Trane International Inc.

Alberto Scala

Timothy Sean Hagen

Keith Adam Novak

Jay H Johnson

Jerry Allen Rood

Robert S Bakkestuen

Scott Michael Branch

Kevin P Hughes

Daniel R Dreher

Brian Hemmersbach

Jerry A Rood

A screw compressor, method of operating, and refrigerant circuit are disclosed. The screw compressor includes a suction inlet that receives a working fluid to be compressed. A compression mechanism is fluidly connected to the suction inlet that compresses the working fluid. A discharge outlet is fluidly connected to the compression mechanism that outputs the working fluid following compression by the compression mechanism. A valve assembly is configured to vary a location at which the compression mechanism compresses the working fluid, the valve assembly being disposed to modify a suction location of the screw compressor.

Variable volume ratio screw compressor

A screw compressor includes a compressor housing defining a working chamber, the housing including a plurality of bores; a first rotor having helical threads, the first rotor being housed in a first of the plurality of bores; a second rotor having helical threads intermeshing with the helical threads of the first rotor, the second rotor being housed in a second of the plurality of bores; an inlet port that receives a fluid to be compressed; an outlet port that receives a compressed fluid; and an intermediate discharge port disposed between the compression chamber and the outlet port, the intermediate discharge port including a sealing member and a biasing mechanism, fluid flow being prevented between the compression chamber and the intermediate discharge port when in a flow-blocked state, and fluid flow being enabled from the compression chamber through the intermediate discharge port when in a flow-permitted state.

Intermediate discharge port for a compressor

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system is disclosed. The HVACR system includes a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected. A controller is electronically connected to the compressor. The controller is configured to prevent the compressor from operating at a speed that is less than a minimum speed limit. A lubricant separator has an inlet fluidly connected between the compressor and the condenser and a plurality of outlets. A first of the plurality of outlets is fluidly connected to the condenser. A second of the plurality of outlets is fluidly connected to one or more components of the compressor to provide a lubricant to the one or more components.

Lubricant quality management for a compressor

This disclosure relates generally to economized screw compressors. Particularly, this synchronized economizer ports on both the female and the male rotor sides of a compressor housing. The economizer ports simultaneously provide gas to a compression chamber formed by male and female rotors. The synchronized male side and female side economizer ports are configured to open and close at opening and closing angles, respectively. The opening angles and the closing angles each differ by at most half of an angular width of a male lobe of the compressor.

Screw compressor having synchronized economizer ports

A screw compressor, refrigerant circuit, lubrication method are disclosed. The screw compressor includes a suction inlet that receives a working fluid to be compressed. A compression mechanism is fluidly connected to the suction inlet. A discharge outlet is fluidly connected to the compression mechanism that outputs the working fluid following compression by the compression mechanism. The screw compressor includes a slide valve that is movable between a first position and a second position. The first position corresponds to a high volume ratio and the second position corresponds to a low volume ratio. The slide valve includes a plurality of lubricant passageways selectively connectable to a lubricant source. A first of the plurality of lubricant passageways is configured to be selected to provide lubricant at the high volume ratio, and a second of the plurality of lubricant passageways is configured to be selected to provide lubricant at the low volume ratio.

Lubricant injection for a screw compressor

Control systems and methods for increasing efficiency of a compressor while the compressor capacity exceeds compressor load, by using a mechanical unloader such as a slide valve to reduce the internal volume ratio of the compressor and allow a more efficient speed to be maintained by a variable frequency drive (VFD) while reducing the compressor capacity based on the load. Control systems include the VFD, a controller for the VFD and the mechanical unloader, and temperature sensors. Compressor embodiments further include one or more compressors and mechanical unloaders operated by the control systems.

Growing community of inventors

Onalaska, WI, United States of America

Alberto Scala