Abstract: A bulbless thermostatic expansion valve has enhanced joining of the power element to the valve body. The valve body includes an upper extension that extends from a main body portion, an end of the upper extension being crimped into a lip relative to an opposing surface of the main body portion thereby defining a recess that receives a portion of the housing of the power element to the join the power element to the valve body. The lip may be formed by roll forming the end of upper extension of the valve body. The housing of the power element may be a multipart housing including an upper housing and a lower housing, with a diaphragm being secured between the upper housing and the lower housing, and an end of the lower housing is the portion of the housing of the power element that is received within the recess.

Abstract: A thermal sensor assembly for a thermostatic expansion valve includes an enclosure that forms an enclosed interior space containing a thermal sensing fluid, and an opening in the enclosure for charging the thermal sensing fluid. A ball is arranged in the opening and forms a fluid seal between a sealing surface and a sealing interface of the assembly. The sealing surface may be made with a material that is softer than a material of the sealing interface, such that the sealing surface conforms to the sealing interface and fluidly seals the thermal sensing fluid in the enclosed interior space of the enclosure. The opening may include a tapered lead-in hole that tapers radially inwardly as the lead-in hole extends toward the interior space to thereby form the seal. A cover may be attached to an exterior surface of the enclosure to hold the ball in the opening to form the seal.

Abstract: A bulbless expansion valve including a valve body, a valve member, a power element, and a thermal sensor including an enclosure operatively mounted to the valve body. The power element includes a diaphragm having a first side operatively coupled to the valve member, and a second side that together with the sensor enclosure forms at least part of a sensing chamber containing sensing fluid such that the sensing fluid is in communication with the second side of the diaphragm. The first side of the diaphragm may be fluidly coupled to an operating line, such as a suction line, to communicate temperature and pressure to the first side of the diaphragm, thereby providing heat transfer with the sensing fluid on the opposite side. Temperature changes of the sensing fluid results in pressure changes applied to the diaphragm causing movement of the valve member to control flow of the operating fluid.

Abstract: An expansion valve including a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a main flow passage extending from inlet to outlet, and a metering orifice in the at least one main flow passage. A power element controls movement of a valve member relative to the metering orifice to control flow of operating fluid passing across the metering orifice when the valve is operating in a forward flow expansion mode. The valve body includes an internal bypass flow passage that bypasses the metering orifice, and a bypass check valve is arranged internally of the valve body in the bypass flow passage. The bypass check valve is configured to open at least partially in response to operating fluid flowing in a reverse flow bypass mode in which activation of the bypass check valve opens the bypass flow passage to permit operating fluid to bypass the metering orifice in the reverse bypass mode.

Abstract: A bulbless expansion valve including a valve body, a valve member, a power element, and a thermal sensor including an enclosure operatively mounted to the valve body. The power element includes a diaphragm having a first side operatively coupled to the valve member, and a second side that together with the sensor enclosure forms at least part of a sensing chamber containing sensing fluid such that the sensing fluid is in communication with the second side of the diaphragm. The first side of the diaphragm may be fluidly coupled to an operating line, such as a suction line, to communicate temperature and pressure to the first side of the diaphragm, thereby providing heat transfer with the sensing fluid on the opposite side. Temperature changes of the sensing fluid results in pressure changes applied to the diaphragm causing movement of the valve member to control flow of the operating fluid.

Abstract: Described is a filter-drier core for removing acids and halides that are generated by decomposition of a refrigerant that contains a fluoroiodocarbon, the filter drier core comprising a molded core that includes gamma phase activated alumina and a molecular sieve. The molecular sieve has a pore size between 3-4 angstroms and between 300-00 m2/g surface area, and/or the alumina is provided in a beaded form with average bead diameter between 0.1-10 mm. An alumina surface area may be between 140-250 m2/g, and an average pore size may be 6 nm to 16 nm. A percent molecular sieve in the core may be between 0-40%, with the rest of the core being alumina. To increase surface area of the core, the filter-drier core may define a plurality of suitably shaped channels that extend longitudinally through the core, may have fins that extend from a central body, or may be configured as a plurality of rods.

Abstract: A flange-mounted inline valve arrangement includes a flange having an internal fluid passage, and an inline electrically-operable valve coupled to the flange. The inline valve includes a valve body and a valve member movable relative to the fluid passage in the flange for controlling flow. The valve arrangement also includes an electrical feed that connects to the electrically-operable valve through the flange for enabling an electrical connection external to the flange and other system piping. At least part of the electrical feed may be in a flow path and is fluidly sealed to prevent electrical shorts. The valve arrangement may be installed into the system as a single unit with an exterior coupling of the electrical feed on an exterior part of the flange to easily make the external electrical connection. The valve arrangement may be used in a chiller, where the inline valve is an electronic expansion valve.