Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-11, 2016

ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Design and Analysis of Forged Thermostatic

Expansion Valve by Using FEA
Chitti Srinu1 & Mr. K. Vijay Kumar, M.Tech2
1
M-Tech Machine Design Student from Samskruti College of Engineering and Technology
Kondapur (V), Ghatkesar (M), RR Dist., Hyderabad 501301
2
Asst. Professor in Mechanical Engineering, Samskruti College of Engineering and
Technology , Kondapur (V), Ghatkesar (M), RR Dist., Hyderabad 501301
Abstract: In this piece of work, a change in design TX valve) is a component in refrigeration and air
for a valve body assembly was suggested resulting in conditioning system that controls the amount of
reduction of the manufacturing process and cost. refrigerant flow into the evaporator thereby
Detailed study was carried out under bucket of controlling the superheating at the outlet of the
Hydraulic Valves chosen – Thermostatic Expansion evaporator. Thermal expansion valves are often
Valves (TEV) type which usually consists of three referred to generically as "metering devices". Would
major things inlet, body and outlet under Body be the possible definition that is available in could.
Assembly. Valve consists of all the controlling Basically these can be classified under the bucket of
mechanisms in terms of push rod, springs and a the check valves in Hydraulics. TEV valves can be of
diaphragm. two types one can be mechanically controlled or
Proposed is a change in electronically controlled. Usually it consists of spring
the manufacturing process resulting in reduction of and a needle/push rod operated by a diaphragm
material, cost and manufacturing process. This moving based on the pressure generated due to the
design change is done with respect to the Body temperature difference. Expansion valves are flow-
Assembly (BA) where it usually has inlet fitting, body restricting devices that cause a pressure drop of the
and outlet fitting. It is suggested that these can be working fluid. The valve needle remains open during
sent in a single go. steady state operation. The size of the opening or the
position of the needle is related to the pressure and
A Static Analysis was done on both the temperature of the evaporator. There are three main
initial and proposed. And the results were compared parts of the expansion valve that regulate the position
with that of the initial BA. The final entity (Output) is of the needle/ push rod. A sensor bulb, at the end of
a single part unlike the initial BA, where the inlet the evaporator, monitors the temperature change of
fitting and outlet fitting are merged into the body the evaporator. This change in temperature creates a
with a different type of production methodology. change in pressure on the diaphragm. An internally
Forging – using forging method the inlet and outlet equalized TXV uses evaporator inlet pressure to
fitting were designed to be merged into the body. create the ‘closing’ force on the valve. An externally
Thus the new body that was designed consists of inlet equalized valve uses the evaporator outlet pressure’
and outlet in itself was produced using forging and thereby compensating for any pressure drop through
thus no further operations of soldering and brazing the evaporator. If an internally equalized valve is
required. And in the previous case the inlet outlet used in a system with a large pressure drop through
fittings were of different material whereas the the evaporator, the pressure below the diaphragm
proposed is same as of the body. The coming pages will be higher, causing the valve to go in a more
will discuss the details of the method, results and ‘closed’ position and resulting in a superheat higher
future scope of this project. than desired (starving).
The thermostatic expansion valve (TEV) controls the
1. Introduction flow of liquid refrigerant entering the direct
expansion (DX) evaporator by maintaining a
Before understanding the TEV let us recap the constant superheat of the refrigerant vapour at the
refrigeration system, it can be defined as a closed outlet of the evaporator. Superheat is the difference
system in which the process of absorbing and between the refrigerant vapour temperature and its
rejecting heat is performed by a flowing refrigerant saturation temperature. To measure the superheat the
in a vapor compression cycle. In its simplest form, TEV controls, the difference between the actual
the refrigeration system consists of five components: temperature at the sensing bulb and the saturation
the compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion temperature corresponding to the suction pressure at
device, and interconnecting piping. A thermal the sensing bulb location is determined. By
expansion valve (often abbreviated as TEV, TXV, or controlling superheat, the TEV keeps nearly the

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-11, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

entire evaporator surface active while not permitting

liquid refrigerant to return to the compressor.
The ability of the TEV to match refrigerant flow to
the rate at which refrigerant can be vaporized in the
evaporator makes the TEV the ideal expansion
device for most air conditioning and refrigeration
applications.
The refrigeration system can be defined as a closed
system in which the process of absorbing and
rejecting heat is performed by flowing a refrigerant
in a vapour compression cycle. In its simplest form,
the refrigeration system consists of five components:
the compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion
device, and interconnecting piping. The heart of the
system is the compressor since it causes the
refrigerant flow. Its function is simply to receive low
pressure (and temperature) refrigerant vapour from
the evaporator and compress it into high pressure
(and temperature) refrigerant vapour. The high
pressure vapour is then converted to a liquid phase in Equivalent spring pressure is defined as the spring
the condenser. The condenser performs this function force divided by the effective area of the diaphragm.
by removing heat from the vapour and rejecting the The effective area of the diaphragm is simply the
heat to the air or to water in the case of water cooled portion of the total diaphragm area which is
condenser. The liquid, which remains at a high effectively used by the bulb and equalizer pressures
pressure, passes through the expansion device and to provide their respective opening and closing
becomes a low pressure two phase (liquid and forces. Equivalent spring pressure is essentially
vapour) mixture. This refrigerant mixture returns to constant once the valve has been adjusted to the
its vapour phase in the evaporator by absorbing heat desired superheat. As a result, the TEV functions by
from the medium being cooled. controlling the difference between bulb and equalizer
pressures by the amount of the spring pressure. Body
2. Inputs Analysis assembly consists of two fittings and a body. The
dimensional details are as given below:
In order to understand the principles of thermostatic
expansion valve operation, a review of its major
components is necessary. A sensing bulb is
connected to the TEV by a length of capillary tubing
which transmits bulb pressure to the top of valve’s
diaphragm. The sensing bulb, capillary tubing, and
diaphragm assembly is referred to as the thermostatic
element. The diaphragm is the actuating member of
the valve. Its motion is transmitted to the pin and pin Figure 1
carrier assembly by means of one or two pushrods,
allowing the pin to move in and out of the valve port. In the above Figure 1 “L” is the variable length of
The superheat spring is located under the pin carrier, the fitting and Ø”D” and Ø”d” are the outer and
and a spring guide sets it in place. On externally inner diameters. These fittings are usually of copper
adjustable valves, an external valve adjustment material and are brought from a third party for
permits the spring pressure to be altered. There are assembling with the body. Majorly the fittings are
three fundamental pressures acting on the valve’s available at various predefined sizes.
diaphragm which affect its operation: sensing bulb Further below figure 2 shows the dimensional details
pressure P1, equalizer pressure P2, and equivalent of the fittings that were assumed under this project.
spring pressure P3.

Figure 2

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-11, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

As per above figure, the overall length of the fitting

is L=.70”, D=Ø.19” and d=Ø.16”. Figure 3 gives the
details of the body design having around 14
dimensions.

Figure 3
Assumed dimensions for the body are given in the
below figure 4.

Figure 4

The inlet and out let hole are assumed to be same to

have a linear results after analysis. The threads are
default as per the modelling software. Below is the
body assembly end to end dimension.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-11, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

3. Design change for Thermostatic

Expansion Valve Body Assembly and its
Static Analysis
The proposed valve is under forged manufacturing
type.

Figure 5.

Major design changes:

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1041

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)
Vol-2, Issue-11, 2016
ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

4. Conclusion 21. www.pacontrol.com/download/Emerson-

Control-Valve-HandBook.pdf
It is observed to be advantageous than the 22. www.valtorc.com/valve-resources/20-valve-
present Square Body assembly as compared with glossary-terminology
cost and deformation results.
Hence it can be proposed for further
manufacturing and quality analysis along with Fluid
analysis based on the other components of the
assembly.

5. Future Scope
Real manufacturing of the Body through
forging and experimentation, Fluid analysis can be
carried on the proposed Forged body with fittings.

6. References
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_expansion
_valve
2. http://www.scribd.com/doc/15509399/04-
Refrigeration-Cycle-A-Trane-Air-Conditioning-
Clinic
3. http://books.google.com/books?id=eS_2UGJVA
2EC&lpg=PR8&ots=bfW0x_ObE&pg=PA445
4. "Flow Control-Contractor Tip Card".
Www.emersonclimate.com. Emerson Climate
Technologies. Retrieved 16 June 2014.pdf
5. "Thermostatic Expansion Valves".
Sporlanonline.com. Parker Hannifin
Corporation, Sporlan Division. Retrieved 16
June 2014.pdf
6. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology,
By William C. Whitman, William M. Johnson,
John Tomczyk
7. https://www.google.co.in/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=fbcEV
P_YJsHN8geZ8IBI&gws_rd=ssl#q=tev+valve+
specification+PSI
8. www.apollovalves.com/_products/78rv/TS_PHS
S78RV.pdf
9. www.sporlanonline.com/literature/10/10-10.pdf
10. www.emersonclimate.com/Documents/.../pdf/20
04FC-141-R7.pdf
11. www.danfoss.com/NR/rdonlyres/E5EBF1BC.../
TR6_RD1BA102.pdf
12. www.hantech.com/documents/PDF/P249.pdf
13. www.vikinggroupinc.com/usrelated/wilkins/wxt
-xt.pdf
14. www.globalspec.com/industrial-
directory/thermal_expansion_valve
15. www.captiveaire.com/MANUALS/MAKEUPAI
R/.../TXV.PDF
16. www.hpaulin.com/Catalogue/Dealer_2008_Pric
e_List.pdf
17. www.championbrass.com/list_price.xls
18. cpc.farnell.com/1/3/brass-standoff-spacer
19. www.alro.com/datacatalog/011-brass.pdf
20. www.indiamart.com/Metal Scrap & Waste
Materials

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