Refrigerator - How Does It Work?

Deane explains how a refrigerator works. "It's a bit like a bike pump connected to a spray can!"

[@dubblodamo6687]

The science is one thing, but the presence, communication and performance is what brings this show home. Shout-out to the production crew behind the scenes too. Bloody brilliant.

[@BriarLeaf00]

Incredibly well done, it still holds up all these years later.

[@aqualuxx]

Nah man it’s all about the _style_

[@Witchblood]

Well, that's a refrigerata

[@Flatearth69]

Starkly uncanny presences and communications showcased throughout the entire duration

[@warbrothers7745]

Lol, how does a refrigerator work? It’s a question I didn’t actually ask, but am glad the algorithm showed me!

[@davidprice7162]

The fridge is by FAR the most reliable machine in your house. A fridge’s compressor motor will spin around several billion times in its life without service, cleaning or oiling.

[@hiyukelavie2396]

Inaccurate A simple machine like a crowbar for example will work infinite times as long as you don't break it

[@frankiephenomanal]

Crowbar isn't a machine

[@hiyukelavie2396]

@@frankiephenomanal A crowbar is a lever A lever is literally a simple machine

[@frankiephenomanal]

@@hiyukelavie2396 I'm assuming he meant automated machine, but could be wrong ...

[@johno9507]

Actually there is oil circulating with the gas that lubricates the compressor.

[@garethwilliams9695]

I work in refrigeration and it's fairly accurate. The coil on the back of the fridge could be explained a bit further. It's called a 'condenser'. The compressor pressurises the regrigerant gas. This makes it hot and high pressure. The condenser takes the heat - caused by compression - out. This causes the high pressure hot gas to condense to a cool liquid. Rather like steam from a kettle condensing to a liquid on a cool window. This high pressure cool liquid arrives at the evaporator. And it is literally quirted through a tiny nozzle into the much wider tubing of the evaporator. This causes the liquid to expand into a gas. The transition from liquid to gas requires heat so it takes heat from its surroundings - your food. Your food cools, the cool gas gets a bit warmer from the heat from your food. As it expands it becomes a low pressure warmer gas. This is then sucked back into the compressor to repeat the process. Forever.

[@stephaniecoomey2356]

I’ve worked in refrigeration for 37 years and you’re a bit off

[@garethwilliams9695]

@@stephaniecoomey2356 Can you explain how a bit off?

[@wanghuwanghu]

Thanks - this was the info missing in the video 😊

[@stephaniecoomey2356]

@@garethwilliams9695 hahaha I was trolling to see what you’d say, good day sir.

[@thegk-verse4216]

@@stephaniecoomey2356 we do a little bit of tomfoolery

[@_BhagavadGita]

Dear Rob and Dean, I am a 57 year old physicist who loved your show so much as a kid. My scientific career started with trying to replicate many things you did on the show. I have nothing but fond memories of you both. Thank you both so much.

[@CuriosityShow]

Very kind of you - appreciated - Rob

[@soul0360]

Brilliant. I sincerely hope that a new generation of kids watch this channel, and become just as inspired as you did.

[@deancyrus1]

Doesn't matter how old a show is, science is science. It's still really well explained. It's done so simply I'm going to share with my daughter.

[@deancyrus1]

@Chloe Walker-Hamlin you're welcome Chloe. Keep up with your reading ❤️

[@polus2494]

The best feature of science is that it's continually being updated as our understanding changes, so it kind of does matter how old it is.

[@deancyrus1]

@@polus2494 not fundamental science. That's what this is.

[@SavedbyHim]

This is more engineering than science though

[@Roy-mk9zl]

@@SavedbyHim Now you are trying to start a pointless argument with this.

[@douglasmarkwith]

Best explanation I've found online. The bike pump and aerosol can demonstration made it easy to understand. Love it!

[@tirkentube]

i like that since they didn't have any digital long-distance thermometers like we have today, they couldn't just point the thing at the air can or bike pump, but they had to physically hold a wall thermometer that is decorated with ducks near the tire to see it working.

[@KrolKaz]

This is also old science, it's the 21st century and I'm sure most of this dutff is better understood by scientists not 20th century alchemists

[@djfunkychicken]

@@KrolKaz Nope.. very little has changed in fact . It's simply manipulating pressure and temperature. Learning the difference between latent and sensible heat and how pressure effects them.. it becomes common sense rather than something complex

[@Newconsciousera2012]

This was awesome, wow. Exceeded my expectations. Why is this show not on T.V these days?

[@MrBubbleJet]

Because casting shows and commercial stuff is considered more important! :/

[@blisterbrain]

@MichaelKingsfordGray It's hard to imagine a show with a lower budget than this!

[@Turambar3791]

Because they doesn't whan thinking people never more...

[@jimibarker4873]

Ismi yuLov because they need ur children to be dumb as fuck

[@Partyfreaker]

People nowadays like dumb stuff like the kardashians. Even Discovery chanel isn't educational anymore and only have shows like pawn shop 😖

[@gauravkumar3146]

The power of simplicity. The explanation for a refrigerator couldn’t be easier than this.

[@VerySoftBadger]

how have i gone this far in my life without knowing any of this. ive had a fridge my whole life and not once did i question how it worked.

[@danw8012]

Dont do what I did when I was a kid and grind through the pipes of an old fridge with an Angle Grinder only to find out the refrigerant is flammable. Burnt off a large portion of my hair and had no eye brows for a bit. Love the curiosity show. It was so cool

[@The13point1]

Daniel White good old propane refrigerant!

[@PsiQ]

the propane-butane mix is often still used, seems to work quite good and kinda safe. thats how i found (smelled) we had a leak in our 2 compressor fridge. (one for the freezer, one for the upper cooler section)

[@coco21585]

R600a gas is used in some modern fridges. It's an isobutane mix same as a bic lighter. Need to be a gas fitter to work in fridge. R134 is the most common refrigerant used.

[@danw8012]

Like I said, I was a young man when I cut through the tube that had the refrigerant in it. I should not have been scrapping the fridge if I'm honest at the time I had no idea that I was about to loose my hair. Rest assured, I never made a second attempt lol. Just for trivia it would have been the old gas.

[@Mr_G3]

@@coco21585 appliance technicians work with r600a you don't need to be a gasfitter just need to be certified in refrigeration

[@N17C1]

Thanks for posting this on YT - great to be able to continue watching my favourite show from when I was a kid. the presenters and demonstrations made it a success but I always appreciated being talked to by someone who thought I was intelligent enough to understand.

[@Nutguy95]

The fridge sounds like a diesel truck

[@mathewthompson8022]

yup at 4:00

[@blisterbrain]

The engines canna take nae' more o' this, Cap'n!

[@Engineer9736]

I was thinking exactly this lol

[@seededsoul]

70s technology

[@africanmaan]

The fridge has a Hemi in it

[@itskindofemily]

I wish there were still shows like this nowadays. I'm 22 and I've always wondered how a fridge works! Thank goodness for this show, explaining in such simple terms :)

[@hwthingzwork]

Check out the KZbin channel called Lesics, they explain every technology simply.

[@jeronimoisazadiaz2537]

I had always wanted to know how fridges worked. This has been the best video I've seen, thank you so much.

[@TheBlankOneIsMe]

I am a 16 year old American, and now a fan of this show.

[@IsaacChoo88]

Who thought of the concept of combining tyre pump and spray can is a genius, he deserved a raise

[@joeydehart3429]

This is one of the best explanations of refrigeration I have ever seen. This is an absolute gem thanks for sharing.

[@Fifury161]

Perfect explanation - no patronising of the target audience either! Awesome job, thanks for sharing...

[@arty7926]

I'm a 24 year old Computer Science student and this is the first time that I fully understand how a refrigerator works. This stuff isn't just for kids imo :D

[@CuriosityShow]

I don't much like the distinction. Explain everything for an intelligent 10-year-old and you can't go too wrong for everybody - it also helps you to remember to avoid jargon, keep it simple etc etc - Rob

[@Razuri_Zeev]

School should start teaching like this. Easy and direct to the point.

[@Metallizombie]

That’s some quality stuff. Very simply and concisely explained with easy to understand examples.

[@soraideso4020]

True as hell, if only education was like that too...

[@DarthRevan42]

I want this man to teach me everything. I feel like I learn so much easier when explained like this

[@franklinemix8048]

I have watched modern videos a lot but with this, for the first time i was able to understand the actual reason why it cools. Compression and Rarefaction.

[@yaoypl]

This old show is the simplest and the best explanation I found on youtube. Thank you for sharing.

[@emailcjames]

Jesus! I loved it & I under stood the concept after a long time.Thank you very much Sir.. Thank you very much. Thanks

[@AyselShamistatioN]

Thanks a lot for this informative video! It is the best explanation how fridge works I have ever seen

[@CuriosityShow]

Thanks for your kind remarks. You will find many more science activities and stories on our KZbin channel kzbin.info Deane

[@kapilbusawah7169]

How many videos explaining how a fridge works have you seen?

[@ggeerrppeess]

These old 'how things work' type of videos are soooo good at explaining thing.

[@mikeygduv]

The ability to watch this stuff at will is invaluable. Thank you for these.

[@idjles]

I always thought I was smart. Now I realize it’s because I watched curiosity show as a child.

[@Viper300000000000000]

You lucky because Japan and America didn't have this show

[@chrispbacon3042]

@@Viper300000000000000 They would not be able to understand it anyway.

[@ColettaHughes]

Amazing, although the video is over 6 minutes long, I completely understood refrigeration in about 3 minutes. Excellent video.

[@ClaudioBOsorio]

What a great explanation. Good job to the writers and everyone involved. This show was a classic. It doesn't matter how much time goes by it will always be worth to watch.

[@matthewdoyle3129]

Loved this show while I was growing up, and still love it now ! Thank you guys for making such an engaging, informative and entertaining production.

[@bboynightsky000]

ur examples made it so easy. thumbs up!

[@dipayanchakraborty4751]

It was awesome sir...It helped me a lot to polish my concepts out...You are a fair dinkum Australian..I am fond of this aussie accent...

[@proteinman1981]

Got to do a science camp with Deane back in 1996 in Rockhampton. Great bloke!

[@vins686]

I am an mechanical engineer but, never understood refrigeration this well. Nobody tried to simplify the explanation to this level. Hats off to you guys! Thank you

[@seanmcardle]

always loved the show when it was on telly. thanks

[@Masked_Official]

I love how these guys do a modern show in the 2010's but make it look like the 70's and 80's - really well done vintage effects!

[@Bendigo1]

Even the hair and clothing and crazy pastel background, along with the ancient refrigerator and tires with inner tubes.

[@benji274]

Or they could have filmed this in the 70s/80s (like they did) then uploaded it to KZbin in the 2010s - much easier 😉

[@Masked_Official]

@@benji274 thats absurd! 1. They wouldn't have known KZbin existed back then. 2. It wouldn't be economically feasible to wait so long! It would have been easier to just dress up and record it than to record it in the 70's and 80's then wait 30 or 40 years to upload it. Look at Stranger Things! Do you think that was recorded in 1984? No! I got two words for you. Tech Nology.

[@benji274]

They bought the original videos back then uploaded it to KZbin in the 2010s

[@Masked_Official]

@@benji274 Na, that sounds wrong. Why would they record a show in the past, then in 2023, upload it the present time but made it seem like it was the 2010's? That is a lot of effort and time management and patiences. Plus they would have had to know that someone at KZbin had to fake the dates showing this was uploaded in 2010.

[@diulikadikaday]

I worked selling air cons for 7 years and only just found this video. This is the best video I have seen explains how the refrigerant process works.

[@Dazdigo]

This is a great demonstration even though I knew how a refrigerator worked before coming to this video. Now lets have this guy show the sorcery of how a propane refrigerator works. Kinda blows your mind how using a burning fire can cause a cooling effect somewhere else.

[@djr3485]

Brilliant tv program! Still ahead of many of the self appointed experts on KZbin even though decades old now.

[@pickachublast8]

This was explained very well, I actually understand it, thank you! :)

[@skeeter.1017]

I have always wondered how a refrigerator works and never bothered to look it up for years, but out of the blue KZbin just throws this video out there and of course I'm gonna watch in its entirely

[@jec_ecart]

Wow. Simple old-school show! Absolute treat!

[@DashDrones]

Imagine if they taught us like this at school? It's as if they deliberately made us useless.. Thanks very much for sharing this 👍

[@Somethin_Slix]

Less-educated people are easier to manipulate and control.

[@DashDrones]

@@Somethin_Slix 💯

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

School = KZbin now

[@kylezo]

@@Somethin_Slix great theory there slix. You really called out the evil cabal of middle school science teachers. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@DougieBarclay]

Sorry but the dissolution of sexual identity takes precedence over real science. This is what's important today.

[@garethanthonyclark4879]

That fridge must have weighed a ton back then. Great explanation as always

[@DJJ246810]

I grew up with this show in Australia, so glad the KZbin algorithm found it for me! It is as great now as it was then!!!

[@skullmax3595]

Thank you guys for making this video's explaining things of which we are mostly curious about in our day to day life.

[@ManishKumar-eh4dl]

good explanations and very clear understanding

[@jdsgotninelives]

Had that exact model fridge freezer (Although mine wasn't THAT noisy!). Kept my beer frosty cold, year in, year out. :-)

[@VincentValentino]

Amazing, as always. I'm 45 and am still learning, always learning. Thank you for this :)

[@cjp3033]

im an 1161 refrigeration and HVAC technician in the marine corps and this is the single best way ive ever heard the refrigeration cycle explained. fantastic work.

[@crunkwun]

I would've went to school every day if I had teachers like this 😅

[@guibelson4809]

best explanation ever!!!!

[@CuriosityShow]

+guibelson yaras Thank you very much for your kind remarks. I had a lot of fun designing this visual explanation. Deane.

[@tomcruise7095]

This is by far the best documentary I have ever seen and that moustache boy that moustache! World class acting right here.

[@sabarishssibi3382]

I have watched many videos(animation thing) but none gives the clarity of the working system of refrigerator as this one. Very practical, 👏👏

[@TarisRedwing]

I found out the reason for global warming........bicyclist pumping them dayum pumps....

[@deanmoncaster]

For every bicycle that is pumped up I'm going to let one tyre down to equal it out.

[@deasttn]

I just stress the cyclist out and make em sweat by swerving my car towards them. Keeps the world in equilibrium

[@afrosamuri05]

well that is indeed a refrigerator but where's the beer ?

[@cooganbeggs4942]

G’day Rob and Dean, 49yo aussie here who grew up watching your show and learned so much over the years. I went on to become an Industrial Designer and I’m sure that’s largely due to the fascination for the world that your show provided us kids. Thanks for all that you do 👍

[@CuriosityShow]

Very kind of you - Rob

[@earthling_parth]

Somewhere Alec from Technology Connections has a warm feeling every time someone watches a video on topics of heat, great transformation, and thermodynamics. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend Technology Connection's videos on AC, latent heat, how coolers work, and many more videos he has on topics related to thermodynamics and their efficiencies.

[@Lewis101900]

Well, that's a refijeryder, but how does it wok?

[@matthewaguirre3293]

Lewis Back rehfrejarayta

[@htf5555]

sit dain inside the cah

[@dylanwalker2111]

Lewis Black I’ve always loved your comedy.

[@fellll9774]

When you can learn a term worth of science in 6 minutes

[@AutPen38]

Schools and universities should be closed permanently. We can learn everything we need by watching the television and KZbin in our dungeon-like basements.

[@tadhg3]

'Watching at 4am 'This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen'

[@kimbring2727]

Perfect tutorial video. Using basic components to teach more complex items is a brilliant idea. It seems like I can easily make my own refrigerator 🤩

[@jimmyb101]

Great job Deane & Curiosity Show. I'm curious ; with the amount of compressed air in all kinds of things from tires to refrigerators, and more. Does these small burst of temperature change (plus the energy used) have a mild/medium effect on the surrounding environments ?

[@CuriosityShow]

Only temporary and local. Remember that the cooling of any released compressed gas only balances the heating during compression - Rob

[@jimmyb101]

@@CuriosityShow Thanks for the reply Rob, your a legend.

[@dennisonida5104]

@@CuriosityShow 1981

[@Brandon_Jackson]

I was playing hide and seek as a kid and hid behind the fridge, the tubes on the back of the fridge were hot and I don’t know why but it shocked the hell out of me😄

[@AutPen38]

In winter, the spiders in my kitchen hang out behind the fridge because it's nice and warm.

[@jonathanchalmers7844]

Brilliant show. Loved you guys as a kid and now at 43yo I finally have a basic understanding of how fridges work! Hope you're both well.

[@CuriosityShow]

Both fine, thanks very much - Rob

[@BLANKBLUEBLOODBOOK]

@@CuriosityShow 😳

[@DazzaBo]

Man, the off-white beige plastic of the inside of the fridge takes me back to my childhood lol

[@mabs-O_o]

I remember watching this episode and trying to make my own fridge, I think I was about 10 at the time :)

[@studkickass513]

Dad has tried to explain this to me for decades. The Curiosity Show taught me in about 4 minutes.

[@NONI58505]

Thank you so much for this excellent experiment and explanation! I have to present the topic Refrigerator to class next week and this is the PERFECT experiment! Thank you again!

[@CuriosityShow]

+NONI58505 Thanks for your kind remarks. I am glad you enjoyed the Curiosity Show segment about refrigerators and I hope your presentation to class goes well. Please tell your classmates about the Curiosity Show KZbin channel. Deane.

[@artisanrox]

I feel very underprivileged that I was not in OZ and therefore could not watch this show growing up (cries in hamburgers and eagles). I can't wait to see the rest! I'm subscribed.

[@soysunoscotillas9380]

Due to my job, I know very well how refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. work. . . . And there is something important to understand that he has not explained: There is no way to directly create cold, the way these devices work is not by creating cold but by extracting heat. Any chemical or physical reaction generates heat, and the way to cool something is to put it in contact with something else that has a lower temperature and thus they tend to equalize their temperatures. The point is that both a refrigerator and an air conditioner actually generate more heat than the "cold they produce". If all that system were contained inside the refrigerator, the interior of the refrigerator would be warmer than the environment outside. With what the "trick" is precisely in all the components that are on the outside of the refrigerator (in addition to the explanation he gave). Due to the movement of its motor and the electricity it receives, the compressor heats up, and a lot, and that is why it is outside the refrigerator, but the key is in what he explained and added to the kind of radiator that is in the outside of the fridge. That "radiator" is much hotter than the "radiator" inside the fridge, and that's because the radiator inside the fridge is used to extract heat to the outside of the fridge. An air conditioner is exactly the same except that to enhance that heat extraction, a fan is added to the device that is left outside the house to extract heat faster (greater heat extraction = more cooling).

[@AutPen38]

It's kind of mad, really, isn't it? To keep our food cool, we have to use electricity (often produced by burning fossil fuels) to move the warmth from the inside to the outside of the box. At a micro level, we make the inside of the fridge cooler by making our kitchens warmer, and at a macro level, we keep our houses and factories cool by setting fire to the rest of the planet!

[@GiantsWS]

@@AutPen38 Wrong. We have zero impact on the planet. Don't be a fool.

[@AutPen38]

@@GiantsWS Oh look, it's one of those idiots that either thinks he knows better than 99% of climate scientists, or is a bot working for the oil industry. If you want people to treat you with any level of seriousness I recommend you stop watching Alex Jones disinformation videos and stop acting like the village idiot. You've been lied to by grifters. Climate change has been caused by humans. It's not a controversy or a debate. It's accepted as fact by anyone with a working brain. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_consensus_on_climate_change

[@umarmars47]

That's one noisy fridge, everyone will know I eat at night..

[@u2ooberboober]

Sundaland Please Unite :its got a diesel engine it.

[@lundsweden]

I bought a very nice, quiet fridge. So I can snack at night without judgement!

[@lukoflavi2111]

This helped me understand Hvac in a few minutes far better than 2 years of college did

[@vashman01]

This is the same reason why things burn up when entering our atmosphere from space. The objects compress the air below them as they fall.

[@carlhartwell7978]

I only have a rudimentary grasp of physics, but I believe friction might have something to do with it as well.

[@jimville2003]

that's friction. air molecules hitting metal at high speeds.

[@bizim_eller]

@@jimville2003 sounds like he was right, when the object compresses the air around it creates friction. No?

[@jimville2003]

@@bizim_eller partly. not sure. but im pretty sure that the contact of the object at high speeds against air results to friction regardless of air compression

[@bizim_eller]

@@jimville2003 yes, also makes sense🙂

[@kraut5023]

This was like the Australian bill nye the science guy show ha.

[@tinaj.hanson475]

+mak *Shop Refrigerator Cebey Monday 2015 Sale Off Now >>> **Best--Refrigerator.blogspot.com** .*

[@CuriosityShow]

+mak I know Bill Nye and have met him in America. It's an honour to be compared with Bill. Regards, Deane.

[@Renville80]

mak I wonder if the late Don Herbert (Mr. Wizard) would also be a valid comparison?

[@kraut5023]

@@Renville80 @Renville80 found this randomly again Yes i would think its a valid comparison Hope Deane is well.

[@evapendaki2530]

Thanks for the show, simple Where ever you have evaporation of humidity, you have a natural cooling process, outside on a rising morning, body, cave, bucket with wet clothe under the sun, ice in salt etc... Then a brain came to transforme and adapte this process through a fridge (chemicaly) Bravo ! It helps us a lot Dom

[@ThunderSky]

This must be the most well explained video about the argument I ever seen. Just.. wow!

[@nitramluap]

0:25 - "Have you noticed when you're pumping up your tyre, running late for school..." Kids these days don't as they're all mollycoddled and driven everywhere in SUVs, ironically making it more dangerous for the few that actually DO ride a bicycle to school... or anywhere for that fact. I'm glad I'm a 70s kid... who rode a bike everywhere. Kids these days are really missing out.

[@AutPen38]

People used to ride bikes to work too, but then people decided they wanted to experience an obesity epidemic that made them die younger than their parents, so they invented cars and drive-thru McDonald's.

[@StylishBuffalo]

INTP

[@tanvirhasanmonir1627]

What an amazing way to explain refrigerator! Thanks a ton and take my gratitude.

[@thespectator2976]

Thank you, i always wondered how this works. This illustration is just fantastic :)

[@cizzie219]

He must not be an academic because he explains it too well.

[@CuriosityShow]

I was an academic for 15 years. I was a lecturer in Educational Technology at the South Australian College of Advanced Education (which became the University of South Australia). Prior to that, I had been a high school science teacher. Deane.

[@dhirajkumargupta4151]

@@CuriosityShow you people are a find.

[@HDQuote]

@@CuriosityShow wow, it is amazing to see, that you seem to read all these comments.

[@thekidfromiowa]

@@CuriosityShow I was wondering what your background was.

[@fremenondesand3896]

I hope Tim Hunkin has seen this. He did a whole episode about the refridgerator, but this was nice and succint and still presented all the pertinent info.

[@virathiyam5401]

I don't know if this could be explained any better. Brilliant.

[@user-di4bt7qu2i]

I really liked this explanation. It's a great way to introduce the concept to kids.

[@franssantos9417]

Best explanation of refrigeration ever! I hope im correct to say compression heats air while decompression cools the air.

[@user-eo8zu2hg1e]

What an explanation! Your explanation is much better than--so-called--modern explanation today.

[@abdulsami4607]

Just had experienced the best of all explanations of all time Thanks a lot.

[@RockyBourgoyne]

Best explanation hands down. Easy to remember!

[@shiranigeorgia6009]

We have to watch this for science in high school

[@ezekielsbot]

The only videos that make me smile the whole way through

[@kayz3947]

Thank you for teaching me how a fridge work after almost 40 years on this earth 😆

[@benruby3497]

Thanks for sharing these videos! They are awesome.

[@JulieWallis1963]

Such a wonderfully produced show, perfect for its young audience and me!

[@Jay-Tee58]

This channel is a gem feels like I'm in a time machine 🤣

[@guy6567]

god i love how non perfect but also perfect this is, he actually drag rotates the fridge and aims the tires air at the thermometer, todays videos are too polished

[@robelbelay4065]

Great explanation! Very intuitive, thanks for the video upload

[@A_very_tinly_can]

I once gave myself an ice burn while playing with a spray can of compressed air as a kid haha. at the time it absolutely fascinated me because we were in the summer, and here I am with an ice burn! Knowing compression now it all makes sense but as a kid there was this "magic" to it :)