Thermal Expansion Valve Sealing Structure for Low-Friction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing thermal expansion valves face issues with unreliable sealing, high frictional resistance, and processing difficulties due to the use of transmission seals, which affect the accuracy and sensitivity of the valve, and are complicated by pressure influences from refrigerant in connecting chambers.
Innovation Solution
A thermal expansion valve design featuring flexible sealing members between the transmission component and the valve core component, with static sealing structures that eliminate pressure influences and reduce processing complexities, improving sealing reliability and sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmission seals are used to separate chambers in the thermal expansion valve, then sealing between moving parts is achieved, but sealing reliability deteriorates and frictional resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transmission seal from the system by redesigning the chamber separation method. Instead of using transmission seals between moving parts, the patent uses static sealing structures (sealing rings, sealing grooves) on the valve body to separate chambers, eliminating the harmful friction and unreliable sealing of transmission seals while maintaining necessary chamber isolation.
2Reliability
If transmission seals are used to separate chambers, then chamber isolation is achieved, but device complexity increases due to additional sealing components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function with the valve body structure itself. Static sealing rings and sealing grooves are integrated directly into the valve body, combining the chamber isolation function with the existing structural components rather than adding separate transmission seal mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If static sealing structures with flexible sealing members are used, then sealing reliability improves, but processing difficulty increases due to precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating sealing requirements to specific localized areas (sealing grooves, sealing rings) on the valve body rather than requiring high-precision processing across entire moving components. This allows static sealing structures to achieve reliable sealing while maintaining ease of manufacture through focused, manageable machining zones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances sealing reliability, reduces frictional resistance, and simplifies processing, achieving improved accuracy and sensitivity by using flexible sealing members with static sealing structures to manage pressure influences.
Implementation Method 1
a first flexible sealing member which is arranged between the transmission component and an upper end portion of the valve core component and has a first edge portion connected to the valve body in a sealing manner
Implementation Method 2
A main function of the thermal expansion valve is to control the valve opening by sensing a degree of superheat at an outlet end of the evaporator or an inlet end of the compressor in the refrigerating system, thereby adjusting a flow rate of the refrigerant and realizing the throttling and depressurizing of the system
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal expansion valve comprises a valve body and a valve core member. The valve body is provided with a first connecting chamber, a lower cavity with a transmission member built in, and a first sealing member for separating the first connecting chamber and the lower cavity. A fifth pressure-bearing surface and a sixth pressure-bearing surface, pressed by a cold medium in the first connecting chamber in opposite directions, are disposed on a side wall of the valve core member. The first sealing member comprises a first flexible sealing element, disposed between the transmission member and an upper end portion of the valve core member and having a first edge portion connected to the valve body in a sealing manner. A sum of an effective stress area of a first pressure-bearing surface of the first flexible sealing element and a stress area of the fifth pressure-bearing surface is substantially equal to a sum of an effective stress area of a third pressure-bearing surface of the upper end portion of the valve core member and a stress area of the sixth pressure-bearing surface. Through the design of the structure of the thermal expansion valve, in an aspect, reliability of sealing between the valve body and the upper end portion of the valve core member can be ensured, sensitivity of the valve is improved, and difficulty of manufacturing the valve body and the valve core member can be reduced; and in another aspect, pressure influence caused by the cold medium in the first connecting chamber on the movement of the valve core member can be eliminated.