UE20028713

AUTOMATIC CONTROL (MECH 305)

Thermostatic expansion valve is a device designed to regulate (controller) the rate

at which liquid refrigerant (working fluid) flows into the evaporator of refrigerator or
an air conditioning system and also maintains a constant superheat in the
evaporator.
The thermostatic expansion valve as a controller receives and responds to two main
signals. These are;
1. The temperature of the refrigerant as it leaves the evaporator.
2. The pressure in the evaporator itself
The thermostatic expansion valve is installed in the liquid line at the inlet of the
evaporator. A thermal bulb from the evaporator is connected to the thermostatic
expansion valve. The thermal expansion valve consists of;
1. Valve body: Provides means to connect valve to the piping circuit and also has
inlet screen to stop any small particulate matter from entering the valve
2. Diaphragm: Moves the needle in and out of the seat in response to system load
changes. Flexes down to open the valve and upward to close the valve. It is
located at the top of the valve.
3. Needle and seat: Control refrigerant flow through the valve. It is pushed into the
seat to reduce refrigerant flow to the evaporator by the diaphragm.
4. Spring: Acts to push the needle into the seat, causing the valve to close. The
spring pressure determines the evaporator superheat.
5. Adjustable and packing gland
6. Sensing bulb and transmission tube: It senses temperature at the end of the
evaporator which is converted into a pressure and is transmitted to the top of
the diaphragm. The bulb pressure is the only opening pressure that controls the
valve.
As the thermostatic expansion valve regulates the rate at which liquid refrigerant
flows into the evaporator, it maintains a proper supply of refrigerant by matching
this flow rate against how quickly the refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator coil.
If the evaporator superheat is high, the bulb pressure increases and the valve will
open. This ensures that no liquid refrigerant leaves the evaporator. However, low
superheat increases the net refrigerant effect.
Thermal Bulb

Transmission Line
Valve body

Saturated refrigerant to the evaporator

Liquid refrigerant from condenser receiver

Superheat spring adjusting screw