Which process ensures that no liquid slugs reach the compressor and cause damage?

Superheating is a crucial process in refrigeration and air conditioning systems that ensures only vapor enters the compressor, preventing potential damage that could result from liquid slugging. When refrigerant is superheated, it means that its temperature is raised above the boiling point at a given pressure, ensuring that the refrigerant is in a gaseous state before it enters the compressor.

When a compressor draws in refrigerant, if any liquid refrigerant enters, it can cause mechanical issues and damage the compressor. Liquid refrigerants don't compress well and can lead to harmful pressure spikes or even catastrophic failure. By superheating the refrigerant in the evaporator, operators ensure that no liquid is present when the refrigerant reaches the compressor, thereby safeguarding against damage.

Other processes such as condensation, cooling, and expansion serve different functions in the refrigeration cycle but do not directly contribute to preventing liquid refrigerant from entering the compressor. Condensation deals with converting vapor to liquid, cooling pertains to reducing temperature, and expansion involves decreasing pressure, none of which specifically ensure the compressor only handles vapor.