transforming the high-pressure gas into a liquid.

Compressor
The compressor is the cooling engine of the refrigerator. This device is located either at
the bottom of the refrigerator at the back of the unit or on top of the refrigerator. The
compressor compresses the refrigerant to make it a high-pressure gas whenever the
thermostat calls for cooling in the system. It runs quietly and sends the refrigerant into
the condenser.
Evaporator
After the refrigerant passes through the condenser and transforms into liquid it passes
through a metering device and into the condenser. The condenser provides more space
for the refrigerant, which allows it to return to a gaseous state. This causes rapid cooling
and causes moisture to freeze on the evaporator. A fan circulates the resulting cold air
throughout the refrigerator. The evaporator on most refrigerators is located inside the
freezer compartment if it is a combination unit. Otherwise, it is located inside the main
refrigerator compartment.
Ice Maker
Most of today's refrigerators have a built-in ice maker. This component means no more
ice trays in the freezer. A constant water supply fills cube molds and then the ice maker
ejects the frozen cubes and refills periodically.

 Thermostat
The refrigerator's thermostat is a simple device that senses the internal temperature of
the main compartment. Owners set a dial on the thermostat to indicate the cooling level
they desire. This is usually somewhere between 32 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit in the
main compartment. The thermostat stops power to the compressor when the
temperature drops below the desired setting.
Defrost System
The frost build up on the evaporator would get excessive if not for the automatic defrost
system. Icing could result and cause other problems. But the defrost system keeps frost
and ice from getting out of hand by regularly melting it. The defrost system is made up
of three main parts. A timer signals the heating coil in regular intervals to begin heating,
which melts off the frost. Once the temperature rises above freezing, a temperature
sensor signals the heater to shut down, which allows the system to cool normally again.