Electronic Expansion Valves: The Basics

Figure 1. A conventional thermostatic expansion valve (TXV or TEV) is controlled by

springs, bellows, and push rods. (Graphics courtesy of Sporlan Valve Co.)
The function of the thermostatic expansion valve (TXV or TEV) is to hold a constant
evaporator superheat. When set and operating properly, the TXV will keep the evaporator
active throughout its entire length.

The conventional TXV is controlled by springs, bellows, and push rods. (See Figure 1.) The
spring force is a closing force on the TXV. The evaporator pressure, which acts under the
thermostatic element's diaphragm, is also a closing force. An opening force is the remote bulb
force, which acts on top of the thermostatic element's diaphragm.

There is also a liquid force from the liquid line, which acts on the face of the needle valve and
has a tendency to open the valve. However, this force is cancelled out when using a balanced
port TXV. Working together, these forces maintain a constant evaporator superheat in a
refrigeration system. There are no electronic devices associated with a conventional TXV.

The SEH-100 EEV from Sporlan Valve Co.

EEVs
The electronic expansion valve (EEV) operates with a much more sophisticated design. EEVs
control the flow of refrigerant entering a direct expansion evaporator. They do this in
response to signals sent to them by an electronic controller. A small motor is used to open
and close the valve port. The motor is called a step or stepper motor. Step motors do not
rotate continuously. They are controlled by an electronic controller and rotate a fraction of a
revolution for each signal sent to them by the electronic controller. The step motor is driven
by a gear train, which positions a pin in a port in which refrigerant flows. A cutaway of an
EEV with step motor and drive assembly is shown in Figure 2.

Step motors can run at 200 steps per second and can return to their exact position very
quickly. The controller remembers the number of step signals sent by the controller. This
makes it possible for the controller to return the valve to any previous position at any time.
This gives the valve very accurate control of refrigerant that flows through it. Most of these
EEVs have 1,596 steps of control and each step is 0.0000783 inches.
Figure 2. A cutaway of an electronic expansion valve (EEV) with step motor and drive
assembly.

Sensors
The electronic signals sent by the controller to the EEV are usually done by a thermistor
connected to discharge airflow in the refrigerated case. A thermistor is nothing but a resistor
that changes its resistance as its temperature changes. Other sensors are often located at the
evaporator inlet and outlet to sense evaporator superheat. This protects the compressor from
any liquid floodback under low superheat conditions.

Pressure transducers can also be wired to the controller for pressure/temperature and
superheat control. Pressure transducers generally have three wires. Two wires supply power
and the third is an output signal. Generally, as system pressure increases, the voltage sent out
by the signal wire will increase. The controller uses this voltage to calculate the temperature
of the refrigerant with the use of a pressure/temperature table programmed into the controller.

A combination of compressor floodback protection and the ability to maintain refrigerator

case discharge air temperature set point control makes the EEV useful in many diverse
applications. Some EEV controllers can also be programmed for custom control applications.
Figure 3. The feedback loop.

Feedback Loop
The controller may open the EEV too much and cause an overcooling condition. The sensors
connected to the refrigeration system and wired to the controller will sense this overcooling
condition and feed this information to the electronic controller and the EEV. This will cause
the step motor to move in the closing direction and close the valve more. The feedback loop
is shown in Figure 3.

Control Of Electronic Expansion Valves

My article in the Aug. 2 issue of The News reviewed conventional thermostatic expansion
valves (TEVs or TXVs) and covered the basic operation of electronic expansion valves
(EEVs). This column will focus on control schemes of EEVs.

EEVs have small stepper motors that open and close their valve port. They do this in
response to signals sent to them by an electronic controller. Sensors like thermistors and
pressure transducers are wired to an electronic controller and act as feedback devices to the
controller telling it what is happening out in the actual refrigeration and air system in a
refrigerated case. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1. The feedback loop. (Courtesy of Sporlan Valve Co.)
Stepper motors are driven by a gear train and can run at 200 steps per second and can return
to their exact position very quickly.

This gives the EEV very accurate control of refrigerant flow. Evaporator superheat and the
refrigerated case's discharge air temperature can be controlled very precisely.

EEVs consist of many components often referred to as hardware. This hardware consists of
the stepper motor itself, its wiring, and the controller. A controller with a built-in
microprocessor controls the EEV.

There are also many transistors involved in the control of most EEVs. Transistors are nothing
but solid-state switches. They receive a small electrical signal from the microprocessor to
their base lead. This allows current flow from the emitter to the collector.

The microprocessor actually sequences signals to the base lead of the transistor. This
sequencing turns the transistors on and off in pairs, which steps the EEV either open or shut.

Controllers and their software or algorithms have many different variations or schemes in
which they control. Three types of control schemes are proportional, integral, and derivative.

In proportional control, actual superheat temperatures will try to approach the superheat set
point but may not reach it. The difference between the actual superheat temperature and the
set point is called the offset. Some means of predicting offset must be used because it
changes with time and heat loads.

With integral control, the control program or algorithm calculates the deviation or the amount
of offset that is changing and is added to the set point. It does this by calculating the area
under the curve of time versus temperature. This type of control scheme is often referred to as
reset.

A derivative control scheme looks at the rate of change in temperature versus time graph or
its slope. If the rate of change is great, the software of algorithm steps the valve faster in
order to satisfy the set point.

Algorithms
In order for the hardware to operate, a set of instructions or software must be given to the
microprocessor. As mentioned earlier, this set of instructions is often referred to as an
algorithm. Below is an example of an algorithm for an EEV trying to control evaporator
superheat.
 If superheat is 20 degrees F, then open the EEV 200 steps.
 If superheat is 10 degrees, then open the EEV 150 steps.
 If superheat is 5 degrees, then open the EEV 0 steps.
 If superheat is 2 degrees, then close the EEV 25 steps.
 If superheat is 0 degrees, then close the EEV 1,000 steps.

Notice that the last line of the algorithm closed the valve 1,000 steps. This is a process
referred to as overdriving. Most EEVs have been made to handle overdriving without damage
to the valve. Overdriving makes sure the EEV is closed so there will not be any damage to
the compressor from flooding or slugging refrigerant. This algorithm, however, will only
allow the EEV to control 5 degrees of superheat. Any higher superheat will open the valve
and any lower superheat will close the valve.

A more advanced algorithm uses "let" statements and "input" statements. There are also
variables like X and Y for numbers to be assigned. "If-then" statements are also used, and
each line of the algorithm is numbered.

The line numbering allows for loops to be used in the programming. Below is an algorithm
that will eventually allow the EEV to reach its superheat set point. It is referred to as a
proportional algorithm because it will change the EEVs output (steps) directly in relation to
the input (evaporator superheat).

20 Let ‘X' be evaporator superheat set point

30 Input ‘X'
40 Let ‘Y' be actual evaporator superheat
50 If X=Y, then close the valve 0 steps
60 If X>Y, then close the EEV 1 step
70 If X
80 Go to line 50

Because proportional control will experience overshoot and undershoot of the set point,
adding the integral feature can enhance proportional algorithms as is the case with the one
above. Remember, integral control senses the actual deviation of actual evaporator superheat
from the set point. An offset can then be applied to the valve. Below is an example of an
integral algorithm enhancement.

If average evaporator superheat for 40 seconds is 3 degrees high, then open the EEV 15 steps.

Another enhancement that can be added to the proportional and integral control algorithm is a
derivative feature. The rate of change of evaporator superheat is sensed by estimating the
slope of the curve for the change in evaporator superheat. A greater slope means faster
changes to the EEV steps. Below is an example of a derivative algorithm enhancement.

100 If the evaporator superheat had decreased 0.5 degrees in 10 seconds, then close the EEV
15 steps
101 If the evaporator superheat had decreased 5 degrees in 3 seconds, then close the EEV 150
steps.

Notice that the derivative enhancement to the software or algorithm dealt with rates of
changes of evaporator superheat.