JP2021085514A - Rotary switch valve and refrigeration cycle system - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress deformation due to swelling or creeping, and to ensure the stably seal property and operability of a pressure equalization hole by a sub valve, in a rotary switch valve equipped with a sub valve opening/closing a pressure equalization path of a main valve and a refrigeration cycle system.SOLUTION: A rotary switch valve is equipped with a main valve 1 arranged on a valve seat 31 in a valve chamber 4A of a case member 4 so as to rotate about an axis X, and a sub valve 2 opening/closing a pressure equalization hole 14a formed on a sub valve seat plate 14 of the main valve 1. The pressure equalization hole 14a is opened to flat the main valve 1 from the valve seat 31 in the axial direction X and rotate the main valve 1, thereby switching a channel communicating to a port of the valve seat 1. A sub valve seat member 14 of the main valve 1 is made from a material that is not a high polymer material such as metal or ceramics.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a rotary switching valve and a refrigerating cycle system used for a heat pump type refrigerating cycle or the like and switching a flow path of a refrigerant.

Conventionally, as this type of rotary switching valve (four-way switching valve), for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4602595 (Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, when switching from cooling to heating or from heating to cooling, the main valve on the valve seat is rotated, and when the main valve is rotated, the pressure equalizing hole of the main valve is used by the sub valve. A structure is used that reduces the pressure difference applied to the main valve. That is, the sub-valve rotates to open the pressure equalizing hole, the main valve is rotated while floating from the valve seat due to the pressure difference, and then the sub-valve rotates counter-rotating to close the pressure equalizing hole and the main valve. Is to be seated.

Japanese Patent No. 4602593

In Patent Document 1, the main valve is made of a polymer material such as PA or PPS, which is an elastic body, in order to ensure the sealing property of the main valve with respect to the valve seat. That is, the auxiliary valve seat on which the auxiliary valve slides is also made of a polymer material. However, due to the influence of the high temperature refrigerant flowing in the switching valve body, there are the following problems. Polymer materials such as PA and PPS swell due to high temperature refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil. When it swells, the valve seat surface of the auxiliary valve seat is distorted, so that the sealing property of the pressure equalizing hole by the auxiliary valve deteriorates and the system efficiency decreases. The swelling is observed when the polymer material is dissolved, and is a phenomenon in which the volume expands due to the entry of solvent molecules between the polymer chains.

In addition, the main valve may become hot due to the high temperature refrigerant in the switching valve body, and the sub valve is pressed against the main valve (sub valve seat) due to the pressure difference. The valve seat surface of the secondary valve seat is deformed by creep. This deformation deteriorates the sealing property, and if creep progresses further, there is a problem that the auxiliary valve is caught during the switching operation and causes a malfunction.

The present invention suppresses deformation due to swelling and creep in a rotary switching and refrigeration cycle system equipped with a sub-valve that opens and closes the pressure equalizing path of the main valve, and stable sealing and operability of the pressure equalizing hole by the sub-valve. The challenge is to secure.

The rotary switching valve of the present invention is formed on a main valve rotatably arranged on a valve seat on a valve seat in a valve chamber of a case member and a sub valve seat provided above the main valve. In a rotary switching valve that has an auxiliary valve that opens and closes the pressure equalizing hole and that switches the flow path communicating with the port of the valve seat by opening the pressure equalizing hole and rotating the main valve, the main valve The sub-valve seat is made of a material other than a polymer material.

At this time, as the non-polymer material of the auxiliary valve seat, a rotary switching valve characterized by having a melting point of 970 ° C. or higher is preferable.

Further, the material of the auxiliary valve seat that is not a polymer material is preferably a rotary type switching valve characterized by being metal or ceramics.

Further, the main valve is composed of a main valve main body and a sub valve seat plate provided on the sub valve seat side of the main valve main body, and the sub valve seat plate is made of a material other than the polymer material. A rotary switching valve that constitutes the seat portion is preferred.

Further, a pressure equalizing path communicating with the low pressure flow path is formed in the main valve main body, and the pressure equalizing hole is formed in the sub valve seat plate, so that the main valve main body and / or the sub valve seat plate is formed. A rotary switching valve characterized in that a communication groove for communicating the pressure equalizing path and the pressure equalizing hole is formed is preferable.

The refrigeration cycle system of the present invention is a refrigeration cycle system including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and a flow path switching valve, and the rotary type switching serves as the flow path switching valve. It is characterized by being used.

According to the rotary switching valve and the refrigeration cycle system of the present invention, since the part of the auxiliary valve seat of the main valve is made of a material other than a polymer material, the auxiliary valve seat is not deformed by swelling or creep, and the auxiliary valve is not deformed. It is possible to secure a stable sealing property of the pressure equalizing hole.

It is a vertical sectional view of the main part of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in the first embodiment of the present invention in a seated state. It is a vertical sectional view of the main part of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in the first embodiment in a floating state. It is a top view of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in 1st Embodiment. It is the bottom view of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in 1st Embodiment. It is the bottom view of the auxiliary valve of the rotary type switching valve in 1st Embodiment. It is the top view of the valve seat of the rotary type switching valve in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the state in the process of switching of the rotary type switching valve in 1st Embodiment. It is a vertical sectional view of the main part of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in the second embodiment of the present invention in a seated state. It is the top view of the main valve of the rotary type switching valve in 2nd Embodiment. It is a bottom view of the auxiliary valve of the rotary type switching valve in the 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the refrigeration cycle system of embodiment of this invention.

Next, an embodiment of the rotary switching valve and the refrigeration cycle system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a rotary switching valve in a seated state according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a rotary switching valve in a floating state. 3 is a top view of the main valve of the rotary switching valve, FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the main valve of the rotary switching valve, FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the sub valve of the rotary switching valve, and FIG. 6 is a rotary type. It is a top view of the valve seat of a switching valve. The concept of "upper and lower" in the following description corresponds to upper and lower in the drawings of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The rotary switching valve 100 of the first embodiment has a main valve 1, a sub valve 2, a valve seat member 3, a case member 4, a drive unit 5, and a central shaft 6. The valve seat member 3 is composed of a thin cylindrical valve seat 31 and a flange portion 32 formed on the outer periphery of the valve seat 31. Further, a substantially cylindrical valve chamber 4A is formed in the case member 4. The main valve 1, the sub valve 2, the drive unit 5, and the central shaft 6 are housed in the valve chamber 4A, and the central shaft 6 penetrates the main valve 1, the sub valve 2, and the drive unit 5 to valve. It is fixed between the seat member 3 and the case member 4. Then, the valve seat 31 is fitted into the opening of the valve chamber 4A of the case member 4, and the valve seat member 3 is attached to the case member 4 so that the flange portion 32 is brought into contact with the lower end of the case member 4. There is.

The main valve 1 is a member having a circular outer circumference, which is partially made of resin, and is a "main valve body" in which a hakama portion 11 on the valve seat 31 side, a cylindrical piston portion 12, and a bearing portion 13 are integrally formed. And a sub-valve seat plate 14 which will be described later, which is a "part of the sub-valve seat". A piston ring 12a is arranged around the piston portion 12. The central shaft 6 penetrates the central bearing portion 13, so that the main valve 1 is rotatably arranged around the axis X of the central shaft 6. Further, the space in which the piston portion 12 above the valve chamber 4A is accommodated is a columnar guide hole 41, and the main valve 1 slides the piston ring 12a on the side surface of the guide hole 41 to form a central shaft 6. It can be moved in the X direction of the axis. The lower surface of the upper end of the guide hole 41 is a stopper portion 411 that the upper end surface 121 of the piston portion 12 comes into contact with when the main valve 1 rises from the valve seat 31 of the valve seat member 3 as described later. .. Further, communication grooves 12A are formed at four locations at the upper end of the piston portion 12.

Further, a low pressure flow path 11A formed in a dome shape on one side of the axis X is formed in the hakama portion 11 of the main valve 1, and in the center of the ceiling of the low pressure flow path 11A, inside the piston portion 12. A pressure equalizing path 11a that communicates is formed. Further, sliding ribs 111 are formed on the bottom surface of the hakama portion 11 on the valve seat member 3 side so as to surround the outer circumference of the low pressure flow path 11A, and two places on the side opposite to the axis X of the sliding ribs 111. Sliding ribs 112 and 112 are formed on the surface. Further, in the hakama portion 11, a high-pressure space 11B in which the D port 31D described later is always open is formed on the opposite side of the axis X with respect to the low-pressure flow path 11A, and the outside of the high-pressure space 11B is in a range of approximately 90 °. Both ends of the opening portion in the direction around the axis X are stop pin contact portions 113, respectively. The stop pin contact portion 113 contacts the stop pin 31a provided on the valve seat 31, which will be described later.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an auxiliary valve seat plate 14 made of a metal plate (SUS in this example) is arranged on the inner bottom portion of the piston portion 12. The sub-valve seat plate 14 is a "part of the sub-valve seat", and the sub-valve seat plate 14 is made of a material other than a polymer material. In this example, it is a metal plate (SUS), but it may be made of ceramics. A pressure equalizing hole 14a is formed in the auxiliary valve seat plate 14 at a position corresponding to the pressure equalizing passage 11a. Further, a part of the inner peripheral surface of the piston portion 12 is formed with a protruding portion 15 projecting toward the axis X side in a range of approximately 90 °, and both ends of the protruding portion 15 in the direction around the axis X are respectively engaged with auxiliary valves. It is said to be part 15a. The sub-valve locking portion 15a comes into contact with the main valve locking portion 21a of the sub-valve 2, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 5, the sub-valve 2 has a substantially semi-disk-shaped flange portion 21 housed in the sub-valve accommodating chamber of the piston portion 12 of the main valve 1 and a boss portion 22 at the center thereof. A substantially rectangular square hole 22a is formed in the center of the boss portion 22. Further, a slide valve portion 23 protruding in an annular shape is formed on the surface of the flange portion 21 on the main valve 1 side. The distance of the slide valve portion 23 from the axis X is equal to the distance of the pressure equalizing hole 14a of the auxiliary valve seat plate 14 in the main valve 1 from the axis X. Further, a main valve locking portion 21a forming a radial end surface is formed on the circumference of the flange portion 21 around the axis X, and these two main valve locking portions 21a are the two sub-valves of the main valve 1. It is selectively locked to the valve locking portion 15a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the valve seat 31 has a D port 31D that communicates with the valve chamber 4A and the refrigerant discharge side of the compressor, and an S port that communicates with the low pressure flow path 11A and the refrigerant suction side of the compressor. The 31S, the C switching port 31C communicating with the outdoor heat exchanger side, and the E switching port 31E communicating with the indoor heat exchanger side are formed, respectively. It should be noted that these ports are opened at positions separated by 90 ° from each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drive unit 5 has a worm wheel 51 rotatably arranged on the central shaft 6 and a worm gear 52 meshed with the worm wheel 51, and the worm gear 52 has the worm gear 52. It is fixed to the drive shaft of a motor (not shown). The worm wheel 51 has a cam portion 51a protruding toward the auxiliary valve 2, and the worm wheel 51 is rotatably arranged on the central shaft 6 by the cam portion 51a. Further, the cam portion 51a is fitted into the substantially rectangular square hole 22a of the auxiliary valve 2. As a result, the sub-valve 2 can slide only in the axis X direction with the rotation around the axis X restricted with respect to the worm wheel 51, and the sub-valve 2 rotates in cooperation with the worm wheel 51. To do. Further, a coil spring 53 for urging the sub valve 2 toward the main valve 1 is arranged between the worm wheel 51 and the sub valve 2.

With the above configuration, in the state of FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 7A, the slide valve portion 23 of the sub valve 2 closes the pressure equalizing hole 14a of the sub valve seat plate 14. Then, when the drive unit 5 operates, the driving force of the worm gear 52 and the worm wheel 51 applies a rotational force to the sub-valve 2 via the cam portion 51a of the worm wheel 51, and the sub-valve 2 rotates around the axis X. .. When the sub-valve 2 rotates, the slide valve portion 23 slides on the sub-valve seat plate 14 of the main valve 1, and the slide valve portion 23 slides on the sub-valve seat plate 14 of the main valve 1 at the position shown in FIG. The pressure equalizing hole 14a is opened. As a result, the pressure equalizing passage 11a in the main valve 1 is opened, and the pressure of the fluid above the main valve 1 escapes into the low pressure flow path 11A (low pressure side). As a result, the pressure difference applied to the main valve 1 is reduced, the pressing force due to the pressure difference is reduced, and the rotation (flow path switching) of the main valve 1 becomes easy.

Here, a high-pressure fluid flows into the upper part of the piston portion 12 through the clearance between the piston ring 12a (and the piston portion 12) of the main valve 1 and the guide hole 41 and the clearance between the central shaft 6 and the bearing portion 13. By setting the flow rate flowing into the upper part of the piston portion 12 to be smaller than the flow rate escaping from the pressure equalizing hole 141a, a pressure difference is generated above and below the piston ring 12a, and the main valve 1 is lifted from the valve seat 31. The rotation of the main valve 1 can be made easier. Then, when the main valve 1 floats, the upper end surface 121 of the piston portion 12 of the main valve 1 comes into contact with the stopper portion 411 of the case member 4.

When the sub-valve 2 is further rotated, the main valve locking portion 21a of the sub-valve 2 comes into contact with the sub-valve locking portion 15a of the main valve 1, and the sub-valve 2 and the main valve 1 rotate integrally. Then, the stop pin contact portion 113 of the main valve 1 comes into contact with the stop pin 31a provided on the upper surface of the valve seat 31, and the rotation stops at this predetermined position. Next, when the worm wheel 51 of the drive unit 5 is counter-rotated, the sub-valve 2 is counter-rotated, and the slide valve portion 23 of the sub-valve 2 slides on the sub-valve seat plate 14. The pressure equalizing hole 14a of 14 is closed. As a result, the pressure equalizing passage 11a is closed, pressure is accumulated in the upper part of the main valve 1, and the pressure difference between the upper part of the main valve 1 and the inside of the low pressure flow path 11A (low pressure side) causes the main valve 1 to become the valve seat 31. Sit down.

Further, the opening area of the four communication grooves 12A at the upper end of the piston portion 12 is larger than the clearance area between the piston ring 12a and the guide hole 41. With the valve 1 floating and the upper end surface 121 of the piston portion 12 in contact with the stopper portion 411 of the case member 4, the high pressure of the clearance between the outer circumference of the piston portion 12 and the guide hole 41 is the back space of the piston portion 12. It will also be supplied to the main upper space of the main valve 1). Therefore, the pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the piston ring 12a is reduced, and the pressing force of the main valve 1 (upper end surface 121) on the stopper portion 411 can be reduced. Therefore, the frictional force between the upper end surface 121 and the stopper portion 411 can be reliably secured, the power required for the switching operation of the main valve 1 can be reduced, and a stable switching operation can be obtained. The communication groove as described above may be provided on the stopper portion 411 side of the case member 4.

Further, during the switching operation as described above, the slide valve portion 23 of the sub valve 2 slides on the sub valve seat plate 14, and the sub valve seat plate 14 is exposed to the high temperature refrigerant in the switching valve main body and is also exposed to the high temperature refrigerant. A load due to the pressure difference and a load due to the coil spring are applied, and the sub-valve seal portion is pressed against the sub-valve seat plate 14. However, since the sub-valve seat plate 14 is made of a “material that is not a polymer material” as described above, the sub-valve seat plate 14 is not deformed by swelling or creep, and the pressure equalizing hole by the sub-valve 2 is formed. The stable sealing property and operability of 141a can be ensured.

In addition, since creep generally occurs when the operating temperature exceeds 30% of the melting point (absolute temperature) of the material, considering that a high-temperature refrigerant of about 100 ° C. flows into the switching valve body, the auxiliary valve seat plate 14 It is preferable to use a material having a melting point of 970 ° C. or higher. Table 1 below shows examples of melting points of polymer materials and metals and ceramics that are not polymer materials.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a main part of the main valve of the rotary switching valve according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a seated state, FIG. 9 is a top view of the main valve of the rotary switching valve, and FIG. 10 is a rotary switching. It is a bottom view of the sub-valve of the valve, and in this second embodiment, the same members as those in the first embodiment and the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the pressure equalizing passage 11a of the main valve 1, the position of the slide valve portion 23'of the sub valve 2, and the pressure equalizing hole 14a'of the sub valve seat plate 14 are different. The position.

In this second embodiment, a communication groove 11c is formed on the back side of the auxiliary valve seat plate 14 so as to extend from the pressure equalizing passage 11a to the central shaft 6 side. Further, the pressure equalizing hole 14a'of the auxiliary valve seat plate 14 is formed at a position (radial position) corresponding to the end portion of the communication groove 11c on the central axis 6 side. Further, the slide valve portion 23'of the auxiliary valve 2 is formed at a position corresponding to the pressure equalizing hole 14a'of the auxiliary valve seat plate 14. That is, the communication groove 11c communicates the pressure equalizing path 11a with the pressure equalizing hole 14a'.

According to this second embodiment, when the auxiliary valve 2 is rotated in order to open and close the pressure equalizing hole 14a, the slide valve portion 23'slides on the auxiliary valve seat plate 14, but the slide valve portion 23' Is located closer to the central axis 6 than the slide valve portion 23 of the first embodiment, so that the torque for rotating the sub valve 2 is smaller than that of the first embodiment.

As described above, in the rotary type switching valve 100 of the embodiment, the main valve 1 is composed of a piston portion 12 constituting the main valve main body and a sub valve seat plate 14 formed of the piston portion 12 and a separate member. Therefore, as in the second embodiment, a communication groove 11c that communicates the pressure equalizing passage 11a and the pressure equalizing hole 14a'can be easily formed between the piston portion 12 and the auxiliary valve seat plate 14. In the second embodiment, the "communication groove" is formed in the piston portion 12, but the "communication groove" may be formed in the auxiliary valve seat plate 14, and this "communication groove" is the piston. It may be formed on both the portion 12 and the auxiliary valve seat plate 14.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a refrigeration cycle system of the embodiment, and is an example of a refrigeration cycle system of an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a compressor 50, an outdoor heat exchanger 60, an expansion valve 70, an indoor heat exchanger 80, and a rotary switching valve 100 of the embodiment, and each of these elements is illustrated by a conduit. It constitutes a heat pump type refrigeration cycle system.

The flow path of the refrigeration cycle system is switched to two flow paths, a cooling operation and a heating operation, by the rotary switching valve 100 of the embodiment, and the state shown in FIG. 11 (A) is obtained during the cooling operation, and FIG. 11 (B) is obtained during the heating operation. ). The rotary switching valve 100 shown in FIG. 11 shows only the positional relationship of the main parts as viewed from the back side of the valve seat portion 3, and the broken line display and the solid line of a part of the main valve 1 correspond to the valve seat. The contacted part is shown in the figure. Further, the S port 31S, the D port 31D, the E switching port 31E, and the C switching port 31C are designated by the symbols "S", "D", "E", and "C", respectively, with the reference numerals omitted.

During the cooling operation of FIG. 11A, the S port “S” is connected to the E switching port “E” by the low pressure flow path 11A of the main valve in the rotary switching valve 100, and the D port “D” is connected by the high pressure space 11B. It is connected to the C switching port "C". Then, as shown by an arrow in the figure, the refrigerant as a fluid compressed by the compressor 50 flows into the D port “D” of the rotary switching valve 100, and flows from the C switching port “C” to the outdoor heat exchanger 60. The refrigerant that flows in and flows out from the outdoor heat exchanger 60 flows into the expansion valve 70. Then, the refrigerant is expanded by the expansion valve 70 and supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 80. The refrigerant flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger 80 flows from the E switching port “E” to the S port “S” through the rotary switching valve 100, and is circulated from the S port “S” to the compressor 50.

During the heating operation of FIG. 11B, the S port “S” is connected to the C switching port “C” by the low pressure flow path 11A of the main valve in the rotary switching valve 100, and the D port “D” is connected by the high pressure space 11B. It is connected to the E switching port "E". Then, as shown by an arrow in the figure, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 50 flows into the D port “D” of the rotary switching valve 100 and flows into the indoor heat exchanger 80 from the E switching port “E”. The refrigerant flowing out of the indoor heat exchanger 80 flows into the expansion valve 70. Then, the refrigerant is expanded by the expansion valve 70 and supplied to the outdoor heat exchanger 60. The refrigerant flowing out of the outdoor heat exchanger 60 flows from the C switching port “C” to the S port “S” through the rotary switching valve 100, and is circulated from the S port “S” to the compressor 50.

In the first and second embodiments, the worm gear mechanism using the worm gear 52 and the worm wheel 51 has been described as the gear mechanism that transmits the rotation of the drive shaft of the motor to the rotation of the auxiliary valve. Other gear mechanisms may be used without limitation. For example, a spur gear, a planetary gear mechanism, or the like may be used.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the design changes, etc. within the range not deviating from the gist of the present invention, etc. Even if there is, it is included in the present invention.

1 Main valve 11 Flange part 11A Low pressure flow path 11B High pressure space 11a Pressure equalizing path 111 Sliding rib 112 Sliding rib 113 Stop pin contact part 12 Piston part 12A Communication groove 12a Piston ring 121 Upper end surface 13 Bearing part 14 Sub valve seat Plate 14a Pressure equalizing hole 15 Protruding part 15a Sub valve locking part 2 Sub valve 21 Flange part 21a Main valve locking part 22 Boss part 22a Square hole 23 Slide valve part 3 Valve seat member 31 Valve seat 31D D port 31S S port 31E E Switching port 31C C Switching port 31a Stop pin 32 Flange part 4 Case member 4A Valve chamber 41 Guide hole 411 Stopper part 5 Drive part 51 Worm wheel 51a Cam part 52 Warm gear 53 Coil spring 6 Central axis X Axis line 50 Compressor 60 Outdoor heat Exchanger 70 Expansion valve 80 Indoor heat exchanger 100 Rotary type switching valve

Claims (6)

A main valve that is rotatably arranged on the valve seat on the valve seat in the valve chamber of the case member and a sub-valve that opens and closes a pressure equalizing hole formed in the sub-valve seat provided above the main valve. In a rotary type switching valve that switches the flow path communicating with the port of the valve seat by opening the pressure equalizing hole and rotating the main valve.
A rotary switching valve characterized in that the portion of the auxiliary valve seat of the main valve is made of a material other than a polymer material. The rotary switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the non-polymer material of the sub-valve seat portion has a melting point of 970 ° C. or higher. The rotary switching valve according to claim 2, wherein the material of the sub-valve seat portion that is not a polymer material is metal or ceramics. The main valve is composed of a main valve main body and a sub valve seat plate provided on the sub valve seat side of the main valve main body, and the sub valve seat plate is made of a material other than the polymer material. The rotary switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the portion constitutes a part. A pressure equalizing path communicating with the low pressure flow path is formed in the main valve main body, and the pressure equalizing hole is formed in the sub valve seat plate, and the main valve main body and / or the sub valve seat plate is formed with the same pressure equalizing hole. The rotary type switching valve according to claim 4, wherein a communication groove for communicating the pressure path and the pressure equalizing hole is formed. A refrigeration cycle system including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator, and a flow path switching valve, wherein the rotary switching according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is the flow. A refrigeration cycle system characterized in that it is used as a path switching valve.

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