Reversible Flow Electronic Expansion Vavle

Abstract

An HVAC system includes an electronic expansion valve having a movable obturator with a truncated tip and a port configured to selectively receive the truncated tip. An electronically controlled expansion valve includes a movable obturator with a truncated tip and a port configured to selectively receive the truncated tip. A method of operating a heat pump HVAC system includes providing an electronically controlled expansion valve comprising an obturator having a truncated tip and flowing refrigerant through the valve.

1 . An HVAC system, comprising:
 an electronic expansion valve, comprising:
 a movable obturator comprising a truncated tip; and 
 a port configured to selectively receive the truncated tip. 
   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the truncated tip comprises a substantially flat surface. 
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system of  claim 2 , wherein the flat surface is configured to substantially face the port. 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the obturator comprises a truncated cone. 
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the obturator comprises a truncated spherical section. 
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic expansion valve is operable between a metered state and an unmetered state. 
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system of  claim 6 , wherein the truncated tip is located in the port in the metered stated and wherein the truncated tip is located outside the port in the unmetered state. 
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system of  claim 1 , wherein the HVAC system is a heat pump system. 
     
     
         9 . An electronically controlled expansion valve, comprising:
 a movable obturator comprising a truncated tip; and   a port configured to selectively receive the truncated tip.   
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the obturator comprises a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the obturator comprises a truncated spherical section. 
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the valve comprises a side surface joined to a substantially flat surface and wherein the flat surface is between the side surface and the port while the valve is in an unmetered state. 
     
     
         13 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the valve comprises a side surface joined to a substantially flat surface and wherein the flat surfaces is at least partially located within the port while the valve is in a metered state. 
     
     
         14 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the valve is operable between a metered state and an unmetered state. 
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein the valve produces a significant pressure drop across the valve while the valve is in a metered state and wherein refrigerant moves substantially from the obturator toward the port while the valve is in the metered state. 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein refrigerant passes substantially freely through the valve while the valve is in an unmetered state and wherein refrigerant moves substantially from the port toward the obturator while the valve is in the unmetered state. 
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the truncated tip is configured to guide refrigerant flow from the port to a second port while the truncated tip is not received within the port. 
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 9 , the obturator further comprising;
 at least one radius transition.   
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a heat pump HVAC system, comprising:
 providing an electronically controlled expansion valve comprising an obturator having a truncated tip; and   flowing refrigerant through the valve.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 during a forward flow of refrigerant through the valve, locating the truncated tip at least partially within an inline port of the valve.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 during a reverse flow of refrigerant through the valve, locating the truncated tip outside an inline port of the valve.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the obturator comprises at least one of a frustoconical shape and a spherical section shape.