Refrigerators | Fridges
Refrigerators, or fridges, are common household fixtures engineered to maintain internal temperatures below the temperature of the room through the use of thermal insulation and coolant systems. For food storage, lower temperatures reduce the ability for bacteria to reproduce and slow the rate of food deterioration and spoiling. These benefits make refrigeration essential for industrial, commercial, and private home use. Today, refrigerator design has advanced to include adjustable shelving, water and ice dispensers, controlled storage zones, freezers, and may even integrate digital monitors and video displays.
The basic components of a refrigerator include: fluid refrigerant, condenser coils, a compressor, evaporator coils, and an expansion device. The liquid refrigerant circulates around items stored while absorbing and transferring the heat from food products. The result is cool air inside the refrigerator. This process repeats itself when the refrigerant evaporates into a gas passes back into the compressor.
The recommended or ideal temperature for a refrigerator ranges between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit (1.67 to 3.33 degrees Celsius). A basic rule of thumb is for it to be kept below 40 degrees (4.44 degrees Celsius) but not at a freezing temperature of 32 degrees (0 degrees Celsius).
The lifespan of a refrigerator can range from 14 to 27 years, but the time expected and recommended to replace a refrigerator is around 10 to 13 years.
