Flow passage switching valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow channel switching valves in heat pump systems suffer from non-uniform pressure distribution on the contact face, leading to reduced sealing properties, operability, and stability, and increased valve leakage due to the larger pressure receiving area compared to the contact area of the high-pressure side slide valve element.
Innovation Solution
The design features an annular seal face with a protruding face portion around the opening of the high-pressure side U-turn passage, where the outer shape of the pressure receiving face is larger than the annular seal face, and an annular seal member is used between the high-pressure and low-pressure side slide valve elements, ensuring uniform pressure distribution and improved sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pressure receiving area of the high-pressure side slide valve element is made larger than the contact area, then the sealing force is improved, but the pressure distribution becomes non-uniform leading to reduced sealing properties and increased valve leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a protruding face portion at a specific location on the contact face of the high-pressure side slide valve element. This local structural modification creates a concentrated pressure receiving area that compensates for the non-uniform pressure distribution, ensuring adequate sealing force at the critical sealing location without requiring an overall increase in the pressure receiving area.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding face portion is designed to receive pressure in advance before the main sealing contact occurs. This preliminary pressure reception helps establish uniform pressure distribution across the contact face, preventing the non-uniform distribution that would otherwise lead to reduced sealing properties and valve leakage.
2Reliability
If the pressure receiving area is increased to improve sealing force, then sealing properties are enhanced, but valve leakage increases due to non-uniform pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly increasing the pressure receiving area, the invention adds a localized protruding face portion that concentrates pressure reception at the critical sealing location. This local enhancement improves sealing properties while maintaining uniform overall pressure distribution, thereby preventing valve leakage.
3Ease of operation
If the contact face area is reduced to improve valve operability, then operability is enhanced, but sealing properties deteriorate due to insufficient pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding face portion creates a localized pressure concentration zone that maintains adequate sealing force even when the overall contact face area is reduced. This allows the valve to maintain good operability with a smaller contact face while the protruding portion ensures sufficient sealing properties through concentrated pressure reception.
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
This configuration ensures excellent sealing properties, operability, and stability, effectively preventing valve leakage by distributing pressure uniformly across the contact face, enhancing the overall performance of the flow channel switching valve.
Implementation Method 1
an annular seal face of the high-pressure side slide valve element is pressed against the valve seat face of the main valve mount due to the pressure difference between the pressure applied by the pressure chamber (or the high-pressure refrigerant therein) and the pressure applied by the refrigerant (i.e., high-pressure refrigerant) flowing through the high-pressure side U-turn passage
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a flow channel switching valve that can ensure an excellent sealing property, operability, and stability, and can effectively prevent valve leakage. As seen in the horizontal direction (i.e., direction perpendicular to axis), the outer shape of the pressure receiving face (i.e., pressure receiving area Sc) of a first slide valve element (i.e., high-pressure side slide valve element) 15A adjacent to a second slide valve element (i.e., low-pressure side slide valve element) 15B (i.e., on the back pressure side) is set larger than the outer shape of an annular seal face 15s (or contact area Sb thereof) of the first slide valve element 15A.