Electrical expansion valve

A refrigeration system comprising:

• an evaporator for facilitating evaporation of a refrigerant fluid within a lower pressure region of the refrigeration system;
• a compressor coupled to an output of the evaporator for increasing the pressure of the refrigerant fluid from the lower pressure region;
• a condenser receiving the refrigerant fluid of increased pressure and condensing the refrigerant back into a liquid within a higher pressure region;
• and
• an expansion valve coupled to the output of the condenser for providing an interface between the higher pressure region and a lower pressure region, the expansion valve comprising a channel for conveying the refrigerant fluid from an inlet to an outlet, a heating element disposed in a path of the refrigerant fluid and associated with the inlet, the heating element controlling a degree of circulation of the fluid refrigerant by localized heating of the fluid refrigerant, wherein the localized heating interacts with the fluid so as to directly change the flow properties of the fluid.

An expansion valve system for regulating the flow of a fluid, the system comprising:

• a conduit with a fluid flowing within an interior of the conduit;
• and
• an expansion valve positioned within the interior of the conduit, the expansion valve comprising:
• a channel for conveying the fluid, the channel having an inlet for accepting the fluid and an outlet for exhausting the fluid;
• a heating element disposed in a path of the fluid and associated with the inlet;
• and
• an electrical terminal coupled to the heating element for controlling the thermal properties of the heating element to regulate the flow of the fluid through the channel, wherein the thermal properties of the heating element interact with the fluid so as to directly change the flow properties of the fluid.