Articles / HVAC & Refrigeration
❄️ HVAC & Refrigeration
HVAC and refrigeration articles: vapour-compression cycles, heat pumps and COP, superheat and subcooling, and duct design basics.
Controls & Hysteresis - Why the Compressor Starts and Stops
HVAC — Lesson 11 · Controls & Hysteresis — Why the Compressor Starts and Stops The core idea A thermostat is t
Sensible vs Latent Heat: Why Humid Air Costs More
HVAC — Lesson 10 · Sensible vs Latent Heat — Why Humid Air Costs More to Cool The core idea Every cooling job
Superheat & Subcooling: A System's Vital Signs
HVAC — Lesson 9 · Superheat and Subcooling — Reading a System's Vital Signs The core idea Two temperatures tel
Heat Loads — Sizing a Cooler From First Principles
Heat Loads — Sizing a Cooler From First Principles The core idea A heat load is the rate at which heat enters
Duct Sizing — Why Area Beats Velocity
Duct Sizing — Why Area Beats Velocity The core idea A duct's job is to move a set volume of air (m³/h) with th
Humidity - Relative vs Absolute, and the Dew Point
HVAC — Lesson 3 · Humidity, Relative vs Absolute, and the Dew Point The core idea Air's appetite for water vap
COP — Why a Heat Pump Can Be 400% Efficient
COP — Why a Heat Pump Can Be "400% Efficient" The core idea An engine's efficiency is useful output divided by
Vapour-Compression Cycle: How Machines Move Heat
The Vapour-Compression Cycle: How Machines Move Heat The core idea Nothing actually makes cold. Heat is energy
Frequently Asked Questions
What HVAC topics do these articles cover?
The refrigeration cycle and COP, controls and hysteresis, superheat and subcooling, sensible vs latent heat, humidity and dew point, heat-load sizing and duct sizing — the working theory behind cooling and heat pumps.
Are these HVAC articles suitable for beginners?
Yes. Each article starts from first principles — no prior HVAC background needed — and finishes with a real-world example and the most common pitfall practitioners see.
Do the articles include worked calculations?
Yes — worked numbers throughout: COP examples in kWh, heat-load sums in watts, duct velocities in m/s, and superheat/subcooling in kelvin, all tied to our free HVAC calculators.