THE inventor of a device which is capable of throttling refrigerant between condenser and evaporator has won ASERCOM's 2006 Energy Efficiency Award.
Svenning Ericsson's Bubble Expansion Valve, which is said to be capable of saving between 10 and 20%, won @10,000 in the European compressor manufacturers' association annual award.

The Bubble Expansion Valve enables the evaporator to be completely filled with boiling refrigerant, an unusual occurence in small and medium sized equipment where thermostatic expansion valves are used. The new expansion device aims to be an alternative for small sized units with the advantage of a better heat transfer in the evaporator, working in a flooded instead of a dry mode. The new device incorporates an ejector for fluid recirculation, and several arrangements to protect the compressor and to control the condenser liquid contents.