制冷，通常指根据热力学第一、第二定理在机械能、热能或其它能源驱动下，从低于环境的物体中吸热，并转移至环境介质的热力过程。制冷已经广泛应用于空调、湿度控制、食品冷藏、饮料冷却、食品加工等诸多行业。。

现代人工作生活的各个方面，鲜有跟制冷空调毫无关系的，比如企业的运行、生产过程、仓储、运输均在温度控制的条件下进行。

在食品冷藏的应用中，将食品温度降低至零下18℃以下的制冷过程，通常被称为冷冻，而维持食品温度在零下18℃以上，则称作冷却。冷却和冷冻使对肉类和肉制品的处理过程，比不使用机械制冷时要卫生得多。

Refrigeration is a process of moving heat from one location to another in controlled conditions. The work of heat transport is traditionally driven by mechanical work, but can also be driven by heat, magnetism, electricity, laser, or other means. Refrigeration has many applications, including, but not limited to: household refrigerators, industrial freezers, cryogenics, and air conditioning. Heat pumps may use the heat output of the refrigeration process, and also may be designed to be reversible, but are otherwise similar to refrigeration units.