Vapor-compression refrigeration, in which the
refrigerant undergoes
phase changes, is one of the many
refrigeration cycles and is the most widely used method for
air-conditioning of buildings and automobiles. It is also used in domestic and commercial refrigerators, large-scale warehouses for chilled or frozen storage of foods and meats, refrigerated trucks and railroad cars, and a host of other commercial and industrial services.
Oil refineries,
petrochemical and
chemical processing plants, and
natural gas processing plants are among the many types of industrial plants that often utilize large vapor-compression refrigeration systems.