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Weixing Ji

Peng Yuan

Fahua Gu

Jiejie Song

A centrifugal compressor assembly and method of operation provides a motor that drives a first stage compressor. The motor comprises a rotor. The motor uses radial aerostatic bearings to stabilize rotation and axial displacement of the rotor. The motor also uses a thrust aerostatic bearing to balance an axial force of the rotor. The radial aerostatic bearings and the thrust aerostatic bearing use a low-viscous vapor-liquid two-phase fluid as a lubricating medium. The radial aerostatic bearings supports the rotor. The thrust aerostatic bearing uses porous aerostatic bearings that use a low-viscous vapor-liquid two-phase fluid, so as to reduce radial and axial oscillation of the rotor. This enables clearance between a blade tip of an impeller and a volute. This causes a seal clearance to be reduced by a half; thereby increasing efficiency of the centrifugal compressor by at least 10 percent.

Centrifugal compressor assembly and method of operation with an airconditioner

A method for increasing load capacity on a porous aerostatic bearing through use of a two-phase fluid that is less viscous than lubrication oils and the bearing gap is of the size of air bearings. The porous material throttles vapor and liquid. As liquid goes through the porous media, the pressure drop from the porous media resistance causes it to vaporize. The increased volume flow in the bearing gap reduces the vapor flow rate through porous media, resulting in higher pressure in gap. As the vapor-liquid mixture escapes from bearing gap, another vaporization occurs at the end of bearings which retards escaping, and further increases pressure in the gap. The liquid portion of the two-phase fluid in the bearing gap increases the load capacity and stiffness, similar to hydrostatic bearings fed with liquid. The vaporization absorbs heat generated by bearing friction to allow higher relative speed between bearing surfaces.

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Zhejiang, China

Weixing Ji