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US 10,989,454 B2Granted
Expansion valve and vapour compression system
AssigneeDanfoss A/S
InventorsSergio Uribe, Johannes Cornelius Jacobus Van Beek
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AssigneeDanfoss A/S
InventorsSergio Uribe, Johannes Cornelius Jacobus Van Beek
Estimating the term…
An expansion valve includes a valve element, a valve seat as well as a biasing member. The valve element and the valve seat are arranged in a first fluid passage of the expansion valve. The expansion valve further includes a shape memory alloy actuator that exerts a force on the valve element towards an open valve position when the shape memory alloy actuator is heated by an electric current. An expansion valve for a vapour compression system of the above type may be controlled externally but also be self-regulating. The shape memory alloy actuator is arranged in a second fluid passage of the expansion valve and the shape memory alloy actuator is in thermal contact with fluid in the second fluid passage, such that the shape memory alloy actuator actuates the valve element towards a closed valve position when the shape memory actuator is cooled by the fluid.
An expansion valve comprising a valve element, a valve seat as well as a biasing member, that exerts a force on the valve element towards a closed valve position, wherein the valve seat is arranged in a first fluid passage of the expansion valve, and wherein the expansion valve further comprises a shape memory alloy actuator that exerts a force on the valve element towards an open valve position when the shape memory alloy actuator is heated by an electric current, wherein, the shape memory alloy actuator is arranged in a second fluid passage of the expansion valve, wherein the shape memory alloy actuator is arranged to be in thermal contact with a fluid in the second fluid passage, such that the shape memory alloy actuator also actuates the valve element towards a closed valve position when the shape memory alloy actuator is cooled by a fluid in the second fluid passage, and wherein the shape memory alloy actuator is shaped such that the shape memory alloy actuator enters the valve element, changes direction 180°, and exits the valve element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.