Refrigerant Check Valve – A Complete Guide
The check valve is a general concept. It can be called a check valve as long as it meets the characteristics of a one-way flow.
Therefore, it also has various names, such as a non-return valve, reflux valve, retention valve, etc. You can see more explanation here.
This article introduces you to the types of check valves used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Products include air conditioning check valves, diaphragm check valves, steel ball check valves, and float check valves.
Before the reading, please check more types of Refrigeration Check Valves.
What is the Purpose of Check Valves in a Refrigeration and Air Conditioner System?
The refrigerant check valve is a part of controlling the flow direction of refrigerants in the refrigeration system.
The refrigerant check valve’s main function is to prevent the system’s cooling efficiency from being reduced when the compressor stops working.
When the compressor stops working, the high-temperature and high-pressure steam inside of the compressor flows back to the evaporator.
The check valve will make the temperature of the evaporator increase; that’s how it causes the low cooling efficiency of the system.
The magnetic check valve can help you to avoid this situation very well. When you install the refrigeration, check the valve in the system.
It will rapidly balance the high pressure and low pressure inside of the compressor when the compressor stops working.
When the pressure reaches a balance, then the refrigerants won’t flow until the air conditioning or the refrigeration unit restarts.
The refrigerant check valve is mostly used for large and medium-sized refrigeration units and air conditioning equipment.
Miracle can supply all series check valves for refrigeration and air conditioners, including the Float Series Refrigeration Check Valve, NRV, NRVH Refrigeration Check Valve, 3122 Refrigeration Check Valve, and 3142 Refrigeration Check Valve.
What are the Types of Refrigeration Check Valves?
According to the scope of application can be divided into
- Refrigeration check valve
- air conditioner check valve
- Heat pump check valve
- Chiller check valve
According to the structure can be divided into
- Inline check valve
- 90° Angle check valve
- Four bolt check valve
- Piston check valve
- Magnetic check valve
According to the brand can be divided into
- Danfoss check valve
- Sporlan check valve
- Mueller check valve
- Parker refrigeration check valve
- Emerson check valve
As a professional supplier of refrigeration solutions, we can provide you with a full range of check valves. For more details, please contact us now.
Refrigerant Check Valve for Refrigeration and Air Conditioner
The picture shows a one-way valve used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
In the refrigeration system, the main function of the check valve is to be used in conjunction with the economizer to spray liquid to cool or defrost the refrigeration system.
It is mostly used in 2-stage semi-hermetic compressors.
In the air conditioning system, the check valve is used in conjunction with the 4-way reversing valve to achieve cooling and heating of the air conditioning system.
It is mostly used in large air conditioning projects, such as screw unit, centrifugal air conditioners, etc.
Miracle can provide you with a one-stop refrigeration solution. For more details, please contact us now.
Refrigeration Check Valve for Condensing Unit
With 30 years of experience in manufacturing refrigeration units。
We can support you with one-stop refrigeration services, including Bitzer compressor condensing units, air cooling evaporators, all-in-one Danfoss condensing units, Copeland condensing units, etc.
We also share our condensing unit parts with manufacturers. We reduce the manufacturer’s cost of condensing units by centralized purchasing..
Pressure vessel for condensing unit
Valve for condensing unit
Expansion valves (R134a, R410a, heat pump)
Compressor for condensing unit
How Does the Steel Ball Check Valve Work?
In our traditional check valve field, the steel ball structure is widely used.
This means we usually use steel balls as the valve core and use welding, flare, or flange connection to seal.
In the refrigeration system, you can only install the steel ball check valve vertically, which is inconvenient at the time of installation
At the same time, the flow resistance of refrigerants is huge.
The steel ball check valve core doesn’t have the function to close itself automatically when the refrigerant consumption is becoming very large.
This will affect the whole refrigeration system’s performance.
With the development of the refrigeration field, people have high requirements for energy saving, high efficiency, and environmental.
So it is very necessary to design a refrigeration check valve that is more flexible for installation and higher for efficiency to replace the traditional steel ball structure refrigeration check valve.
That’s how the magnetic check valve came into being.
How Does the Magnetic Check Valve Work?
Let me explain the main parts of the refrigeration check valve first:
1. Inlet 2. Valve body 3. Filter 4. Valve seat 5. Magnetic stripe 6. Diaphragm 7. Starting point 8. Guide rod 9. Endpoint 10. Diaphragm base
The magnetic check valve adopts the Interference Fit and Riveting Process to connect the 4 valves set.
The diaphragm is made of stainless steel and is magnetic.
When assembling the refrigeration check valve.
6 diaphragms are attracted by 5 magnetic strips.
And at the position of 7 starting points.
6 diaphragms and 4 valve seats are sealed by line contact, and the valve is closed.
When using, welding the refrigerant check valve to the refrigeration system, ensure it matches the whole system.
When it works, the refrigerant enters the check valve body through the inlet, flows to the 3 filter screen, and rushes to the diaphragm.
This force will make the diaphragm defeat the pressure coming from the magnetic stripe.
The diaphragm moves to endpoint 9. The valve opens, and the refrigeration system starts work.
When the valve needs to be closed, which means the refrigerant pressure of the inlet is smaller than the pressure from the magnetic stripe.
the diaphragm will move to 7 starting points, the valve closes, and the refrigeration system stops working.
Why Magnetic Check Valve Better in Refrigeration Systems?
The magnetic check valve solves the problems, including fixed installation angle and big flow resistance, without a self-closing function.
The advantage of the magnetic check valve is its self-priming mechanism; it makes the valves close automatically and are not affected by the relationship between the reverse pressure and installation angle.
Now, let’s check why.
The magnetic check valve consists of a check valve body, check valve seat, and the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is equipped with a guide device, the check valve seat is connected with the self-priming mechanism that can make sure the diaphragm closes automatically.
(This self-priming mechanism is a magnetic stripe)
The guide device is composed of a diaphragm seat and 3 or more guide rods; the guide rods protrude from the diaphragm seat.
So, it won’t be affected by the installation angle, and the valve has an excellent closing performance.
Besides that, the magnetic check valve adopts the line sealing between the diaphragm and check valve seat, ensuring zero leaking for refrigerant in the reverse direction.