Technically, a refrigerator can function as a rudimentary air conditioner, but it's not an efficient or recommended way to cool a room. Here's how it works and what would happen if you were to use a refrigerator as an air conditioner:
Refrigerator as an air conditioner: A refrigerator operates using a closed-loop system of refrigerant, a compressor, and a heat exchanger. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the inside of the fridge (keeping it cool) and releases that heat outside through the heat exchanger. When you open the fridge, the warm air from outside gets inside, and the refrigerator's cooling system works to remove that heat.
Using a refrigerator to cool a room: If you were to use a refrigerator to cool a room, you'd have to leave the fridge door open. As a result, the fridge would continuously try to cool the warm air that enters the open space. However, this method is highly inefficient and ineffective for cooling a large area because the cooling system of a fridge is designed for a small, insulated space, not an entire room.
Putting food in the refrigerator and turning on the AC: If you put food in the refrigerator overnight and then turned on the AC in the room where the fridge is placed, two things would likely happen:
a. Extra load on the AC: The AC would have to work harder to cool the room because the heat generated by the fridge's compressor and the warm air from the fridge's interior would increase the room's overall temperature.
b. Food safety: Keeping the fridge door open all night to cool the room would risk compromising the safety of the food inside the refrigerator. The refrigerator's cooling system might not be able to maintain a sufficiently low temperature inside, leading to potential spoilage of the perishable food items.
In summary, using a refrigerator as an air conditioner is not an efficient or practical solution for cooling a room. Air conditioners are specifically designed to cool larger spaces and are more effective at regulating the temperature in a room while keeping energy consumption in check. It's best to use a proper air conditioning system to cool your living space and rely on the refrigerator for its intended purpose of preserving food at safe temperatures.