Thermostatic expansion valve

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermostatic expansion valve (12) comprising a body (30), an inlet (22), an outlet (24) and a replaceable cartridge (50), the body (30) defining a route between inlet and outlet for a substance to be regulated by the valve, the cartridge (50) being configured and positioned such that the substance must flow through at least a portion of the cartridge, the valve (12) having a valve port (60) and a valve element (70) enageable therewith to regulate flow of the substance, the element (70) being resiliently biassed either open or shut, modulating means (40) associated with the valve (12) serving to act against the resilient bias to control flow of the substance, and wherein the cartridge (50) is positioned in the body (30) of the valve (12), thereby allowing the cartridge to be replaced without disconnecting feeds connected to either the inlet (22) or the outlet (24).

Description: The present invention relates generally to thermostatic expansion valves for controlling refrigerant flow through a refrigeration system and particularly to a thermostatic expansion valve having a replaceable cartridge to change the capacity of the valve by providing a selected predetermined valve port for the valve. It is sometimes necessary to change the capacity of a thermostatic expansion valve in the field. In addition, valves which have become inoperative often require complete replacement. In both instances, replaceable cartridge thermostatic expansion valves have become popular. In the first instance, the use of a replacement cartridge permits the capacity of the valve to be changed without completely disassembling the valve. In the second instance, the use of a replaceable cartridge valve allows the field service mechanic to carry one type of basic valve and a set of variable cartridges and adjust the capacity by selecting a suitable cartridge for the basic valve in the field. Replaceable cartridge thermostatic expansion valves have been in use for many years, and those currently used suffer from various disadvantages. Typical of the prior art type of replaceable cartridge valve commonly in use is that manufactured by Danfoss, Inc. of Mahawa, New Jersey, as valve T2/TE2 and disclosed in its Instruction Sheet R1.01.VA.22 dated 4-1987. The same or closely similar valve is also manufactured by Alco Controls Division, Emerson Electric Co. of St. Louis, Missouri as valve T1 and disclosed in its Catalogue Sheet T1 Series Thermo R Expansion Valve dated 06/91. This type of valve has the cartridge mounted in the inlet connection and utilises a single pushrod leading from the diaphragm to engage the spring-loaded valve pin located in the cartridge. This arrangement results in a direction of refrigerant flow in the closing direction of the valve pin, thereby tending to provide poor modulation. In addition, in this prior art valve, the diaphragm assembly power element is integral with the valve body, and the location of the superheat adjustment spring assembly directly below the diaphragm results in the spring assembly acting directly on the diaphragm. Accordingly, the diaphragm has to be compressed when assembling the valve and is not removable, which has the disadvantage that it limits flexibility of the valve body in the field. Moreover, the superheat spring is adjusted by a force applied by an inclined, eccentrically located, adjustment screw rather than by an axially located adjustment screw. Another disadvantage of this construction is that the additional spring used to keep the pin in contact with the pushrod is very lightly loaded and provides little force to overcome contamination in the pin and port area. Moreover, the location of the cartridge in the inlet connection requires that it be held in place by a flare nut, leading to several problems. For example, if the nut is overtightened, then the stroke of the valve is increased such that the valve will not operate properly and the pin may not seat properly. Further, the valve cannot be made in a solder type connection, which type of connection is increasingly being used to provide leak-free connections. Another thermostatic expansion valve having a replaceable cartridge is disclosed in US-A-2,327,542. In this valve, the cartridge is transversely mounted relative to the valve inlet and the axis of the diaphragm and is housed within a removable screw. The cartridge includes a restricted orifice of predetermined diameter which does not cooperate with a valve pin. US-A-2 786 336 discloses a thermostatic expansion valve having a replaceable threaded element located in the valve body in a partition between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber. The valve port size can be varied by replacing the threaded element which can only be accessed and replaced through the lower end of the body by removal of the spring, pin carrier and pin. The present replaceable cartridge valve overcomes these and other problems. In a first aspect, the present invention provides a thermostatic expansion valve comprising a body, an inlet, an outlet and a replaceable cartridge, the body defining a route between inlet and outlet for a substance to be regulated by the valve, the cartridge being configured and positioned in the body and comprising a port such that the substance must flow through at least a portion of the cartridge, the valve having a valve port and a valve element engageable therewith to regulate flow of the substance, the element being resiliently biased either open or shut, modulating means associated with the valve serving to act against the resilient bias to control flow of the substance, characterised in that the cartridge can be replaced without disconnecting feeds connected to either the inlet or the outlet, and wherein the modulating means is located over the cartridge and is removable to permit access to the cartridge. Preferably, there is provided a valve wherein the valve body has upper and lower portions and the inlet and the outlet; a motor means at one end of the valve body provides means for modulating the valve; replaceable cartridge means disposed in the valve body in part above the inlet and below the motor means, the cartridge means having a passage communicating with the valve inlet and an end opening of predetermined size to define the valve port; the valve element is movable relative to the valve port to control flow through the valve port between the inlet and outlet, the flow tending to move the valve element into the open position; means connecting the motor means to the valve element tending to move the valve element in response to modulation of the motor means, and resilient means disposed in the valve body lower portion below the replaceable cartridge means operatively engageable with the valve element, tending to close the valve. It is preferred that the replaceable cartridge has a predetermined length to define the stroke of the valve element. Advantageously, the replaceable cartridge includes side openings connecting the valve port to the inlet. Usefully, the upper body portion includes a passage receiving the cartridge in threaded relation, and it is also useful for the the cartridge to include a wrench-receiving socketed upper end to facilitate installation. It is preferred that the cartridge includes an annular seal to seal the motor means from the inlet. In order to be useful in many conditions, the valve element can be made generally conical and double-angled to suit selected valve ports. In a preferred ambodiment, the body upper portion includes an abutment engageable by the cartridge to provide a stop means locating the cartridge in the valve body. In another preferred embodiement, the valve element includes a pin and a carrier, the resilient means includes a superheat spring engageable with the carrier, and the body includes an abutment engageable by the carrier to limit upward movement by the carrier whereby the valve element and the superheat spring can be preinstalled with the spring in a compressed condition. The inlet and outlet may usefully be adapted for use with solder connections. The replaceable cartridge thermostatic expansion valves of the present invention are simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install. They can also provide means for changing the capacity of existing valves in the field and for facilitating replacement of inoperative valves. The present invention will now be illustrated with respect to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through the valve; Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing a double angle pin; Figure 3 is a similar view showing the double angle pin used with a cartridge having a larger port; Figure 4 shows a modified valve used with a soldered fitting; and Figure 5 is a cross section through a conventional prior art valve. Before describing the preferred embodiment the conventional prior art cartridge valve will be briefly described. Essentially, and as shown in Figure 5, the prior art valve 200 includes a valve body 202 having an inlet 204 and an outlet 206. A diaphragm assembly is provided at the upper end of the body having a lower portion 210 which is unitarily formed with the body, a flexible diaphragm 211 and an upper portion 212 to which is attached a capillary tube 214 having a temperature sensitive bulb 216 at the end thereof. A pushrod 218 is received within the upper portion of the body having a head engageable by the diaphragm 211 and a lower end engageable with a valve pin 222 within a cartridge 220 mounted within the valve inlet 204. The valve body 202 is counter-bored at its upper end to provide a housing for a superheat spring 240 which engages the pushrod head and is retained at its lower end by a sliding retainer 242, the spring compression being adjusted by means of an inclined, threaded stud 246. The cartridge valve pin 222 is biased by a spring 230 into engagement with a valve port 228 of predetermined size at the upper end of the cartridge and the cartridge is open at its lower end to receive a strainer envelope 232 which is held in place by a flare fitting (not shown). The pushrod responds to pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm to modulate the valve pin. The valve capacity or flow control characteristics of the valve are changed by replacing the cartridge with a cartridge having a different valve port. The flow of refrigerant through the cartridge tends to move the valve pin into a closed position and the mounting of the replaceable cartridge within the inlet precludes the use of solder fittings. The diaphragm has to be compressed against the superheat spring during assembly and is not removable. Referring to Figure 1, it will be understood that the improved thermostatic expansion valve 12 is, in the embodiment shown, part of a conventional refrigeration system 10 which includes an evaporator 14, a compressor 16, a condensor 18 and a receiver 20, the valve 12 having an inlet fitting 22 receiving refrigerant from the receiver 20 and an outlet fitting 24 supplying refrigerant to the evaporator 14. The improved valve includes a bulb 26 disposed in heat sensing relation adjacent the outlet of the evaporator outlet 14. More specifically, the thermostatic expansion valve 12 includes a body 30 having an upper portion 32 and a lower portion 34 threadedly connected thereto. The upper portion 32 includes the inlet fitting connection and the outlet fitting connection, the inlet fitting being provided with a strainer 36. A diaphragm assembly 40, constituting a motor means, is threadedly connected to the body upper portion 32 and a cap 38 is threadedly connected to the lower portion 34. In the embodiment shown, the valve upper portion 32 includes a threaded passage 48 receiving a cartridge 50. The cartridge 50 includes an upper end, which is threaded and provided with a wrench-receiving socket 52 by which it is installed into the valve body portion 32, and a lower end, which includes a shoulder 54 which is engageable with an abutment 56 provided by the body and providing a stop to positively locate the cartridge by limiting axial movement within the body. The cartridge 50 also includes a passage 58 terminating in an open end defining a valve port 60 and communicating with the valve inlet by means of side openings 62. Intermediate its ends, the cartridge 50 is grooved to receive an O-ring 64 by which the diaphragm is sealed from refrigerant entering the inlet fitting 22. The chamber below the diaphragm communicates with the outlet fitting 24 by means of a passage 66. A pin assembly 70 is disposed below the valve port 60 and includes a conical pin 72 and a pin carrier 74. The pin 72 constitutes a valve element and the carrier 74 is connected to the diaphragm assembly by a pair of diametrically opposed push rods 76. The valve body includes an abutment 78 which is engageable with the carrier 74 and provides a stop, limiting axial movement of pin assembly 70. A spring assembly 80 is disposed in the lower portion of the body which exerts an upward force on the pin assembly 70 and constitutes a resilient means. In the embodiment shown, the spring assembly 80 includes a superheat compression spring 82 and an adjustment screw 84. The adjustment screw 84 includes a barrel portion 86 and a head 88 engageable in rotatable elation with an abutment 90. The adjustment screw 84 includes a reduced diameter threaded portion 92 receiving a threaded washer 94 which, in the embodiment shown, is hexagonal in configuration for axial movement within a compatibly configurated passage portion 96 by rotation of the adjustment screw. As shown, the spring 80 extends between the pin carrier 72 and the threaded washer 94 and can be adjustably compressed. The structural arrangement of this valve will be raedily aparent to one skilled in the art from the foregoing description of parts. However, the assembly of these parts and operation of the valve will now be briefly described. One of the advantages of the improved valve is that the pin assembly 70 and the spring assembly 80 can be preassembled in the factory. This is achieved by first installing the adjustment screw 84 in the lower portion of the valve body, dropping the superheat spring 82 in place on the threaded washer 94 and emplacing the pin carrier above the spring. When the valve body upper portion is threadedly connected to the lower portion the carrier engages the annular abutment 78. With the diaphragm assembly 40 removed, a selected cartridge 50 can be installed within passage 48 and tightened until abutment 56 is engaged by the cartridge shoulder 54. During this process the bottom of the cartridge 50 defining the valve port 60 engages the pin 72 and pushes it downwardly against the resistance of the spring 82 into the position shown in Figure 1. The pushrods 76 can then be installed and the diaphragm assembly 40 emplaced. The diaphragm assembly 40 is a self-contained, threadedly attached valve component which can be readily removed and replaced for access to the cartridge 50. It will be appreciated that the size of the valve port 60 controls the flow of refrigerant between the inlet and outlet fittings and determines the capacity of the valve. The length of the cartridge 50 below the abutment engagement, on the other hand, determines the pre-load on the spring 84 and stroke of the pin 72 and also affects the capacity of the valve. The replaceable cartridge 50 is, accordingly, manufacturered in a selection of orifice sizes and lengths. Where a wider range of cartridge fittings is desired a doubled-angled pin 73, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, can be used. The smaller angle will typically be thirty-eight degrees (38°), as with the single-angle pin 72, while the wider angle will typically be eighty degrees (80°). Figure 2 shows the double-angled pin 73 used with the cartridge 50 shown in Figure 1 and engageable with the upper pin portion. Figure 3 shows the same double-angled pin used with a cartridge 50a having a larger diameter port 60a and engageable with the lower pin portion. In some instances it is desirable to have superior leak-proof connections provided by soldered joints at the inlet and outlet fittings. In this case a modified valve 100 is provided, as shown in Figure 3, in which the inlet fitting 22 is substituted by an inlet fitting 150 provided with a strainer assembly, such as shown generally in co-owned US-A-5 232 015, which eliminates the flare fitting. This elimination of the flare-type fitting is achieved by providing a threaded strainer assembly 160 which includes a closed outer end in the form of a stud 162 adapted to be threadedly connected to the inlet fitting 150 and having an elongate strainer tube 164. The tube 164 is provided with a closure ring 166 which is received in sliding, sealed relation within inlet vertical passage 152 and is disposed below the entrance to the transverse passage 156. The passage 152 is widened at its lower end 158 to receive a soldered connection 155. It will be appreciated that the outlet fitting 24 can be similarly modified to suit a soldered connection (not shown).

Claims: A thermostatic expansion valve (12) comprising a body (30), an inlet (22), an outlet (24) and a replaceable cartridge (50), the body (30) defining a route between inlet and outlet for a substance to be regulated by the valve, the cartridge (50) being configured and positioned in the body (30) and comprising a valve port (60) such that the substance must flow through at least a portion of the cartridge, the valve (12) comprising said valve port (60) and a valve element (70) engageable therewith to regulate flow of the substance, the valve element (70) being resiliently biased either open or shut, modulating means (40) associated with the valve (12) serving to act against the resilient bias to control flow of the substance, characterised in that the cartridge (50) can be replaced without disconnecting feeds connected to either the inlet (22) or the outlet (24), and wherein the modulating means (40) is located over the cartridge (50) and is removable to permit access to the cartridge (50). A valve (12) according to Claim 1, wherein the valve body (30) includes upper and lower portions (32, 34), inlet (22) and outlet (24), a motor means (40) at one end of the valve body (30) provides means for modulating the valve (12), flow of the substance to be regulated tending to urge the valve element (70) into the open position, means (76) connecting the motor means (40) to the valve element (70) tending to move the valve element (72) in response to modulation of the motor means (40), and resilient means (80) disposed in the valve body lower portion (34) below the valve port (60) operatively engageable with the valve element (70), tending to close the valve (12), and wherein cartridge (50) is disposed in the valve body (30) in part above the inlet (22) and below the motor means (40), the cartridge (50) having a passage (58) communicating with the valve inlet (22) and having an end opening of predetermined size to define the valve port (60). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the replaceable cartridge (50) has a predetermined length to define the stroke of the valve element (70). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the replaceable cartridge (50) includes side openings (62) connecting the valve port (60) to the inlet (22). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the body (30) includes a passage (48) above the inlet receiving the cartridge means (50) in threaded relation. A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to Claim 5, wherein the cartridge (50) includes a socketed upper end (52) configured so as to receive a socket wrench to facilitate installation. A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cartridge (50) is grooved and includes an annular seal (64) to seal the motor means (40) from the inlet (22). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve element (73) is generally conical and double-angled to suit selected valve ports (60, 60a), the angle at the tip of the cone being the smaller of the two angles. A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the body (30) includes an abutment (56) engageable by the cartridge (50, 54) to provide a stop locating the cartridge (50) in the valve body (30), the cartridge (50, 54) having a selected length extending from the abutment (56) to determine the stroke of the valve element (73). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the valve element (70) includes a pin (72) and a carrier (74) and the resilient means (80) includes a superheat spring (82) engageable with the carrier (74), and the body (30) includes an abutment (78) engageable by the carrier (74) to limit upward movement by the carrier (74) whereby the valve element means (70) and the superheat spring (82) can be preinstalled with the spring in a compressed condition. A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the inlet (22) is adapted to receive a strainer assembly (160) in threaded relation, and the inlet (22) and outlet (24) are adapted for use with solder connections (155). A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to any preceding claim, wherein the motor means (40) includes a threadedly removable diaphragm assembly (40) to facilitate access to the replaceable cartridge (50) and replacement with another cartridge (50) of different valve port size (60, 60a) and or different length. A thermostatic expansion valve (12) according to Claim 1, wherein: the valve body (30) includes upper and lower portions (32, 34), the inlet (22) and the outlet (24), a motor means (40) at one end of the valve body provides means for modulating the valve (12), the replaceable cartridge (50) is disposed in the valve body in part above the inlet (22) and below the motor means (40), the cartridge (50) having a passage (58) communicating with the valve inlet (22) and an end opening of predetermined size to define the valve port (60), the valve element (70) is movable relative to the valve port (60) to control flow through the valve port (60) between the inlet (22) and outlet (24), the flow tending to move the valve element (70) into the open position, means (76) connects the motor means (40) to the valve element (70) tending to move the valve element (70) in response to modulation of the motor means (40), and resilient means (80) is disposed in the valve body lower portion (34) below the replaceable cartridge (50) operatively engageable with the valve element (70), tending to close the valve (12), the cartridge (50) includes an annular seal (64) to seal the motor means (40) from the inlet (22). Use of a valve according to Claim 1 in a refrigeration system.

Inventors: LEIMBACH J GEORGE, NOELKE MICHAEL A, LEIMBACH, J. GEORGE, NOELKE, MICHAEL A.
Applicants: SPORLAN VALVE CO, SPORLAN VALVE COMPANY
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F25B41
IPC codes: F25B41, G05D23