Appliance Design - April 2008 - (Page 48)

FLUID HANDLING Key Feature Size Weight Power Reliability Electronics EMI Interface Silicon Valve 0.8cm3 0.36gm 0.65A/12V Solid state Resistive None Simple Solenoid Valve 41.2cm3 170gm 1.5A/12V Multiple parts/multiple materials Inductive High Complex bore Impact 98% Reduction 99% Reduction 55% Reduction Higher reliability Simple drive circuitry Lower drive complexity Low manufacturing complexity Table 1. A summary of the key features of the Microstaq silicon valve compared to a solenoid valve. A Product of its Environment Problem: The operating environment inside your particular appliance may cause thermal controls to act differently than you expected. Solution: 1 Involve a Pepi sales engineer 2 Choose the right control 3 Customize to meet application needs ® Pepi® thermal controls can be customized in a variety of ways to ensure reliability in virtually any application. To learn more about how easy and affordable it is to get the right device for your particular application, visit our special Proto • Type web site. www.pepiusa.com/prototype.html Only Pepi® thermostats and thermal protectors offer so many options in fit, configuration, cost and customization. For a close look send for our new Disc-Type and Conductive-Type Catalogs today. a shift toward more accurate control of the refrigeration cycle in order to reduce overall power consumption. Refrigeration engineers have several choices in reducing power consumption, including varying the speed of the compressor based on the load, tightly controlling superheat through an electronically controlled expansion device, or a combination of both approaches. Microstaq’s silicon expansion valve (SEV), coupled with superheat control electronics, can provide up to 25 percent to 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency in an air conditioning system. With the SEV, the superheat can run at 2 DegF, resulting in approximately 10 percent to 12 percent improvement in energy efficiency through superheat control. The use of the SEV in condenser subcooling allows the subcooling to run at 5 DegF, resulting in approximately 5 percent to 7 percent in energy efficiency through subcooling control. In terms of compressor efficiency, an SEV in the system will allow it to run at higher evaporator pressure, thereby increasing the compressor refrigerant mass flow and compressor volumetric efficiency, which can increase the overall system efficiency by approximately 5 percent to 7 percent. Silicon MEMS valves can play a vital role in reducing power consumption and improving energy efficiency in appliance control systems. The silicon architecture, compact package, and electronic integration capability of Microstaq’s silicon MEMS valves can fundamentally shift how valves are designed into control systems of advanced appliances.  For more information, enter 312 or email: info@microstaq.com www.pepiusa.com Portage Electric Products, Inc. N. Canton, OH U.S.A. salesinfo@pepiusa.com • 1-888-GO4-PEPI For more Information Enter 117 48 applianceDESIGN April 2008 www.applianceDESIGN.com AD04084Port.indd 1 3/10/08 9:33:26 AM http://www.pepiusa.com/ http://www.pepiusa.com http://www.pepiusa.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - April 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A Variant of Thermoacoustic Refrigeration Known as Acoustic-Stirling is Expanding Its Range Outside Cryocooling Into More Conventional Applications Such As Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Free-Piston, Stirling Coolers Are Now Showing Up in Mainstream Applications As Costs Come Down and Heat Transport Solutions Are Devised Heat Exchanger Innovations Are Helping To Improve the Overall Efficiency of Vapor Compression Systems Environmental Concerns Have Once Again Ignited a Debate Over Refrigerants A New Glass Ceramic Material for Induction Cooktops Can Be Decorated In a Variety of Glimmering Metallic, 3-D Looks That Can Employ a Number of Shades, Patterns, Styles, Colors, Intensities, and Textures Colorful, Reflective Coatings for Glass Create a Variety of Design Options To Help Designers Establish a Unique Look for Their Products Appliance Designers Faced With Different Motor and Drive Options Need To Understand the Differences and Tradeoffs Before Choosing A New MEMS Valve Offers a Number of Advantages Over Solenoids In Certain Applications, Including the Opportunity To Cut Energy Use The AHR Expo Set Attendance Records and Showcased Thousands of Innovative New Products Classifieds Design Marts Advertiser’s Index Association Report: CEA

Appliance Design - April 2008

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