US2328874A

US2328874A - Refrigerating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2328874A
Application number: US442907A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earnest J Dillman
Original assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Current assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Priority date: 1942-05-14
Filing date: 1942-05-14
Publication date: 1943-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1960-09-07

Description

Sept. 7, 1943.

nmmmnnmme APPARATUS E. J. DILLMAN 2,328,874

Filed May 14, 1942 INVENTOR W K M o ATTORNEY tric motor inthe usual manner.

has outlets I, 8 connected respectively by conconcentric therewith Patented Sept. 7, 1943 Y UNITE,D STATES- PATENT orifice Earnest J -Dillman, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Micln, a

V corporation of Michigan k Application May 14, 1942, Serial No. 442,901

3 cl ims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a multiple outlet expansion valve for supplying refrigerant to a plurality of evaporators.

An object of the invention is to provide a valve which is of simple construction and which will be eflicient in operation.

Another object is to provide a valve which will supply refrigerant in equal quantities to each of the evaporators.

Another object is to provide a valve having a novel construction of internal equalizer for controlling the operation of the valve.

The invention consists in the improved con struction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and" the novelty of which will be particularly pointed. out and distinctly claimed.

, In the accompanying drawinglto be taken as a part of this specification, there is fully and Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, I designates generally an'expansion valve which is shown as of the thermostatic type having a temperature responsive bulb element 2. The valve I has an inlet 3 connected by a refrigerant liquid line 4 to the outlet of a condenser 5 which is supplied with condensed re-e frigerant'from a compressor 6 driven by anelec- The valve- I duits 9, Hi to the inlets of separate, coil evaporator-s ll, l2. The outlets of the evaporators are connected to a common return or suction line l3as at M, the suction line leading back to the inlet of'the compressor 6. The operation of the compressor is controlled in the usual manner by a pressure responsive switch i5 connected intothe suction line l3 to start operation of the compressor motor upon the occurrence of predetermined high suction or return line temperature or pressure and to stop operation of the,

system when the suction line pressure is decreased to a pressure corresponding to the d sired low evaporator temperature.

The body It of the valve I has a pressure reby a "pressure responsive metal diaphragm l9 which also serves as the reponsive member of the temperature responsive element 2. The diaphragm I9 is clamped and sealed at it periphery between supporting members 20, 2|, the member cooperating with the diaphragm 18 to provide the expansion chamber of the thermostatic power element. The expansion chamber and its .bulb 2 and connecting tube 22 are pref:

erably charged with an expansible contractible temperature responsive liquid such, for example, as Freon. The supporting member 2| is provided with one or more apertures 23 so that the spaces above 'and below the member 2| are at equal pressures and together comprise the pressure responsive chamber. Within the valve chamber l8 7 there is a valve member 24 cooperable with a valve seat member 25 secured in the outlet end of the valve inlet passage 25 which has a portion of its length as shown extending concentric I with the chamber IS. The inlet passage 26 has clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention in which drawing:

a strainer chamber 21 -interposed between the valve inlet 3 and the valve seat member 25. In

urrounding relation to and positioned radially of the concentric portion of the inlet passage 26 there are a plurality of guideways 28 which extend through the valve body and open at their "opposite ends into the chamber I1 and the valve chamber l8. Reciprocal in each of the guideways 28 there is a thrust member 29, which members are in abutting relation at their upper ends with the diaphragm l9 .and which seat at their lower 'ends on the support her 24. A thrust pad 3| i preferably inserted between the diaphragm I9 and the ends of the thrust rods 29. Extending in alignment with each other and transversely to the guideways 28 there are outlet passageways 32, 33 'whichlead from the valve chamber l8 to the outlets 1,8 respectively. Each 'of the outlet passageways. 32, 33 is provided with a calibrated port or'restriction 34 which regulates the distribution of the refrigerant from the chamber l8 to the outlet passageways and the evaporators ll, l2. Leading from the chamber I! through the bodyiB there are parallel equalizer passages or conduits sponsive chamber lfl with an open side and has 35; 36 which open at their lower ends into the passageways 32, 33 respectively on the outlet sides of the p0rts3l. It may be noted that the chamber 31 is of annular form so that the pas- T sageways 35. 36 are in communication with each other at their pressure chamber ends.

The operation of this system and valve is as follows: When the control switch 1 5 responds to increased refrigerant pressure, it will start oper- 30 of the valve mem ation of the compressor 6 and withdraw vapor- ,ized refrigerant from the evaporators II, It. When the pressure in the evaporator inlet lines 9, It decreases, then the diaphragm l9 will move downward and open the valve member 24. Re-

28 provide a loose fit for their thrust members 29 in order that the operation of the valve member may be sensitively controlled by the diaphragm l9, some refrigerant will pass through the guideways into the pressure chamber ll. Accordingly. this refrigerant which by-passes the calibrated ports 34 must be equally distributed to the evaporators ll, l2 in order that equal work may be done by each of them. Therefore, the

equalizer conduits

35, 36 are provided for each of the outlet passageways 32, 33 respectively in order to equally distribute the by-passing refrigerant. When the back pressure in the evaporatois ll, I2 increases, the pressure transmitted to the chamber I! through the

equalizer conduits

35, 36 will move the diaphragm l9 upward, thereby permitting valve member 24 to move toward closed position. The

conduits

35, 36 therefore also provide for an equalization of back pressure acting upon the diaphragm l9. The bulb element 2 of the thermostatic power element cooperates with the valve member 24 in the manner well understood by those skilled-in the art and throttles the admission of refrigerant to the evaporaters ll, I2 in accordance with the super heat heating of the valve as indicated by the tempera ture of the suction line at the bulb 2.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An expansion valve for supplyin refrigerant to a plurality of evaporators, comprising a valve body having an inlet and a. plurality of outlets and containing a valve chamber, said body having a passageway leading from said inlet. to said chamber. a valve member controlling admission of refrigerant from said passageway to said chamber. said boiv having a plurality of distributor outlet passageways opening separately from said chamber and leading one to each of said outlets, each of said outlet passageways having a calibrated port closely adjacent said chamber, said body. having a pressure chamber, a

. into said valve chamber, said body having a plurality'of guideways surrounding said portion and pressure responsive member closing said pressure chamber and operable to move said valve member toward open position, and a plurality of equalizer conduits leading from and communicating with each other through said pressure chamber, said conduits being connected one into 'each of said outlet passageways on the outlet side of .said ports.

2. An expansion valve for upplying refrigerantto a. plurality of evaporators};comprising a valve body having an inlet and a plurality of outlets and containing a valve chamber, said body having a passageway leading from said inlet to said chamber, a valve member controlling admission of refrigerant from said passageway to said chamber, said body having outlet passageways leading from said chamber to said outlets, each of said outlet passageways having a' calibrated port adjacent said chamber, said body having a pressure chamber and a guideway leading from said pressure chamber to said valve chamber, a pressure responsive member closing said pressure chamber, a thrust member extending through said guideway between said responsivemember and said valve member and operable to move'said valve member toward open position, and aplurality oi equalizer conduits extending lengthwise of said guldeway and leading'from saidpressure chamber, said conduits being con nected one into each of said outlet-passageways on the outlet side of said ports.

3. An expansion valve for supplying refrigerant to a plurality of evaporators, comprising a valve body having a pressure chamber with an open side and a valve chamber concentric there with, saidbody having an inlet passage with a portion of its length concentric with and opening opening at their opposite ends into said chambers, ,a pressure responsive diaphragm closing said open side, a valve member reciprocal in said valve chamber and cooperable with said inlet passage to control admission of refrigerant to said valve chamber, a thrust rod in each of said guideways and interconnecting said diaphragm and said valve member, said body having a plurality of outlet passages leading from said valve chamber and for connection to separate evaporators, said body having equalizer passages extending one from each of said outlet passages and opening into said pressure chamber, and means restricting each of said outlet passages between said valve chamber and its said equalizer passage.

, EARNEST J. DILLIVIAN.