Process / pipelineRefrigeration Cycle

Vapor Compression Cycle

The Vapor Compression Cycle is the fundamental thermodynamic cycle for refrigeration systems and heat pumps. It describes how mechanical work is used to transfer heat from a cold space (evaporator) to a warm space (condenser), operating against the natural temperature gradient. The cycle consists of four processes: isentropic compression, isobaric condensation, isenthalpic throttling, and isobaric evaporation.

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Sources

  1. Stoecker, W. F., Jones, J. W., & Sunnam, B. A. (1998). Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0070613638
  2. Incropera, F. P., DeWitt, D. P., Bergman, T. L., & Lavine, A. S. (2007). Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (6th ed.). Wiley. ISBN: 978-0470055540

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Referenced by

ScholarGateVapor Compression Cycle (Vapor Compression Cycle for Refrigeration and Heat Pumps). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/thermodynamics/vapor-compression-cycle