Introduction to refrigeration - State of the art. Implementation

Generally speaking, we refer to the refrigeration sector, but in fact there are three sectors using the same technology:

• refrigeration" covers the range of positive average temperatures between 0°C and +15°C, as well as low temperatures between – 10°C and – 100°C and very low temperatures below – 150°C towards absolute zero – 273°C;

• comfort or industrial air conditioning, with typical application temperatures ranging from +15°C to +30°C. In these applications, temperature is not the only controlled variable; humidity, filtration, bacteriological quality, etc., can also be controlled;

• domestic, collective or industrial heat pumps, in which a heat source (free if possible) is used to raise the temperature to between +45°C and +120°C.

In almost all systems, the technology used to produce cold – or rather to extract heat – as well as that used to produce heat, consists of using a compression cycle of specific fluids called refrigerants, either synthetic or natural (see [BE 9 730] Theory of refrigeration machines).

Other technologies, mentioned below, can be used, and others are currently being tested. Today, compression technology offers maximum efficiency and competitive investment and operating costs.