Valve For Use In A Refrigeration System

Abstract

A valve (4) for a refrigeration system. Comprises two diaphragms (8, 10) being operatively connected. One diaphragm (8) is in contact with the refrigerant, the other (10) is in contact with the filling fluid. The two diaphragms (8, 10) may have different active areas. In combination with the connection between the two diaphragms (8, 10) this provides a ‘pressure gearing’ between the filling fluid and the refrigerant. Allows the pressure of the filling fluid to be relatively low even when the pressure of the refrigerant is high, while ensuring that the valve (4) can function properly. Particularly suitable for high pressure refrigeration systems, such as CO2 systems.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a refrigeration system comprising a valve according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a valve according to the present invention, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the part designated B in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a refrigeration system comprising an evaporator 1, a compressor 2, a heat emitter 3 and an expansion valve 4. The valve 4 is controlled by means of a sensor 5 which senses the temperature at the outlet side of the heat emitter 3. The inlet of the valve 4 is connected to the outlet of the heat emitter 3. Thereby the pressure in the valve chamber of the valve 4 is the same as the pressure in the heat emitter 3. This pressure acts on the first side of the first diaphragm of the valve 4 (see further below). The sensor 5 is connected to a capillary tube containing a filling fluid and being in contact with the first side of the second diaphragm of the valve 4 (see further below). Thus, a change in the temperature at the outlet side of the heat emitter 3 will cause a change in the pressure of the filling fluid, thereby causing a movement of the second diaphragm.

The refrigeration system shown in FIG. 1 is preferably operated at optimal COP or as close to optimal COP as described above. Even though, in principle, a certain pressure of the heat emitter 3 corresponds to each combination of evaporator temperature in the evaporator 1 and temperature at the outlet of the heat emitter 3 when optimal COP is desired, it turns out that the dependence on the evaporations temperature is almost negligible. Thus, the optimal COP pressure of the heat emitter 3 is almost the same at evaporation temperatures from e.g. −10° C. to 10° C., and therefore the evaporation temperature plays only a minor role in obtaining optimal COP, and it can consequently be ignored.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a valve 4 according to the invention. The figure shows an inlet part 6 and an outlet part 7 for leading a refrigerant towards and away from the valve 4, respectively. The valve 4 comprises a first diaphragm 8 having an active area defined by a first thrust pad 9. It further comprises a second diaphragm 10 having an active area, and a second thrust pad 11. The active area of the second diaphragm 10 is larger than the active area of the first diaphragm 8.

The first diaphragm 8 and the second diaphragm 10 are connected via the first thrust pad 9, the second thrust pad 11, a valve rod 12 and a sphere 13. The sphere 13 ensures that forces transferred between the valve rod 12 and the first thrust pad 9 are transferred in an appropriate manner, i.e. without causing stress in any of the diaphragms.

The valve 4 further comprises a capillary tube 14 containing a filling fluid. The capillary tube 14 is fluidly connected to a bulb serving as a sensor (not shown) for sensing the temperature at the outlet side of a heat emitter of a refrigeration system in which the valve 4 is inserted. This sensing is used for controlling the valve 4. The capillary tube 14 is in fluid connection with a first side of the second diaphragm 10. Thus, the pressure of the filling fluid acts on the active area of the second diaphragm 10. Furthermore, this pressure acts on the active area of the first diaphragm 8 via the second diaphragm 10, the thrust pads 9, 11, the valve rod 12 and the sphere 13. Thereby a kind of ‘pressure gearing’ between the diaphragms 8, 10 is provided, and it is consequently not necessary to maintain a pressure of the filling fluid in the capillary tube 14 which is as high as the pressure of the refrigerant in the refrigerant system 6, 7. Therefore, in case the valve 4 is to be used in a high pressure refrigeration system, it is not necessary to manufacture special parts for, e.g. the capillary tube 14 or the second diaphragm 10, which are capable of withstanding the forces involved with a high pressure. Thereby it is possible to use standard parts for the valve 4 which were originally intended for use in low pressure refrigeration systems. The standard parts could include the part of the valve 4 comprising the capillary tube 14 and the second diaphragm 10. This is very advantageous and lowers the productions costs of the valve 4 considerably.

Between the diaphragms 8, 10 a chamber 15 is defined. This chamber 15 will typically contain atmospheric air or another suitable gas at atmospheric pressure. Thereby the active areas of first diaphragm 8 as well as the second diaphragm 10 are subject to the pressure from this gas. However, the pressure in the chamber 15 is typically much smaller than the pressure in the refrigerant system 6, 7 and the pressure in the capillary tube 14. Thus, the forces acting on the diaphragms 8, 10 and arising from the pressure in the chamber 15 will typically be negligible compared to forces acting on the active areas of the diaphragms 8, 10 and arising from the pressure of the refrigerant or the filling fluid, respectively, and the other diaphragm 8, 10 via the connecting arrangement 9, 11, 12, 13. Thus, when looking at the resulting force acting on the active area of a diaphragm 8, 10, it is sufficient to take the latter forces into consideration.

The valve 4 is further provided with a nozzle 16 for leading the refrigerant between the inlet part 6 and the outlet part 7 when the valve 4 is in an open state. The nozzle 16 is formed as an integrated part of a lower part 17 of the valve 4. This is advantageous from a productional point of view, since it is much easier and cost effective to manufacture the valve 4 in as few parts as possible. This is due to the fact that the various parts constituting the valve 4 need to be fitted very accurately together, and therefore the more parts, the more accurately each part needs to be manufactured. However, alternatively the nozzle 16 may be formed as a separate part being fitted into the lower part 17 of the valve 4.

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of the part of the valve 4 which in FIG. 2 is designated B. Thus, FIG. 3 shows part of the first diaphragm 8, part of the first thrust pad 9 and part of the nozzle 16. The nozzle 16 has a pair of grooves 18 formed in an upper part thereof. When the valve 4 is in a closed state refrigerant should ideally be prevented from moving from the inlet part 6 to the outlet part 7. However, as explained above, this causes some disadvantages since a pressure difference will be maintained between the inlet part 6 and the outlet part 7 when the valve is in a closed state. The compressor of the refrigeration system will have difficulty starting up against this pressure difference when the valve is in the closed state. The grooves 18 allow a small amount of refrigerant to pass the valve 4 when it is in a closed state, thereby providing an equalization of the pressure at the inlet part 6 and the outlet part 7. The grooves 18 are dimensioned in such a way that an equalization of the pressures is provided on a time scale which is typical for the minimal time the compressor is switched off. This time scale will typically be of the order of 5-10 minutes. In a typical valve the size of each groove 18 will in this case be approximately 0.1 mm².

While the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A valve, the valve being adapted to be in an open state or in a closed state, refrigerant being allowed to move from an inlet towards an outlet when the valve is in the open state, said movement being substantially prevented when the valve is in the closed state, the valve comprising: a first diaphragm having a first active area and a first side being in fluid contact with a refrigerant having a first pressure, said first diaphragm defining the open and closed states of the valve,a second diaphragm having a second active area and a first side being in fluid contact with a filling fluid having a second pressure,

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerant is a high pressure fluid.

3. The valve according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerant is CO2.

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first pressure is substantially larger than the second pressure.

5. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the second active area is substantially larger than the first active area.

6. The valve according to claim 1, further comprising means for limiting the movements of the first diaphragm.

7. The valve according to claim 1, further comprising means for limiting the movements of the second diaphragm.

8. The valve according to claim 1, further comprising means for allowing a bleed of refrigerant from the inlet towards the outlet when the valve is in the closed state.

9. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the filling fluid is a substantially pure fluid.

10. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the forces acting on the first active area from the second diaphragm arise from forces from the pressure of the filling fluid acting on the second active area.

11. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second diaphragms each comprises a second side, and wherein the second side of the first diaphragm and the second side of the second diaphragm are subject to substantially the same pressure.

12. The valve according to claim 1, further comprising a closing element which abuts against a valve seat of the valve when the valve is in the closed state, thereby preventing refrigerant from moving from the inlet towards the outlet, and which does not abut against the valve seat when the valve is in the open state.

13. The valve according to claim 12, wherein the closing element is the first diaphragm.

14. A refrigeration system comprising an evaporator, a compressor, a heat emitter and a valve according to claim 1.