Refrigerant

Definition

A molecule held together by weak intermolecular forces that vaporizes and condenses easily at temperatures well below water’s boiling point, used as the working fluid in refrigeration.

Refrigerants are bound by weak London dispersion forces rather than hydrogen bonds, so they require far less energy to change phase and boil at very low temperatures. R-134a boils at about minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit and ammonia at about minus 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Their willingness to change phase at low temperature, described as being quitters by design, is what makes refrigeration possible.

Related concepts

Chiller · Phase Change · Pressure control of phase change

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🧱 materials