Coefficient of Performance of a Refrigerator

Coefficient of Performance of a Refrigerator

The coefficient of performance (briefly written as C.O.P.) is the ratio of heat extracted in the refrigerator to the work done on the refrigerant. It is also known as theoretical coefficient of performance. Mathematically,

Theoretical

Where,

Q = Amount of heat extracted in the refrigerator (or the amount of refrigeration produced or the capacity of a refrigerator)

W = Amount of work done

Notes:

1. For per unit mass,

2. The coefficient of performance is the reciprocal of the efficiency (i.e. ) of a heat engine. It is thus obvious, that the value of C.O.P is always greater than unity.

3. The ratio of the actual C.O.P to the theoretical C.O.P. is known as relative coefficient of performance. Mathematically,

Relative C.O.P =