Why Does a Refrigerator Need a Compressor?

A refrigerator, commonly known as a fridge, is a device that dissipates heat from inside a thermally insulated structure to keep it cool for storing food supplies, chemicals, vaccines and other temperature-sensitive products. Refrigerators are widely used in commercial and residential appliances to store a wide array of products in myriads of industries.

A refrigerator helps preserve food by preventing the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage such as bacteria, yeast and fungi. Storing the food at low temperatures inhibits the growth of bacteria and slows down the bacterial activity responsible for spoiling food.

Refrigerators are primarily used for food preservation but they also find uses in various other industries where they deal with temperature-sensitive products like the medical or chemical industry.

A refrigerator is a combination of various smaller components that make up a large unit, however, if we were to count a few on our fingers, the four main components would be: compressor, evaporator, condenser, and expansion valve.

Compressor: A compressor serves the purpose of compressing the refrigerant into high-pressure, high-temperature gas. It is central to the mechanism of a refrigerator; it circulates the refrigerant throughout the refrigeration system. The refrigerator compressor is both a motor and a pump that moves the refrigerant inside the system . The compressor compresses the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas it receives from the evaporator. A refrigerator compressor works directly with the condenser, evaporator coil and expansion valve.

Evaporator: An evaporator absorbs heat from inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator evaporator transfers heat from the objects inside the refrigerator to the outside of it.

Condenser: A condenser in a refrigeration system acts as a cooling device. It discards the heat from the hot refrigerant gas and condenses it into liquid refrigerant.

Expansion valve: An expansion valve is responsible for dropping the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant to allow its expansion.

A refrigeration cycle, also known as a heat pump cycle, is a thermodynamic cycle, that removes heat from a specific space . There are four major processes involved in a refrigeration cycle, namely: compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation.

A compressor is considered the heart of any refrigeration system and is undeniably at the core of all its functions.

It is highly recommended not to compromise the quality of a compressor in regards to a refrigerator. Investing in a subpar compressor will result in high operation costs and high maintenance costs. The type of compressor, you choose for a refrigeration system will largely impact the performance of your refrigeration system, in terms of noise and energy efficiency, be it commercial or residential.

The size of the compressor should be appropriate for the load, the location of the compressor in a refrigerator is of equally great importance as well. From the cost point of view, if you want to manufacture a durable refrigerator, an inverter compressor, also known as a variable speed compressor, should be your first choice. Or if you are looking to improve the performance of an existing refrigerator, replacing an existing fixed-speed compressor with an inverter compressor would be a great start. Reciprocating compressors, in particular, are a great option for clients looking for inverter compressors.

However, it is highly recommended to go for a professional opinion before deciding which compressor suits your needs.

A refrigerator has become an inevitable part of our daily lives, but not a lot of us are familiar with its working mechanism. This write-up was aimed at helping our readers understand the operation principle of a refrigerator and the importance of a compressor in it.

If you are looking into compressors for your refrigeration system, at LG Compressor and Motor, we have our team of experts ready to help you out with any queries and concerns related to compressors.