Carrier Corporation

Scroll Technologies

Carrier Corproation

Stephen L Shoulders

Thomas R Barito

Paul J Flanigan

Francis P Wilson

James William Bush

Zili Sun

Thomas M Zinsmeyer

Donald Yannascoli

Kyle D Wessells

Cole Morgan

A compressor assembly includes a housing assembly and a first rotor and second rotor arranged within the housing assembly. The first rotor is supported for rotation by a first inlet bearing adjacent an inlet end of the housing assembly and by a first discharge bearing adjacent a discharge end of the housing assembly. The second rotor is supported for rotation by a second inlet bearing adjacent the inlet end of the housing assembly and by a second discharge bearing adjacent the discharge end of the housing assembly. A first lubricant flow path supplies lubricant to at least two of the first discharge bearing, the first inlet bearing, the second discharge bearing, and the second inlet bearing sequentially.

Method of improving compressor bearing reliability

A compressor assembly is provided including an inlet bearing and an outlet bearing. A rotating compressor member is support for rotation on an inlet end by the inlet bearing and on an outlet end by the outlet bearing. A plurality of connecting passages is configured to supply lubricant to the inlet bearing and the outlet bearing. A first lubricant flow path is arranged downstream from a pressure reducing orifice. The first lubricant flow path is fluidly coupled to at least one of the plurality of connecting passages. At least a portion of the first lubricant flow path is arranged in a heat exchange relationship with a hot gas in discharge port such that the lubricant within the first lubricant flow path increases in viscosity.

Refrigerant compressor lubricant viscosity enhancement

A vapor compression system (), also known as a chiller, includes a refrigeration loop and a lubrication loop. The lubrication loop includes a lubrication reclamation system that further includes a still () and an ejector () to reduce a pressure in the still (). The ejector () includes an input portion (), an output portionand a vent portion (). The input portion (), the output portion () and the vent portion () are in fluid communication with one another. The vent portion () of the ejector () is positioned in a vent line () associated with the still (). The still () primarily contains a mixture of liquid refrigerant and lubricant. The input portion () of the ejector receives liquid or gas at a high pressure and expels the liquid or gas through the output portion () at an intermediate pressure. As the input fluid at a high pressure flows through the ejector (), a low pressure is created at the vent portion (). The reduction in pressure in the vent portion () causes a suction pressure within the vent portion () associated with the still (), resulting in a portion of the liquid refrigerant vaporizing, leaving a higher viscosity lubricant.

De-gassing lubrication reclamation system

A compressor includes a slide valve () having a passage that can be in fluid communication with a discharge plenum () and a suction plenum (). The slide valve () position may be axially adjusted to control an amount of refrigerant that is compressed between a male rotor () and a female rotor () in the compressor based upon a system control scheme that determines capacity demand. The passage () is in fluid communication with the discharge plenum () and the suction plenum () when the slide valve is in a fully unloaded position or a partially unloaded position. A compressor housing blocks an opening to the passage when the slide valve () is in a fully loaded position. The location of the opening () in the slide valve determines what point in axial travel of the slide valve that fluid bypass begins.

Screw compressor having a slide valve with hot gas bypass port

A compressor apparatus () has a housing () having first () and second () ports along a flowpath. One or more working elements () cooperate with the housing () to define a compression path between suction () and discharge () locations along the flowpath. A check valve () has a valve element () mounted for movement between a first condition permitting downstream flow along the flowpath and a second condition blocking a reverse flow. The valve element includes a resonator ().

Compressor sound suppression

A compressor () has an unloading slide valve (). The valve has a valve element () having a range between a first condition and a second condition, the second condition being unloaded relative to the first condition. A piston () is in a cylinder () and mechanically coupled to the valve element. A control valve () is coupled to a headspace () of the cylinder to selectively expose the headspace to a fluid source (), pressure of fluid in the headspace producing a force on the piston and valve element in a direction from the second condition toward the first condition. The compressor includes means () for relieving excess pressure in the headspace.

Compressor unloading valve

A compressor apparatus () has a housing () having first () and second () ports along a flow path. One or more working elements () cooperate with the housing () to define a compression path between suction () and discharge () locations along the flow path. An unloading valve () has a valve element () having a range between a first condition and a second condition, the second condition being unloaded relative to the first condition. Means () bias the valve element toward a third condition intermediate the first and second conditions.

A compressor () has an unloading slide valve (). The valve has a valve element () having a range between a first condition and a second condition, the second condition being unloaded relative to the first condition. A first surface () of the valve element () is in sliding engagement with a second surface () of the housing () during movement between the first and second conditions. The compressor includes means for lubricating the first () and second () surfaces.

Compressor slide valve lubrication

A screw compressor () has a housing having first and second ports along a flow path. A male-lobed rotor has a first rotational axis. A female-lobed rotor has a second rotational axis and is enmeshed with the male-lobed rotor to define a compression path between suction and discharge locations along the flow path. The compressor has a compressor lubrication network having a lubricant outlet port () along a low pressure cusp (). An unloading slide valve element () may be along a high pressure cusp ().

Screw compressor lubrication

A compressor apparatus has a housing () having first () and second () ports along a flowpath. One or more working elements () cooperate with the housing to define a compression path between suction and discharge locations along the flowpath. A check valve () has a valve element having a first condition permitting downstream flow along the flowpath and a second condition blocking a reverse flow. Sound suppressing means () at least partially surround the flowpath upstream of the valve element ().

A compressor of this invention includes a flow passage supplying lubricant to an outlet bearing and to an inlet bearing. An orifice is disposed within the flow passages for controlling lubricant flow to the bearing assemblies. A choke orifice is disposed in series with one of the orifices for either the inlet or outlet for controlling lubricant flow relative to the other orifice.

Lubrication system for compressor

An apparatus for separating an oil from a refrigerant has a housing, an inlet conduit for receiving a refrigerant/oil mixture, a separator medium, a refrigerant outlet conduit, and an oil outlet conduit. The inlet conduit has an inlet external to the housing and an outlet within the housing and provides means for limiting external sounds transmitted by the housing.

Refrigerant/oil separator

A compressor has a housing. One or more working elements cooperate with the housing to define a compression path between suction and discharge locations. An intermediate port is located along the compression path. A branch path extends to the intermediate port. The compressor includes means for limiting pressure pulsations along the branch path.

To counter downstream oil infiltration through a shaft seal, a small portion of the compressed fluid is diverted from downstream to upstream through a passageway in a rotor. The diverted fluid is introduced to a space at a downstream side of the seal. An exemplary implementation is in a compressor having a central male rotor intermeshed with a pair of female rotors. The seal is located at an upstream (inlet) end of the lobed working portion of the male rotor.

Compressor

A lubricant still for use in a compressor for separating oil from refrigerant, includes a vessel having an inlet for incoming oil laden refrigerant, an outlet for gaseous refrigerant, and an outlet for refrigerant laden oil. A separating structure is provided for separating transitioning oil laden refrigerant from the incoming oil-laden refrigerant, wherein the oil laden refrigerant progressively changes to the refrigerant laden oil closer to the outlet for refrigerant laden oil. A heating device is used for heating the incoming oil laden refrigerant and transitioning oil laden refrigerant, for facilitating the formation of the gaseous refrigerant and the refrigerant laden oil.

Growing community of inventors

Baldwinsville, NY, United States of America

Stephen L Shoulders