Patent ID: 8234877
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: F16K,F25B

Abstract:
1. A refrigerant system circulating a refrigerant to create a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side, the refrigerant system comprising: a compressor defining a discharge port at the high-pressure side, defining a suction port at the low-pressure side, and defining an oil inlet, the compressor being operable to compress the refrigerant to create a pressure differential between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side; an oil separator defining a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet, and an oil outlet, wherein the refrigerant inlet is in fluid communication with the discharge port of the compressor; an oil return conduit connecting the oil outlet of the oil separator in fluid communication with the oil inlet of the compressor; an evaporator defining an evaporator inlet and an evaporator outlet, wherein the evaporator outlet is connected in fluid communication with the suction port of the compressor; a condenser defining a condenser inlet and a condenser outlet; an expansion device connecting the condenser outlet in fluid communication with the evaporator inlet; and a discharge valve defining a discharge chamber, a piston chamber, a valve inlet connected in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet of the oil separator, a valve outlet connected in fluid communication with the condenser inlet, and a valve actuator port connected in fluid communication with the condenser inlet, the discharge valve comprises: a) a piston disposed within the piston chamber so as to substantially isolate the valve actuator port from the discharge chamber; b) a valve seat; c) a valve plug disposed within the discharge chamber and being movable relative to the valve seat between a closed position and an open position, wherein valve plug in the closed position sealingly engages the valve seat to block refrigerant flow from the valve inlet to the valve outlet, and the valve plug in the open position is spaced apart from the valve seat to permit refrigerant flow from the valve inlet to the valve outlet, the valve plug moves to the closed position in response to the pressure differential between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side being below a predetermined limit, the valve plug moves toward the open position in response to the pressure differential between the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side being at least as great as the predetermined limit; d) a spring disposed within one of the piston chamber and the discharge chamber to urge the valve plug toward the valve seat; e) a stem guide disposed within the discharge chamber, the stem guide defines a fluid passageway connecting the piston chamber in fluid communication with the discharge chamber; and f) a valve stem slidingly disposed within the stem guide, the valve stem couples the piston to the valve plug such that movement of the piston within the piston chamber moves the valve plug relative to the valve seat.