Since the concept of "metaverse" was introduced

it has rapidly become popular in the development plans of national and international governments

local governments

enterprises

experts

scholars

and related researchers. The refrigeration industry is facing development opportunities and challenges in this new area. Thus

there is an urgent need to pave the way for relevant theoretical knowledge and technical updates. This paper presents a review on the background of big data and the relationship between big data and refrigeration in terms of two aspects: the impact of the big data era on the field of refrigeration and the impact of refrigeration technology on the big data era. Big data generates development opportunities in the refrigeration field. In this study

the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry is taken as an example

and the applications of big-data-related technologies for optimizing air-conditioning systems and the digital operation of air-conditioning enterprises are introduced. Refrigeration technology has benefitted from the rapid growth of big data technologies. This study introduces the important role played by refrigeration technology in the construction of cooling systems in data centers of the upstream industry and in solving the heat dissipation problems of downstream terminal products. The analysis provides a reference for understanding the relationship between the metaverse and refrigeration technology. The accumulative power behind the rise of the metaverse era

including boosting force

domestic and foreign layouts

and a better vision

are investigated. Second

the risks in the development process of the metaverse

including computing power risks

addiction risks

ethical issues

intellectual property issues

economic risks

industrial hegemony

and other prominent risks

are objectively analyzed. Opportunities and challenges coexist

which is the distinctive development background of the metaverse era. Finally

this study focuses on the relationship between the metaverse and refrigeration. The metaverse leads to new advancements in the refrigeration field

including a massive demand for refrigeration equipment and a high number of professionals inspired by the large metaverse ecology. Because the metaverse world can provide immersive teaching and vocational training

learning from the “Internet plus” and “Metaverse plus” allows for a transformation and upgrade from physical interactions to “virtual–real” interactions. The influence of refrigeration technology on the era of the metaverse includes meeting the cooling needs for infrastructure and facilities that run the metaverse. More immersive somatosensory experiences

such as skin sensations of heat

cold

and humidity

are enabled by refrigeration technology. Furthermore

infinite possibilities exist for the fusion of the metaverse and refrigeration.