JP6956691B2 - Temperature sensitive control valve - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a temperature-sensitive control valve that supplies a refrigerant to a cooling device or the like that cools a heat source.

Conventionally, for example, in the field of information processing, a system that generates a large amount of heat, such as a server, is cooled by a circulating refrigerant. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-224406 (Patent Document 1) discloses a waste heat utilization system in which a cooling device is arranged with respect to a rack of a blade server to cool the inside of the rack. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-67164 (Patent Document 2) discloses a thermoelement and a piston assembly suitable for sensing the temperature of a heat source.

JP-A-2009-224406 JP-A-2017-67164

In the technique of Patent Document 1, cooling is performed by cooling water (refrigerant), but in a device such as a server, the amount of heat generated greatly changes depending on the operating state. Therefore, when the heat source reaches the set temperature, it is required to immediately open the valve port wide and immediately flow the amount of the refrigerant required for cooling to cool the heat source quickly.

The present invention is provided in the refrigerant supply piping of a cooling device that cools a heat source that requires cooling, and when the heat source reaches a set temperature, the valve port is wide open to quickly supply the refrigerant. The challenge is to provide.

The temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 1 has a thermoelement that moves a piston in the axial direction by a volume change of a thermal expansion body that expands and contracts in response to a temperature change, and a valve port through which a refrigerant flows in a valve closing direction by a valve closing spring. A valve device body that opens and closes with a valve body urged to the above, and the structural part including the valve body is hermetically sealed with a diaphragm, and the mechanical pressing force in the axial direction by the piston is applied. through the diaphragm and a valve device body having an operation unit, for transmitting the axial direction to the valve body, the diaphragm, the pre-Symbol pressing force has a work surfaces you transmitted to the valve body, position of the working surface of the valve closing by the valve body, the being configured to be positioned higher than the position of the working plane in the natural state of the diaphragm, the pressing force of the piston from the thermoelement when not acting, the spring force of the valve closing spring is characterized that you have been configured to maintain the valve closed state against the tension of the diaphragm.

The temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 2 is the temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve device main body has a valve housing, and a valve chamber is formed in the valve housing. A first port for the refrigerant to flow into the valve chamber and a second port for the refrigerant to flow out from the valve chamber are formed on the side wall of the valve housing, and the valve chamber and the second port are axially described. A valve port is formed, the operation unit is provided on the upper part of the valve device main body, and the lower part of the diaphragm communicates with the second port.

The temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 3 is the temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 1, wherein the height of the working surface of the diaphragm is the height in the natural state in the temperature-valve lift characteristic. Is the liquid expansion region of the thermal expansion body in the temperature sensitive portion of the thermoelement.

According to the temperature-sensitive control valves of claims 1 to 3, in the valve closed state at the time of assembly, the height of the working surface of the axial pressing force of the diaphragm of the operating portion is the initial single item state before assembly, that is, natural. Since the position is higher than the height in the state, the tension of the diaphragm is generated downward, so that the valve body is urged in the valve opening direction, which is the same as the pressing force that the piston of the thermoelement acts on the operation part. Since the diaphragm also urges the valve body in the direction, the characteristic of the valve opening becomes steep with respect to the temperature change, and when the valve is opened, the refrigerant can be quickly flowed through the valve port, which is a heat source. The refrigerant can be quickly supplied to the cooling device or the like in accordance with the temperature change of the above, and the heat source can be cooled quickly.

According to the temperature-sensitive control valve of claim 2, when the refrigerant flows into the valve chamber from the first port and is throttled by the valve port, it becomes a low pressure state and flows out from the second port. Since the lower part of the diaphragm receives the low pressure of the second port from which the refrigerant flows out, the diaphragm is more easily displaced in the valve opening direction, so that the refrigerant can flow more quickly at a large flow rate.

According to the temperature-sensitive control valve of claim 3, in the temperature-lift characteristic, the region where the height of the working surface of the pressing force of the diaphragm after assembly is the height in the natural state is the heat in the temperature-sensitive part of the thermoelement. In the solid-liquid mixed expansion region of the expander, at higher temperatures, the tension of the diaphragm acts in the valve closing direction, the slope of the temperature-lift characteristic becomes gentle, and a rapid increase in the refrigerant flow rate is not expected. In the liquid expansion region, the reversal of the diaphragm tension in the valve closing direction becomes a high temperature, and the temperature-valve lift characteristics can be maintained steeply up to a higher temperature than in the solid-liquid mixed expansion region, and more quickly. The refrigerant can flow at a large flow rate.

It is a vertical sectional view of the temperature sensitive control valve of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the temperature sensitive control valve of the embodiment of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view of the thermoelement in the temperature sensitive control valve of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the temperature-displacement characteristic of the thermoelement in the temperature-sensitive control valve of embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining two states of the diaphragm in the temperature sensitive control valve of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the temperature-valve lift characteristic in the temperature-sensitive control valve of embodiment of this invention.

Next, an embodiment of the temperature-sensitive control valve of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the temperature-sensitive control valve of the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a top view of the temperature-sensitive control valve, and FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a thermoelement in the temperature-sensitive control valve. The concept of "upper and lower" in the following description corresponds to upper and lower in the drawings of FIGS. 1 and 3. Further, in the following description, the temperature-sensitive control valve of the embodiment is appropriately referred to as a "control valve".

The control valve 100 of the embodiment is composed of a valve device main body 10 and a thermoelement 20. The valve device main body 10 has a metal valve housing 1, and a columnar valve chamber 1A is formed in the center of the valve housing 1, and the refrigerant flows into the valve housing 1 by opening to the side portion of the valve chamber 1A. One port 11 is formed, and further, a second port 12 through which the refrigerant flows out is formed. Further, in the valve housing 1, a valve port 13 centered on the axis L is formed between the valve chamber 1A and the second port 12, and the second port from the upper part of the valve housing 1 is coaxial with the valve port 13. A guide hole 14 penetrating up to 12 is formed. The guide hole 14 has a cylindrical shape with the axis L of the valve port 13 as the central axis. The refrigerant may flow in from the second port 12 and flow out from the first port.

A valve body 3 is arranged in the valve chamber 1A, the second port 12, and the guide hole 14. The valve body 3 is composed of a cylindrical rod-shaped valve rod 3a, a substantially conical needle portion 3b that opens and closes the valve port 13 from the valve chamber 1A side, and a flange portion 3c formed on the outer circumference of the needle portion 3b. There is. The valve rod 3a is inserted into the guide hole 14, and a coil spring 32 as a "valve closing spring" is arranged between the flange portion 3c and the spring receiver 31 at the bottom of the valve chamber 1A. As a result, the coil spring 32 urges the valve body 3 toward the diaphragm 43, which will be described later.

An operation unit 4 is attached to the side of the valve housing 1 opposite to the valve chamber 1A. The operation unit 4 includes a lower lid 41 fixed to the valve housing 1, an upper case 42 having the same diameter as the lower lid 41, a diaphragm 43 arranged between the lower lid 41 and the upper case 42, and a lower lid 41. It is composed of a lower allowance 44 arranged between the diaphragm 43 and the valve rod 3a of the valve body 3 inside, and an upper allowance 45 arranged on the diaphragm 43 in the upper case 42. The lower lid 41, the diaphragm 43, and the upper case 42 are welded and integrally joined at the outer peripheral edge portion. As shown in the top view of FIG. 2, the valve housing 1 has a rectangular shape, but the upper case 42 (and the lower lid 41, the diaphragm 43) and the thermoelement 20 have a rotationally symmetric shape around the axis L.

The lower allowance 44 has a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the valve stem 3a. As described later, when the diaphragm 43 is deformed by the action of the thermoelement 20 and the pressing force is transmitted to the valve stem 3a, the reaction force received from the valve stem 3a is applied to the diaphragm 43 over a wide area of the lower allowance 44. The durability of the diaphragm 43 can be improved. Similarly, the upper allowance 45 has a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the piston 23, which will be described later. As a result, the pressing force can be dispersed and transmitted to the diaphragm 43 in a wider area of the upper deposit 45 than when the piston 23 directly contacts the diaphragm 43, and the durability of the diaphragm 43 can be improved.

As a result, in the operation unit 4, the diaphragm 43 and the lower lid 41 hermetically seal the structural portion including the lower deposit 44 and the valve stem 3a, and from the upper deposit 45 outside the diaphragm 43, that is, in the upper case 42. It has a function of transmitting the mechanical pressing force in the axis L direction to the valve body 3 (valve rod 3a) via the diaphragm 43 and the lower deposit 44. Then, the thermo element 20 (a part thereof) is housed in the cylindrical portion 42a of the upper case 42 of the operation portion 4, the temperature sensitive portion 21a of the thermo element 20 protrudes from the upper end of the upper case 42, and the thermo element The locking piece 42a1 at the end of the cylindrical portion 42a is engaged with the end of the temperature-sensitive portion side base 21b of 20 on the temperature-sensitive portion 21a side.

The thermoelement 20 is a thermoactuator that utilizes expansion and contraction of paraffin and the like due to temperature changes. As shown in FIG. 3, the thermoelement 20 includes a temperature sensitive case 21, a guide case 22, a piston 23, a diaphragm 24, a rubber piston 25, and a protective plate 26. The temperature-sensitive case 21 is composed of a cylindrical temperature-sensitive portion 21a having a bottom at an end and a temperature-sensitive portion side base portion 21b that covers a part of the guide case 22. The guide case 22 is composed of a cylindrical guide portion 22a in which the piston 23, the rubber piston 25 and the protective plate 26 are inserted, and a guide side base portion 22b covered with the temperature sensing portion side base portion 21b of the temperature sensing case 21. There is.

The temperature-sensitive portion 21a of the temperature-sensitive case 21 is filled with a thermal expansion body 2A made of wax such as paraffin, and the lower end surface of the thermal expansion body 2A is sealed by a diaphragm 24 which is an elastic sealing member. There is. A fluid chamber is provided between the mortar-shaped inner surface 22b1 of the guide side base 22b of the guide case 22 and the lower side of the diaphragm 24, and the fluid chamber is filled with the fluid 2B. The fluid 2B is an incompressible fluid having good fluidity and lubricity. The piston 23 is slidably inserted into the piston sliding hole 22a1 inside the guide portion 22a of the guide case 22 via the rubber piston 25 and the protective plate 26, and the outer end portion of the piston 23 is a piston slide. It protrudes from the moving hole 22a1.

When the environmental temperature of the temperature sensitive portion 21a rises, the thermal expansion body 2A expands and the diaphragm 24 swells, pushing down the fluid 2B enclosed in the fluid chamber below the diaphragm 24. As a result, the fluid 2B is deformed and a part thereof enters the piston sliding hole 22a1 of the guide portion 22a, and pushes the piston 23 downward through the rubber piston 25 and the protective plate 26.

As shown in FIG. 1, the play hole 45a, the guide insertion hole 45b, and the spring accommodating hole 45c are coaxially formed in the upper allowance 45, and the piston 23 of the thermoelement 20 faces the play hole 45a. The guide portion 22a is inserted into the guide insertion hole 45b. A fixed spring 46 is arranged on the outer circumference of the guide portion 22a, and the fixed spring 46 is compressed and arranged between the temperature-sensitive portion side base portion 21b in the cylindrical portion 42a and the bottom portion of the spring accommodating hole 45c. Has been done. That is, since the end portion of the temperature sensitive portion side base portion 21b is engaged with the locking piece 42a1 of the cylindrical portion 42a as described above, the thermoelement 20 is fixed to the cylindrical portion 42a by the spring force of the fixing spring 46. ing. Further, the temperature sensitive portion 21a of the thermoelement 20 projects in a columnar shape, and has a structure that can be easily attached to the temperature sensing target. Then, the temperature sensitive portion 21a is mounted in the mounting hole 50a of the metal plate 50, and the heat from the metal plate 50 is transferred to the temperature sensitive portion 21a. The metal plate 50 is in close contact with a heat source (not shown).

With the above configuration, when the temperature of the temperature sensitive portion 21a of the thermoelement 20 rises and the piston 23 descends as described above from the state of FIG. 1, the piston 23 comes into contact with the upper deposit 45 (the bottom of the play hole 45a). .. Further, when the piston 23 is lowered, the upper allowance 45 is lowered, the diaphragm 43 is deformed, the lower allowance 44 is lowered, and the valve body 3 in contact with the lower allowance 44 is further lowered. As described above, in this embodiment, the moment when the pressing force of the piston 23 starts to be applied to the valve body 3 via the upper allowance 45, the diaphragm 43 and the lower allowance 44 is the "valve opening point", and this valve opening point. The needle portion 3b of the valve body 3 is separated from the periphery of the valve port 13 to open the valve port 13.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a temperature-displacement characteristic showing the relationship between the temperature of the temperature sensitive portion 21a in the thermoelement 20 and the displacement (lift) of the piston 23. The heat-expanded body 2A in the temperature-sensitive portion 21a undergoes a phase change depending on the temperature, such as a solid state, a solid-liquid mixed state in which a solid and a liquid are mixed, and a liquid state. As a result, the temperature-displacement characteristics are divided into a "solid expansion region" that expands in the solid state, a "solid-liquid mixed expansion region" that expands in the solid-liquid mixed state, and a "liquid expansion region" that expands in the liquid state. Each exhibits a different inclination. Then, the inclination in the solid-liquid mixed expansion region, that is, the coefficient of thermal expansion becomes the largest (steep). This temperature-displacement characteristic is known as an inherent characteristic of the thermoelement 20, and in this case, the range of the lifts L1 to L3 of the piston 23 corresponds to the "solid-liquid mixed expansion region".

Here, as described above, the valve opening point in the valve device main body 10 is set to be within the range of the "solid-liquid mixing expansion region". In this embodiment, the valve opening points are set to the states of "valve opening lift = 0" and "thermo element lift = L2" shown in FIG. In this way, since the valve opening point is set within the range of the "solid-liquid mixed expansion region" in which the coefficient of thermal expansion of the thermal expansion body 2A in the thermoelement 20 is large, when the heat source reaches the set temperature, the valve port 13 can be opened wide quickly. As a result, the refrigerant can be quickly supplied to a cooling device (not shown) in accordance with the temperature change of the heat source, and as a result, the heat source can be quickly cooled.

In the thermoelement 20, when the temperature of the temperature sensitive portion 21a drops and the thermal expansion body 2A contracts, the diaphragm 24 does not move and a vacuum gap is formed in the solidified thermal expansion body 2A, or a fluid. There may be voids in 2B. Further, the diaphragm 24 may be deformed due to the contraction in the thermal expansion body 2A, and the fluid body 2B may also change its shape. In such a case, the piston 23 is in a protruding state, and the rubber piston 25 and the protective plate 26 are also in a state of being stopped on the piston 23 side, or only the rubber piston 25 is in a state of moving following the fluid 2B. , The rubber piston 25 and the protective plate 26 may be in a state of moving following the moving body 2B. In either case, when the piston 23 is projected and stopped, the piston 23 does not apply a pressing force to the operating portion 4 (or the valve body 3), which is different from the "valve opening point" in the present invention. It is in a state.

Here, in the operation unit 4, the diaphragm 43 applies the tension of the diaphragm 43 to the valve body 3 (valve rod 3a) via the lower allowance 44 when the valve is closed by the valve body 3 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the force in the axis L direction due to this tension urges the valve body 3 in the valve opening direction. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the diaphragm, and FIG. 5A shows a state (natural state) of the initial single item before the diaphragm 43 is incorporated into the operation unit 4, that is, a load is applied to the diaphragm 43. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the diaphragm 43 when the valve is closed when the valve is assembled in the operation unit 4, and the two-dot chain line is the upper deposit 45 and the lower deposit. 44 is shown.

As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the diaphragm 43 is an annular shape made of thin metal, and has a flange portion 43b having flat flange surfaces 43b1 and 43b2 on the outer peripheral portion and an upper allowance 45 at the central portion. A contact portion 43a having a flat working surface 43a2 in contact and a flat working surface 43a1 in contact with the lower pad 44 is formed, and between the flange portion 43b in the outer peripheral portion and the contact portion 43a in the central portion. Is formed with a corrugated annular portion 43c. The working surface 43a1 that comes into contact with the lower pad 44 of the contact portion 43a is a "working surface" that transmits mechanical pressing force in the axial direction to the valve body 3 via the diaphragm 43.

Here, in the natural state before the diaphragm 43 is incorporated into the operation unit 4 , the working surface 43a1 in the central portion is at a position lower than the flange surface 43b1 in the outer peripheral portion. Next, when the diaphragm 43 is incorporated into the operation unit 4 , as shown in FIG. 5B at the valve closed position, the corrugated annular portion 43c is deformed and the working surface 43a1 in the central portion is a flange on the outer peripheral portion. It is incorporated at a position higher than the surface 43b1. That is, the position of the working surface 43a1 is higher than the position in the natural state of FIG. 5 (A). Thus, results in a downward tension is generated in the die ya Fulham 43 to the valve closed, the valve body 3 the tension acting in the valve opening direction. When the force of the piston 23 is not acting from the thermoelement 20, the spring force of the coil spring 32 as the "valve closing spring" is set to maintain the valve closed state against the tension of the diaphragm 43. ing. The shape of the die Ya Fulham 43 FIG. 5 (A), the it should be understood by those limited to the embodiments of (B), in the valve closed as long as it is a structure in which the tension of the diaphragm 43 acts on the valve opening direction.

In this way, since the diaphragm 43 urges the valve body 3 in the valve opening direction in the assembled state, as shown in FIG. 6, the temperature sensed by the temperature sensitive portion 21a in the thermoelement 20 and the valve of the valve body 3 The characteristics with the lift (valve opening) become steeper than before. Therefore, when the valve is opened, the refrigerant can be quickly flowed through the valve port 13, and the refrigerant can be quickly supplied to the cooling device or the like by following the temperature change of the heat source, and the heat source can be cooled quickly. Can be done. Further, since the tension of the diaphragm 43 exerts a force in the same direction as the pressing force of the piston 23 of the thermo element 20, an unnecessary load is not applied to the stroke of the piston 23 of the thermo element 20, and the durability of the thermo element 20 is maintained. Sex also improves.

Further, in the embodiment, since the lower portion of the diaphragm 43, that is, the surface on the lower lid 41 side receives the low pressure of the second port 12 from which the refrigerant flows out, the diaphragm 43 is more easily displaced in the valve opening direction. As a result, the refrigerant can be flowed more quickly and at a large flow rate.

Further, in the embodiment, when the region where the height of the pressing force acting surface of the diaphragm after assembly is the height in the natural state is defined as the liquid expansion region of the thermal expander 2A in the temperature sensitive portion 21a of the thermoelement 20. The temperature-lift characteristic of is the lift of the turning point in the temperature-valve lift characteristic between the solid-liquid mixed expansion region and the liquid expansion region of the thermal expansion body 2A, as shown in the characteristic A of FIGS. 4 and 6. Since the diaphragm 43 becomes the "natural position" of the diaphragm 43 at the position of the lift larger than the temperature), the tension in the valve opening direction of the diaphragm 43 acts even at the temperature after this turning point. -The valve lift characteristics can be kept steep, and the liquid can flow more quickly and at a larger flow rate.

On the other hand, in the embodiment, the solid-liquid mixed expansion of the thermal expansion body 2A in the temperature-sensitive portion 21a of the thermoelement 20 is the region where the height of the working surface of the pressing force of the diaphragm after assembly is the height in the natural state. As shown in the characteristic B of FIG. 6, the temperature-lift characteristic in the range is such that the diaphragm 43 is in the “natural state” of the diaphragm 43 at a lift position smaller than the lift at the inflection point in the temperature-valve lift characteristic. Since the position is "at", the tension in the valve closing direction of the diaphragm 43 acts at the subsequent temperature, and the temperature-valve lift characteristic has a slightly gentler inclination than the characteristic A, but the conventional temperature-lift It's better than the characteristics.

The thermoelement in the embodiment includes a rubber piston, a protective plate and a fluid, which may be absent. The thermoelement may be any one that transmits the volume change of the thermal expansion body to the piston.

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.

For example, not only the valve body comes into contact with the valve seat around the valve port and the valve port is completely closed, but there is a gap or a flow path between the valve body and the valve seat, and there is a slight bleed flow rate. It may be the case. That is, in the present invention, the "closed state" of the valve port is a concept including the case where the valve port is completely closed and the case where there is a bleed flow rate.

1 Valve housing 1A Valve chamber 11 1st port 12 2nd port 13 Valve port 14 Guide hole L Axis line 21 Temperature sensitive case 21a Temperature sensitive part 21b Temperature sensitive part side base 22 Guide case 22a Guide part 22b Guide side base 23 Piston 24 Diaphragm 25 Rubber piston 26 Protective plate 2A Thermal expansion body 2B Fluid 3 Valve body 3a Valve rod 3b Needle part 3c Collar part 3a'Valve rod 31 Spring receiver 32 Coil spring 4 Operation part 41 Lower lid 42 Upper case 42a Cylindrical part 43 Diaphragm 43a1 Action surface (action surface of pressing force)
44 Lower allowance (valve side allowance)
45 Top allowance (piston side allowance)
46 Fixed spring 47 Coil spring 45a Play hole 45b Guide insertion hole 45c Spring accommodating hole 10 Valve device body 20 Thermo element 100 Temperature sensitive control valve

Claims (3)

A thermoelement that moves the piston in the axial direction by changing the volume of the thermal expansion body that expands and contracts in response to temperature changes.
A valve device body that opens and closes a valve port through which refrigerant flows with a valve body urged in the valve closing direction by a valve closing spring. The structural portion including the valve body is hermetically sealed with a diaphragm and the piston. a valve device body having an operation unit, for transmitting the axial direction mechanical pressing force of the axial direction, the valve body via the diaphragm by,
With
The diaphragm is pre-Symbol pressing force has a work surfaces you transmitted to the valve body, the position of the working surface of the valve closing by the valve body, the working surface in a natural state of the diaphragm It is configured to be higher than the position ,
Wherein when the pressing force of the piston from the thermo-element is not acting, the spring force of the valve closing spring is characterized that you have been configured to maintain the valve closed state against the tension of the diaphragm Temperature sensitive control valve. The valve device main body has a valve housing, a valve chamber is formed in the valve housing, and on the side wall of the valve housing, a first port through which the refrigerant flows into the valve chamber and refrigerant from the valve chamber are introduced. A second port to flow out is formed, and the valve port is formed in the axial direction between the valve chamber and the second port.
The temperature-sensitive control valve according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is provided in an upper portion of the valve device main body, and the lower portion of the diaphragm communicates with the second port. Claim 1 is characterized in that, in the temperature-valve lift characteristic, the region where the height of the working surface of the diaphragm is the height in the natural state is the liquid expansion region of the thermal expansion body in the temperature sensitive portion of the thermo element. The temperature-sensitive control valve described in.

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