The air conditioner and the refrigerator both work on the principles of heat sinks. Both the devices function to cool the temperature of a closed space while transferring the heat from a source which is usually the closed space to another place called a sink. This process consists of 4 thermodynamic stages which when combined together result in the transformation of electrical or mechanical energy into a thermal heat absorption system.
The working mechanisms of both the Air Conditioner and the Refrigerator involve the expansion of gases, adequately designed chemicals, and the conversion of gas to liquid. Also, there are several differences between air conditioning and refrigeration. Students will get more clarity about the concepts and differences between refrigeration and air conditioning by the table given below.
What are Air Conditioners and Refrigerators?
Air Conditioners are cooling devices that are generally used to cool large spaces like rooms or halls. The capacity of the air conditioner depends upon the requirement of the users and how much space does it need to cool. The AC is widely used now in almost every public utility space like conference halls, metros, trains and even buses. Temperatures soar to extreme levels during Indian summers and hence the AC have become an essential feature of all major events during this time period. Domestic usage of AC during the summer season in homes is also very common.
Refrigerators, on the other hand, are used to cool relatively small dimensions of space which are generally used for the preservation of food items and also in some cases medical equipment. Refrigerators or fridges as they are more commonly known are an essential feature of every home as their usage for domestic purposes is very essential for a tropical country like India. Apart from homes, the fridge is also used in restaurants, storage of perishable food items and also for preserving medical items.
The Differences between a Refrigerator and AC in a Tabular Form
|
Points of Difference |
Refrigeration |
Air Conditioning |
|
Thermal Energy |
In refrigeration, there is a transfer of thermal energy from a place at a cold temperature to a place at a higher temperature. |
In AC, thermal energy is taken away to keep the air at a cool temperature. |
|
Parts |
The refrigeration parts include a compressor, condenser, and evaporator in one unit. |
From the evaporator, the condenser and compressor have a separate unit in air conditioning. |
|
Application |
It generally deals with regulating the air temperature, such as freezing or cooling products. |
It deals with preserving the temperature of a certain air capacity in surroundings. Apart from it, the main difference between refrigeration and air conditioning is that AC helps in maintaining humidity and purity. |
|
Vaporisation |
As compared with AC, refrigeration units cycle HFC into a low-pressure chamber that is specifically designed to boil the gas. |
To convert a liquid into a gas, AC comprises an evaporator. |
|
Supply |
The key difference between refrigeration and air conditioning lies in the supply point. The required internal chemicals plus air needed is supplied from the atmosphere. |
The mechanism is supplied with gas from the pipes. |
|
Circulation Systems |
In the case of refrigeration, circulated systems are designed to preserve coolant in a restricted space. |
AC has a circulation system with an objective to project cool air away from the parts. |