refrigerant

(noun)

a substance used in a heat cycle that undergoes a phase change between gas and liquid to allow cooling, as in refrigerators and air conditioners

Related Terms

Examples of refrigerant in the following topics:

  • Air Pollution

    • Decreased stratospheric ozone: a depletion in ozone levels caused by the release of refrigerants, which produce free radicals that catalyze the decomposition of ozone.

  • Alkyl Halide Occurrence

    • CCl2F2 and other chlorofluorocarbons) used as refrigeration gases and fire extinguishing agents.

  • Polar Ozone Holes

    • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are compounds that were commonly used prior to the 1980s for a number of industrial applications, including refrigerants and cleaning solutions.

  • Ozone Depletion

    • The main source of these halogen atoms in the stratosphere is photodissociation of man-made halocarbon refrigerants; examples include CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), freons, and halons.

  • Real Gases

    • The model also fails for most heavy gases (including many refrigerants) and for gases with strong intermolecular forces (such as water vapor).

  • Viscosity

    • If you were to place honey or corn syrup in the refrigerator, it thickens considerably relative to its thickness at room temperature.