Refrigerant system components with cartridge type thermal expansion valve and method of making same

A method of making a filter/drier with integral expansion valve for use in a refrigerant system comprising:

• (a) forming a header having a first portion having an inlet passage therethrough and a second portion having an outlet passage therethrough;
• (b) disposing at least one of desiccant and filter material in a canister and defining a plenum therein and attaching said canister to said header first portion and communicating said inlet passage with said plenum;
• (c) directing refrigerant flow from said plenum through said at least one material to said outlet passage;
• and,
• (d) disposing an expansion valve in said header second portion and controlling flow from said inlet passage to said outlet passage.

A method of making a refrigerant expansion valve comprising:

• (a) forming a valving cavity in a valve block and forming an inlet port and a separate outlet port in said cavity;
• (b) forming a continuous passage through said block, said passage communicating with said cavity;
• (c) attaching one end of a first conduit to one end of said continuous passage by weldment;
• (d) attaching one end of a second conduit to said inlet port by weldment;
• (e) providing a thermally responsive valve cartridge having a high pressure inlet, a moveable valve obturator and a reduced pressure outlet and pre-calibrating said cartridge valve for controlling flow between said high pressure inlet and reduced pressure outlet in response to sensed temperature;
• and,
• (f) inserting said valve cartridge in said valving cavity and simultaneously isolating said reduced pressure outlet from said high pressure inlet.