ESCO Air Conditioning Practice Exam

Which refrigerant term describes the heat removed from refrigerant as it changes from vapor to liquid?

1. Condensation

2. Subcooling

3. Radiation

4. Superheat

The correct answer is: Subcooling

Subcooling is the term used to describe the heat removed from refrigerant as it changes from vapor to liquid. During the subcooling process, the refrigerant is further cooled below its saturation temperature to ensure that it is in a completely liquid state before entering the expansion device. This helps prevent any flashing of liquid refrigerant into vapor, which can affect the efficiency of the system. Condensation is the phase change of the refrigerant from vapor to liquid under high pressure and temperature. Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves. Superheat is the term used to describe the heat added to the refrigerant vapor once it has completely boiled into a vapor. It is the number of degrees the vapor is above its saturation temperature at a particular pressure point in the system.