Refrigerant control valve device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerant control valve devices face issues with maintaining stable contact pressure of the seal body during valve operation and changes in refrigerant pressure, leading to potential sealing property deterioration.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerant control valve device incorporates a spherical rotor with a ring-shaped seal member and a biasing member, featuring equal-sized pressure receiving surfaces to balance refrigerant pressure, a packing body between the seal member and housing, and a convex portion to enhance sealing, ensuring consistent sealing performance across varying pressure conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal body is biased against the valve body to maintain sealing contact, then sealing property is improved, but the contact pressure becomes unstable when refrigerant pressure changes or valve operates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second pressure receiving surface that acts as a counterbalance to the first pressure receiving surface. When refrigerant pressure increases, it applies force to both surfaces simultaneously, creating opposing forces that cancel each other out. This counterbalancing mechanism maintains stable contact pressure between the seal body and valve body despite pressure changes, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sealing contact and preserving contact pressure stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the pressure distribution parameters by creating two pressure receiving surfaces with specific area relationships. The first pressure receiving surface area is designed to be larger than the second, allowing the system to maintain stable contact pressure through controlled pressure differential. This parameter change enables the seal body to remain stably contacted against the valve body while accommodating refrigerant pressure variations.
2Reliability
If the valve body is in closed posture to prevent refrigerant leakage, then sealing is maintained, but pressure balance on the seal body becomes unstable during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The second pressure receiving surface serves as a counterbalance mechanism that stabilizes pressure distribution on the seal body during valve operation. When the valve transitions between open and closed positions, refrigerant pressure fluctuates, but the opposing forces generated by the two pressure receiving surfaces cancel out these fluctuations, maintaining stable pressure balance and preventing seal failure during dynamic operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If equal area pressure receiving surfaces are used to balance refrigerant pressure, then contact pressure stability is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The seal body is designed to perform multiple functions: it maintains sealing contact with the valve body, balances refrigerant pressure through its pressure receiving surfaces, and stabilizes contact pressure during operation. By integrating these functions into a single component rather than adding separate mechanisms, the patent achieves pressure balance and stability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the sealing function and pressure balancing function into a single seal body structure. The pressure receiving surfaces are integrated directly into the seal body, eliminating the need for separate pressure balancing mechanisms. This merging of functions achieves contact pressure stability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 stabilizes the sealing property by canceling out refrigerant pressures and applying only the biasing force, preventing leaks and maintaining effective sealing regardless of valve operation or pressure changes, suitable for various refrigerant flow directions and pressures.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force to the seal member in a direction toward the spherical center of the rotor
Implementation Method 2
the seal member includes a first pressure receiving surface configured to receive a pressure applied from the refrigerant in a direction identical to a biasing direction of the biasing member, and a second pressure receiving surface having an area that is substantially equal to that of the first pressure receiving surface, and configured to receive a pressure applied by the refrigerant in a direction opposite to the biasing direction
Implementation Method 3
a packing body provided between the housing and an outer diameter portion of the seal member, and formed to be slidably abutted on the outer diameter portion of the seal member
Data Source
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AI summary
A refrigerant control valve device (V) includes: a spherical rotor (3) having an opening (33) and rotating about a rotation axis (X); a housing (A) including at least one circumferential port (US, US1, US2), and an axial port (PS), the housing allowing a refrigerant to flow therein and the rotor being accommodated in the housing; at least one hole (32) formed in the rotor and allowing the internal space of the rotor and the circumferential port to communicate with each other when the rotor rotates; a ring-shaped seal member (41) installed coaxially with the circumferential port; a biasing member (44) applying a biasing force to the seal member; a packing body (42) provided between the housing and an outer diameter portion (41 c) of the seal member; and a fixing member (45) holding the packing body with the housing in a direction in which the circumferential port extends.