Solenoid valves are used in many heating and cooling applications. They are electrically operated. A solenoid valve, when connected as in Fig 14-10, remains open when current is supplied to it. It closes when the current is turned off. In general, solenoid valves are used to control the liquid-refrigerant flow into the expansion valve or the refrigerant gas flow from the evaporator when it or the fixture it is controlling reaches the desired temperature. The most common application of the solenoid valve is in the liquid line, and it operates with a thermostat (see Fig. 14-11).
The solenoid shown in Fig. 14-12 controls the flow of natural gas in a hot-air furnace. Note how the coil is wound around the plunger. The plunger is the core of the solenoid. It has a tendency to be sucked into the coil whenever the coil is energized by current flowing through it. The electromagnetic effect causes the plunger to be attracted upward into the coil area. When the plunger is moved upward by the pull of the electromagnet, the soft disc (No. 10) is pulled upward, allowing gas to flow through the valve. This basic technique is used to control water, gasoline, oil, or any other liquid or gas.
