Noise reducing electronic expansion valve

Abstract

This invention relates to a noise-reducing electronic expansion valve. The valve body includes a housing, a rotor, a valve core, and a valve seat. The rotor is operatively connected to the valve core. The valve seat has a valve port channel corresponding to the valve core. The valve port channel has an upper valve port portion and a lower valve port portion. A noise-reducing section is located below the lower valve port portion. The noise-reducing section has a refrigerant flow channel. The inner wall of the refrigerant flow channel includes multiple steps, with the inner diameter of each step increasing progressively from the upper valve port portion to the lower valve port portion. The radial dimension of the lower valve port portion is larger than that of the upper valve port portion. An extension portion is located at the upper end of the noise-reducing section, and the extension portion and the wall portion of the lower valve port portion define a retention space. This electronic expansion valve, with its retention space and noise-reducing section, can continuously break up and refine air bubbles in the refrigerant. Furthermore, it can prevent abrupt changes in refrigerant velocity as it flows through the valve port, providing a buffering effect and thus reducing noise.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration system technology, and more specifically to a noise-reducing electronic expansion valve applied to refrigeration systems. Background Technology

[0002] The electronic expansion valve in the relevant technology is mainly composed of a coil and a valve body. The valve body is further composed of a rotor, a valve seat assembly, and a housing. The coil is fixed to the valve body by a coil fixing bracket. When the coil is energized, it generates magnetic force, which drives the rotor to rotate. The rotor drives the valve needle to move axially, realizing the opening and closing of the valve body, thereby regulating the refrigerant flow through the valve port.

[0003] Because the refrigerant exists in both gas and liquid phases, it will generate bubbles and produce noise when passing through the valve port. When used in air conditioning and other refrigeration systems, it will seriously affect the product's noise reduction performance.

[0004] Therefore, how to reduce the noise of electronic expansion valves is a technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this technical solution is to provide a noise-reducing electronic expansion valve to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this technical solution provides an electronic expansion valve, the valve body of which includes a shell, a rotor, a valve core, and a valve seat. The rotor is operatively connected to the valve core. The valve seat has a valve port channel corresponding to the valve core. The valve port channel has an upper valve port portion and a lower valve port portion. A noise reduction portion is provided below the lower valve port portion. The noise reduction portion has a refrigerant flow channel. The inner wall of the refrigerant flow channel includes multiple steps. The inner diameter of each step increases progressively from the upper valve port portion to the lower valve port portion. The radial dimension of the lower valve port portion is larger than that of the upper valve port portion. An extension portion is provided at the upper end of the noise reduction portion. The extension portion and the wall portion of the lower valve port portion define a retention space.

[0007] The electronic expansion valve provided in this technical solution has a noise reduction section located below the lower valve port. This noise reduction section features multiple stepped sections with gradually decreasing inner diameters from top to bottom. The upper section of the noise reduction section has an extension that, together with the wall of the lower valve port of the valve seat, defines a stagnant space. When refrigerant flows through the valve port channel, the flow rate is slowed down due to the expanded cavity design of the valve port channel, and it is buffered in the stagnant space before entering the noise reduction section. The multi-stage stepped expansion cavity of the noise reduction section further buffers the flow, thereby reducing noise. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve shown.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A partially enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve shown.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows a partial enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve.

[0014] In the picture:

[0015] 10-Valve body; 11-Outer shell; 12-Rotor; 13-Valve needle; 14-Valve seat; 141-Valve port passage; 1411-Upper valve port; 1412-Lower valve port; 1413-Straight passage; 1414-Conical passage; 142-Noise reduction mounting hole; 15-Horizontal connecting pipe; 16-Vertical connecting pipe; 17-Noise reduction part; 171-Multi-step refrigerant flow channel; 1711-Step; 172-First end; 173-Second end; 174-Annular silencer cavity; 175-Extension; 101A-Retention space. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0017] In this document, terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer" are established based on the positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. Depending on the drawings, the corresponding positional relationships may also change. Therefore, they should not be interpreted as an absolute limitation on the scope of protection. Moreover, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one component from another that has the same name, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these components.

[0018] Please refer to Figures 1 to 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve.

[0019] As shown in the figure, in the first embodiment, the electronic expansion valve provided by the present invention mainly consists of a coil (not shown in the figure) and a valve body 10. The coil is installed on the valve body 10. The valve body 10 is further composed of a housing 11, a rotor 12, a valve needle 13, and a valve seat 14. The rotor 12 and the valve needle 13 are connected by a lead screw. The valve seat 14 is provided with a valve port channel 141 corresponding to the valve needle 13. The valve port channel 141 has an upper valve port 1411 and a lower valve port 1412. The inlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a horizontal connecting pipe 15, and the outlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a vertical connecting pipe 16. When working, the coil is energized to generate magnetic force, which drives the rotor 12 to rotate. The rotor 12 is converted into the up and down movement of the valve needle 13 through the transmission of the lead screw, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve and thus realizing the regulation of the refrigerant flow.

[0020] A noise reduction section 17 is provided below the lower valve port 1412. By adding the noise reduction section 17, the noise generated when the refrigerant flows through the valve port can be effectively reduced.

[0021] The noise reduction part 17 is integrally formed with the valve seat 14 and is directly machined on the valve seat 14. The noise reduction part 17 has a multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171. The inner wall of the multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171 is divided into four continuously distributed steps 1711. The inner diameter of each step 1711 increases gradually from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412.

[0022] The valve port passage 141 includes a straight channel 1413 with a uniform inner diameter and a tapered channel 1414 with a gradually increasing inner diameter. The radial dimension of the lower valve port portion 1412 is larger than that of the upper valve port portion 1411. The upper end of the noise reduction portion 17 is provided with an extension portion 175. This extension portion 175 is an annular shape extending in the direction of the upper valve port portion 1411, and it forms a retention space 101A with the wall portion of the lower valve port portion 1412.

[0023] If we assume the inner diameter of the first step 1711 is d1, the inner diameter of the last step 1711 is dn, and the inner diameter of the straight channel 1413 is A1, then 1.06≤d1 / A1≤5, and dn≤7mm.

[0024] In this embodiment, d1 < d2 < d3 < d4. Let the inner diameter of the linear channel 1413 be A1. Then the relevant dimensional parameters satisfy 1.06 ≤ d1 / A1 ≤ 5 and d4 ≤ 7 mm, so as to obtain a better noise reduction effect while ensuring the performance of the electronic expansion valve.

[0025] The tips of the steps 1711 on the inner wall of the noise reduction section 17 are chamfered (or rounded) to improve the flow resistance performance. The end of the vertical pipe 16 connected to the valve seat 14 is provided with an enlarged diameter section. The lower end of this enlarged diameter section extends beyond the lower end of the noise reduction section 17 by a certain distance. Thus, the vertical pipe 16 and the end of the noise reduction section 17 are jointly limited to form an expansion cavity area B. This expansion cavity area B can achieve the function of further noise reduction.

[0026] In this embodiment, the depth of the four-level gradient steps 1711 is approximately equal. In other embodiments, the depth of the four-level gradient steps 1711 may also gradually increase from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412, thereby initially using relatively dense steps 1711 to continuously break and refine the bubbles in the refrigerant, and in subsequent stages using relatively sparse steps 1711 to break and refine the bubbles in the refrigerant, so as to further improve the buffering and noise reduction effect.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 The diagram shows a partial enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve.

[0028] As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, the electronic expansion valve provided by the present invention is also composed of a coil (not shown in the figure) and a valve body 10. The coil is installed on the valve body 10. The valve body 10 is further composed of a housing 11, a rotor 12, a valve needle 13, and a valve seat 14. The rotor 12 and the valve needle 13 are connected by a lead screw drive. The valve seat 14 is provided with a valve port channel 141 corresponding to the valve needle 13. The valve port channel 141 has an upper valve port 1411 and a lower valve port 1412. The inlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a horizontal connecting pipe 15, and the outlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a vertical connecting pipe 16. When working, the coil is energized to generate magnetic force, which drives the rotor 12 to rotate. The rotor 12 is converted into the up and down movement of the valve needle 13 through the drive of the lead screw, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve and thus realizing the regulation of the refrigerant flow.

[0029] A noise reduction section 17 is provided below the lower valve port 1412. By adding the noise reduction section 17, the noise generated when the refrigerant flows through the valve port can be effectively reduced.

[0030] The noise reduction part 17 and the valve seat 14 are separate structures. The valve seat 14 is provided with a noise reduction mounting hole 142 corresponding to the noise reduction part 17. The noise reduction part 17 is installed and fixed in the noise reduction mounting hole 142. The noise reduction part 17 has a multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171. The inner wall of the multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171 is divided into five continuously distributed steps 1711. The inner diameter of each step 1711 increases gradually from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412.

[0031] The valve port passage 141 includes a straight channel 1413 with a uniform inner diameter and a tapered channel 1414 with a gradually increasing inner diameter. The radial dimension of the lower valve port portion 1412 is larger than that of the upper valve port portion 1411. The upper end of the noise reduction portion 17 is provided with an extension portion 175. This extension portion 175 is an annular shape extending in the direction of the upper valve port portion 1411, and it forms a retention space 101A with the wall portion of the lower valve port portion 1412.

[0032] In this embodiment, d1 < d2 < d3 < d4 < d5. Let the inner diameter of the linear channel 1413 be A1. Then the relevant dimensional parameters satisfy 1.06 ≤ d1 / A1 ≤ 5 and d5 ≤ 7mm, so as to obtain a better noise reduction effect while ensuring the performance of the electronic expansion valve.

[0033] In this embodiment, the end of the vertical pipe 16 connected to the valve seat 14 is provided with an enlarged diameter section. The lower end of this enlarged diameter section extends beyond the lower end of the noise reduction section 17 by a certain distance, thereby forming an expanded cavity region B by the joint limitation of the vertical pipe 16 and the end of the noise reduction section 17. This expanded cavity region B can achieve the function of further noise reduction.

[0034] In this embodiment, the noise reduction mounting hole 142 is a straight hole. In other embodiments, the noise reduction mounting hole 142 can also be a stepped hole or a tapered hole. The outer wall of the noise reduction part 17 can be fixed to the noise reduction mounting hole 142 by matching the inner wall of the stepped hole or tapered hole.

[0035] Furthermore, although the depth of the five-stage gradual step 1711 in this embodiment is generally equal, in other embodiments, the depth of the five-stage gradual step 1711 may also gradually increase from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412, thereby continuously breaking and refining the bubbles in the refrigerant with a relatively dense step 1711 in the initial stage, and breaking and refining the bubbles in the refrigerant with a relatively sparse step 1711 in the subsequent stage, so as to further improve the buffering and noise reduction effect.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic expansion valve provided in the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows a partial enlarged view of the valve core and valve seat mating in the electronic expansion valve.

[0037] As shown in the figure, in the third embodiment, the electronic expansion valve provided by the present invention is also composed of a coil (not shown in the figure) and a valve body 10. The coil is installed on the valve body 10. The valve body 10 is further composed of a housing 11, a rotor 12, a valve needle 13, and a valve seat 14. The rotor 12 and the valve needle 13 are connected by a lead screw. The valve seat 14 is provided with a valve port channel 141 corresponding to the valve needle 13. The valve port channel 141 has an upper valve port 1411 and a lower valve port 1412. The inlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a horizontal connecting pipe 15, and the outlet end of the valve seat 14 is connected to a vertical connecting pipe 16. When working, the coil is energized to generate magnetic force, which drives the rotor 12 to rotate. The rotor 12 is converted into the up and down movement of the valve needle 13 through the transmission of the lead screw, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the electronic expansion valve and thus realizing the regulation of the refrigerant flow.

[0038] A noise reduction section 17 is provided below the lower valve port 1412. By adding the noise reduction section 17, the noise generated when the refrigerant flows through the valve port can be effectively reduced.

[0039] The noise reduction part 17 and the valve seat 14 are separate structures. The valve seat 14 is provided with a noise reduction mounting hole 142 corresponding to the noise reduction part 17. The noise reduction part 17 is installed and fixed in the noise reduction mounting hole 142. The noise reduction part 17 has a multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171. The inner wall of the multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171 is divided into six continuously distributed steps 1711. The inner diameter of each step 1711 increases gradually from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412.

[0040] The valve port passage 141 includes a straight channel 1413 with a uniform inner diameter and a tapered channel 1414 with a gradually increasing inner diameter. The radial dimension of the lower valve port portion 1412 is larger than that of the upper valve port portion 1411. The upper end of the noise reduction portion 17 is provided with an extension portion 175. This extension portion 175 is an annular shape extending in the direction of the upper valve port portion 1411, and it forms a retention space 101A with the wall portion of the lower valve port portion 1412.

[0041] In this embodiment, d1 < d2 < d3 < d4 < d5 < d6. Let the inner diameter of the linear channel 1413 be A1. Then the relevant dimensional parameters satisfy 1.06 ≤ d1 / A1 ≤ 5 and d6 ≤ 7 mm, so as to obtain a better noise reduction effect while ensuring the performance of the electronic expansion valve.

[0042] Specifically, the noise reduction part 17 is a thin-walled stretched part, and the noise reduction mounting hole 142 is a tapered hole with its diameter gradually increasing from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412. Since the noise reduction part 17 is a thin-walled stretched part with a generally uniform wall thickness, the outer wall of the noise reduction part 17 also has six gradually changing steps 1711.

[0043] The noise reduction unit 17 has a first end 172 and a second end 173. During installation, the first end 172 can be tightly fitted and fixed to the lower step of the valve seat 14, and the second end 173 can be fixed to the lower part of the valve seat 14 by welding or bonding, and then the vertical pipe 16 can be installed. Alternatively, the first end 172 and the second end 173 can be welded to the valve seat 14 respectively before the vertical pipe 16 is installed.

[0044] The tips of the gradually changing steps on the outer wall of the noise reduction section 17 abut against the inner wall of the noise reduction mounting hole 142, thereby forming annular silencing cavities 174 between them. The longitudinal cross-section of the annular silencing cavity 174 is triangular. By designing the annular silencing cavity 174, noise can be further absorbed, and the noise reduction performance can be improved.

[0045] It is understandable that the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the annular silencing cavity 174 will change as the shapes of the noise reduction section 17 and the noise reduction mounting hole 142 are different.

[0046] In this embodiment, the end of the vertical pipe 16 connected to the valve seat 14 is provided with an enlarged diameter section. The lower end of this enlarged diameter section extends beyond the lower end of the noise reduction section 17 by a certain distance, thereby forming an expanded cavity region B by the joint limitation of the vertical pipe 16 and the end of the noise reduction section 17. This expanded cavity region B can achieve the function of further noise reduction.

[0047] Similarly, although the depth of the six-level gradual steps 1711 in this embodiment is approximately equal, in other embodiments, the depth of the six-level gradual steps 1711 can also gradually increase from the upper valve port 1411 to the lower valve port 1412. This allows for the continuous breaking and refinement of air bubbles in the refrigerant with relatively dense steps 1711 in the initial stage, and the breaking and refinement of air bubbles in the refrigerant with relatively sparse steps 1711 in the subsequent stage, thereby further improving the buffering and noise reduction effect.

[0048] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not limited thereto. Targeted adjustments can be made according to actual needs to obtain different implementation methods. For example, the number of steps 1711 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and so on. Since there are many possible implementation methods, they will not be listed here.

[0049] During operation, the refrigerant enters the valve seat 14 from the transverse connecting pipe 15 of the electronic expansion valve. After flowing through the valve chamber of the valve seat 14, the flow rate is regulated by the axial lifting and lowering movement of the valve needle 13. The refrigerant enters the valve port channel 141 from the upper valve port 1411 of the valve seat 14. Due to the expanded cavity design of the valve port channel 141, the refrigerant flow rate is slowed down and is buffered in the stagnation space 101A. Then it enters the noise reduction section 17 below the lower valve port 1412. When the refrigerant passes through the noise reduction section 17, the noise reduction section 17... The first and last steps of the noise reduction section 17 are designed with an expanded cavity, and the inner diameter of the multi-step refrigerant flow channel 171 of the noise reduction section 17 gradually increases along the direction of refrigerant flow. The multi-step 1711 of the noise reduction section 17 can continuously break and refine the bubbles in the refrigerant. Moreover, the gradually changing inner diameter of the step 1711 can prevent the refrigerant flow rate from changing drastically when flowing through the valve port, thus playing a buffering role and relatively improving the noise, which helps to improve the quiet performance of air conditioning and other refrigeration systems.

[0050] The electronic expansion valve provided by this invention has been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the core ideas of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A noise-reducing electronic expansion valve, wherein the valve body (10) includes a housing (11), a rotor (12), a valve core, and a valve seat (14), the rotor (12) being operatively connected to the valve core, and the valve seat (14) having a valve port channel (141) corresponding to the valve core, the valve port channel (141) having an upper valve port portion (1411) and a lower valve port portion (1412), characterized in that, A noise reduction section (17) is provided below the lower valve port (1412). The noise reduction section (17) has a refrigerant flow channel (171). The inner wall of the refrigerant flow channel (171) includes multiple steps (1711). The inner diameter of each step (1711) increases progressively from the upper valve port (1411) to the lower valve port (1412). The radial dimension of the lower valve port (1412) is larger than that of the upper valve port (1411). An extension section (175) is provided at the upper end of the noise reduction section (17). (175) defines a retention space (101A) with the wall of the lower valve port (1412); the extension (175) is annular and extends toward the upper valve port (1411); the valve port channel (141) includes a straight channel (1413) with a uniform inner diameter and a tapered channel (1414) with a gradually increasing inner diameter; the end of the vertical connecting pipe (16) connected to the valve seat (14) is provided with an enlarged diameter section, the lower end of which extends beyond the lower end of the noise reduction section (17) by a certain distance, so that the vertical connecting pipe (16) and the noise reduction section... The end of part (17) is limited to form an expansion cavity area (B); let the inner diameter of the first-stage step (1711) be d1, the inner diameter of the last-stage step (1711) be dn, and the inner diameter of the straight channel (1413) be A1, then 1.06≤d1 / A1≤5, and dn≤7mm; the noise reduction part (17) and the valve seat (14) are separate connection structures, the valve seat (14) is provided with a noise reduction mounting hole (142) corresponding to the noise reduction part (17), and the noise reduction part (17) is installed and fixed in the noise reduction mounting hole (142). 42); The noise reduction mounting hole (142) is a tapered hole, and its diameter gradually increases from the upper valve port (1411) to the lower valve port (1412); The outer wall of the noise reduction part (17) includes multiple steps (1711), and the noise reduction part (17) is a thin-walled tensile member. The multiple steps (1711) on its outer wall and the multiple steps (1711) on its inner wall define a generally uniform wall thickness; The tips of each step (1711) on the outer wall of the noise reduction part (17) are supported on the inner wall of the noise reduction mounting hole (142).

2. The noise-reducing electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the refrigerant flow channel (171) includes at least three levels of gradually changing steps (1711).

3. The noise-reducing electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The various steps (1711) on the outer wall of the noise reduction part (17) and the inner wall of the noise reduction mounting hole (142) respectively form annular silencing cavities (174).

4. The noise-reducing electronic expansion valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, At least part of the annular silencing cavity (174) has a triangular longitudinal cross section.

5. The noise-reducing electronic expansion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The tips of the steps (1711) on the inner wall of the noise reduction part (17) are provided with chamfers or rounded transitions.

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