US20200200440A1 - Electronic Reversing Valve - Google Patents
Electronic Reversing Valve Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200200440A1 US20200200440A1 US16/228,358 US201816228358A US2020200440A1 US 20200200440 A1 US20200200440 A1 US 20200200440A1 US 201816228358 A US201816228358 A US 201816228358A US 2020200440 A1 US2020200440 A1 US 2020200440A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- slider
- rotor
- housing
- reversing valve
- shaft
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- 239000003507 refrigerant Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 43
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 15
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 14
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 6
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 229910001369 Brass Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010951 brass Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- CWYNVVGOOAEACU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fe2+ Chemical compound [Fe+2] CWYNVVGOOAEACU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000007769 metal material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003801 milling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K11/00—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
- F16K11/02—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
- F16K11/06—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements
- F16K11/065—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with linearly sliding closure members
- F16K11/07—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with linearly sliding closure members with cylindrical slides
- F16K11/0716—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with linearly sliding closure members with cylindrical slides with fluid passages through the valve member
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
- F16K31/02—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic
- F16K31/04—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor
- F16K31/046—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices electric; magnetic using a motor with electric means, e.g. electric switches, to control the motor or to control a clutch between the valve and the motor
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
- F16K31/44—Mechanical actuating means
- F16K31/50—Mechanical actuating means with screw-spindle or internally threaded actuating means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
- F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F25B13/00—Compression machines, plants or systems, with reversible cycle
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates generally to heat pump systems, and more particularly to an electronic reversing valve of heat pump systems.
- typical heat pump systems include a reversing valve that is used to change the heat refrigerant flow between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.
- a typical reversing valve may be in a cooling mode that allows the transfer of heat from an indoor coil to an outdoor coil.
- the reversing valve may also be in a heating mode that allows the transfer of heat from the outdoor coil to the indoor coil.
- a typical reversing valve is electrically triggered and uses an electromagnetic solenoid to shift a pilot valve.
- the pilot valve in turn directs a refrigerant to move a slider of the reversing valve.
- a constant power is typically applied to the solenoid to hold the slider of the reversing valve in a heating position or in a cooling position often consuming power for an entire season.
- an electronic reversing valve for use in heat pump systems includes a housing having multiple ports and a slider positioned in a cavity of the housing, where the slider has multiple channels.
- the multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths depending on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing.
- the electronic reversing valve also includes a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing and a stator positioned outside of the housing. The slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor, where the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.
- Another example embodiment is directed to a rotor and slider assembly of an electronic reversing valve for use in heat pump systems, where the rotor and slider assembly includes a slider having multiple channels, a rotor and a shaft attached to the rotor and to the slider.
- the rotor is rotatable about a portion of the shaft that is attached to the rotor, where the shaft is moveable laterally in response to a rotation of the rotor.
- the slider is moveable laterally along with the shaft.
- a heat pump system in another example embodiment, includes an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, a compressor, and an electronic reversing valve.
- the electronic reversing valve includes a housing having multiple ports, and a slider positioned in the cavity of the housing, where the slider has multiple channels. The multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths between the compressor, and the indoor coil and the outdoor coil based on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing.
- the electronic reversing valve further includes a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing, and a stator positioned outside of the housing. The slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor, where the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an electronic reversing valve according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 showing internal components of the electronic reversing valve according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 3C illustrates a bottom view of a rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a rotor and slider assembly for use in the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 according to another example embodiment
- FIG. 4B illustrates a retaining structure of the rotor and slider assembly 400 according to another example embodiment
- FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 configured to operate in a first mode according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 configured to operate in a second mode according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 7 illustrates a heat pump system including the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 in a cooling mode according to an example embodiment
- FIG. 8 illustrates a heat pump system including the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 in a heating mode according to an example embodiment.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an electronic reversing valve 100 according to an example embodiment.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 includes a housing 102 and a stator 104 attached to the housing 102 on the outside of the housing 102 .
- the stator 104 may have a rubber jacket that is slipped over the housing 102 at one end of the housing 102 as shown in FIG. 1 .
- the housing 102 may include multiple ports 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 .
- the port 106 may be on one side of the housing 102 and the ports 108 , 110 , 112 may be on an opposite side of the housing 102 .
- the ports 106 - 112 provide openings into and/or out of the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the port 106 may be a discharge line input port designed to be fluidly coupled to a discharge port of a compressor of a heat pump system.
- the port 108 may be a suction line output port designed to be fluidly coupled to a suction port of a compressor of a heat pump system.
- the port 110 may be an indoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an indoor coil of a heat pump system, and the port 112 may be an outdoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an outdoor coil of a heat pump system.
- the port 110 may be an outdoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an outdoor coil of a heat pump system, and the port 112 may be an indoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an indoor coil of a heat pump system.
- the dimensions of electronic reversing valve 100 are substantially the same as the dimensions of a typical reversing valve.
- the port 106 may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.5 inches, and the ports 108 - 112 may each have an outer diameter of approximately 0.75 inches.
- the housing 102 may also have a cylindrical shape that is similar to typical reversing valves.
- the stator 104 may be positioned annularly on the outside of the housing 102 at one of the housing 102 .
- the stator 104 may generate a magnetic force that is applied to a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing 102 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5 .
- the housing 102 may be at least partially made from a non-ferrous material (e.g., copper) that allows the magnetic field generated by the stator 104 to reach the rotor.
- the stator 104 may generate the magnetic field in response to an electrical signal provided to the stator 104 via an electrical connection 114 (e.g., one or more electrical wires).
- the electrical connection 114 may be connected to a controller/control board, for example, using a connector 116 .
- the electrical connection 114 may be connected to the controller/control board without the use of the connector 116 .
- the electrical signal that is provided to the stator 104 via the electrical connection 114 may include one or more electrical pulses that result in the stator 104 generating corresponding magnetic forces.
- the ports 106 - 112 may be attached to the housing 102 , for example, by welding the ports 106 - 112 to the housing 102 at respective openings in the housing 102 .
- the ports 106 - 112 which may have a tubular or another shape, may be made from a different material or the same material as the housing 102 .
- the housing 102 and the ports 106 - 112 may be made from copper and/or another material in a manner that can be contemplated by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
- the stator 104 can be attached to the housing 102 using a rubber jacket that is slipped over a portion of the housing 102 . The rubber jacket may also provide a protection to the stator 104 from outside elements.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may be operated in a cooling mode or a heating mode of a heat pump system.
- a slider that is positioned in the cavity of the housing 102 may move laterally within the housing 102 opening and closing refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the movement of the slider is controlled by the stator 104 that controls the rotation of the rotor that is inside the housing 102 .
- the electrical pulses that are provided to the stator 104 based on the desired mode of operation, the flow paths through the electronic reversing valve 100 can be controlled.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 is shown in a particular orientation, the electronic reversing valve 100 may be used in a different orientation without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 is shown as having a particular shape, in alternative embodiments, the electronic reversing valve 100 may have a different shape without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the housing 102 may have a non-cylindrical shape.
- end portions of the housing 102 may have a round shape or another shape without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the ports 106 - 112 may be at different locations than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the stator 104 may be at a different location than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the stator 104 may be at the opposite end of the housing 102 or in a middle portion of the housing 102 .
- FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 showing internal components of the electronic reversing valve 100 according to an example embodiment.
- the portions of the housing 102 and the portion of the stator 104 are shown as transparent components to more clearly show the internal components of the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the electronic reversing valve 100 includes a slider 202 and a rotor 204 that are positioned in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the stator 104 is annularly positioned around a portion of the housing such that the stator 204 is at least partially aligned with the rotor 204 .
- the rotor 204 may be a 6-pole or 8-pole direct-current (DC) brushless rotor.
- DC direct-current
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may also include a shaft 206 that is attached to the slider 202 and to the rotor 204 .
- the diagonal lines and the dotted line boundary of the shaft 206 in FIG. 2 are intended to show threads of the shaft 206 .
- the slider 102 is moveable laterally (i.e., right to left and left to right in the orientation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) within the cavity of the housing 102 in response to a rotation of the rotor 204 .
- the rotor 204 may rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator 104 based on an electrical signal (e.g., an electrical pulse) provided to the stator 104 .
- the rotor 204 may have a cylindrical outer shape and may have an outer diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the housing 102 such that the rotor 204 can freely rotate within the housing 102 .
- the rotor 204 may include an attachment hole 228 (shown in FIG. 2 bounded by dotted lines for illustrative purposes), and a portion 208 of the shaft 206 may be in the attachment hole 228 such that the rotor 204 can rotate about the portion 208 of the shaft 206 .
- the shaft 206 may be move laterally based on the rotation of the rotor 204 .
- the shaft 206 may move further into the attachment hole 228 in response to a rotation of the rotor 204 in one direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) and the shaft 206 may move in the opposite lateral direction in response to a rotation of the rotor 204 in another direction (e.g., a counterclockwise direction).
- at least the portion 208 of the shaft 206 and the attachment hole 228 may be threaded such that the shaft 206 moves laterally within the attachment hole 208 in response to the rotation of the rotor 204 .
- an end portion 210 of the shaft 206 is attached to the slider 202 such that the shaft 206 can rotate relative to the slider 202 .
- the end portion 210 of the shaft 206 may be positioned in an attachment hole 230 (shown in dotted lines for illustrative purposes) of the slider 202 in a laterally fixed position (or a restricted lateral movement position) with respect to the slider 202 .
- Such positioning of the end portion 210 enables the slider 202 to move laterally along with the shaft 206 while allowing the shaft 206 to rotate within the attachment hole 230 .
- the attachment hole 230 may be physically restricted (e.g., narrowed) after the end portion 210 is inserted into the attachment hole 230 .
- the end portion 210 may or may not be threaded.
- a portion 232 of the port 108 may extend into the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the slider 202 moves laterally along with the shaft 206 in response to the rotation of the rotor 204 .
- the slider 202 may move laterally away from the rotor 204 when the rotor rotates in a first direction, and the slider 202 may move laterally toward the rotor 204 when the rotor rotates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.
- the first direction may be a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction depending on the threading of the shaft 206 and the attachment hole 208 .
- the slider 202 includes multiple channels.
- the slider 202 may include a channel 222 that is formed through the slider 202 such that the channel 222 extends between an opening 212 and an opening 218 of the slider 202 .
- the openings 212 and 218 may be diametrically on opposite sides of the slider 202 from each other.
- the slider 202 may also include a channel 224 that is formed through the slider 202 such that the channel 224 extends between an opening 216 and an opening 220 of the slider 202 .
- the openings 216 and 220 may be diametrically on opposite sides of the slider 202 from each other.
- the channel 222 or the channel 224 provide a flow path through the port 106 depending on the lateral position of the slider 202 in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the slider 202 may include a channel 226 that is formed in the slider 202 .
- the channel 226 may have a single opening 214 .
- the channel may have multiple openings that are on the same side of the slider 202 .
- the channel 226 may provide as a refrigerant flow path between the port 108 of the housing 102 and the port 110 or the port 112 depending on the lateral position of the slider 202 in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the portion 232 of the port 108 may extend into the channel 226 to prevent or limit a rotation of the slider 202 .
- electrical pulses of a desired polarity may be applied to the stator 204 via the connection 114 to move the slider 202 to a desired lateral position within the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the number of electrical pulses that need to be applied to the stator 104 to place the slider 202 to a desired position may be determined through a calibration of the electronic reversing valve 100 . For example, starting with the slider 202 at a position closest to the rotor 204 , an operator and/or a calibration device that apply pulses to the stator 104 can count the number of pulses that are applied to the stator 204 to move the slider 202 to the farthest position in the housing 102 .
- the number of pulses needed to move the slider 202 from one position to another position and the position of the slider 202 after a particular number of pulses are applied can be determined during normal operations.
- the slider 202 can be moved to a desired position within the housing 102 such that desired refrigerant flow paths through electronic reversing valve 100 are selected based on the desired mode of operation of the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the electronic reversing valve 100 is set to operate in either a cooling mode and a heating mode, no electrical power needs to be applied to the stator 104 to maintain the slider 202 in the desired position.
- the flow capacity of the electronic reversing valve 100 may also be adjusted by positioning the slider 202 such that opening 218 and the opening 220 have a desired alignment with the port 106 depending on the mode of operation of the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the electronic reversing valve 100 does not rely on pilot valves, block issues that may be associated with typical reversing valves is avoided.
- the changeover speed from one mode to another can also be performed reliably in a repeatable manner. Changeover speed can be more reliably controlled to optimize noise associated with defrost.
- a new stator can be slipped over housing 102 without the need to replace or open the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the channels 222 , 224 , 226 and the attachment hole 230 may be milled out from a solid structure that is made of, for example, brass or another suitable material to form the slider 202 .
- the rotor 204 may be made from a non-metallic material that holds magnets such that the rotor 204 can rotate in response to a magnetic force from the stator 104 .
- an opening at one end of the housing 102 may be closed after the slider 202 along with the rotor 204 and the shaft 206 are placed in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- one or more of the ports 106 - 112 may be attached to the housing 102 after the slider 202 is placed in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the slider 202 , the rotor 204 , and/or the shaft 206 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- one or more of the channels 222 , 224 , 226 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the ports 106 - 112 may have different shapes than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- one or more of the ports may have a swage end.
- the relative dimensions of the different components of the electronic reversing valve 100 may be different than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the end portion 210 of the shaft 206 may extend into the slider 202 more or less than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may include more or fewer components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a rotor and slider assembly 300 of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.
- FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the rotor and slider assembly 300 of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.
- FIG. 3C illustrates a bottom view of a rotor and slider assembly 300 of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.
- the rotor and slider assembly 300 includes the slider 202 , the rotor 204 , and the shaft 206 shown in FIG. 2 .
- the portions of the shaft 206 that in the respective attachment holes of the slider 202 and the rotor 204 are not shown in FIGS. 3A-3C .
- the openings 212 , 214 , 216 are diametrically on one side of the slider 202 and the openings 218 , 220 are on an opposite side of the slider 202 .
- the channels 222 , 224 formed through to the slider 202 may be internal to the slider 202 except for the respective openings 212 , 218 and 216 , 220 .
- the channel 226 is formed in the slider 202 such that the channel 226 can be aligned with at least two of the ports 108 , 110 , 112 simultaneously.
- the slider 202 may include o-ring grooves 302 , 304 that are formed in the slider 202 , for example, by milling the slider 202 .
- the o-ring groove 302 may be proximal to one longitudinal end of the slider 202 and the o-ring 304 may be proximal to another longitudinal end of the slider 202 .
- the o-ring grooves 302 , 304 are each designed to hold a respective o-ring (shown in FIG. 5 ) that is slipped on the slider 202 .
- the o-rings may reduce the risk of refrigerant flow from the channels 222 , 224 , 226 to the cavity of the housing 102 on the outside of the o-rings.
- the slider 202 includes bleed channels 306 , 308 .
- the bleed channel 306 may fluidly connect the cavity of the housing 102 on one side of the slider 202 with the channel 224 .
- the bleed channel 308 may fluidly connect the cavity of the housing 102 on another side of the slider 202 with the channel 222 .
- the bleed channels 306 , 308 may allow refrigerant that enters the cavity of the housing 102 outside of the slider 202 to return back to the respective channel.
- the slider 202 , the rotor 204 , and/or the slider 202 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- one or more of the openings 212 , 214 , 216 , 218 , 220 may have a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the channels 222 , 224 , 226 may have a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- Some portions of the shaft 206 may have a round outer shape or another shape.
- FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a rotor and slider assembly 400 for use in the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 according to another example embodiment.
- FIG. 4B illustrates a retaining structure of the rotor and slider assembly 400 according to another example embodiment.
- the rotor and slider assembly 400 includes the slider 202 , the rotor 204 , and the shaft 206 and generally corresponds to the rotor and slider assembly 300 shown in FIGS. 3A-3C .
- the rotor and slider assembly 400 may also include a retaining structure 402 .
- the retaining structure 402 is designed to be press fit against the inner surface of the housing 102 such that the retaining structure 402 prevents or limits lateral movement of the rotor 204 .
- a length of the retaining structure 402 may be larger than the inner diameter of the housing 102 allowing the retaining structure 402 to be firmly attached to the inner surface of the housing 102 when the retaining structure 402 is pressed into the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the retaining structure 402 may have a hole 404 , where the shaft 206 passes through the hole 404 to extend between the slider 202 and the rotor 204 .
- the hole 404 may be larger than the outer dimension (e.g., diameter) of the shaft 206 such that the shaft 206 does not come in contact with the retaining structure.
- the slider 202 and the shaft 206 may pushed into the cavity of the housing 102 on an open end of the housing 102 prior to the attachment of the rotor 204 to the shaft 206 .
- the retaining structure 402 which may be made from brass, copper, or another suitable material, may then be press fit into the cavity of the housing 102 such that the shaft 206 passes through the hole 404 .
- the rotor 204 may be attached to the shaft 206 after the retaining structure 402 is securely attached to the inner surface of the housing 102 .
- the open end of the housing 102 may be closed by an end cap after the internal components of the housing 102 are placed in the cavity of the housing 102 .
- the slider 202 , the rotor 204 , the shaft 206 , and/or the retaining structure 402 may have a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the hole 402 may a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 configured to operate in a first mode according to an example embodiment.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may be used in a cooling mode operation of a heat pump system.
- the stator 104 is not shown for clarity of illustration.
- an o-ring 502 may be attached to the slider 202 proximal to one end of the slider 202
- an o-ring 504 may be attached to the slider 202 proximal to another end of the slider 202 .
- the o-ring 502 may be positioned in the groove 304 shown in FIG.
- the o-ring 504 may be positioned in the groove 302 shown in FIG. 3A .
- the o-rings 502 , 504 (e.g., rubber o-rings) may reduce the risk of refrigerant flow from the channels 222 , 224 , 226 to the cavity of the housing 102 on the right and left sides of the slider 202 .
- a retaining structure 506 (e.g., the retaining structure 402 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B or a snap ring) may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 102 to restrict the lateral movement of the rotor 202 toward the right side in the orientation shown in FIG. 5 .
- another retaining structure 508 (e.g., a snap ring or another structure) may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 102 to restrict the lateral movement of the rotor 202 toward the left side (i.e., toward an end cap 514 ) in the orientation shown in FIG. 5 .
- the rotor 204 has been rotated by applying pulses to the stator 104 as described above to position the slider 202 as shown in FIG. 5 , for example, for a cooling operation mode of a heat pump system.
- a portion 510 of the shaft 206 is positioned in the attachment hole 228 of the rotor 204 such that the shaft 206 extends outside of the rotor 204 to place the slider 202 in a desired position that establishes desired refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 106 , the channel 222 , and the port 110 may define a refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow A) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 106 may be fluidly connected to a discharge port of a compressor, and the port 110 may be connected to an outdoor coil, where the flow path through the channel 222 allows the hot refrigerant to flow from the compressor to the outdoor coil.
- the port 112 , the channel 226 , and the port 108 may define another refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow B) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 108 may be fluidly connected to a suction port of the compressor, and the port 112 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the flow path through the channel 226 allows refrigerant to flow from the indoor coil to the compressor.
- the channel 224 may be generally closed off by the housing 102 .
- the openings 216 , 220 may be misaligned with the ports of the housing 102 and may be abutted against the inner surface of the housing 102 .
- the bleed port 306 may allow a refrigerant that may be trapped between the slider 202 and an end wall 512 of the housing 102 to flow to the channel 224 . Allowing trapped refrigerant to flow to the channel 224 enables the slider 202 to move laterally to a desired position and reduces the resistance force that may be exerted against the slider 202 by the trapped refrigerant.
- the bleed channel 308 also serves a similar purpose as the slider 202 moves laterally toward the rotor 204 .
- the end cap 514 may be attached to the cylindrical portion of the housing 102 to seal the internal components of the electronic reversing valve 100 inside the housing 102 .
- the end cap 514 may be removably attached by screwing the end cap 514 onto the cylindrical portion of the housing 102 .
- a silicone or other gasket may be used to adequately seal the end cap 514 .
- the end cap 514 may be welded or otherwise more permanently attached to the cylindrical portion of the housing 102 .
- the electronic reversing valve 100 having the slider 202 positioned as shown in FIG. 5 may be used in a heating mode operation of a heat pump system without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the position of the slider 202 shown in FIG. 5 may correspond to a heating mode operation of the heat pump system.
- FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 configured to operate in a second mode according to an example embodiment.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may be used in a heating mode operation of a heat pump system.
- the stator 104 is not shown for clarity of illustration.
- the slider 202 may be moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6 and vice versa by applying appropriate polarity electrical pulses to the stator 104 as described above.
- a relatively longer portion 602 of the shaft 206 (as compared to the portion 510 shown in FIG. 5 ) is positioned in the attachment hole 228 of the rotor 204 such that a smaller portion of the shaft 206 extends outside of the rotor 204 as compared to FIG. 5 . That is, the lateral movement of the shaft 206 resulting from the rotation of the rotor 204 has moved the slider 202 closer to rotor establishing desired refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 106 , the channel 224 , and the port 112 may define a refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow C) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 106 may be fluidly connected to a discharge port of a compressor, and the port 112 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the flow path through the channel 224 allows the hot refrigerant to flow from the compressor to the indoor coil (in a heating mode).
- the port 110 , the channel 226 , and the port 108 may define another refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow D) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the port 108 may be fluidly connected to a suction port of the compressor, and the port 110 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the refrigerant flow path through the channel 226 allows refrigerant to flow from the indoor coil to the compressor.
- the channel 22 in the position of the slider 202 shown in FIG. 6 , the channel 22 may be generally closed off by the housing 102 in a similar manner as described with respect to the channel 224 in FIG. 5 .
- the bleed port 308 may allow a refrigerant that may be trapped between the slider 202 and the rotor 204 to flow to the channel 222 . Allowing trapped refrigerant to flow to the channel 222 enables the slider 202 to move laterally to a desired position and reduces the resistance force that may be exerted against the slider 202 by the trapped refrigerant.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 having the slider 202 positioned as shown in FIG. 6 may be used in a cooling mode operation of a heat pump system without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the position of the slider 202 shown in FIG. 6 may correspond to a cooling mode operation of the heat pump system.
- FIG. 7 illustrates a heat pump system 700 including the electronic reversing valve 100 of FIG. 1 in a cooling mode of operation according to an example embodiment.
- the electronic reversing valve 100 may be configured as shown in FIG. 5 to operate in a cooling mode of the heat pump system 700 .
- the system 700 includes an indoor coil 702 , an outdoor coil 704 , a compressor 706 , and the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the system 700 may also include an expansion valve 708 that is between the indoor coil 702 and the outdoor coil 704 .
- the dotted arrow between the ports 112 and 108 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from the indoor coil to a suction port of the compressor 706 through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the dotted arrow between the ports 106 and 110 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from the discharge port of the compressor 706 to the outdoor coil 704 through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the indoor coil operates as an evaporator coil
- the outdoor coil operates as a condenser coil.
- the controller (or a control board) 710 may control operations of the heat pump system 700 .
- the controller 710 may control whether the heat pump system 700 operates in cooling mode or a heating mode and the change over from one mode of operation to another.
- the controller 710 which may include a microcontroller along with supporting components, may provide and control the electrical pulses that are provided to the stator 104 of the electronic reversing valve 100 to change the operation mode of the electronic reversing valve 100 from a heating mode to the cooling mode illustrated in FIG. 7 or vice versa.
- the system 700 may include components other than shown in FIG. 7 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
- the system 700 may include valve(s), filter(s), a drier(s), etc. in one or more of the refrigerant lines as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
- the port 110 in another heat pump system, may be coupled to the indoor coil 702 , and the port 112 may be coupled to the outdoor coil 704 .
- FIG. 8 illustrates the heat pump system 700 including the electronic reversing valve of FIG. 1 in a heating mode of operation according to an example embodiment.
- the controller 710 controls the stator 104 to change the operation of the system 700 from the cooling mode operation shown in FIG. 7 to the heating mode operation of FIG. 8 .
- the dotted arrow between the port 110 and the port 108 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from the outdoor coil 704 to the suction port of the compressor 706 through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the dotted arrow between the ports 106 and the port 112 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from the discharge port of the compressor 706 to the indoor coil 704 through the electronic reversing valve 100 .
- the indoor coil operates as a condenser coil
- the outdoor coil operates as an evaporator coil.
Abstract
Description
- The present disclosure relates generally to heat pump systems, and more particularly to an electronic reversing valve of heat pump systems.
- In general, typical heat pump systems include a reversing valve that is used to change the heat refrigerant flow between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. For example, a typical reversing valve may be in a cooling mode that allows the transfer of heat from an indoor coil to an outdoor coil. The reversing valve may also be in a heating mode that allows the transfer of heat from the outdoor coil to the indoor coil. A typical reversing valve is electrically triggered and uses an electromagnetic solenoid to shift a pilot valve. The pilot valve in turn directs a refrigerant to move a slider of the reversing valve. A constant power is typically applied to the solenoid to hold the slider of the reversing valve in a heating position or in a cooling position often consuming power for an entire season. Further, because the position of the slider may not always be clearly known, it may be unclear whether the slider is completely seated in a cooling or heating position. Thus, a solution that allows a more controlled positioning of the slider of a reversing valve and that consumes less power than a typical reversing valve may be desirable.
- The present disclosure relates generally to heat pump systems, and more particularly to an electronic reversing valve of heat pump systems. In some example embodiments, an electronic reversing valve for use in heat pump systems includes a housing having multiple ports and a slider positioned in a cavity of the housing, where the slider has multiple channels. The multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths depending on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing. The electronic reversing valve also includes a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing and a stator positioned outside of the housing. The slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor, where the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.
- Another example embodiment is directed to a rotor and slider assembly of an electronic reversing valve for use in heat pump systems, where the rotor and slider assembly includes a slider having multiple channels, a rotor and a shaft attached to the rotor and to the slider. The rotor is rotatable about a portion of the shaft that is attached to the rotor, where the shaft is moveable laterally in response to a rotation of the rotor. The slider is moveable laterally along with the shaft.
- In another example embodiment, a heat pump system includes an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, a compressor, and an electronic reversing valve. The electronic reversing valve includes a housing having multiple ports, and a slider positioned in the cavity of the housing, where the slider has multiple channels. The multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths between the compressor, and the indoor coil and the outdoor coil based on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing. The electronic reversing valve further includes a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing, and a stator positioned outside of the housing. The slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor, where the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.
- These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
- Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an electronic reversing valve according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 showing internal components of the electronic reversing valve according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 3C illustrates a bottom view of a rotor and slider assembly of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a rotor and slider assembly for use in the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 according to another example embodiment; -
FIG. 4B illustrates a retaining structure of the rotor andslider assembly 400 according to another example embodiment; -
FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 configured to operate in a first mode according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 configured to operate in a second mode according to an example embodiment; -
FIG. 7 illustrates a heat pump system including the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 in a cooling mode according to an example embodiment; and -
FIG. 8 illustrates a heat pump system including the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 in a heating mode according to an example embodiment. - The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or placements may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles. In the drawings, the same reference numerals that are used in different drawings designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily identical elements.
- In the following paragraphs, example embodiments will be described in further detail with reference to the figures. In the description, well-known components, methods, and/or processing techniques are omitted or briefly described. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the embodiments is not to suggest that all embodiments must include the referenced feature(s).
- Turning now to the figures, particular example embodiments are described.
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of anelectronic reversing valve 100 according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, theelectronic reversing valve 100 includes ahousing 102 and astator 104 attached to thehousing 102 on the outside of thehousing 102. For example, thestator 104 may have a rubber jacket that is slipped over thehousing 102 at one end of thehousing 102 as shown inFIG. 1 . - In some example embodiments, the
housing 102 may includemultiple ports port 106 may be on one side of thehousing 102 and theports housing 102. The ports 106-112 provide openings into and/or out of the cavity of thehousing 102. To illustrate, theport 106 may be a discharge line input port designed to be fluidly coupled to a discharge port of a compressor of a heat pump system. Theport 108 may be a suction line output port designed to be fluidly coupled to a suction port of a compressor of a heat pump system. - In some example embodiments, the
port 110 may be an indoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an indoor coil of a heat pump system, and theport 112 may be an outdoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an outdoor coil of a heat pump system. Alternatively, theport 110 may be an outdoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an outdoor coil of a heat pump system, and theport 112 may be an indoor unit connection port designed to be fluidly coupled to an indoor coil of a heat pump system. - In some example embodiments, the dimensions of
electronic reversing valve 100 are substantially the same as the dimensions of a typical reversing valve. For example, theport 106 may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.5 inches, and the ports 108-112 may each have an outer diameter of approximately 0.75 inches. Thehousing 102 may also have a cylindrical shape that is similar to typical reversing valves. Thestator 104 may be positioned annularly on the outside of thehousing 102 at one of thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the
stator 104 may generate a magnetic force that is applied to a rotor positioned in the cavity of thehousing 102 as shown, for example, inFIGS. 2, 4, and 5 . To illustrate, thehousing 102 may be at least partially made from a non-ferrous material (e.g., copper) that allows the magnetic field generated by thestator 104 to reach the rotor. Thestator 104 may generate the magnetic field in response to an electrical signal provided to thestator 104 via an electrical connection 114 (e.g., one or more electrical wires). Theelectrical connection 114 may be connected to a controller/control board, for example, using a connector 116. Alternatively, theelectrical connection 114 may be connected to the controller/control board without the use of the connector 116. The electrical signal that is provided to thestator 104 via theelectrical connection 114 may include one or more electrical pulses that result in thestator 104 generating corresponding magnetic forces. - In some example embodiments, the ports 106-112 may be attached to the
housing 102, for example, by welding the ports 106-112 to thehousing 102 at respective openings in thehousing 102. The ports 106-112, which may have a tubular or another shape, may be made from a different material or the same material as thehousing 102. For example, thehousing 102 and the ports 106-112 may be made from copper and/or another material in a manner that can be contemplated by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. Thestator 104 can be attached to thehousing 102 using a rubber jacket that is slipped over a portion of thehousing 102. The rubber jacket may also provide a protection to thestator 104 from outside elements. - In some example embodiments, the electronic reversing
valve 100 may be operated in a cooling mode or a heating mode of a heat pump system. As explained in more detail below, a slider that is positioned in the cavity of thehousing 102 may move laterally within thehousing 102 opening and closing refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversingvalve 100. The movement of the slider is controlled by thestator 104 that controls the rotation of the rotor that is inside thehousing 102. By controlling the electrical pulses that are provided to thestator 104 based on the desired mode of operation, the flow paths through the electronic reversingvalve 100 can be controlled. - Although the electronic reversing
valve 100 is shown in a particular orientation, the electronic reversingvalve 100 may be used in a different orientation without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Although the electronic reversingvalve 100 is shown as having a particular shape, in alternative embodiments, the electronic reversingvalve 100 may have a different shape without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, thehousing 102 may have a non-cylindrical shape. As another example, end portions of thehousing 102 may have a round shape or another shape without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the ports 106-112 may be at different locations than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, thestator 104 may be at a different location than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, thestator 104 may be at the opposite end of thehousing 102 or in a middle portion of thehousing 102. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 showing internal components of the electronic reversingvalve 100 according to an example embodiment. InFIG. 2 , the portions of thehousing 102 and the portion of thestator 104 are shown as transparent components to more clearly show the internal components of the electronic reversingvalve 100. Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2 , in some example embodiments, the electronic reversingvalve 100 includes aslider 202 and arotor 204 that are positioned in the cavity of thehousing 102. Thestator 104 is annularly positioned around a portion of the housing such that thestator 204 is at least partially aligned with therotor 204. In some example embodiments, therotor 204 may be a 6-pole or 8-pole direct-current (DC) brushless rotor. - In some example embodiments, the electronic reversing
valve 100 may also include ashaft 206 that is attached to theslider 202 and to therotor 204. The diagonal lines and the dotted line boundary of theshaft 206 inFIG. 2 are intended to show threads of theshaft 206. Theslider 102 is moveable laterally (i.e., right to left and left to right in the orientation shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 ) within the cavity of thehousing 102 in response to a rotation of therotor 204. To illustrate, therotor 204 may rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by thestator 104 based on an electrical signal (e.g., an electrical pulse) provided to thestator 104. In some example embodiments, therotor 204 may have a cylindrical outer shape and may have an outer diameter that is less than the inner diameter of thehousing 102 such that therotor 204 can freely rotate within thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the
rotor 204 may include an attachment hole 228 (shown inFIG. 2 bounded by dotted lines for illustrative purposes), and aportion 208 of theshaft 206 may be in theattachment hole 228 such that therotor 204 can rotate about theportion 208 of theshaft 206. Theshaft 206 may be move laterally based on the rotation of therotor 204. For example, theshaft 206 may move further into theattachment hole 228 in response to a rotation of therotor 204 in one direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) and theshaft 206 may move in the opposite lateral direction in response to a rotation of therotor 204 in another direction (e.g., a counterclockwise direction). To illustrate, at least theportion 208 of theshaft 206 and theattachment hole 228 may be threaded such that theshaft 206 moves laterally within theattachment hole 208 in response to the rotation of therotor 204. - In some example embodiments, an
end portion 210 of theshaft 206 is attached to theslider 202 such that theshaft 206 can rotate relative to theslider 202. For example, theend portion 210 of theshaft 206 may be positioned in an attachment hole 230 (shown in dotted lines for illustrative purposes) of theslider 202 in a laterally fixed position (or a restricted lateral movement position) with respect to theslider 202. Such positioning of theend portion 210 enables theslider 202 to move laterally along with theshaft 206 while allowing theshaft 206 to rotate within theattachment hole 230. To illustrate, theattachment hole 230 may be physically restricted (e.g., narrowed) after theend portion 210 is inserted into theattachment hole 230. Theend portion 210 may or may not be threaded. To limit a rotational movement of theslider 202, in some example embodiments, aportion 232 of theport 108 may extend into the cavity of thehousing 102. - Because the
shaft 206 moves laterally in response to the rotation of therotor 204, theslider 202 moves laterally along with theshaft 206 in response to the rotation of therotor 204. To illustrate, theslider 202 may move laterally away from therotor 204 when the rotor rotates in a first direction, and theslider 202 may move laterally toward therotor 204 when the rotor rotates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. For example, the first direction may be a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction depending on the threading of theshaft 206 and theattachment hole 208. - In some example embodiments, the
slider 202 includes multiple channels. For example, theslider 202 may include achannel 222 that is formed through theslider 202 such that thechannel 222 extends between anopening 212 and anopening 218 of theslider 202. For example, theopenings slider 202 from each other. Theslider 202 may also include achannel 224 that is formed through theslider 202 such that thechannel 224 extends between anopening 216 and anopening 220 of theslider 202. For example, theopenings slider 202 from each other. Thechannel 222 or thechannel 224 provide a flow path through theport 106 depending on the lateral position of theslider 202 in the cavity of thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the
slider 202 may include achannel 226 that is formed in theslider 202. For example, thechannel 226 may have asingle opening 214. Alternatively, the channel may have multiple openings that are on the same side of theslider 202. Thechannel 226 may provide as a refrigerant flow path between theport 108 of thehousing 102 and theport 110 or theport 112 depending on the lateral position of theslider 202 in the cavity of thehousing 102. In some example embodiments, theportion 232 of theport 108 may extend into thechannel 226 to prevent or limit a rotation of theslider 202. - In some example embodiments, electrical pulses of a desired polarity may be applied to the
stator 204 via theconnection 114 to move theslider 202 to a desired lateral position within the cavity of thehousing 102. The number of electrical pulses that need to be applied to thestator 104 to place theslider 202 to a desired position may be determined through a calibration of the electronic reversingvalve 100. For example, starting with theslider 202 at a position closest to therotor 204, an operator and/or a calibration device that apply pulses to thestator 104 can count the number of pulses that are applied to thestator 204 to move theslider 202 to the farthest position in thehousing 102. Based on the total number of pulses and the known lateral distance traveled by theslider 202, the number of pulses needed to move theslider 202 from one position to another position and the position of theslider 202 after a particular number of pulses are applied can be determined during normal operations. - By applying pulses to the
stator 104, theslider 202 can be moved to a desired position within thehousing 102 such that desired refrigerant flow paths through electronic reversingvalve 100 are selected based on the desired mode of operation of the electronic reversingvalve 100. After the electronic reversingvalve 100 is set to operate in either a cooling mode and a heating mode, no electrical power needs to be applied to thestator 104 to maintain theslider 202 in the desired position. By using the electronic reversingvalve 100 in heat pump systems, the flow capacity of the electronic reversingvalve 100 may also be adjusted by positioning theslider 202 such thatopening 218 and theopening 220 have a desired alignment with theport 106 depending on the mode of operation of the electronic reversingvalve 100. Because the electronic reversingvalve 100 does not rely on pilot valves, block issues that may be associated with typical reversing valves is avoided. The changeover speed from one mode to another can also be performed reliably in a repeatable manner. Changeover speed can be more reliably controlled to optimize noise associated with defrost. In the event of a failure of thestator 204, a new stator can be slipped overhousing 102 without the need to replace or open the electronic reversingvalve 100. - In some example embodiments, the
channels attachment hole 230 may be milled out from a solid structure that is made of, for example, brass or another suitable material to form theslider 202. In some example embodiments, therotor 204 may be made from a non-metallic material that holds magnets such that therotor 204 can rotate in response to a magnetic force from thestator 104. In some example embodiments, an opening at one end of thehousing 102 may be closed after theslider 202 along with therotor 204 and theshaft 206 are placed in the cavity of thehousing 102. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of the ports 106-112 may be attached to thehousing 102 after theslider 202 is placed in the cavity of thehousing 102. - In some alternative embodiments, the
slider 202, therotor 204, and/or theshaft 206 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of thechannels valve 100 may be different than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, theend portion 210 of theshaft 206 may extend into theslider 202 more or less than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the electronic reversingvalve 100 may include more or fewer components than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a rotor andslider assembly 300 of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.FIG. 3B illustrates a side view of the rotor andslider assembly 300 of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment.FIG. 3C illustrates a bottom view of a rotor andslider assembly 300 of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 according to an example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-3C , in some example embodiments, the rotor andslider assembly 300 includes theslider 202, therotor 204, and theshaft 206 shown inFIG. 2 . In contrast toFIG. 2 , the portions of theshaft 206 that in the respective attachment holes of theslider 202 and therotor 204 are not shown inFIGS. 3A-3C . - In some example embodiments, the
openings slider 202 and theopenings slider 202. Thechannels slider 202 may be internal to theslider 202 except for therespective openings channel 226 is formed in theslider 202 such that thechannel 226 can be aligned with at least two of theports - In some example embodiments, the
slider 202 may include o-ring grooves slider 202, for example, by milling theslider 202. For example, the o-ring groove 302 may be proximal to one longitudinal end of theslider 202 and the o-ring 304 may be proximal to another longitudinal end of theslider 202. The o-ring grooves FIG. 5 ) that is slipped on theslider 202. For example, the o-rings may reduce the risk of refrigerant flow from thechannels housing 102 on the outside of the o-rings. - In some example embodiments, the
slider 202 includesbleed channels bleed channel 306 may fluidly connect the cavity of thehousing 102 on one side of theslider 202 with thechannel 224. Thebleed channel 308 may fluidly connect the cavity of thehousing 102 on another side of theslider 202 with thechannel 222. Thebleed channels housing 102 outside of theslider 202 to return back to the respective channel. - In some alternative embodiments, the
slider 202, therotor 204, and/or theslider 202 may have a different shape than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, one or more of theopenings channels shaft 206 may have a round outer shape or another shape. -
FIG. 4A illustrates a side view of a rotor andslider assembly 400 for use in the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 according to another example embodiment.FIG. 4B illustrates a retaining structure of the rotor andslider assembly 400 according to another example embodiment. Referring toFIGS. 1-4B , in some example embodiments, the rotor andslider assembly 400 includes theslider 202, therotor 204, and theshaft 206 and generally corresponds to the rotor andslider assembly 300 shown inFIGS. 3A-3C . In some example embodiments, the rotor andslider assembly 400 may also include a retainingstructure 402. - In some example embodiments, the retaining
structure 402 is designed to be press fit against the inner surface of thehousing 102 such that the retainingstructure 402 prevents or limits lateral movement of therotor 204. To illustrate, a length of the retainingstructure 402 may be larger than the inner diameter of thehousing 102 allowing the retainingstructure 402 to be firmly attached to the inner surface of thehousing 102 when the retainingstructure 402 is pressed into the cavity of thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the retaining
structure 402 may have ahole 404, where theshaft 206 passes through thehole 404 to extend between theslider 202 and therotor 204. Thehole 404 may be larger than the outer dimension (e.g., diameter) of theshaft 206 such that theshaft 206 does not come in contact with the retaining structure. - In some example embodiments, the
slider 202 and theshaft 206 may pushed into the cavity of thehousing 102 on an open end of thehousing 102 prior to the attachment of therotor 204 to theshaft 206. The retainingstructure 402, which may be made from brass, copper, or another suitable material, may then be press fit into the cavity of thehousing 102 such that theshaft 206 passes through thehole 404. Therotor 204 may be attached to theshaft 206 after the retainingstructure 402 is securely attached to the inner surface of thehousing 102. The open end of thehousing 102 may be closed by an end cap after the internal components of thehousing 102 are placed in the cavity of thehousing 102. - In some alternative embodiments, the
slider 202, therotor 204, theshaft 206, and/or the retainingstructure 402 may have a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, thehole 402 may a different shape and/or dimensions than shown without departing from the scope of this disclosure. -
FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 configured to operate in a first mode according to an example embodiment. For example, as shown inFIG. 5 , the electronic reversingvalve 100 may be used in a cooling mode operation of a heat pump system. InFIG. 5 , thestator 104 is not shown for clarity of illustration. Referring toFIGS. 1-5 , in some example embodiments, an o-ring 502 may be attached to theslider 202 proximal to one end of theslider 202, and an o-ring 504 may be attached to theslider 202 proximal to another end of theslider 202. For example, the o-ring 502 may be positioned in thegroove 304 shown inFIG. 3A , and the o-ring 504 may be positioned in thegroove 302 shown inFIG. 3A . The o-rings 502, 504 (e.g., rubber o-rings) may reduce the risk of refrigerant flow from thechannels housing 102 on the right and left sides of theslider 202. - In some example embodiments, a retaining structure 506 (e.g., the retaining
structure 402 shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B or a snap ring) may be attached to the inner surface of thehousing 102 to restrict the lateral movement of therotor 202 toward the right side in the orientation shown inFIG. 5 . In some example embodiments, another retaining structure 508 (e.g., a snap ring or another structure) may be attached to the inner surface of thehousing 102 to restrict the lateral movement of therotor 202 toward the left side (i.e., toward an end cap 514) in the orientation shown inFIG. 5 . - In some example embodiments, the
rotor 204 has been rotated by applying pulses to thestator 104 as described above to position theslider 202 as shown inFIG. 5 , for example, for a cooling operation mode of a heat pump system. For example, aportion 510 of theshaft 206 is positioned in theattachment hole 228 of therotor 204 such that theshaft 206 extends outside of therotor 204 to place theslider 202 in a desired position that establishes desired refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversingvalve 100. - To illustrate, the
port 106, thechannel 222, and theport 110 may define a refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow A) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversingvalve 100. For example, theport 106 may be fluidly connected to a discharge port of a compressor, and theport 110 may be connected to an outdoor coil, where the flow path through thechannel 222 allows the hot refrigerant to flow from the compressor to the outdoor coil. Theport 112, thechannel 226, and theport 108 may define another refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow B) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversingvalve 100. For example, theport 108 may be fluidly connected to a suction port of the compressor, and theport 112 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the flow path through thechannel 226 allows refrigerant to flow from the indoor coil to the compressor. - In some example embodiments, in the position of the
slider 202 shown inFIG. 5 , thechannel 224 may be generally closed off by thehousing 102. To illustrate, theopenings 216, 220 (more clearly shown inFIGS. 2 and 3B ) may be misaligned with the ports of thehousing 102 and may be abutted against the inner surface of thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the
bleed port 306 may allow a refrigerant that may be trapped between theslider 202 and anend wall 512 of thehousing 102 to flow to thechannel 224. Allowing trapped refrigerant to flow to thechannel 224 enables theslider 202 to move laterally to a desired position and reduces the resistance force that may be exerted against theslider 202 by the trapped refrigerant. Thebleed channel 308 also serves a similar purpose as theslider 202 moves laterally toward therotor 204. - In some example embodiments, the
end cap 514 may be attached to the cylindrical portion of thehousing 102 to seal the internal components of the electronic reversingvalve 100 inside thehousing 102. For example, theend cap 514 may be removably attached by screwing theend cap 514 onto the cylindrical portion of thehousing 102. To illustrate, a silicone or other gasket may be used to adequately seal theend cap 514. Alternatively, theend cap 514 may be welded or otherwise more permanently attached to the cylindrical portion of thehousing 102. - In some example embodiments, the electronic reversing
valve 100 having theslider 202 positioned as shown inFIG. 5 may be used in a heating mode operation of a heat pump system without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in a heat pump system where theport 110 is coupled to an outdoor coil and where theport 112 is coupled to an indoor coil, the position of theslider 202 shown inFIG. 5 may correspond to a heating mode operation of the heat pump system. -
FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 configured to operate in a second mode according to an example embodiment. For example, as shown inFIG. 6 , the electronic reversingvalve 100 may be used in a heating mode operation of a heat pump system. InFIG. 6 , thestator 104 is not shown for clarity of illustration. Referring toFIGS. 1-6 , in some example embodiments, theslider 202 may be moved from the position shown inFIG. 5 to the position shown inFIG. 6 and vice versa by applying appropriate polarity electrical pulses to thestator 104 as described above. - In
FIG. 6 , a relativelylonger portion 602 of the shaft 206 (as compared to theportion 510 shown inFIG. 5 ) is positioned in theattachment hole 228 of therotor 204 such that a smaller portion of theshaft 206 extends outside of therotor 204 as compared toFIG. 5 . That is, the lateral movement of theshaft 206 resulting from the rotation of therotor 204 has moved theslider 202 closer to rotor establishing desired refrigerant flow paths through the electronic reversingvalve 100. - To illustrate, in
FIG. 6 , theport 106, thechannel 224, and theport 112 may define a refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow C) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversingvalve 100. For example, theport 106 may be fluidly connected to a discharge port of a compressor, and theport 112 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the flow path through thechannel 224 allows the hot refrigerant to flow from the compressor to the indoor coil (in a heating mode). Theport 110, thechannel 226, and theport 108 may define another refrigerant flow path (shown by the arrow D) that allows refrigerant to flow through the electronic reversingvalve 100. For example, theport 108 may be fluidly connected to a suction port of the compressor, and theport 110 may be connected to an indoor coil, where the refrigerant flow path through thechannel 226 allows refrigerant to flow from the indoor coil to the compressor. - In some example embodiments, in the position of the
slider 202 shown inFIG. 6 , the channel 22 may be generally closed off by thehousing 102 in a similar manner as described with respect to thechannel 224 inFIG. 5 . In some example embodiments, thebleed port 308 may allow a refrigerant that may be trapped between theslider 202 and therotor 204 to flow to thechannel 222. Allowing trapped refrigerant to flow to thechannel 222 enables theslider 202 to move laterally to a desired position and reduces the resistance force that may be exerted against theslider 202 by the trapped refrigerant. - In some example embodiments, the electronic reversing
valve 100 having theslider 202 positioned as shown inFIG. 6 may be used in a cooling mode operation of a heat pump system without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in a heat pump system where theport 110 is coupled to an indoor coil and where theport 112 is coupled to an outdoor coil, the position of theslider 202 shown inFIG. 6 may correspond to a cooling mode operation of the heat pump system. -
FIG. 7 illustrates aheat pump system 700 including the electronic reversingvalve 100 ofFIG. 1 in a cooling mode of operation according to an example embodiment. For example, the electronic reversingvalve 100 may be configured as shown inFIG. 5 to operate in a cooling mode of theheat pump system 700. Referring toFIGS. 1-7 , in some example embodiments, thesystem 700 includes anindoor coil 702, anoutdoor coil 704, acompressor 706, and the electronic reversingvalve 100. Thesystem 700 may also include anexpansion valve 708 that is between theindoor coil 702 and theoutdoor coil 704. - In
FIG. 7 , the dotted arrow between theports compressor 706 through the electronic reversingvalve 100. The dotted arrow between theports compressor 706 to theoutdoor coil 704 through the electronic reversingvalve 100. As shown inFIG. 7 , the indoor coil operates as an evaporator coil, and the outdoor coil operates as a condenser coil. - In some example embodiments, the controller (or a control board) 710 may control operations of the
heat pump system 700. For example, thecontroller 710 may control whether theheat pump system 700 operates in cooling mode or a heating mode and the change over from one mode of operation to another. For example, thecontroller 710, which may include a microcontroller along with supporting components, may provide and control the electrical pulses that are provided to thestator 104 of the electronic reversingvalve 100 to change the operation mode of the electronic reversingvalve 100 from a heating mode to the cooling mode illustrated inFIG. 7 or vice versa. - In some example embodiments, the
system 700 may include components other than shown inFIG. 7 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, thesystem 700 may include valve(s), filter(s), a drier(s), etc. in one or more of the refrigerant lines as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, in another heat pump system, theport 110 may be coupled to theindoor coil 702, and theport 112 may be coupled to theoutdoor coil 704. -
FIG. 8 illustrates theheat pump system 700 including the electronic reversing valve ofFIG. 1 in a heating mode of operation according to an example embodiment. In some example embodiments, thecontroller 710 controls thestator 104 to change the operation of thesystem 700 from the cooling mode operation shown inFIG. 7 to the heating mode operation ofFIG. 8 . As shown inFIG. 8 , the dotted arrow between theport 110 and theport 108 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from theoutdoor coil 704 to the suction port of thecompressor 706 through the electronic reversingvalve 100. The dotted arrow between theports 106 and theport 112 shows the direction of the refrigerant flow from the discharge port of thecompressor 706 to theindoor coil 704 through the electronic reversingvalve 100. As shown inFIG. 8 , the indoor coil operates as a condenser coil, and the outdoor coil operates as an evaporator coil. - Although particular embodiments have been described herein in detail, the descriptions are by way of example. The features of the embodiments described herein are representative and, in alternative embodiments, certain features, elements, and/or steps may be added or omitted. Additionally, modifications to aspects of the embodiments described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims, the scope of which are to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass modifications and equivalent structures.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (1)
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US16/228,358 US20200200440A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 | 2018-12-20 | Electronic Reversing Valve |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US16/228,358 US20200200440A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 | 2018-12-20 | Electronic Reversing Valve |
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US20200200440A1 true US20200200440A1 (en) | 2020-06-25 |
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US16/228,358 Abandoned US20200200440A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 | 2018-12-20 | Electronic Reversing Valve |
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US3303665A (en) * | 1965-07-22 | 1967-02-14 | Itt | Means and techniques useful in refrigeration systems |
US3400736A (en) * | 1966-05-31 | 1968-09-10 | Controls Co Of America | Reversing valve |
US3620481A (en) * | 1967-05-23 | 1971-11-16 | David John Stewart | Web transport systems |
US4573497A (en) * | 1984-08-23 | 1986-03-04 | Ranco Incorporated | Refrigerant reversing valve |
US4948091A (en) * | 1989-02-17 | 1990-08-14 | Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki Seisakusho | Motor-operated valve |
US6923212B2 (en) * | 2003-01-03 | 2005-08-02 | Control Components, Inc. | Fail safe apparatus for a direct-drive servovalve |
US20060230770A1 (en) * | 2005-04-15 | 2006-10-19 | Kitsch William J | Modulating proportioning reversing valve |
US9702469B2 (en) * | 2014-11-15 | 2017-07-11 | Big Horn Valve, Inc. | Leak-free rising stem valve with ball screw actuator |
US9803770B2 (en) * | 2014-11-25 | 2017-10-31 | Tgk Co., Ltd. | Motor operated valve |
US10934976B2 (en) * | 2014-12-25 | 2021-03-02 | Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Evaporated fuel treatment device |
US11274766B2 (en) * | 2017-10-27 | 2022-03-15 | Zhejiang Sanhua Climate and Appliance Controls Group Co., Ltd. | Electrical valve |
-
2018
- 2018-12-20 US US16/228,358 patent/US20200200440A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US3303665A (en) * | 1965-07-22 | 1967-02-14 | Itt | Means and techniques useful in refrigeration systems |
US3400736A (en) * | 1966-05-31 | 1968-09-10 | Controls Co Of America | Reversing valve |
US3620481A (en) * | 1967-05-23 | 1971-11-16 | David John Stewart | Web transport systems |
US4573497A (en) * | 1984-08-23 | 1986-03-04 | Ranco Incorporated | Refrigerant reversing valve |
US4948091A (en) * | 1989-02-17 | 1990-08-14 | Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki Seisakusho | Motor-operated valve |
US6923212B2 (en) * | 2003-01-03 | 2005-08-02 | Control Components, Inc. | Fail safe apparatus for a direct-drive servovalve |
US20060230770A1 (en) * | 2005-04-15 | 2006-10-19 | Kitsch William J | Modulating proportioning reversing valve |
US9702469B2 (en) * | 2014-11-15 | 2017-07-11 | Big Horn Valve, Inc. | Leak-free rising stem valve with ball screw actuator |
US9803770B2 (en) * | 2014-11-25 | 2017-10-31 | Tgk Co., Ltd. | Motor operated valve |
US10934976B2 (en) * | 2014-12-25 | 2021-03-02 | Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Evaporated fuel treatment device |
US11274766B2 (en) * | 2017-10-27 | 2022-03-15 | Zhejiang Sanhua Climate and Appliance Controls Group Co., Ltd. | Electrical valve |
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