Abstract A refrigerating apparatus having a self cleaning valve for use with a liquid refrigerant such as carbon dioxide which exists when the pressure is released only briefly as a liquid and primarily both as a solid and a gas. The valve is self-cleaning in that opening and closing the valve dislodges solid carbon dioxide from the interior which would normally clog a valve with a liquid refrigerant of this type and with the self-cleaning feature comprising a knife edged scraping portion on either the valve seat part or the movable part so as to dislodge deposited carbon dioxide or similar refrigerant solid when the valve is operated. The disclosure also includes an apparatus including means for introducing the fluid refrigerant through a plurality of flow paths that span substantially the full width of a refrigerant chamber and with a self-cleaning valve of the above type positioned in each flow path and primarily exteriorly of the chamber.
A self-cleaning valve for a liquid refrigerant that also exists as a solid, comprising: a valve body having an inlet and an outlet for flow of said refrigerant therethrough in a downstream direction; a valve movable part in said body mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis and having an annularly tapered substantially rigid valve opening and closing surface; and an annular valve seat part having a substantially rigid seal surface for sealingly engaging said rigid tapered closing surface, said movable part moving in said downstream direction to open the valve and modulate refrigerant flow therethrough, said valve seat rigid seal surface comprising a scraping portion for engaging the tapered surface of said movable part, said scraping portion converging in an upstream direction toward said axis whereby the opening and closing movements of the movable part result in the scraping portion scraping solid refrigerant from that portion of the movable valve surface disposed upstream from the area of sealing engagement in the valve closed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
A self-cleaning valve for a liquid refrigerant that also exists as a solid, comprising: a valve body having an inlet and an outlet for flow of said refrigerant therethrough in a downstream direction; a valve movable part in said body mounted for movement along a longitudinal axis and having an annularly tapered substantially rigid valve opening and closing surface; and an annular valve seat part having a substantially rigid seal surface for sealingly engaging said rigid tapered closing surface, said movable part moving in said downstream direction to open the valve and modulate refrigerant flow therethrough, said valve seat rigid seal surface comprising a scraping portion for engaging the tapered surface of said movable part, said scraping portion converging in an upstream direction toward said axis whereby the opening and closing movements of the movable part result in the scraping portion scraping solid refrigerant from that portion of the movable valve surface disposed upstream from the area of sealing engagement in the valve closed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The valve of claim 1 wherein said scraping portion is annularly coaxial with and engages said tapered surface only when the valve is closed.