Question

Where is the only location where the refrigerant vapor is superheated?

1) In the evaporator
2) In the condenser
3) In the compressor
4) In the expansion valve

Answer 1

The refrigerant vapor is superheated in the compressor, where the electrically driven compressor increases the vapor's temperature and pressure.

Step-by-step explanation:

The only location where the refrigerant vapor is superheated in a heat pump is in the compressor. The electrically driven compressor (work input W) raises the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant gas and forces it into the condenser coils. The process of superheating occurs when the gas's temperature is raised beyond its boiling point at a given pressure, which happens within the compressor. After the gas is superheated, it moves into the condenser, where it releases heat and condenses into a liquid. The working fluid, now in liquid form, is then cooled as it flows back through an expansion valve, where it undergoes a pressure drop and cools down significantly before returning to the outdoor evaporator coils to absorb more heat from the outdoor air.