The condenser in the refrigeration cycle removes the _________ heat from the refrigerant vapor.

• A. Condensation
• B. Latent
• C. Sensible
• D. Electrical

Answer: (A)

During operation, the condenser rejects heat to the surroundings while the refrigerant vapor is forced to change phase into a liquid at high pressure. The heat being removed is the energy released when the vapor condenses, i.e., the condensation heat (the latent heat of condensation). While some sensible cooling may occur to reach the condensation temperature, the key point is that the condenser removes the heat associated with the condensation process. That’s why condensation heat is the best description of what the condenser removes from the refrigerant vapor.