What is the role of an accumulator in a refrigeration system?

The role of an accumulator in a refrigeration system is vital in managing the refrigerant flow and ensuring the system operates efficiently. The accumulator serves primarily to store excess liquid refrigerant that may not have evaporated yet. By doing so, it helps to prevent this liquid from entering the compressor, which is critical because liquid refrigerant can cause hydraulic shock or damage to the compressor by disrupting its operation.

When the system is under low load conditions or when there is excessive refrigerant due to varying demands, the accumulator captures this additional liquid. By retaining it until the evaporator can handle the load, the accumulator thus ensures that only vapor refrigerant reaches the compressor, thereby maintaining an optimal refrigerant flow and safe operation of the system.

Others in the list such as increasing pressure, condensing vapor, or expanding vapor refer to different components or processes within the refrigeration cycle, and therefore do not accurately describe the function of the accumulator.