Refrigerant Flow Controls – Commercial
An early, adjustable thermostatic expansion valve, housed in a 4 lb. solid cast brass body with galvanised over coat; thermal power element and 4 ft. capillary tube; engineered for sulphur dioxide and a new generation of forced air cooling unit applications. It would appear much like the company’s earlier Model S automatic expansion valve, on which it was patterned; Model TS10, Frigidaire, circa 1932. [On of a set of two, see #ID 185]
Features:
Original capillary bulb, tubing clamp
Technical Significance:
This valve would stand as a wonderful icon of the early years in TX valve development, as the industry searched for an alternative to the costly and often troublesome, liquid refrigerant, float valve technology of the mid 1920, and 30’s.
One of the earliest in production by Frigidaire, then the rapidly developing name brand supplier to the household and commercial refrigeration field.
This artifact of history tells the many stories of early adoption of this particular refrigerant flow control technology. After a brief flurry of excitement over the use of costly and delicate float operated devices, as a more efficient means of flow control, industry engineers would return to the automatic expansion valve in the early 30’s. But for many medium and larger applications the automatic expansion valve would give way to the more elegant and efficient thermostatic valve for use in a new generation of “dry evaporator” applications.
Industrial Significance:
These valve would see service well into the 1950’s attesting to their robust construction and field serviceability, with an operating life of 20 to 30 years and more.
