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What happens when heat is added to refrigerant?
When heat is added to the refrigerant in a closed system, several changes occur depending on the phase of the refrigerant (liquid or vapor) and the specific conditions. Here's what happens when you add heat to the refrigerant:
① Phase change (liquid to vapor): If the refrigerant is in a liquid state and heated, it will absorb energy and begin to evaporate, transforming into a vapor phase. This process is called vaporization or boiling. The absorbed heat causes the molecules of the liquid refrigerant to gain energy and break out of the liquid phase, forming vapor molecules.
② Absorption of latent heat: During the phase change from liquid to vapor, the refrigerant absorbs latent heat from the surrounding environment. This absorbed heat does not cause the refrigerant to increase in temperature but rather provides the energy needed to overcome the intermolecular forces that hold the molecules together in the liquid phase.
③ Temperature rise (steam): Once all liquid refrigerant has evaporated into steam, further addition of heat will cause the steam temperature to rise. This increase in temperature is due to the vapor molecules absorbing sensible heat, causing them to move faster and increasing the kinetic energy of the vapor.
④ Pressure increases: As the temperature of the refrigerant vapor increases, its pressure also increases.
⑤ Heat removal (vapor to liquid): Conversely, when the heat in the refrigerant vapor is removed, it condenses back into the liquid state. During this phase change, the refrigerant releases latent heat to the surrounding environment. This release of heat is called heat of condensation.
In summary, adding heat to a refrigerant can cause phase changes, temperature increases, and pressure changes, depending on the initial state of the refrigerant and system conditions. These heat transfer processes are fundamental to the operation of refrigeration and air conditioning systems, where the refrigerant undergoes cyclic changes in phase and temperature to transfer heat from one location to another.