Refrigeration expansion Valve

Advanced Refrigeration
University of Baghdad
College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department
PhD Program / (Thermo -fluids) field

Assessment By Dr. Issam Mohammed

By
Maha Hasan
 Objects

• Expansion devices

• THERMOSTATIC EXPANSION VALVES

• The duty varies with pressure difference

• Electronic expansion valve

• Capillary tubes and restrictor

Expansion devices

Expansion devices in general use are the

:following
1. Capillary tubes, for small hermetic
systems. These are factory selected and
cannot be adjusted.
2. Solenoid valves with liquid level sensors
or liquid level valves for flooded
evaporators.

3. High-pressure float valves plus handset

throttle valves for some flooded and low-
pressure receiver circuits.

4. Thermostatic expansion valves or

electronic expansion valves for direct
expansion circuits.
THERMOSTATIC EXPANSION VALVES

Direct expansion circuits must

be designed and installed so
that there is no risk of liquid
refrigerant returning to the
compressor. To ensure this
state, heat exchange surface in
the evaporator is used to heat
the dry saturated gas so that it
becomes superheated. The
amount of superheat is usually
of the order of 5 K.
Thermostatic expansion valves
(TEVs) for such circuits embody
a mechanism which will detect
the superheat of the gas leaving
the evaporator.
Refrigerant boils in the evaporator at Te
and pe , until it is all vapour, point A and
then superheats to a condition Ts , pe , at
which it passes to the suction line, point B.
A separate container of the same
refrigerant at temperature Ts would have
pressure ps , and the difference ps − pe
represented by C–B in is a signal directly
related to the amount of superheat. The
basic thermostatic expansion valve has a
detector and power element, charged with
the same refrigerant as in the circuit. The
pressure ps generated in the phial by the
superheated gas equalizes through the
capillary tube to the top of the diaphragm.
An adjustable spring provides the balance
of ps − pe at the diaphragm, and the valve
stem is attached at the center. Should the
superheat fall for any reason, there will be
a risk of liquid reaching the compressor.
Superheat sensor on direct expansion circuit
Ts will decrease with a corresponding drop in ps . The forces on the
diaphragm are now out of balance and the spring will start to close
the valve. Conversely if the load on the evaporator increases,
refrigerant will evaporate earlier and there will be more superheat
at the phial position. Then ps will increase and open the valve
wider to meet the new demand.
It is usual to select a thermostatic expansion valve for the maximum duty
and at the summer condensing condition, taking into account the pressure

The duty varies with pressure difference

It might be thought that the duty varies with pressure difference according
to fluid flow laws, but this will not be the case because phase change occurs
as the pressure falls. This means that the valve may be able to pass more
liquid at low condensing pressures. Conversely, if the valve is selected at a
lower pressure difference (possibly corresponding to a condensing condition
in the United Kingdom of 20–25°C), the valve will not be grossly oversized at
the maximum summer condition. Although no standards exist for valve
rating conditions it is conventional to state a nominal capacity at 38°C
condensing, 4°C evaporating with 1 K sub-cooling and 3–4 K superheat
A greater difficulty arises where the compressor may go down to 33
or 25% capacity and the thermostatic expansion valve is called upon
to control a much reduced flow. Under such conditions, the
thermostatic expansion valve may be unstable and ‘hunt’, with
slight loss of evaporator efficiency. Since the required duty is less,
this may appear to be of no great importance but should avoided. It
is possible to fit two expansion valves in parallel and isolate one at
part load, but this arrangement is not usually necessary.
Low condensing-pressure operation should present no problem
with float or electronic expansion valves, since these can open to
pass the required flow of liquid if correctly sized.
Electronic expansion valve

The electronic expansion valve offers a finer degree of control and

system protection. The benefits can be summarized as follows:
1. Precise flow control over a wide range of capacities.
2. Rapid response to load changes.
3. Better control at low superheats so that less evaporator surface is
required for superheat. More surface for evaporation results in
higher evaporating temperature and better efficiency.
4. Electrical connection between components offers greater
flexibility in system layout, which is important for compact
systems.
5. The valve can close when the system shuts down, which
eliminates the need for an additional shut off solenoid valve
Electronic expansion valve
Capillary tubes and restrictions

The variable orifice of the expansion valve can be replaced, in small

systems, by a long thin tube. This is a non-modulating device and
has certain limitations, but will give reasonably effective control
over a wide range of conditions if correctly selected and applied.
Mass flow is a function of pressure difference and the degree of
liquid subcooling on entry. The capillary tube is used almost
exclusively in small air conditioning systems and is self-regulating
within certain parameters. Increasing ambient temperature results
in increasing load on the conditioned space and the condensing
pressure will rise, forcing more refrigerant flow. Tube bores of 0.8–2
mm with lengths of 1–4 m are common. The capillary tube is only
fitted on factory-built and tested equipment, with exact refrigerant
charges. It is not applicable to field-installed systems.
Thank You