The refrigeration cycle is a process used in heat pump, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems to transfer heat from one area to another. It is a closed circuit that consists of four main components: the compressor, condenser, expansion device, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle works by manipulating the pressure of the working refrigerant (air, water, synthetic refrigerants, etc.) through a cycle of compression and expansion. The following are the steps involved in the refrigeration cycle:

1. Compression: The refrigerant enters the compressor as a low-pressure, low-temperature gas and leaves as a high-pressure, high-temperature gas.

2. Condensation: The hot, pressurized gas then passes through the condenser where it releases heat to the surroundings as it cools and condenses completely.

3. Expansion: The high-pressure gas then passes through an expansion device, which reduces its pressure and temperature.

4. Evaporation: The low-pressure, low-temperature gas then enters the evaporator, where it absorbs heat from the space being cooled, causing the refrigerant to boil. As it continues through the evaporator coil, the gas is superheated, turning the refrigerant to gas before it enters the compressor and starts the cycle over again.

It is important to note that the above discussion is based on the ideal vapor-compression refrigeration cycle and does not take into account real-world effects like frictional pressure drop in the system, slight thermodynamic irreversibility during the compression of the refrigerant vapor, or non-ideal gas behavior (if any) .