How does a refrigerator's compressor work and why does it get hot?

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1. 1

   Vapor-compression refrigeration (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Oct 15, 2026Checked Oct 17, 2026

   “Vapour-compression refrigeration or vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS), in which the refrigerant undergoes phase changes, is one of the many refrigeration cycles and is the most widely used method for air conditioning of buildings and automobiles. It is also used in domestic and commercial refrigerators, large-scale warehouses for chilled or frozen storage of foods and meats, refrigerated trucks and railroad cars, and a host of other commercial and industrial services. Oil refineries, petrochemical and chemical processing plants are among the many types of industrial plants that often utilize large vapor-compression refrigeration systems. Cascade refrigeration systems may also be implemented using two pressure levels, where the heat flow from cold to warm is split over two separate refrigeration systems. Refrigeration may be defined as lowering the temperature of an enclosed space by removing heat from that space and transferring it to a higher temperature level. A device that performs this function may also be called an air conditioner, refrigerator, air source heat pump, geothermal heat pump, or chiller (heat pump).”

2. 2

   A Systematic Approach to Exergy Efficiency of Steady-Flow Systems.

   Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) (Çengel & Kanoğlu)Published Oct 26, 2025Checked Oct 17, 2026

   “Exergy efficiency is a measure of thermodynamic perfection. A device that operates reversibly has an exergy efficiency of 100 percent and is said to be thermodynamically perfect. A reversible process involves zero entropy generation and thus zero exergy destruction since Xdestroyed = T0Sgen. Exergy efficiency is generally defined as the ratio of exergy output to exergy input ηex = Xoutput/Xinput = 1 - (Xdestroyed + Xloss)/Xinput or the ratio of exergy recovered to exergy expended ηex = Xrecovered/Xexpended = 1 - Xdestroyed/Xexpended. In this paper, exergy efficiency relations are obtained first for a general steady-flow system using both approaches. Then, explicit general relations are obtained for common steady-flow devices, such as turbines, compressors, pumps, nozzles, diffusers, valves and heat exchangers, as well as heat engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps. For power and refrigeration cycles, five different forms of exergy efficiency relations are developed, and their equivalence is demonstrated. With the unified approach presented here and the insights provided, the controversy and confusion associated with different exergy efficiency definitions are largely alleviated.”

3. 3

   Absorption refrigerator (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Oct 10, 2026Checked Oct 17, 2026

   “An absorption refrigerator is a refrigerator that uses a heat source to provide the energy needed to drive the cooling process. Solar energy, burning oil, waste heat from factories, and district heating systems are examples of heat sources that can be used. An absorption refrigerator uses two coolants, the first coolant performing evaporative cooling before being absorbed into the second coolant. Heat is then needed to reset the two coolants to their initial states. Absorption refrigerators are commonly used in recreational vehicles (RVs), campers, and caravans because the heat required to power them can be provided by either a propane fuel burner, a low-voltage DC electric heater (from a battery or vehicle electrical system) or a mains-powered electric heater. Absorption refrigerators can also be used to air-condition buildings using the waste heat from a gas turbine or water heater in the building. Using waste heat from a gas turbine makes the turbine very efficient because it first produces electricity, then hot water, and finally, air-conditioning—trigeneration.”

4. 4

   Dataset of temperature and relative humidity measurements in domestic refrigerators in Bangkok Thailand.

   Data in brief (Paviet-Salomon et al.)Published Jun 4, 2026Checked Oct 17, 2026

   “This high-resolution dataset provides valuable insights into the thermal and hygrometric conditions of domestic refrigeration systems under real household usage conditions. The data may support a wide range of applications, including the assessment and optimization of refrigeration performance through analysis of temperature heterogeneity and thermal behavior inside refrigerating compartments, the evaluation of food safety and risks associated with domestic storage temperatures, the identification of potential temperature abuse conditions in challenge-test studies, the development of consumer recommendations, the development and validation of simplified thermal models and CFD simulations for predicting airflow and heat transfer within domestic refrigerators, studies related to energy consumption and food preservation, and the optimization of domestic refrigerator design parameters using CFD and artificial neural network approaches. The dataset is expected to provide valuable insights for researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers working on refrigeration technologies, food safety, and cold-chain management.”