Whilst the process is similar and both systems contain the same components such as a evaporator, a compressor and a condenser device.
A fridge has an insulated chamber which acts as a controlled environment, helping to maintain the desired temperature – the heat pump, which is an integral part of the refrigerator, is responsible for the heat transfer process. It extracts heat from inside the chamber and expels it to the exterior, thereby lowering the temperature inside. The heat pump is the reverse of this process; A fan draws the air over a type of heat exchanger called an evaporator, which contains a refrigerant liquid. As the evaporator is warmed by the air being drawn across it, the refrigerant liquid boils and evaporates into a refrigerant gas. This gas is then sucked into a compressor where it is compressed to a high pressure and forced through a small orifice, gaining lots of energy in the form of heat. This heat is then transferred to your central heating system by another heat exchanger called a condenser to heat your hot water, radiators, underfloor or swimming pool. The refrigerant that has been depleted of its heat is then sent back to the evaporator, to start the cycle of absorbing heat from the air all over again.
