US Patent 7913926 Thermostatic mixing valve

A thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) having a mixing chamber with a plurality of pockets defined therein. The mixing chamber receives cold water flow and hot water flow that has been passed through respective flow inlets and mechanically forced into the pockets defined within the chamber due to axial movement of the plunger. As the hot and cold flow moves into and out of the pockets, the flow streams disperse rather than being maintained in separate flow streams toward the thermostatic element. Because of the increased agitation, the thermostatic element is therefore able to sense a more accurate mixed flow temperature even at low flow rates.