What type of liquid refrigerant has passed through a metering device?

When refrigerant flows through a metering device, it undergoes a significant change in pressure and temperature. At this point in the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is typically in a low pressure state, which results in it being a saturated liquid. The metering device is designed to control the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator coil, causing a decrease in pressure. This drop allows the refrigerant to expand and subsequently changes its state from a high pressure liquid to a low pressure saturated liquid.

This saturated liquid is critical for absorbing heat from the environment in the evaporator. When the refrigerant enters the evaporator as a low pressure saturated liquid, it is optimally positioned to boil and absorb heat, transforming into vapor and allowing the refrigeration cycle to continue effectively. In contrast, other conditions such as high pressure or superheated states are not typically the outcome immediately after passing through a metering device.