Refrigerators and Heat Pumps

Refrigerators and heat pumps are devices that move heat from one place to another using energy. A refrigerator removes heat from inside, keeping food cold, while a heat pump takes heat from outside to warm a building. Both operate based on the principles of thermodynamics, using a refrigerant that circulates through coils, absorbing heat in one area and releasing it in another. In non-equilibrium thermodynamics, these processes show how energy flows and balances, demonstrating the conversion of work (energy input) into heat transfer, enabling us to control temperatures for comfort and preservation.