U.S. patent application number 11/701497 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-09 for expansion device.
This patent application is currently assigned to TGK CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hisatoshi Hirota, Ryosuke Satake, Masaaki Tonegawa, Tokumi Tsugawa.
Application Number | 20070180854 11/701497 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38117056 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070180854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hirota; Hisatoshi ; et
al. |
August 9, 2007 |
Expansion device
Abstract
To provide an expansion device which controls high pressure-side
pressure such that the pressure does not exceed a predetermined
pressure in terms of absolute pressure, while operating in response
to differential pressure between pressure at an inlet thereof and
pressure at an outlet thereof. An expansion device comprises an
orifice for expanding refrigerant, a valve element disposed on a
downstream side of a valve hole and urged by a shape-memory alloy
spring in a valve-opening direction, a shaft disposed to extend
through the valve hole and having one end thereof rigidly fixed to
the valve element, and a spring provided at the other end of the
shaft, for receiving load generated by differential pressure
between pressure of refrigerant at an inlet of the device and
pressure of refrigerant at an outlet thereof, in a valve-opening
direction. The shape-memory alloy spring senses the temperature of
refrigerant on the downstream side to perform temperature-dependent
correction of a set value of the differential pressure for opening
the valve element. Therefore, pressure on an upstream side of the
valve hole is controlled as if by absolute pressure. Further, when
the pressure on the upstream side exceeds a predetermined pressure,
the spring is bent to open the expansion valve, and hence the
pressure is prevented from rising above the predetermined
pressure.
Inventors: |
Hirota; Hisatoshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Tsugawa; Tokumi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Tonegawa;
Masaaki; (Tokyo, JP) ; Satake; Ryosuke;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WESTERMAN, HATTORI, DANIELS & ADRIAN, LLP
1250 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, NW, SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Assignee: |
TGK CO., LTD.
Hachioji-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
38117056 |
Appl. No.: |
11/701497 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/527 ; 62/222;
62/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 41/31 20210101;
F25B 2341/0683 20130101; F25B 40/00 20130101; F25B 2500/18
20130101; F25B 2309/061 20130101; F25B 2600/2505 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/527 ; 62/222;
62/513 |
International
Class: |
F25B 41/04 20060101
F25B041/04; F25B 41/00 20060101 F25B041/00; F25B 41/06 20060101
F25B041/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 7, 2006 |
JP |
2006-029557 |
Sep 20, 2006 |
JP |
2006-254254 |
Claims
1. An expansion device for expanding refrigerant circulating
through a refrigeration cycle, comprising: a differential pressure
control valve for being opened by differential pressure between
pressure of the refrigerant on an upstream side and pressure of the
refrigerant on a downstream side; a spring disposed such that said
spring urges said differential pressure control valve in a
valve-closing direction, for opening said differential pressure
control valve when the differential pressure becomes a value not
lower than a predetermined value; and an actuator disposed on the
downstream side, for correcting the predetermined value of the
differential pressure at which said differential pressure control
valve opens, according to a change in temperature or pressure of
the refrigerant on the downstream side.
2. The expansion device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator
is a low temperature-side temperature-sensing section which is
disposed on the downstream side, for urging a valve element of said
differential pressure control valve in a valve-opening direction,
and corrects the predetermined value such that the predetermined
value is made lower according to a rise in the temperature of the
refrigerant on the downstream side.
3. The expansion device according to claim 2, wherein said low
temperature-side temperature-sensing section is a shape-memory
alloy spring whose load for correcting the predetermined value of
the differential pressure at which said differential pressure
control valve opens, is changed according to a change in the
temperature of the refrigerant on the downstream side within a
predetermined temperature range.
4. The expansion device according to claim 1, comprising an orifice
provided parallel with a valve hole of said differential pressure
control valve, for bypassing said differential pressure control
valve.
5. The expansion device according to claim 2, comprising a shaft
disposed in a manner extending through a valve hole and having one
end thereof rigidly fixed to said valve element disposed on a
downstream side of the valve hole, for transmitting a force
generated by the differential pressure in a direction of opening or
closing said valve element, and wherein the other end of said shaft
is engaged with said spring disposed on an upstream side of the
valve hole in a direction in which said spring is further bent as
the differential pressure becomes higher, said spring receiving a
load in a direction in which said spring is further bent as the
temperature of the refrigerant on the downstream side becomes
higher, via said shaft, whereby temperature-dependent correction is
performed by said low temperature-side temperature-sensing
section.
6. The expansion device according to claim 5, comprising a high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section disposed in series
with said spring, in a manner urging said differential pressure
control valve in the valve-closing direction from the upstream side
thereof, for shifting the predetermined value corrected by said low
temperature-side temperature-sensing section, according to a change
in the temperature of the refrigerant on the upstream side.
7. The expansion device according to claim 6, wherein said high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section is a shape-memory
alloy spring whose spring load changes according to the change in
the temperature of the refrigerant on the upstream side.
8. The expansion device according to claim 7, wherein a biasing
spring is disposed parallel with said shape-memory alloy
spring.
9. The expansion device according to claim 7, comprising a first
spring-receiving member disposed between said spring and said high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section, and a stopper rigidly
fixed to said shaft, and wherein when said high temperature-side
temperature-sensing section senses a temperature not lower than the
predetermined value, said stopper restricts an increase in the
spring load of said first spring-receiving member.
10. The expansion device according to claim 9, wherein said
shape-memory alloy spring is accommodated in a bottomed hollow
cylindrical body in a state in which a spring load thereof is
adjusted via a second spring-receiving member.
11. The expansion device according to claim 10, comprising a shaft
disposed in a manner extending through the valve hole and the
hollow cylindrical body, and having one end thereof rigidly fixed
to said valve element, for transmitting a force generated by the
differential pressure in the direction of opening said valve
element, and wherein the other end of said shaft is engaged with
said second spring-receiving member within said hollow cylindrical
body in a direction in which said shape-memory alloy spring is
further bent as the differential pressure becomes higher.
12. The expansion device according to claim 6, wherein said
differential pressure control valve which is opened by bending of
said spring occurring when the differential pressure becomes higher
than the predetermined value is set to a predetermined very small
opening degree when the differential pressure is not higher than
the predetermined value.
13. The expansion device according to claim 5, comprising another
spring disposed in series with said spring in a manner urging said
differential pressure control valve in the valve-closing direction
from the upstream side thereof, for progressively opening said
differential pressure control valve from a set differential
pressure lower than the predetermined value.
14. The expansion device according to claim 2, comprising another
differential pressure control valve disposed such that said another
differential pressure functions in parallel with said differential
pressure control valve, for being opened by differential pressure
lower than the predetermined value at which said spring opens said
differential pressure control valve.
15. The expansion device according to claim 1, wherein said
actuator is a low temperature-side pressure-sensing section which
is disposed such that said actuator receives, via said spring, a
valve element of said differential pressure control valve which is
moved on the downstream side in a valve-opening direction by the
differential pressure, and acts in a direction of decreasing a
spring load of said spring according to a rise in the pressure of
the refrigerant on the downstream side to thereby correct the
predetermined value in a decreasing direction.
16. The expansion device according to claim 15, wherein said low
temperature-side pressure-sensing section is a power element in
which a diaphragm is hermetically held between a first housing
having a center projected outward and a second housing having an
opening in a center, and a disc spring provided within said first
housing, for supporting, from inside, said diaphragm displaced in
the valve-opening direction of said differential pressure control
valve by the pressure of the refrigerant on the downstream
side.
17. The expansion device according to claim 16, wherein a chamber
of said power element within which said disc spring is accommodated
is held under vacuum.
18. The expansion device according to claim 16, wherein a chamber
of said power element within which said disc spring is accommodated
is filled with gas, and a stopper is formed on the second housing,
for restricting inflation of said diaphragm.
19. The expansion device according to claim 15, comprising another
differential pressure control valve disposed such that said another
differential pressure functions in parallel with said differential
pressure control valve, for being opened by differential pressure
lower than the predetermined value at which said spring opens said
differential pressure control valve.
20. An expansion device for expanding refrigerant circulating
through a refrigeration cycle, comprising: an orifice provided
between a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; a
differential pressure control valve disposed parallel with said
orifice, for being opened by differential pressure between pressure
of the refrigerant at the refrigerant inlet and pressure of the
refrigerant at the refrigerant outlet; a spring disposed such that
said spring urges said differential pressure control valve in a
valve-closing direction, for opening said differential pressure
control valve when the differential pressure becomes not lower than
a predetermined value; and set differential pressure-correcting
means disposed at the refrigerant outlet, for correcting a set
differential pressure by changing a load of said spring according
to a change in temperature or pressure of the refrigerant at the
refrigerant outlet, such that a pressure on an upstream side at
which said differential pressure control valve opens is not
changed.
21. The expansion device according to claim 20, wherein said set
differential pressure-correcting means corrects the set
differential pressure in a decreasing direction as the temperature
or the pressure of the refrigerant at the refrigerant outlet
becomes higher.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION, IF ANY
[0001] This application claims priority of Japanese Application No.
2006-29557 filed on Feb. 7, 2006, entitled "Expansion Device", and
No. 2006-254254 filed on Sep. 20, 2006, entitled "Expansion
Device".
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] (1) Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an expansion device, and
more particularly to an expansion device for expanding refrigerant
in a refrigeration cycle for an automotive air conditioner.
[0004] (2) Background Art
[0005] A refrigeration cycle for an automotive air conditioner has
been proposed from the viewpoint of global environmental problems,
which uses carbon dioxide or the like as refrigerant for use in the
refrigeration cycle. In the refrigeration cycle using carbon
dioxide as refrigerant, component elements have pressure resistant
structures such that they can withstand high pressure, since the
operating pressure of the refrigeration cycle using carbon dioxide
is high. Further, in a compressor for compressing the refrigerant
and an expansion device for expanding the compressed refrigerant,
when the high pressure of the refrigerant enters a dangerous region
from a pressure-withstanding viewpoint, control for reducing the
pressure is carried out, or the compressor and the expansion device
are configured to be capable of lowering the pressure.
[0006] For example, an expansion device is known which is
configured such that a high pressure-side pressure of refrigerant
at an inlet of the refrigerant is compared with the atmospheric
pressure, and when the high pressure-side pressure exceeds a
predetermined pressure, the expansion device opens the valve to
lower the high pressure-side pressure (see e.g. Japanese Unexamined
Patent Publication No. 2004-142701 (FIGS. 2 and 5)). This expansion
device comprises a bellows which externally receives the pressure
of refrigerant introduced into the refrigerant inlet of the
expansion device, for contracting as the pressure of refrigerant
rises, and has an inside thereof open to the atmosphere, and a
valve mechanism which opens as the bellows contracts. With this
arrangement, the bellows compares the high pressure-side pressure
of refrigerant introduced into the refrigerant inlet of the
expansion device with the atmospheric pressure, and when the
pressure of refrigerant exceeds predetermined pressure, which is
considered to be dangerous to the refrigeration cycle from the
pressure-withstanding viewpoint, the bellows contracts, and the
valve mechanism proportionally opens in response to the contraction
of the bellows to lower the pressure. Thus, the bellows senses the
high pressure-side pressure of refrigerant at the refrigerant inlet
in terms of absolute pressure to control the valve mechanism,
whereby prevention of the high pressure-side pressure of
refrigerant at the refrigerant inlet from becoming higher than
predetermined pressure can be effected to some extent.
[0007] Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
2004-142701 discloses another expansion device having the structure
of a differential pressure control valve which does not sense the
high pressure-side pressure in terms of absolute pressure, but
operates in response to differential pressure between pressure at a
refrigerant inlet and pressure at a refrigerant outlet. The
expansion device is configured such that when the differential
pressure between the pressure at the refrigerant inlet and the
pressure at the refrigerant outlet exceeds a predetermined
pressure, the expansion device opens the differential pressure
control valve to lower the pressure at the refrigerant inlet.
[0008] As described above, since the expansion device is configured
to limit pressure on the high-pressure side, there is no fear that
the pressure on the high-pressure side becomes abnormally high.
Further, the pressure on the high-pressure side is high when a high
cooling power is demanded of the refrigeration cycle, and therefore
in such a case, even if the compressor is operating with its
maximum displacement, and the pressure on the high-pressure side
exceeds the predetermined pressure, there is no need to control the
discharge pressure such that it is lowered, on the compressor side,
which makes it possible to operate the compressor efficiently at
high discharge pressure, thereby enabling the refrigeration cycle
to maintain a high cooling power.
[0009] However, in the conventional expansion devices, although the
expansion device using the bellows can sense high pressure-side
pressure in terms of absolute pressure for control, it is necessary
to take into account the pressure-withstanding property of the
bellows that directly receives the high pressure, whereas in the
case of the expansion device having the structure of a differential
pressure control valve, high pressure-side pressure is represented
by a value obtained by adding low pressure side-pressure to the
differential pressure between the pressure at the refrigerant inlet
and the pressure at the refrigerant outlet, so that if the low
pressure side-pressure undergoes a change, the high pressure-side
pressure is directly influenced by the change, which makes it
impossible to control the high pressure-side pressure in terms of
absolute pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above
points, and an object thereof is to provide an expansion device
which operates in response to differential pressure between
pressure of refrigerant at an inlet and pressure of refrigerant at
an outlet, and when pressure on a high-pressure side exceeds a
predetermined pressure in terms of absolute pressure, functions as
a pressure relief valve.
[0011] To solve the above problem, the present invention provides
an expansion device for expanding refrigerant circulating through a
refrigeration cycle, comprising a differential pressure control
valve for being opened by differential pressure between pressure of
the refrigerant on an upstream side and pressure of the refrigerant
on a downstream side, a spring disposed such that the spring urges
the differential pressure control valve in a valve-closing
direction, for opening the differential pressure control valve when
the differential pressure becomes a value not lower than a
predetermined value, and an actuator disposed on the downstream
side, for correcting the predetermined value of the differential
pressure at which the differential pressure control valve opens,
according to a change in temperature or pressure of the refrigerant
on the downstream side.
[0012] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present
invention by way of example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a refrigeration cycle to
which an expansion device according to a first embodiment is
applied.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a Mollier chart of carbon
dioxide.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of the expansion device according to the first
embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a valve-opening characteristic
of the expansion device according to the first embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a second
embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a third
embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a fourth
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a fifth
embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a valve-opening characteristic
of the expansion device according to the fifth embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a sixth
embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a seventh
embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to an eighth
embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a ninth
embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 14 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a tenth
embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to an eleventh
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Hereafter, embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail with reference to the drawings showing
expansion devices applied to a refrigeration cycle using carbon
dioxide as refrigerant, by way of example.
[0029] FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a refrigeration cycle to
which an expansion device according to a first embodiment is
applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a Mollier chart of carbon
dioxide. FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of the expansion device according to the first
embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a valve-opening
characteristic of the expansion device according to the first
embodiment.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigeration cycle comprises a
compressor 1 for compressing refrigerant, a gas cooler 2 for
cooling the compressed refrigerant, an expansion device 3 for
throttling and expanding the cooled refrigerant, an evaporator 4
for evaporating the expanded refrigerant, an accumulator 5 for
storing surplus refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle and
separating refrigerant in a gaseous phase from the evaporated
refrigerant to send the separated refrigerant to the compressor 1,
and an internal heat exchanger 6 for performing heat exchange
between refrigerant flowing from the gas cooler 2 to the expansion
device 3 and refrigerant flowing from the accumulator 5 to the
compressor 1. In FIG. 1, arrows indicate flows of refrigerant.
[0031] As indicated by A-B-C-D-A in FIG. 2, the refrigeration cycle
operates such that refrigerant in a gaseous phase is compressed
into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant by the compressor
1 (A-B); the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant is cooled
by the gas cooler 2 (B-C); the cooled refrigerant is throttled and
expanded to be changed into low-temperature, low-pressure
refrigerant by the expansion device 3 (C-D); and the
low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant is evaporated by the
evaporator 4 (D-A). In the process in which refrigerant is expanded
by the expansion device 3, when the pressure of the refrigerant
becomes lower than the saturated vapor line SL, the refrigerant is
changed into a two-phase gas-liquid state, and when the refrigerant
in the two-phase gas-liquid state is evaporated by the evaporator
4, it cools air in the vehicle compartment by depriving the air of
latent heat of vaporization.
[0032] Further, in the refrigeration cycle using carbon dioxide as
refrigerant, it is a common practice to dispose the internal heat
exchanger 6 that performs heat exchange between refrigerant at an
outlet port of the gas cooler 2 and refrigerant at the outlet of
the evaporator 4, so as to lower the enthalpy of refrigerant at the
inlet of the evaporator 4 to thereby enhance the cooling power of
the refrigeration cycle.
[0033] The internal heat exchanger 6 is formed therein with a
high-pressure passage for allowing high-pressure refrigerant
introduced from the gas cooler 2 to flow therethrough, and a
low-pressure passage for allowing low-pressure refrigerant
introduced from the accumulator 5 to flow therethrough, and the
expansion device 3 is disposed at the outlet of the high-pressure
passage.
[0034] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a body 11 of the
internal heat exchanger 6 is formed therein with the high-pressure
passage 12 for allowing the high-pressure refrigerant introduced
from the gas cooler 2 to flow therethrough to the outlet thereof,
and has a mounting hole 13 formed at an end of the high-pressure
passage 12, for having the expansion device 3 mounted therein. In a
state of the expansion device 3 being mounted in the mounting hole
13, a pipe 14 communicating with the evaporator 14 is fitted to an
open end of the mounting hole 13 with locking screws 10 which are
screwed into the body 11. The pipe 14 is formed to have an inner
diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the expansion
device 3 such that the expansion device 3 is prevented from being
removed from the mounting hole 13 by the high-pressure
refrigerant.
[0035] The expansion device 3 disposed in the internal heat
exchanger 6 has a body 21. A central portion of the body 21 has a
refrigerant-introducing groove 22 circumferentially formed in an
outer periphery thereof, for introducing refrigerant from the
high-pressure passage 12. The refrigerant-introducing groove 22 is
formed with a refrigerant inlet 23 which extends toward the center
of the body 21. Further, in the center of a lower portion of the
body 21, there is axially formed a valve hole 24, and the upstream
side of the valve hole 24 is communicated with the refrigerant
inlet 23. Further, a valve element 25 is axially movably disposed
on the downstream side of the valve hole 24, for opening and
closing the valve hole 24. The valve element 25 has an outer
diameter larger than the inner diameter of the valve hole 24 such
that the pressure of refrigerant introduced into the refrigerant
inlet 23 is received in the valve-opening direction, and is urged
in the valve-opening direction by a shape-memory alloy spring 26
forming a temperature-sensing section. It should be noted that the
setting of the spring load of the shape-memory alloy spring 26 is
adjusted by axially adjusting the position of a hollow cylindrical
spring-receiving member 27 externally fixedly fitted on the valve
element 25, with respect to the valve element 25. Furthermore, an
orifice 28 is formed in the body 11 in a manner bypassing the valve
hole 24.
[0036] Further, the body 11 axially movably holds a shaft 29
extending along the axis thereof. The shaft 29 has a lower end, as
viewed in FIG. 3, which extends through the valve hole 24 and is
rigidly press-fitted in the valve element 25, and an upper end, as
viewed in the figure, which is integrally formed with a
large-diameter engaging portion for engagement with a
spring-receiving member 30. The shaft 29 is urged in the
valve-closing direction via the spring-receiving member 30 by a
spring 31. Thus, the expansion device 3 forms a differential
pressure control valve which opens and closes by the differential
pressure between pressure on the upstream side of the valve hole 24
and pressure on the downstream side thereof. It should be noted
that the spring 31 is set to such a spring load as will bend to
open the differential pressure control valve when the pressure on
the inlet side of the expansion device 3 exceeds an upper limit of
a control range of the spring load, e.g. 13 MPa. The setting of the
spring load is adjusted by the amount of press-fitting of the shaft
29 into the valve element 25.
[0037] The shape-memory alloy spring 26 disposed on the
low-pressure side of the differential pressure control valve has a
feature that a spring load thereof is reversibly changed with
respect to the cycle of temperature, and has characteristics that
its spring load is small at temperature lower than the
transformation temperature, whereas at temperature higher than the
transformation temperature, the spring load becomes larger in
proportion to a change in temperature. Therefore, the shape-memory
alloy spring 26 serves as a temperature-sensing actuator which
gives a spring load corresponding to the temperature of refrigerant
on the low-pressure side to thereby control pressure on the
high-pressure side, forming a low temperature-side
temperature-sensing section.
[0038] It should be noted that an O ring 32 is fitted on the outer
periphery of the body 21 at a location below the
refrigerant-introducing groove 22, as viewed in FIG. 3, for sealing
between the high-pressure passage 12 and the pipe 14 when the
expansion device 3 is mounted in the mounting hole 13. Similarly,
an O ring 33 is disposed between the body 11 and the pipe 14 at a
location inside the locking screws 15 screwed into the body 11 for
fixing the pipe 14, for sealing the low-pressure side of the
expansion device 3 from the atmosphere.
[0039] In the expansion device 3 configured as above, when the
differential pressure between pressure on the inlet side and
pressure on the outlet side is small, the spring 31 is not bent by
the differential pressure, and hence the differential pressure
control valve remains closed. At this time, the high-pressure
refrigerant having passed through the internal heat exchanger 6
flows through the orifice 28, and when having flowed out from the
orifice 28, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded to be changed
into the low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant, and is sent
into the evaporator 4 via the pipe 14.
[0040] Until the inlet pressure of refrigerant at the inlet of the
expansion device 3 rises up to 13 MPa, which is the upper limit of
the control range, as shown in FIG. 4, the expansion device 3 has a
fixed restriction passage cross-sectional area determined by the
cross-sectional area of the orifice 28. When the inlet pressure at
the inlet of the expansion device 3 has reached 13 MPa, the
differential pressure control valve overcomes the urging force of
the spring 31 in the valve-closing direction, to open. The valve
hole 24 of the differential pressure control valve has a
sufficiently larger diameter than that of the orifice 28, and
therefore when the inlet pressure at the inlet of the expansion
device 3 exceeds a valve-opening point, the restriction passage
cross-sectional area of the expansion device 3 suddenly increases.
This causes the inlet pressure to be always held not higher than
the valve-opening point.
[0041] On the other hand, the shape-memory alloy spring 26 disposed
on the low-pressure side of the differential pressure control valve
senses the outlet temperature of refrigerant having flowed out from
the expansion device 3, and when the outlet temperature is high,
the shape-memory alloy spring 26 acts on the differential pressure
control valve in the valve-opening direction, whereas when the
outlet temperature of refrigerant is low, it acts on the
differential pressure control valve in the valve-closing direction.
More specifically, when the outlet temperature of refrigerant is
higher than martensitic transformation temperature of the
shape-memory alloy spring 26, the shape-memory alloy spring 26 is
changed into an austenite phase in which it has a characteristic
that its spring load is largely changed according to temperature.
As a result, the shape-memory alloy spring 26 has a spring load
that changes according to a change in the outlet temperature of
refrigerant, to thereby apply load corresponding to the outlet
temperature to the valve element 25 in the valve-opening
direction.
[0042] For example, when the outlet temperature of the expansion
device 3 is 10.degree. C., according to the FIG. 2 Mollier chart,
the low pressure side-pressure is approximately 4.6 MPa. Therefore,
the shape-memory alloy spring 26 is configured to generate a spring
load corresponding to the pressure when the temperature is
10.degree. C. At this time, the differential pressure control valve
is so adjusted as to be opened by a differential pressure of 8.4
MPa. This causes the inlet pressure of the expansion device 3 to be
specifically set to be 13 MPa, which is obtained by adding 8.4 MPa,
which is a differential pressure as a relative value with respect
to 4.6 MPa, which corresponds to the outlet temperature of
refrigerant, to 4.6 MPa. At this time, pressure in the
refrigeration cycle changes in the cycle of A-B-C-D-A.
[0043] Here, assuming that the outlet temperature of the expansion
device 3 has risen to 20.degree. C., the spring load of the
shape-memory alloy spring 26 is increased to act on the
differential pressure control valve in the valve-opening direction.
At this time, the differential pressure at which the differential
pressure control valve opens is changed to approximately 7.15 MPa,
as is apparent from FIG. 2. When the outlet temperature of the
expansion device 3 is 20.degree. C., the pressure of refrigerant is
approximately 5.85 MPa, and hence the inlet pressure of the
expansion device 3 is set to 13 MPa. At this time, pressure in the
refrigeration cycle changes in the cycle of A'-B-C-D'-A'.
[0044] As described above, when a high cooling power is demanded,
and the compressor 1 is operating with its maximum displacement,
the expansion device 3 senses the differential pressure between the
inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and the outlet temperature,
and performs temperature-dependent correction of the differential
pressure by adding the differential pressure to a pressure
corresponding to the outlet temperature, whereby the expansion
device 3 operates as if the inlet pressure is controlled by
absolute pressure. Moreover, when the inlet pressure exceeds 13
MPa, the differential pressure control valve serves simply as a
pressure relief valve to suddenly open, so that the inlet pressure
is controlled to be held at 13 MPa, which prevents the inlet
pressure from rising abnormally.
[0045] FIG. 5 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a second
embodiment. In FIG. 5, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0046] The expansion device 3a according to the second embodiment
is distinguished from the expansion device 3 according to the first
embodiment in that it is configured to sense the temperature of
refrigerant at the inlet of the expansion device 3 such that the
refrigeration cycle can be operated efficiently.
[0047] More specifically, in the expansion device 3a, the body 21
has an upper portion, as viewed in FIG. 5, which has a tubular
cylinder formed in one piece with therewith which accommodates the
spring 31 that is bent by the inlet pressure exceeding 13 MPa to
act on the differential pressure control valve to open the same,
and a shape-memory alloy spring 41 for sensing the inlet
temperature in a state arranged in series. A biasing spring 42 is
arranged parallel with the shape-memory alloy spring 41, for
adjusting the characteristic of the shape-memory alloy spring 41.
More specifically, the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the biasing
spring 42 are arranged between the spring-receiving member 30
engaged with an engaging portion integrally formed with an upper
end, as viewed in FIG. 5, of the shaft 29, and a spring-receiving
member 43 through the center of which the shaft 29 loosely extends,
and the spring 31 is disposed between the spring-receiving member
43 and the bottom of the tubular cylinder. An upward motion, as
viewed in FIG. 6, of the spring-receiving member 43 is restricted
by an adjustment member 44 press-fitted into the cylinder, and a
downward motion thereof, as viewed in FIG. 6, is restricted by a
stopper 45 rigidly fixed to the shaft 29.
[0048] The adjustment member 44 is press-fitted into the cylinder
until it reaches a position where it is brought into abutment with
the spring 31 fully extended to a no spring-load status. With this
arrangement, even when a force of the inlet pressure in the
valve-opening direction acts on the spring 31 via the shaft 29, and
the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the biasing spring 42, the
spring 31 is not bent is so for as the inlet pressure is not higher
than 13 MPa, and when the inlet pressure exceeds 13 MPa, the spring
31 is bent to quickly open the differential pressure control
valve.
[0049] On the other hand, the shape-memory alloy spring 41 senses
the inlet temperature. When the inlet temperature is low, the
shape-memory alloy spring 41 has a small spring load, and therefore
the synthetic load of the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the
spring 42 is small, and the setting differential pressure for
opening the differential pressure control valve is set to a small
value. As the inlet temperature becomes higher, the synthetic load
of the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the spring 42 becomes
larger, and hence the setting differential pressure as well is set
to a larger value, whereby the shape-memory alloy spring 41 is in a
stiffened state between the spring-receiving member 30 and the
spring-receiving member 43 when the inlet temperature is not lower
than a predetermined temperature at which a change in the spring
load of the shape-memory alloy spring 41 with respect to a change
in the temperature is saturated.
[0050] According to the expansion device 3a, when the inlet
temperature is low, the spring loads of the shape-memory alloy
spring 41 and the biasing spring 42 which act on the differential
pressure control valve in the valve-closing direction are small,
and hence the differential pressure control valve is made open to a
very small opening degree corresponding to the orifice 28 by the
differential pressure between the inlet pressure and the outlet
pressure, whereby refrigerant is allowed to flow, causing adiabatic
expansion of refrigerant. At this time, similarly to the expansion
device 3 according to the first embodiment, the pressure of
refrigerant at the inlet of the expansion device 3a is controlled
to a pressure which is determined by the differential pressure
across the differential pressure control valve and a pressure
corresponding to the outlet temperature.
[0051] On the other hand, the temperature of refrigerant at the
inlet of the expansion device 3a is sensed by the shape-memory
alloy spring 41 so as to shift a predetermined value of the
differential pressure subjected to temperature-dependent correction
by the shape-memory alloy spring 26, according to a change in the
inlet temperature. This makes it possible to control the
temperature and pressure of refrigerant at the inlet of the
expansion device 3a, that is, a temperature and a pressure at a
point C in FIG. 2, along a control line CL approximated to an
optimal control line that is considered to be capable of enhancing
the cooling power of the refrigeration cycle while holding a high
performance coefficient of the refrigeration cycle.
[0052] Of course, also in the expansion device 3a, when the inlet
pressure has risen to exceed 13 MPa, the spring 31 bends to
suddenly open the differential pressure control valve, which
prevents the inlet pressure from rising above the valve-opening
point.
[0053] FIG. 6 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a third embodiment.
In FIG. 6, component elements identical or equivalent to those
shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals, and
detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0054] The expansion device 3b according to the third embodiment is
distinguished from the expansion device 3a according to the second
embodiment in that the positional relationship between the spring
31, the shape-memory alloy spring 41, and the spring 42 is
reversed.
[0055] According to the expansion device 3b, when the inlet
temperature is low, the shape-memory alloy spring 41 has a small
spring load, and a valve-opening force of the valve element 25,
generated by the differential pressure between the inlet pressure
and the outlet pressure is transmitted via the shaft 29, the
spring-receiving member 30, the spring 31, and the spring-receiving
member 43, to thereby bend the shape-memory alloy spring 41, which
causes the differential pressure control valve to be made open to a
very small opening degree. At this time, similarly to the expansion
devices 3 and 3a according to the first and second embodiments, the
pressure of refrigerant at the inlet of the expansion device 3b is
controlled to a pressure which is determined by a pressure
corresponding to the differential pressure across the differential
pressure control valve and the outlet temperature. Further, the
temperature of refrigerant at the inlet of the expansion device 3a
is controlled by the shape-memory alloy spring 41 disposed at the
inlet of the expansion device 3a along the control line CL
approximated to the optimal control line. As to the inlet pressure
of refrigerant at the inlet of the expansion device 3a, when the
spring 31 senses pressure exceeding 13 MPa, it causes the
differential pressure control valve to be suddenly opened.
[0056] FIG. 7 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a fourth
embodiment. In FIG. 7, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0057] Although the expansion device 3c according to the fourth
embodiment has the same basic construction as that of the expansion
device 3a according to the second embodiment, the expansion device
3c is distinguished from the expansion device 3a in that it is
configured such that the spring 31 for sensing high pressures, the
shape-memory alloy spring 41, and the spring 42 can be easily
assembled and adjusted.
[0058] More specifically, in the expansion device 3c, the
spring-receiving member 43 through the center of which the shaft 29
loosely extends is integrally formed with a hollow cylindrical body
accommodating the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the spring 42,
and a stopper 45 for adjusting the spring loads of the shape-memory
alloy spring 41 and the spring 42 via the spring-receiving member
30 is press-fitted into the hollow cylindrical body. Further, the
spring-receiving member 43 is placed on an upper portion, as viewed
in FIG. 7, of the spring 31, and the adjustment member 44 is
rigidly fixed to the body 21 such that the adjustment member 44
accommodates the spring 31 and the spring-receiving member 43.
[0059] When the expansion device 3c is assembled, first, the
shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the spring 42 are assembled while
adjusting the spring loads thereof in advance. More specifically,
the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the spring 42, and the
spring-receiving member 30 are placed in the hollow cylindrical
body of the spring receiving member 43 in the mentioned order, and
the stopper 45 is press-fitted into the hollow cylindrical body
until it reaches a predetermined position, to thereby adjust the
spring loads of the shape-memory alloy spring 41 and the spring 42,
whereby a high temperature-side temperature-sensing section is
constructed. Then, the high temperature-side temperature-sensing
section is placed on the spring 31 disposed in an upper space of
the body 21, as viewed in FIG. 7, and the adjustment member 44
having a hollow cylindrical shape and having an engaging portion
with an upper portion thereof, as viewed in the figure, bent
inward, is placed from above to cover them. In a state in which an
upper portion of the body 21 is partially press-fitted into a lower
portion, as viewed in the figure, of the adjustment member 44, the
adjustment member 44 is further pushed down, as viewed in the
figure, until the engaging portion is brought into abutment with an
upper end, as viewed in the figure, of the spring-receiving member
43, whereby the adjustment member 44 is fitted to the body 21.
Furthermore, if the adjustment member 44 is pushed down, as viewed
in the figure, as required, it is possible to adjust the spring
load of the spring 31. Finally, the shaft 29 is inserted from
above, as viewed in the figure, and further, the differential
pressure control valve is press-fitted by a predetermined amount
into the valve element 25 to which is applied the adjusted spring
load of the shape-memory alloy spring 26, such that the
differential pressure control valve is made open to a predetermined
minimum opening degree by the shape-memory alloy spring 26. Thus,
the expansion device 3c is assembled.
[0060] Since the expansion device 3c has the same basic
construction as that of the expansion device 3a according to the
second embodiment, the expansion device 3c operates quite the same
way as the expansion device 3a.
[0061] FIG. 8 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
arrangement of an expansion device according to a fifth embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the valve-opening characteristic of the
expansion according to the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 8, component
elements identical or equivalent to those shown in FIG. 7 are
designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description
thereof is omitted.
[0062] The expansion device 3d according to the fifth embodiment is
distinguished from the expansion device 3c according to the fourth
embodiment in that in place of the high temperature-side
temperature-sensing section including the shape-memory alloy spring
41 and its biasing spring 42 of the expansion device 3c, it is
provided with a spring 42a for opening the differential pressure
control valve by a differential pressure lower than 13 MPa.
[0063] Referring to FIG. 9, the expansion device 3d is
characterized in that it has two valve-opening points at which the
expansion device 3d opens the differential pressure control valve
in response to changes in the inlet pressure of refrigerant on the
upstream side. More specifically, in a stage of low inlet pressure,
the expansion device 3d is made open to the predetermined minimum
opening degree, and has a fixed restriction passage cross-sectional
area. When the inlet pressure becomes higher, and first exceeds a
predetermined value set by the spring 42a, the spring 42a is bent
to open the differential pressure control valve. As the inlet
pressure becomes higher, the restriction passage cross-sectional
area increases proportionally. When the inlet pressure further
increases to exceed 13 MPa, which is set by the spring 31, the
differential pressure control valve suddenly opens to lower the
inlet pressure, thereby preventing the inlet pressure from rising
above 13 MPa.
[0064] FIG. 10 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a sixth
embodiment. In FIG. 10, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0065] Although the expansion device 3e according to the sixth
embodiment has the same basic construction as that of the expansion
device 3a according to the second embodiment, the expansion device
3e is distinguished from the expansion device 3a which has the high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section that senses the
temperature of refrigerant at the outlet of the internal heat
exchanger 6 in that the expansion device 3e has a high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section that senses the
temperature of refrigerant at the inlet of the internal heat
exchanger 6, that is, the temperature of refrigerant at the outlet
of the gas cooler 2.
[0066] In the internal heat exchanger 6, in the high-pressure
passage 12 formed in the body 11, a refrigerant inlet passage 46
into which high-pressure refrigerant is introduced from the gas
cooler 2 is formed such that it passes in the vicinity of the
mounting hole 13 to which the expansion device 3e is mounted. The
mounting hole 13 is formed to extend to the refrigerant inlet
passage 46 such that when the expansion device 3e is mounted to the
mounting hole 13, the high temperature-side temperature-sensing
section thereof is located within the refrigerant inlet passage 46.
Further, in the expansion device 3e, an O ring 47 is
circumferentially formed on the outer periphery of the body 21 so
as to prevent refrigerant in the refrigerant inlet passage 46 from
leaking into the refrigerant inlet 23 in a state of the expansion
device 3e mounted to mounting hole 13.
[0067] Also in this construction of the expansion device 3e, the
operation of the expansion device is the same as that of the
expansion device 3a except that the high temperature-side
temperature-sensing section senses the temperature of refrigerant
at the outlet of the gas cooler 2 in the refrigerant inlet passage
46 of the internal heat exchanger 6.
[0068] FIG. 11 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a seventh
embodiment. In FIG. 11, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 10 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0069] The expansion device 3f according to the seventh embodiment
is distinguished from the expansion device 3e according to the
sixth embodiment in that the construction of the high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section that senses the
temperature of refrigerant at the outlet of the gas cooler 2 is
simplified. More specifically, the expansion device 3f is
configured such that the stopper 45 included in the high
temperature-side temperature-sensing section of the expansion
device 3e is eliminated while arranging the shape-memory alloy
spring 41 and the spring 42 in series with the spring 31 for
sensing high pressure. As a result, when the temperature and the
pressure of refrigerant at the outlet of the gas cooler 2 are high,
the shape-memory alloy spring 41 acts in the direction of
increasing the spring load of the high pressure-sensing spring 31,
and hence the expansion device 3f has a characteristic that at a
valve-opening point thereof, in response to changes in the inlet
pressure, it opens the differential pressure control valve not
sharply but a little more smoothly.
[0070] FIG. 12 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to an eighth
embodiment. In FIG. 12, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0071] The expansion device 3g according to the eighth embodiment
is distinguished from the expansion device 3 according to the first
embodiment which has the high pressure-sensing spring 31 disposed
on the upstream side in that the expansion device 3g has the spring
31 disposed on the downstream side.
[0072] More specifically, in the expansion device 3g, the valve
element 25 is disposed on the downstream side of the valve hole 24
formed through the body 21, and the high pressure-sensing spring 31
is disposed to urge the piston 51 which is integrally formed with
the valve element 25 and is axially and movably accommodated within
the body 21, in the valve-closing direction, while the shape-memory
alloy spring 26 of the low temperature-side temperature-sensing
section is disposed to urge the piston 51 in the valve-opening
direction. The high pressure-sensing spring 31 has a spring load
thereof adjusted by an adjustment screw 52 screwed into the body
21. With this arrangement, the spring 31 is bent in response to the
differential pressure between the pressure of refrigerant on the
upstream side and the pressure of refrigerant on the downstream
side, whereby a predetermined value of the differential pressure,
required for opening the differential pressure control valve, is
subjected to correction dependent on the outlet temperature of
refrigerant on the downstream side, sensed by the shape-memory
alloy spring 26, whereby when the pressure of refrigerant on the
upstream side is high, the inlet pressure of refrigerant is always
held at 13 MPa set by the spring 31.
[0073] Further, in the expansion device 3g, the orifice 28 is
formed through the valve element 25, for allowing refrigerant to
flow at a minimum flow rate when the differential pressure control
valve is fully closed, and a strainer 53 is disposed on the
upstream side of the valve hole thereof, for removing foreign
matter from refrigerant.
[0074] FIG. 13 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a ninth
embodiment. In FIG. 13, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 12 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0075] The expansion device 3h according to the ninth embodiment is
distinguished from the expansion device 3g according to the eighth
embodiment in that it is configured to incorporate a second
differential pressure control valve in the differential pressure
control valve (hereinafter referred to as "the first differential
pressure control valve") of the expansion device 3g, such that two
differential pressure control valves having different valve-opening
points function in parallel.
[0076] More specifically, in the expansion device 3h, the orifice
28 formed in the valve element 25 of the first differential
pressure control valve serves as a valve hole of the second
differential pressure control valve, with a valve element 61 being
disposed on the downstream side, for opening and closing the valve
hole, and a piston 62 integrally formed with the valve element is
axially movably accommodated in the piston 51 of the first
differential pressure control valve. The piston 62 is urged by the
spring 63 in the valve-closing direction, and the spring load of
the spring 63 is adjusted by an adjustment screw 64 screwed into
the piston 51. Further, in the valve element 61 as well, there is
formed an orifice 65 for allowing refrigerant to flow at a minimum
flow rate when the first and second differential pressure control
valves are fully closed.
[0077] The expansion device 3h configured as above has a
characteristic, as shown in FIG. 9, that it has two valve-opening
points at which the expansion device 3h opens in response to
changes in the inlet pressure of refrigerant on the upstream side.
More specifically, in the expansion device 3h, the shape-memory
alloy spring 26 senses the outlet temperature of refrigerant on the
downstream side to correct the predetermined value of differential
pressure required for opening the first differential pressure
control valve, whereby the inlet pressure of refrigerant is sensed
as a pseudo absolute pressure. Here, in a stage of low inlet
pressure, the expansion device 3h has a fixed restriction passage
cross-sectional area determined by the cross-sectional area of the
orifice 65 of the second differential pressure control valve. When
the inlet pressure becomes higher, and first, the differential
pressure between the inlet pressure on the upstream side and the
outlet pressure on the downstream side exceeds a pressure set by
the spring 63, the second differential pressure control valve
opens, and as the differential pressure becomes higher, the
restriction passage cross-sectional area increases proportionally.
After that, when the inlet pressure reaches 13 MPa, the first
differential pressure control valve starts to open. Further, when
the inlet pressure increases to exceed 13 MPa set by the spring 31,
the first differential pressure control valve suddenly opens. This
causes the inlet pressure to decrease, and hence prevents the same
from increasing above 13 MPa.
[0078] In the aforementioned first to ninth embodiments, the low
temperature-side temperature-sensing section is configured to
correct the predetermined value of the valve-opening differential
pressure for opening the differential pressure control valve
according to changes in the temperature of refrigerant on the
downstream side of the differential pressure control valve.
However, the predetermined value of the valve-opening differential
pressure can be corrected not only according to changes in the
temperature of refrigerant on the downstream side of the
differential pressure control valve but also according to changes
in the pressure of refrigerant on the downstream side of the
differential pressure control valve. This is because refrigerant is
in a saturated liquid state at the outlet of the expansion device,
and in this saturated liquid state, the temperature and the
pressure of refrigerant are constant without undergoing any change,
as shown by line D-A or D'-A' of the FIG. 2 Mollier chart, and
therefore if the temperature is determined, the pressure is
determined. As described above, in the evaporator 4 on the outlet
side of the expansion device, the evaporation pressure of
refrigerant is constant, and moreover the temperature and the
pressure have a linear relation therebetween, so that it is
possible to consider that sensing of the pressure of refrigerant at
the outlet of the expansion device is equivalent to sensing of the
temperature of refrigerant at the outlet of the expansion device.
This makes it possible to cause an expansion device to have the
same function as that of the expansion devices 3 to 3h according to
the first to ninth embodiments by configuring the expansion device
such that in place of the low temperature-side temperature-sensing
section, a low temperature-side pressure-sensing section senses the
pressure of refrigerant at the outlet of the expansion device, to
correct the predetermined value of the valve-opening differential
pressure according to changes in the pressure of refrigerant on the
downstream side of the differential pressure control valve.
Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of constructions
provided with such a low temperature-side pressure-sensing
section.
[0079] FIG. 14 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to a tenth
embodiment. In FIG. 14, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 12 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0080] The expansion device 3i according to the tenth embodiment is
provided with a low temperature-side pressure-sensing section in
place of the shape-memory alloy spring 26 as the low
temperature-side temperature-sensing section of the expansion
device 3g according to the eighth embodiment. More specifically,
the expansion device 3i has a power element 71 fixed thereto by
screwing an open end of a hollow cylindrical portion of the body 21
into the power element 71. When high pressure is sensed, the power
element 71 acts in the direction of decreasing the spring load of
the high pressure-sensing spring 31 which sets the valve-opening
differential pressure for opening the differential pressure control
valve, to thereby serve as a pressure-sensing actuator that
corrects a predetermined value of the valve-opening differential
pressure in a decreasing direction.
[0081] The power element 71 is formed by holding a diaphragm 74
made of a thin metal plate between an outer housing 72 having a
center projected outward and an inner housing 73 having an opening
in the center thereof and having a hub connected to the body 21,
and welding all the outer peripheries of the housings 72 and 73 and
the diaphragm 74 under high-pressure gas or vacuum atmosphere along
the whole circumferences thereof. A hermetically sealed space
formed by the outer housing 72 and the diaphragm 74 accommodates a
disc spring 75, a spring 76, and a spring receiving member 77. The
load of the disc spring 75 is adjusted by combining a plurality of
disc springs (three in the illustrated example) having respective
appropriate spring loads. The spring load of the spring 76 is
adjusted by plastically inwardly deforming an end face of the outer
housing 72 to change the position of the spring-receiving member 77
in the direction of compressing the spring 76. On a side of the
diaphragm 74 opposite to a side thereof where the disc spring 75 is
disposed, a displacement-transmitting member 78 is disposed for
transmitting the displacement of the diaphragm 74 to the spring 31.
A stopper 79 in the form of a step is formed on an inner wall of
the housing 73, for restricting the motion of the
displacement-transmitting member 78 in the direction of increasing
the spring load of the spring 31. This inhibits the expansion
device from correcting the predetermined value of the differential
pressure when the compressor 1 is operating in a state in which the
pressure of refrigerant on the downstream side of the differential
pressure control valve is low.
[0082] It should be noted that although in the present embodiment,
part of a screw thread of the body 21, which is screwed into the
power element 71, is cut such that the pressure of refrigerant on
the downstream side of the differential pressure control valve
easily reaches the diaphragm 74, the cut part is not necessarily
required since portions of the power element 71 and the body 21
screwed together are not completely hermetically sealed.
[0083] In the expansion device 3i constructed as above, when the
differential pressure between the pressure on the inlet side and
the pressure on the outlet side is small, the spring 31 is not bent
by the differential pressure, so that the differential pressure
control valve is closed. At this time, high-pressure refrigerant
having passed through the internal heat exchanger 6 flows through
the orifice 28, and when having flowed out from the orifice 28, the
refrigerant is adiabatically expanded to be changed into
low-pressure, low-temperature refrigerant, and is sent to the
evaporator 4 via the pipe 14.
[0084] Until the inlet pressure of refrigerant at the inlet of the
expansion device 3i rises up to 13 MPa, which is the upper limit of
the control range, the expansion device 3i has a fixed restriction
passage cross-sectional area determined by the cross-sectional area
of the orifice 28. When the inlet pressure at the inlet of the
expansion device 3i has reached 13 MPa, the differential pressure
control valve overcomes the urging force of the spring 31 in the
valve-closing direction, to open. The valve hole 24 of the
differential pressure control valve has a sufficiently larger
diameter than that of the orifice 28, and therefore when the inlet
pressure at the inlet of the expansion device 3i exceeds a
valve-opening point, the restriction passage cross-sectional area
of the expansion device 3i suddenly increases. This causes the
inlet pressure to be always held not higher than the valve-opening
point.
[0085] On the other hand, the power element 71 disposed on the
low-pressure side of the differential pressure control valve senses
the outlet pressure of refrigerant having flowed out from the
expansion device 3i, and when the outlet pressure is high, the
shape of a central portion of the disc spring 75 that receives the
pressure via the diaphragm 74 is changed to be made concave inward
(downward, as viewed in FIG. 14) such that the disc spring 75 acts
in the direction of decreasing the valve-opening differential
pressure, whereas when the outlet pressure is low, the shape of the
central portion of the disc spring 75 is changed to be inflated
outward (upward, as viewed in FIG. 14) such that the disc spring 75
acts in the direction of increasing the valve-opening differential
pressure. That is, the power element 71 corrects the predetermined
value of the valve-opening differential pressure, by applying load
corresponding to the outlet pressure of the differential pressure
control value to the valve element 25 in the valve-opening
direction.
[0086] With this arrangement, when a high cooling power is demanded
and the compressor 1 is operating with its maximum displacement,
the expansion device 3i senses the differential pressure between
the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and the outlet
pressure, and pressure correction is performed by adding the
differential pressure to the outlet pressure, whereby the expansion
device 3i operates as if it controlled the inlet pressure by
absolute pressure. Moreover, when the inlet pressure exceeds 13
MPa, the differential pressure control valve suddenly opens,
serving simply as a pressure relief valve, so that the inlet
pressure is controlled to be held at 13 MPa, which prevents the
inlet pressure from rising abnormally.
[0087] It should be noted that in the case where a chamber
accommodating the disc spring 75 is under vacuum, the power element
71 can detect the outlet pressure of refrigerant at the outlet of
the expansion device 3i as an absolute value, and therefore it is
possible to accurately monitor the inlet pressure of refrigerant at
the inlet of the expansion device 3i by the absolute pressure.
Further, in the case where the chamber accommodating the disc
spring 75 is filled with a high-pressure gas, it is possible to
employ a disc spring having a small spring load as the disc spring
75 since the high-pressure gas acts as an air spring. In this case,
the stopper 79 restricts the motion of the
displacement-transmitting member 78 such that when the expansion
device 3i is separately placed as a part, the high-pressure gas
does not inflate the diaphragm 74 excessively toward the
differential pressure control valve.
[0088] FIG. 15 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the arrangement of an expansion device according to an eleventh
embodiment. In FIG. 15, component elements identical or equivalent
to those shown in FIG. 13 are designated by the same reference
numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0089] In the expansion device 3j according to the eleventh
embodiment, the shape-memory alloy spring 26 of the FIG. 13
expansion device 3h according to the ninth embodiment is changed to
the low temperature-side temperature-sensing section shown in FIG.
14. More specifically, in the expansion device 3j, the power
element 71, which when sensing a high pressure, corrects the spring
load of the spring 35 having been urging the first differential
pressure control valve in the valve-closing direction, in the
decreasing direction, is fitted to the hollow cylindrical portion
of the body 21 by screwing the latter into the former. Further, the
orifice 28 of the valve element 25 of the first differential
pressure control valve is provided with the orifice 65 for allowing
refrigerant to flow at the minimum flow rate when the first and
second differential pressure control valves are fully closed.
[0090] According to the expansion device 3j constructed as above,
the power element 71 senses the outlet pressure of refrigerant on
the downstream side to correct the predetermined value of the
differential pressure required for opening the first differential
pressure control valve, whereby the inlet pressure of refrigerant
is sensed as a pseudo absolute pressure. Here, in a stage of low
inlet pressure, the expansion device 3j has a fixed restriction
passage cross-sectional area determined by the cross-sectional area
of the orifice 65 of the second differential pressure control
valve. When the inlet pressure becomes higher, and first, the
differential pressure between the inlet pressure on the upstream
side and the outlet pressure on the downstream side exceeds a
pressure set by the spring 63, the second differential pressure
control valve opens, and as the differential pressure becomes
higher, the restriction passage cross-sectional area increases
proportionally. After that, when the inlet pressure reaches 13 MPa,
the first differential pressure control valve starts to open.
Further, when the inlet pressure increases to exceed 13 MPa set by
the spring 31, the first differential pressure control valve
suddenly opens. This causes the restriction passage cross-sectional
area to suddenly increase, to lower the inlet pressure, and
therefore the inlet pressure is prevented from rising above 13
MPa.
[0091] The expansion device according to the present invention is
configured such that it corrects the predetermined value of the
differential pressure at which the differential pressure control
valve opens, according to a change in the temperature or pressure
of the refrigerant on the downstream side, detected by the
actuator, that is, it corrects the set differential pressure of the
differential pressure control valve by using the temperature or
pressure on the low-pressure side. This enables the differential
pressure control valve to operate as if it sensed the inlet
pressure on the high-pressure side in terms of absolute pressure,
without being influenced by the pressure on the low pressure side
in spite of the differential pressure control valve operating in
response to the differential pressure.
[0092] Further, even if the inlet pressure exceeds the
predetermined pressure depending on the operating condition of the
compressor, when the inlet pressure exceeds the predetermined
pressure, the spring is bent to suddenly open the differential
pressure control valve to reduce the inlet pressure. As a
consequence, the inlet pressure is held at the predetermined
pressure, which makes it possible to positively avoid a state in
which pressure on the high-pressure side becomes abnormally
high.
[0093] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the present invention. Further, since numerous
modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact
construction and applications shown and described, and accordingly,
all suitable modifications and equivalents may be regarded as
falling within the scope of the invention in the appended claims
and their equivalents.
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