Which refrigerant property is essential for effective cooling in a system?

The property of a low boiling point is essential for effective cooling in a refrigeration system because it allows the refrigerant to easily evaporate at low temperature and pressure conditions. This evaporation process absorbs heat from the environment or from the area being cooled, which is a fundamental principle of refrigeration cycles.

When the refrigerant evaporates, it changes from a liquid to a vapor state, which requires energy in the form of heat. This heat absorption is what cools the surrounding air or fluid. If a refrigerant had a high boiling point, it would not evaporate readily at typical operating conditions, leading to inefficient cooling and reduced system performance.

In summary, a low boiling point directly facilitates the cooling process by allowing the refrigerant to absorb significant amounts of heat efficiently, making it a critical property for the effectiveness of refrigeration systems.