Expansion valve

Abstract

An expansion valve assembly is provided comprising a distributor body ( 30 ) having a liquid inlet ( 40 ), a port ( 34 ) having a selectively moveable pin ( 35 ) to allow liquid′ from the liquid inlet past the port, a gas inlet ( 50 ), a mixing chamber ( 32 ), and a plurality of circuits ( 60 ). The mixing chamber is positioned between the port and the plurality of circuits, the mixing chamber ( 32 ) having an axial centerline (A) that, is the axial centerline of the valve. The gas inlet has an axial centerline (B) that is off set from the axial centerline of the mixing chamber to promote a homogeneous gas/liquid mixture.

1 . An expansion valve assembly comprising:
 a distributor body having a liquid inlet, a port having a selectively moveable pin to allow liquid from the liquid inlet past the port, a gas inlet, a mixing chamber, and a plurality of circuits;   wherein the mixing chamber is positioned between the port and the plurality of circuits, the mixing chamber having an axial centerline that is the axial centerline of the valve;   wherein the gas inlet has an axial centerline that is offset from the axial centerline of the mixing chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a nozzle positioned in the gas inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the port extends into the mixing chamber forming an annular interior wall of the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 3  wherein the annular interior wall is axially tapered radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits. 
     
     
         5 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the axial end of the mixing chamber is blended radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits. 
     
     
         6 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a wall of the gas inlet is generally tangentially oriented with the wall of the radial mixing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . An expansion valve assembly comprising:
 a distributor body having a liquid inlet, a port having a selectively moveable pin to allow liquid from the liquid inlet past the port, a gas inlet, a mixing chamber, and a plurality of circuits;   wherein the mixing chamber is positioned between the port and the plurality of circuits, the mixing chamber having an axial centerline that is the axial centerline of the valve;   wherein the gas inlet has an axial centerline that is offset and perpendicular to a radial centerline of the mixing chamber;   wherein a wall of the gas inlet is generally tangentially oriented with the wall of the radial mixing chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the port extends into the mixing chamber forming an annular interior wall of the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 8  wherein the annular interior wall is axially tapered radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits. 
     
     
         10 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 7 , wherein an axial end of the mixing chamber is blended radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits. 
     
     
         11 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 7  further comprising a nozzle positioned in the gas inlet. 
     
     
         12 . An expansion valve assembly comprising:
 a distributor body having a liquid inlet, a port having a selectively moveable pin to allow liquid from the liquid inlet past the port, a gas inlet, a mixing chamber, and a plurality of circuits;   wherein the mixing chamber is positioned between the port and the plurality of circuits, the mixing chamber having an axial centerline that is the axial centerline of the valve;   wherein the port extends into the mixing chamber forming an annular interior wall of the mixing chamber;   wherein the gas inlet has an axial centerline that is offset from the axial centerline of the mixing chamber;   wherein the axial end of the mixing chamber is blended radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits.   
     
     
         13 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a nozzle positioned in the gas inlet. 
     
     
         14 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the annular interior wall is axially tapered radially inward toward an axial inlet to the plurality of circuits. 
     
     
         15 . The expansion valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein a wall of the gas inlet is generally tangentially oriented with the wall of the radial mixing chamber.