What action is taken to decrease the superheat setting of a Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TEV)?

To decrease the superheat setting of a Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TEV), the action of opening the valve is necessary. When the valve is opened, it allows more refrigerant to flow into the evaporator. This increased flow of refrigerant leads to a lower superheat because more refrigerant will vaporize in the evaporator coil, which in turn reduces the amount of superheated vapor returning to the compressor.

Superheat is the difference between the actual temperature of the refrigerant vapor and its saturation temperature at the same pressure. By opening the TEV, you ensure that the evaporator has enough refrigerant to absorb the heat it needs for optimal operation, thus lowering the risk of the refrigerant becoming too superheated.

In contrast, if you were to close the valve or make adjustments to increase refrigerant flow inappropriately, you would not effectively reduce the superheat. Closing the valve would restrict refrigerant flow, potentially leading to an increase in superheat as the evaporator would receive less refrigerant to absorb heat. Increasing refrigerant flow can be ambiguous without considering how it relates to the operation of the valve, leading to other potential systems issues. Adjusting the pressure setting might indirectly affect superheat but is not a direct method to