K J SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

MUMBAI-77
(CONSTITUENT COLLEGE OF SOMAIYA VIDYAVIHAR
UNIVERSITY)

Expansion Devices

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 Introduction

• The basic functions of an expansion device used in refrigeration systems

are to:
• 1. Reduce pressure from condenser pressure to evaporator pressure, and
• 2. Regulate the refrigerant flow from the high-pressure liquid line into
the evaporator at a rate equal to the evaporation rate in the evaporator

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 Types of expansion device
• The expansion devices used in refrigeration systems can be divided into fixed opening type or
variable opening type. As the name implies, in fixed opening type the flow area remains fixed, while
in variable opening type the flow area changes with changing mass flow rates. There are basically
seven types of refrigerant expansion devices. These are:
• 1. Hand (manual) expansion valves
• 2. Capillary Tubes
• 3. Orifice
• 4. Constant pressure or Automatic Expansion Valve (AEV)
• 5. Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TEV)
• 6. Float type Expansion Valve
 High Side Float Valve
 Low Side Float Valve
• 7. Electronic Expansion Valve
Capillary tube and orifice belong to the fixed opening type, while the rest belong to the variable
opening type. Of the above seven types, the hand operated expansion valve is not used when an
automatic control is required.

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 Capillary tube
• A capillary tube is a long narrow constant tube diameter
• Typical tube diameters of refrigerant capillary tubes range from 0.5 mm to 3 mm and the
length ranges from 1.0 m to 6 m
• The refrigerant has to overcome the frictional resistance offered by tube walls.
• The pressure reduction in a capillary tube occurs due to the following two factors:
• 1. The refrigerant has to overcome the frictional resistance offered by tube walls. This
leads to some pressure drop, and
• 2. The liquid refrigerant flashes (evaporates) into mixture of liquid and vapour as its
pressure reduces. The density of vapour is less than that of the liquid. Hence, the average
density of refrigerant decreases as it flows in the tube. The mass flow rate and tube
diameter (hence area) being constant, the velocity of refrigerant increases since = ρVA.
The increase in velocity or acceleration of the refrigerant also requires pressure drop.

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 Capillary tube (Contd…)

• Several combinations of length and bore are available for the same mass
flow rate and pressure drop.
• However, once a capillary tube of some diameter and length has been
installed in a refrigeration system, the mass flow rate through it will vary
in such a manner that the total pressure drop through it matches with the
pressure difference between condenser and the evaporator.
• Mass flow rate is totally dependent upon the pressure difference across it;
it cannot adjust itself to variation of load effectively.

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 Advantages

• 1. It is inexpensive.
• 2. It does not have any moving parts hence it does not require
maintenance
• 3. Capillary tube provides an open connection between condenser and the
evaporator hence during off-cycle, pressure equalization occurs between
condenser and evaporator. This reduces the starting torque requirement of
the motor since the motor starts with same pressure on the two sides of
the compressor. Hence, a motor with low starting torque (squirrel cage
Induction motor) can be used.
• 4. Ideal for hermetic compressor based systems, which are critically
charged and factory assembled.
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 Disadvantages

• 1. It cannot adjust itself to changing flow conditions in response to daily and seasonal
variation in ambient temperature and load. Hence, COP is usually low under off design
conditions.
• 2. It is susceptible to clogging because of narrow bore of the tube, hence, utmost care is
required at the time of assembly. A filter-drier should be used ahead of the capillary to
prevent entry of moisture or any solid particles
• 3. During off-cycle, liquid refrigerant flows to evaporator because of pressure difference
between condenser and evaporator. The evaporator may get flooded and the liquid
refrigerant may flow to compressor and damage it when it starts. Therefore critical
charge is used in capillary tube based systems.
• It is used only with hermetically sealed compressors where refrigerant does not leak so
that critical charge can be used. Normally an accumulator is provided after the
evaporator to prevent slugging of compressor

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 Automatic expansion valve
The valve consists of an adjustment spring that can be adjusted
to maintain the required temperature in the evaporator.
If Fe+ Ffs > Fs+ Fo the needle will be pushed against the orifice
and the valve will be fully closed.
If Fe+ Ffs< Fs+ Fo , the needle will be away from the orifice and
the valve will be open. Hence the relative magnitude of these
forces controls the mass flow rate through the expansion valve
Known as a constant pressure expansion valve acts in such a
manner so as to maintain a constant pressure and thereby a
constant temperature in the evaporator.
Used Where constant temperature is required like milk chilling
plant, water cooler.
Used for capacity less than 10TR

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 Thermostatic Expansion Valve

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 Thermostatic Expansion Valve (Contd…)

• Thermostatic expansion valve is the most versatile expansion valve and is

most commonly used in refrigeration systems.
• A thermostatic expansion valve maintains a constant degree of superheat
at the exit of evaporator;
• It is most effective for dry evaporators in preventing the slugging of the
compressors since it does not allow the liquid refrigerant to enter the
compressor

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 Thermostatic Expansion Valve (Contd…)
• This consists of a feeler bulb that is attached to the evaporator exit tube so that it senses the
temperature at the exit of evaporator.
• The feeler bulb is connected to the top of the bellows by a capillary tube. The feeler bulb and
the narrow tube contain some fluid that is called power fluid.
• The power fluid may be the same as the refrigerant in the refrigeration system, or it may be
different.
• In case it is different from the refrigerant, then the TEV is called TEV with cross charge.
• The pressure of the power fluid Pf is the saturation pressure corresponding to the temperature
at the evaporator exit.
• If the evaporator temperature is Te and the corresponding saturation evaporator pressure is P e,
then the purpose of TEV is to maintain a temperature T e+ΔTs at the evaporator exit, where
ΔTs is the degree of superheat required from the TEV. The power fluid senses this temperature
Te+ΔTs by the feeler bulb and its pressure Pp is the saturation pressure at this temperature. The
force F exerted on top of bellows of area A due to this pressure is given by: Fp = Ab P p

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 Advantages

• 1. It provides excellent control of refrigeration capacity as the supply of

refrigerant to the evaporator matches the demand
• 2. It ensures that the evaporator operates efficiently by preventing
starving under high load conditions
• 3. It protects the compressor from slugging by ensuring a minimum
degree of superheat under all conditions of load, if properly selected.

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 High side float valve
•Float type expansion valves are normally used with flooded evaporators in large capacity refrigeration systems.
•A float type valve opens or closes depending upon the liquid level as sensed by a buoyant member, called as float.
The float could take the form of a hollow metal or plastic ball, a hollow cylinder or a pan.
•Thus the float valve always maintains a constant liquid level in a chamber called as float chamber. Depending
upon the location of the float chamber, a float type expansion valve can be either a low-side float valve or a high-
side float valve.

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 Low side float valve

• A low-side float valve maintains a constant liquid level in a flooded evaporator or a float
chamber attached to the evaporator.
• When the load on the system increases, more amount of refrigerant evaporates from the
evaporator.
• As a result, the refrigerant liquid level in the evaporator or the low-side float chamber drops
momentarily.
• The float then moves in such a way that the valve opening is increased and more amount of
refrigerant flows into the evaporator to take care of the increased load and the liquid level is
restored.
• The reverse process occurs when the load falls, i.e., the float reduces the opening of the valve
and less amount of refrigerant flows into the evaporator to match the reduced load.
• As mentioned, these valves are normally used in large capacity systems and normally a by-pass
line with a hand-operated expansion is installed to ensure system operation in the event of float
failure.

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 High side float valve

• As shown in the figure, a high-side float valve maintains the liquid level constant in a
float chamber that is connected to the condenser on the high pressure side.
• When the load increases, more amount of refrigerant evaporates and condenses. As a
result, the liquid level in the float chamber rises momentarily. The float then opens the
valve more to allow a higher amount of refrigerant flow to cater to the increased load,
as a result the liquid level drops back to the original level.
• The reverse happens when the load drops.
• Since a high-side float valve allows only a fixed amount of refrigerant on the high
pressure side, the bulk of the refrigerant is stored in the low-pressure side (evaporator).
Hence there is a possibility of flooding of evaporator followed by compressor slugging.
• Unlike low-side float valves, a high-side float valve can be used with both flooded as
well as direct expansion type evaporators.

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 Electronic expansion valve

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 Electronic expansion valve (Contd…)
• An electronic expansion valve consists of an orifice and a needle in front it.
• The needle moves up and down in response to magnitude of current in the heating element.
• If the refrigerant will superheat the resistance offered by heat element will be less so it increases the mass flow rate of
refrigerant. If less then it will decrease the mass flow rate of refrigerant.
• A small resistance allows more current to flow through the heater of the expansion valve, as a result the valve opens
wider.
• A small negative coefficient thermistor is used if superheat control is desired.
• The thermistor is placed in series with the heater of the expansion valve.
• The heater current depends upon the thermistor resistance that depends upon the refrigerant condition.
• Exposure of thermistor to superheated vapour permits thermistor to self heat thereby lowering its resistance and
increasing the heater current.
• This opens the valve wider and increases the mass flow rate of refrigerant.
• This process continues until the vapour becomes saturated and some liquid refrigerant droplets appear. The liquid
refrigerant will cool the thermistor and increase its resistance. Hence in presence of liquid droplets the thermistor offers
a large resistance, which allows a small current to flow through the heater making the valve opening narrower.
• The control of this valve is independent of refrigerant and refrigerant pressure; hence it works in reverse flow direction
also. It is convenient to use it in year-round-air-conditioning systems, which serve as heat pumps in winter with reverse
flow. In another version of it the heater is replaced by stepper motor, which opens and closes the valve with a great
precision giving a proportional control in response to temperature sensed by an element.

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 Orifice

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