In a refrigeration system, what happens to the pressure in the evaporator?

In a refrigeration system, the evaporator plays a crucial role in absorbing heat from the environment, which causes the refrigerant inside the evaporator to evaporate at low temperatures. As the refrigerant absorbs heat, it changes from a liquid to a gas, which inherently occurs at low pressures.

When this process takes place, the refrigerant's pressure in the evaporator decreases. This drop in pressure is essential for the refrigerant to evaporate efficiently and maintain the low temperatures needed for refrigeration. The decrease in pressure enables the refrigerant to absorb the necessary heat from the surrounding area, thereby cooling it down.

This understanding aligns with the principles of thermodynamics, particularly the behavior of refrigerants in gaseous and liquid states, emphasizing how evaporators function to create a cooling effect through heat absorption at reduced pressures.