Confused between fridge and a freezer? Here’s what you should know

In homes the world over, a refrigerator is an absolute necessity. The fridge and the freezer sections on them work together to preserve a number of different kinds of consumables, including meat, vegetables, poultry and dairy. Now, one may assume that they work on the same fundamental mechanisms, and have basically the same purpose. However, they differ greatly in terms of their purpose as well as design. Here are a few differences between your fridge and your freezer.

The fridge: Function, design and how it works

The fridge section in a refrigerator preserves food and beverages at around 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which is cold, but not freezing. For perishables such as dairy and veggies, this temperature range is great for stifling the growth of bacteria and microorganisms and extending their shelf life.

Also called the fresh food compartment in a refrigerator, it is generally larger than the freezer and can be found either at the bottom or the top of the refrigerator. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beverages, as well as the majority of leftover food is stored here.

To help organise and maximise storage, the fridge section features several shelves, drawers, and compartments. For instance, crisper drawers are made with the express purpose of maintaining the freshness of fruits and vegetables by controlling humidity levels.

The process

A basic premise underlies how refrigerators work: they transfer heat from the interior to the outside. A closed-loop system including coils, a fan, a compressor, and a refrigerant is used to achieve this. Here’s how it functions:

1. Compression

A gas refrigerant is heated and intensely pressured due to the compressor’s pressurisation.

2. Condensation

Coils underneath or on the back of the refrigerator are where the hot, pressured gas passes. It turns into a liquid as the heat is removed.

3. Expansion

After passing through an expansion valve, the liquid refrigerant quickly expands and transforms into a cold, low-pressure gas.

4. Evaporation 

This cold gas moves throughout the refrigerator, soaking up heat from the inside. The cycle is repeated as it returns to the compressor after evaporating. 

The interior of the refrigerator is thus continuously cooled to maintain the appropriate temperature.

Freezer: Function, design and how it works

The freezer’s purpose is to keep things completely frozen, as its name suggests. This part of the freezer runs at substantially lower temperatures than the fridge section, usually at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Freezers are needed for long-term food storage and keeping products that would otherwise degrade quickly at higher temperatures.

While they can also be found as distinct compartments inside a combination fridge-freezer appliance, freezers can also be standalone. Small countertop models and huge chest freezers that can hold a sizable quantity of frozen food are both available in a variety of sizes.

A freezer’s interior is crafted for effective frozen food storage. It frequently has shelves, baskets, or divisions to make arranging and getting frozen foods easily.

How do they work?

A freezer operates on a similar concept to a refrigerator but with one significant distinction: it maintains a lower and more stable temperature. This is how it goes.

1. Compression

A compressor is used in a freezer, like in a refrigerator, to pressurise a refrigerant, making it hot and strongly pressured.

2. Condensation 

The heated, under-pressure gas passes through coils, which cools and turns into a liquid.

3. Expansion 

The liquid refrigerant quickly expands through an expansion valve and transforms into a chilly, low-pressure gas.

4. Evaporation 

This frigid gas moves around the freezer while absorbing heat from the inside. The cycle is continued as it returns to the compressor after evaporating.

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Freezers preserve foods such as meat by maintaining a significantly lower temperature, which inhibits the formation of bacteria and prolongs their life significantly. 

Fridges and freezers are both essential parts of a refrigerator and play very specific roles in the preservation of food. Knowing the difference between the two enables one to make educated decisions about food storage such that food remains fresh and wholesome for long.