What is typically found in a refrigeration system’s low-pressure side?

In a refrigeration system, the low-pressure side is where the refrigerant is in a low-pressure vapor state before it reaches the compressor. The evaporator is a crucial component of this low-pressure side, as it is where the refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding environment, causing it to evaporate and turn into a vapor. This process effectively cools the area that the refrigeration system is designed to service, such as a refrigerator or a commercial cooling unit.

The evaporator operates at low pressure because it facilitates the phase change of the refrigerant from liquid to vapor. By doing so, it allows the refrigerant to absorb heat efficiently. After the refrigerant vaporizes in the evaporator, it then moves to the compressor, which is located on the high-pressure side, where the pressure of the vapor is increased.

Understanding the role of the evaporator is fundamental to grasping how a refrigeration cycle functions, particularly how it is responsible for the cooling effect before the refrigerant is compressed and cycled back through the system.