What is Refrigerant?
[[File:Cycle Optimizer.png|thumb|Refrigeration cycle]] [[File:R407C container.png|thumb|A can of [[R407c]] refrigerant.]] [[File:HVAC system diagram.jpg|thumb|A basic diagram of a HVAC system]] A '''refrigerant''' is a [[chemical substance]] that is found in an [[air conditioner]], a [[refrigerator]], and in other refrigeration equipment. <ref>{{Cite web|title=All about Refrigerator|url=https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Refrigerator|access-date=2024-08-29|website=energyeducation.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=What is Refrigeration - Definition, Source, Application and FAQs|url=https://byjus.com/physics/refrigeration/|access-date=2024-08-29|website=BYJUS|language=en}}</ref> Air conditioners work by circulating refrigerant through coils, absorbing heat from the air and releasing it outside, cooling the space with chilling efficiency. <ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-08-16|title=Air-conditioning {{!}} Types, Benefits & Maintenance {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/air-conditioning|access-date=2024-08-30|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref>Refrigerants are chosen for the ease of converting them from [[liquid]] to [[vapor]] or vice versa, depending on their temperature and pressure. Most refrigerants in their liquid state will [[evaporate]] very fast if at [[atmospheric pressure]]. They can be classed as [[Chlorofluorocarbon|CFC]], [[hydrochlorofluorocarbon|HCFC]], [[hydrofluorocarbon|HFC]], [[Hydrocarbon|HC]], or [[Hydrofluoroolefin|HFO]] along with less common types. In refrigeration equipment, a refrigerant vapor is compressed by a [[compressor]]. Compression makes it hot. It enters a [[condenser]], where it condenses into a liquid. The refrigerant then passes through a part called a metering device, or an expansion device (there are several types of this part) where the pressure is reduced to a point where the liquid begins to boil. At this point, the refrigerant is very cold and it enters an [[evaporator]], where it absorbs heat from the air passing over it. By the time the re