PH-2185 -- Rating Solenoid Valves for Liquid Refrigerant Flow

The Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, Purdue University, was involved in a study of the flow characteristics of solenoid valves for refrigeration applications. This, study was sponsored by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI}. The goal of this research was to develop a simple and reliable method, experimental and/or analytical, or predicting the flow of liquid or vapor refrigerant through a solenoid valve as a function of the pressure drop. It was also required that the rating procedure involve a mininimum amount of experimental testing with water or air used as the working fluid. The results of this study formed the basis of ARI Standard 760-69 for rating solenoid valves for liquid refrigerant service. Th1s paper contains a summary of the research completed on the flow of liquid refrigerant through a solenoid valve.