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US 7,043,937 B2Granted
Fluid diode expansion device for heat pumps
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsAlexander Lifson, Thomas J. Dobmcier, Michael F. Taras
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expansion device for the heat pump applications consists of a flow resistance device that has a different resistance to refrigerant flow depending on the flow direction through this device. The flow resistance device has no moving parts so that it avoids the damage, wear and contamination problems of the moveable piston in the prior art. The flow resistance device is a fixed obstruction about which the fluid must flow when traveling through the expansion device.
Claims7
A refrigerant system operating as a heat pump comprising:
- a compressor connected to first and second heat exchangers;
- and
- an expansion device connected between said first and second heat exchangers, said expansion device including a flow resistance device arranged between first and second fluid passages, said fluid flowing along an wall provided by said passages, and said flow resistance device spaced from said wall and arranged in fixed relationship thereto, said flow resistance device providing a first fluid resistance with said fluid flowing in a first direction and a second fluid resistance greater than said first resistance with said fluid flowing in a second opposite direction wherein said flow resistance device is suspended from said wall by a pin.
A refrigerant system operating as a heat pump comprising:
- a compressor connected to first and second heat exchangers;
- and
- an expansion device connected between said first and second heat exchangers said expansion device including a flow resistance device arranged between first and second fluid passages and in fixed relationship thereto, said flow resistance device providing a first fluid resistance with said fluid flowing in a first direction and a second fluid resistance greater than said first resistance with said fluid flowing in a second opposite direction, wherein said flow resistance device is a C-shaped channel with said second side provided by an open face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.