What is the primary function of a mechanical refrigeration system?

The primary function of a mechanical refrigeration system is to remove heat from a designated area to achieve a cooling effect. This process involves the circulation of a refrigerant through the system, which absorbs heat from the environment inside the space that needs to be cooled and releases that heat outside.

In the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant evaporates at low pressure inside the evaporator coil, absorbing heat from the air, which cools the space. It then travels to the compressor, where it is pressurized and moves to the condenser coil outside, where it releases the absorbed heat and condenses back into a liquid. This cycle continues, effectively keeping the designated area at a lower temperature.

While generating heat for a building, distributing warm air, and maintaining indoor air quality are important aspects of HVAC systems, they are not the primary functions of a mechanical refrigeration system. The core purpose focuses on cooling by removing heat from one space and expelling it to another.