Here's how it works: HFC-134a starts as a liquid in a storage tank at the bottom of the refrigerator. A compressor, or electric pump, pushes HFC-124a from the tank, under high pressure, into pipes that wind around the top of the freezer.
There, the pipes, as well as the surrounding area, are cooled by freezing the water in ice bucket trays. This is done in the evaporator by absorbing any heat found in the refrigerator.
Because of the heat it has absorbed, HFC-124a is now converted to a gas. This gas is then pumped by the compressor to the bottom of the refrigerator in a condenser. At this location, an electric fan blows through the condenser pipe, freezing the HFC-134a gas, and converting it back into a liquid, ready to start the cycle again.
Gas coolers work a little differently. Instead of an electric pump, they use a small flame to move the liquid to the freezing zone. And instead of HFC-134a, the gas cooler uses a mixture of ammonia and water.
Eskimos use refrigerators to prevent food from freezing!
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