How Does a Propane Refrigerator Work

Last Updated on July 9, 2021 by CHANDRAMANI

A propane refrigerator is useful for camping and in places where there is a scarcity of electricity. It can work for many days in a remote place with a single propane cylinder. The working of a propane refrigerator is different from the working of a household refrigerator.

The propane refrigerator works by heating water and ammonia in the boiler, ammonia moves in gaseous form and changes into liquid in the condenser, and combines with hydrogen gas in the evaporator which results in evaporation and rapid cooling which absorbs the heat from inside the refrigerator.

In order to properly understand the working of a propane refrigerator, you should first know about the important parts of it.

Main Components of a Propane Refrigerator

  • Boiler/Generator– It heats ammonia, water, hydrogen and sodium chromate
  • Separator – separates the ammonia gas from water
  • Condensor– It changes ammonia gas into liquid ammonia
  • Evaporator– Here ammonia combines with hydrogen and evaporates to produce rapid cooling. Ammonia is converted again into gas.

Working of a Propane Refrigerator

  1. It starts with heating ammonia, water, hydrogen gas and sodium chromate in the boiler with the help of propane gas. All are boiled under pressure in the generator or boiler.
  2. Water and ammonia moves up and enter the seperator. Inside it water is seperated from ammonia.
  3. Ammonia enters the condenser and looses heat. It dissipates it heat and return to its liquid form.
  4. The liquid ammonia trickles down into evaporator. It combines with hydrogen gas. This chemical mixing causes very vigorous evaporation. It results in rapid cooling and heat is absorbed from the unit. This occurs in the freezer unit of the refrigerator.
  5. As a result of rapid evaporation, the liquid ammonia again changes into gas. It then enters the second evaporator in the refrigerator unit and absorbs more heat.
  6. Finally the gas enters the return pipe and rejoins the water which came out of the seperator. Both again reaches the boiler and whole process continues again.

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