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US 7,114,348 B2Granted
Fluid diode expansion device for heat pumps
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorsAlexander Lifson, Thomas J. Dobmeier, Michael F. Taras
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims9
A refrigerant system operating as a heat pump comprising:
- a flowing fluid and a compressor communicating with first and second heat exchangers;
- and an expansion device communicating via first fluid passages with said first heat exchanger and communicating via second fluid passage with said 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 for said flowing fluid in a first direction and a second fluid resistance greater than said first resistance for said flowing fluid in a second opposite direction, said flow resistance device defining a non-circular cross-sectional flow area, and said flow area being defined between an inner fixed portion and an outer fixed portion.
A refrigerant system operating as a heat pump comprising:
- a flowing fluid and a compressor communicating with first and second heat exchangers;
- and
- an expansion device communicating via first fluid passages with said first heat exchanger and communicating via second fluid passage with said second heat exchangers said expansion device including a flow resistance device anranged between first and second fluid passages and in fixed relationship thereto, said flow resistance device providing a first fluid resistance for said flowing fluid in a first direction when the heat pump is in a cooling mode, and a second fluid resistance greater than said first resistance for said flowing fluid in a second opposite direction when the heat pump is in a heating mode, said flow resistance device having an outwardly curved surface facing a flow of refrigerant when the heat pump is in the cooling mode, and a curved hollow surface facing a flow of refrigerant when the heat pump is in the heating mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.