Seal system for HVAC&R systems

Abstract

The compressor system includes a housing having an impeller disposed inside, a motor disposed within the housing, and a sealing system disposed within the housing. The motor includes a rotor shaft coupled to the impeller, and the motor is configured to drive the rotation of the rotor shaft and the impeller. The sealing system includes a sealing element disposed circumferentially around the rotor shaft and configured to bias against the surface of the rotor shaft in a first configuration. The housing includes an injection port formed inside, which is configured to guide pressurized fluid into the housing and cause it to collide with the sealing element, thereby transitioning the sealing element from a first configuration to a second configuration, in which the sealing element is lifted away from the surface of the rotor shaft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 453,682, filed on March 21, 2023, entitled "SEALING SYSTEM FOR HVAC&R SYSTEM", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Background Art

[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of technologies that may be related to the various aspects of the present disclosure described below. This discussion is thought to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these descriptions are to be read from this perspective and should not be read as an endorsement of the prior art.

[0003] Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems, or vapor compression systems, are used in residential, commercial, and industrial environments to control environmental characteristics such as temperature and humidity for the occupants of each environment. HVAC&R systems circulate a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that undergoes phase changes between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to being exposed to different temperatures and pressures associated with the operation of the HVAC&R system. For example, an HVAC&R system uses one or more compressors to circulate the working fluid to a heat exchanger, which can transfer heat between the working fluid flowing through it and another fluid (e.g., a cooling fluid). In some applications, the motors powering the compressors may include rotating components that operate to rotate the impellers of the compressors, thereby enabling the compressors to compress the working fluid and deliver it to other components of the vapor compression system. Cooling systems are typically used to cool the motors during the operation of the HVAC&R system. Unfortunately, existing compressors, motors, and motor cooling systems are prone to various inefficiencies, which can reduce the efficiency of HVAC&R systems and / or shorten the lifespan of HVAC&R system components. [Overview of the project]

[0004] A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is provided below. These embodiments are presented solely to provide the reader with a brief overview of these specific embodiments, and it should be understood that they are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may encompass a variety of embodiments not described below.

[0005] In one embodiment, the compressor system includes a housing having an impeller disposed inside, a motor disposed within the housing, and a sealing system disposed within the housing. The motor includes a rotor shaft coupled to the impeller, and the motor is configured to drive the rotation of the rotor shaft and the impeller. The sealing system includes a sealing element disposed circumferentially around the rotor shaft and configured to bias against the surface of the rotor shaft in a first configuration. The housing includes an injection port formed inside, which is configured to guide pressurized fluid into the housing and cause it to collide with the sealing element, thereby transitioning the sealing element from a first configuration to a second configuration, in which the sealing element is lifted away from the surface of the rotor shaft.

[0006] In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor configured to compress a working fluid and circulate the working fluid through a working fluid circuit; a motor coupled to the compressor via a rotor shaft and configured to drive the operation of the compressor via the rotation of the rotor shaft; and a sealing system configured to restrict fluid movement between the motor and the compressor. The sealing system includes a sealing element configured to transition from a first configuration to a second configuration based on the operation of a pressurized fluid supply source fluid-coupled to the sealing element, wherein the sealing portion of the sealing element is configured to engage with the surface of the rotor shaft in the first configuration, and the sealing portion of the sealing element is configured to disengage from the surface of the rotor shaft in the second configuration.

[0007] In one embodiment, a sealing system for a compressor motor includes a sealing element circumferentially arranged around the rotor shaft of the motor and configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration. The sealing element includes a sealing portion configured to disengage from the outer surface of the rotor shaft in the first configuration and to contact the outer surface of the rotor shaft in the second configuration. The sealing system further includes a pressurized fluid supply source configured to provide pressurized fluid, and the sealing element is configured to transition from the second configuration to the first configuration in response to the pressurized fluid supply source providing pressurized fluid. The sealing system further includes a controller configured to control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source to transition the sealing element between the first configuration and the second configuration in response to a detected operating state of the compressor.

[0008] Various aspects of this disclosure can be better understood by reading the following detailed description and referring to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a building in which a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system may be utilized in a commercial environment, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a compressor in a steam compression system, illustrating a sealing system for a motor and compressor according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a compressor illustrating a sealing system for a compressor motor according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A]This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a sealing system for a compressor motor during compressor operation, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a sealing system for a compressor motor, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, when the compressor is not in operation. [Figure 8] This is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a compressor illustrating a sealing system for a compressor motor according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] One or more specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. These embodiments described are examples of the technology of this disclosure. In addition, not all features of actual implementations may be described herein in order to provide a concise description of these embodiments. It should be recognized that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be made, which may differ from implementation to implementation, such as compliance with system-related and industry-related constraints, in order to achieve developer-specific goals. Furthermore, it should be recognized that while such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, they are still routine design, fabrication, and manufacturing tasks for those skilled in the art who are interested in this disclosure.

[0011] When introducing elements of the various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to indicate that one or more of the elements exist. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be comprehensive and mean that additional elements other than those enumerated may exist. Additionally, it should be understood that any reference in this disclosure to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” is not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that similarly incorporate the enumerated features.

[0012] Where used herein, terms such as “approximately,” “generally,” and “substantially” are intended to convey, as a person skilled in the art would understand, that the described characteristic value may fall within a relatively small range of characteristic values. For example, when a characteristic value is described as “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar to”) a given value, it is intended that this means the characteristic value may be within ±5%, ±4%, ±3%, ±2%, ±1% of the given value, or even closer to it. Similarly, when a given feature is described as “substantially parallel” to another feature, or “generally perpendicular” to another feature, it is intended that this means the given feature is within ±5%, ±4%, ±3%, ±2%, ±1%, or even closer to having the described property, such as being parallel or perpendicular to another feature. Mathematical terms such as “parallel” and “perpendicular” should not be interpreted strictly in their strict mathematical sense, but rather should be interpreted as a person skilled in the art would interpret such terms. For example, a person skilled in the art will understand that two lines that are substantially parallel to each other are parallel to a substantial degree, but may deviate slightly from being perfectly parallel.

[0013] As briefly discussed above, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems may be configured to operate to meet heating and / or cooling demands within a building, dwelling, or other suitable structure. For example, an HVAC&R system may include a vapor compression system (e.g., a chiller system, a heat pump system) that transfers thermal energy between a working fluid (e.g., water, a refrigerant, a heat transfer fluid) and a fluid being conditioned (e.g., air, water, or brine). In some embodiments, the working fluid being conditioned and the fluid being conditioned may be the same fluid (e.g., water). The vapor compression system may include one or more vapor compression circuits (e.g., a heat pump), each of which may include one or more heat exchangers, such as condensers and evaporators, each fluidly coupled to one or more conduits (e.g., a vapor compression circuit, a working fluid circuit, a refrigeration circuit). Furthermore, each vapor compression circuit may include a compressor configured to pressurize the working fluid and circulate it through conduits, thus enabling the transfer of thermal energy between the working fluid and the fluid being conditioned via one or more heat exchangers. To facilitate different operating modes, the vapor compression system may include several controllable features or components, such as valves, expanders, coil fans, condenser pumps, and / or evaporator pumps. The vapor compression system may include a controller configured to determine the operating mode of the vapor compression system and to control the valves, expanders, pumps, and fans to operate the vapor compression system in the desired mode. In certain embodiments, the vapor compression system may be a heat pump system configured to facilitate the flow of a working fluid (e.g., water) through the vapor compression circuit in different directions for different operating modes. In other embodiments, the working fluid may flow through the vapor compression circuit in the same direction during multiple (e.g., all) operating modes.

[0014] The compressor (e.g., centrifugal compressor) of a vapor compression system (e.g., a heat pump system) may be designed for specific operating conditions that may relate to one or more properties or parameters of the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant, water). For example, a compressor may be designed and / or selected for implementation in an HVAC&R system based on the type of working fluid, the flow rate of the working fluid (e.g., flow rate), the temperature and pressure conditions of the working fluid at the compressor's inlet, and / or the temperature and pressure conditions of the working fluid at the compressor's outlet.

[0015] In certain HVAC&R systems, water may be used as the working fluid, and the compressor of a vapor compression system (e.g., a heat pump system) may be configured to operate to circulate and / or compress water (e.g., steam) through a working fluid circuit (e.g., through one or more heat exchangers) to provide a heat exchange relationship with another fluid (e.g., a cooling fluid, air, saltwater, etc.) guided across the heat exchangers of the working fluid circuit. Alternatively, an HVAC&R system may be configured to circulate and / or compress water (e.g., steam) to provide a heat exchange relationship with another flow of water. In some embodiments where the compressor is configured to circulate water as the working fluid, evaporated water (e.g., steam) may be guided from an evaporator to the compressor, thereby allowing the compressor to compress the steam before delivering it to a condenser. The compressor may be coupled to a motor configured to drive or power the compressor. For example, the motor may include a rotor shaft supported by a bearing assembly within a motor housing. By rotating the rotor shaft, the motor enables the rotation of the compressor rotor coupled to the rotor shaft, thereby driving the working fluid (e.g., water) in the working fluid circuit. However, in order to properly drive the water through the working fluid circuit at the desired operating pressure and / or flow rate, the compressor may be configured to operate at high speed during the compressor's operating mode. Furthermore, during the compressor's idle or standby mode, the working fluid (e.g., water, steam) remaining in the compressor may condense, thereby creating negative pressure or vacuum on the compression side of the compressor (e.g., impeller side, compression cavity, working fluid passage). In certain cases, air from the motor (e.g., non-condensable air) may be drawn into the compression side of the compressor by the negative pressure vacuum (e.g., it may be encompassed). Typically, the non-condensable air on the compression side of the compressor is purged before the compressor operates again, but this causes a decrease in efficiency. Additionally, the air may contain oxygen, which can cause wear and deterioration of the compressor's components (e.g., oxidation caused by oxygen in the encompassed air), which is undesirable.Furthermore, under certain conditions, the condensing working fluid from the compression side of the compressor may flow into the motor housing, which can cause wear and deterioration of the motor's components, and this is also undesirable.

[0016] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sealing system (e.g., a lip seal system, a dovetail seal system) having one or more liftable and / or radially adjustable sealing elements that, during the operating mode of the compressor, allow for high-speed operation of the compressor while limiting the amount of fluid movement between different parts of the compressor. Specifically, the sealing system is configured to block the flow of fluid (e.g., air) from the motor cavity to the compression side of the compressor (e.g., the impeller side, the compression cavity, the working fluid passage) and to block the flow of working fluid (e.g., condensed working fluid, water, steam) from the compression side to the motor cavity during the idle or standby mode of the compressor (e.g., a non-operating mode). For example, this embodiment relates to a seal system having one or more seal elements, wherein at least one of the one or more seal elements is fluid-coupled to a pressurized fluid supply source (e.g., exposed) and is configured to transition between a first configuration (e.g., disengaged configuration) in which the seal element is not engaged with the rotor shaft, and a second configuration (e.g., engaged configuration) in which the seal element engages with (e.g., contacts) the outer surface of the rotor shaft to provide a fluid seal between the motor cavity and the compression side of the compressor.

[0017] For example, during a compressor's operating mode (e.g., active operating mode, operating state, active state, compression state), a pressurized fluid (e.g., gas buffer, vapor buffer) may be guided toward a seal element through a conduit (e.g., injection path, injection port, pressurized fluid port). When the pressurized fluid engages with the seal element, the seal element may be biased by the pressurized fluid to move away from the surface of the rotor shaft (e.g., lifted away, disengaged, lifted radially). By guiding the pressurized fluid toward the seal element during compressor operation and disengaging the seal element from the rotor shaft, the amount of interference (e.g., friction) from the seal element to the rotor shaft is reduced, so that an increased rotor shaft speed can be more easily and desirablely achieved. Additionally, since the pressurized fluid impacting the seal element disengages the seal element from the rotor shaft, the pressurized fluid can also limit the amount of air (e.g., flow) in the motor cavity entering the compression side during the compressor's operating mode. For example, the pressure, force, and / or flow of the pressurized fluid directed toward the sealing element may be higher than the pressure of the air present in the motor cavity. Therefore, if the pressurized fluid is directed beyond the sealing element (e.g., across, through), the flow of the pressurized fluid may restrict the flow of air from the motor cavity toward the compression side of the compressor (e.g., entering) (e.g., traveling in the opposite direction to the flow of the pressurized fluid).

[0018] During the compressor's idle or standby mode (e.g., non-operating mode, inactive state), pressurized fluid may no longer be directed toward the seal element, thereby allowing the seal element to re-engage with the rotor shaft to form a fluid seal. For example, the seal element may be configured to engage (e.g., contact) with the outer surface of the rotor shaft to provide a fluid seal between the motor cavity and the compression side in the stationary state of the seal element (e.g., a state and / or condition in which no pressurized fluid is directed toward one or more seal elements). As described above, during the compressor's idle mode, the working fluid (e.g., water, steam) may condense within the compressor (e.g., on the compression side), and in certain cases, it may naturally tend to move toward the motor housing (e.g., the motor cavity), which may be undesirable. Additionally, condensation of the working fluid may create a negative vacuum on the compression side, which may draw non-condensable air from the motor toward the compression side, which may also be undesirable. Therefore, by employing a sealing system having one or more sealing elements configured to engage with the rotor shaft while one or more sealing elements are stationary and while the compressor is not operating, fluid movement between the various components of the compressor (e.g., between the compression side and the motor cavity) can be reduced, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs associated with wear and deterioration of components of the HVAC&R system.

[0019] Referring here to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the environment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 for a typical commercial environment. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a chiller system, a heat pump system) that supplies cooled liquid which can be used to cool the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 for supplying hot liquid for heating the building 12, and an air distribution system for circulating air through the building 12. The air distribution system may also include an air return duct 18, an air supply duct 20, and / or an air handler 22. In some embodiments, the air handler 22 may include a heat exchanger connected to the boiler 16 and the vapor compression system 14 by conduits 24. The heat exchanger in the air handler 22 may receive either heated liquid from the boiler 16 or cooled liquid from the vapor compression system 14, depending on the operating mode of the HVAC&R system 10. Although the HVAC&R system 10 is shown with separate air handlers on each floor of the building 12, in other embodiments the HVAC&R system 10 may include air handlers 22 and / or other components that can be shared between or within a floor.

[0020] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 that can be used within an HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 can circulate a working fluid through a circuit that begins at a compressor 32. The circuit can also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve(s) or expansion device(s) 36, and a liquid chiller or evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 can further include a control panel 40 having an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, a non-volatile memory 46, and / or an interface board 48. Some examples of fluids that can be used as the working fluid within the vapor compression system 14 are water (e.g., water vapor), R-718, hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based refrigerants such as R-410A, R-407, R-134a, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO), ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, or a "natural" refrigerant such as a hydrocarbon based refrigerant, or any other suitable working fluid.

[0021] In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 can use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSD) 52, a motor 50, a compressor 32, a condenser 34, an expansion valve or expansion device 36, and / or an evaporator 38. The motor 50 can drive the compressor 32 and can be powered by a variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives AC power having a specific constant line voltage and a constant line frequency from an alternating current (AC) power source and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 can be powered directly from an AC power source or a direct current (DC) power source. The motor 50 can include a VSD, or any type of electric motor that can be powered directly from an AC power source or a DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

[0022] Compressor 32 compresses the working fluid vapor and delivers the vapor to condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, compressor 32 can be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered to condenser 34 by compressor 32 can transfer heat to a cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) within condenser 34. As a result of the heat transfer with the cooling fluid, the working fluid vapor can condense into a working fluid liquid in condenser 34. The liquid working fluid from condenser 34 can flow through expansion device 36 to evaporator 38. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, condenser 34 is water-cooled and includes a tube bundle 54 connected to a cooling tower 56 that supplies the cooling fluid to the condenser.

[0023] <{ The liquid working fluid delivered to evaporator 38 can absorb heat from another cooling fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in condenser 34. The liquid working fluid within evaporator 38 can undergo a phase change from the liquid working fluid to the working fluid vapor. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, evaporator 38 can include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to a cooling load 62. The cooling fluid for evaporator 38 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters evaporator 38 via return line 60R and exits evaporator 38 via supply line 60S. Evaporator 38 can reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid within tube bundle 58 through heat transfer with the working fluid. The tube bundle 58 within evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and / or a plurality of tube bundles. In either case, the vapor working fluid exits evaporator 38 and returns to compressor 32 via a suction line to complete the cycle.

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a vapor compression system 14 having an intermediate circuit 64 incorporated between a condenser 34 and an expansion device 36. The intermediate circuit 64 may have an inlet line 68 that is directly fluid-connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluid-connected to the condenser 34. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 4, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of the intermediate vessel 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be a flash tank (e.g., a flash intercooler). In other embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a "surface economizer". In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 4, the intermediate vessel 70 is used as a flash tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to reduce the pressure of the liquid working fluid received from the condenser 34 (e.g., to expand it). During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may vaporize, and thus the intermediate vessel 70 can be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

[0025] Additionally, the intermediate vessel 70 may provide further expansion of the liquid working fluid due to a decrease in pressure the liquid working fluid experiences when it enters the intermediate vessel 70 (for example, due to a rapid increase in volume when it enters the intermediate vessel 70). The vapor in the intermediate vessel 70 may be drawn in by the compressor 32 through the suction line 74 of the compressor 32. In other embodiments, the vapor in the intermediate vessel may be drawn in to the intermediate stage (e.g., rather than the suction stage) of the compressor 32. The liquid collected in the intermediate vessel 70 may have a lower enthalpy than the liquid working fluid exiting the condenser 34 due to expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or in the intermediate vessel 70. The liquid from the intermediate vessel 70 may then flow through the line 72 to the evaporator 38 through the second expansion device 36.

[0026] It should be recognized that any of the features described herein can be incorporated into the vapor compression system 14 or any other suitable HVAC&R system. For example, the technology can be incorporated into an HVAC&R system having a compressor such as compressor 32. The following discussion describes the technology incorporated into an embodiment of compressor 32 configured as a single-stage compressor. However, it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein can be incorporated into other embodiments of compressor 32 and HVAC&R system 10. Furthermore, the technology can be incorporated into an HVAC&R system utilizing any suitable working fluid, such as water.

[0027] According to this technology, a motor having rotating components such as a motor 50 for a compressor 32 can utilize a sealing system to enable high-speed operation of the motor 50 and the compressor 32, while limiting the amount of fluid movement between the motor cavity of the motor 50 and the compression side of the compressor 32 (e.g., the impeller side, compression cavity, working fluid passage, compression chamber) during the operating mode and / or idle or standby mode of the compressor 32. For example, an embodiment of the sealing system disclosed herein is configured to block the flow of air from the motor cavity of the motor 50 to the compression cavity of the compressor 32 and to block the flow of condensed working fluid from the compression cavity of the compressor 32 to the motor cavity of the motor 50.

[0028] To facilitate the following discussion, Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a compressor system 100 (e.g., a compression section) of a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a heat pump system), which has a compressor such as a compressor 32 and a motor such as a motor 50 of the vapor compression system 14. In this embodiment, the compressor system 100 includes a housing 101 (e.g., a compressor housing, motor housing, enclosure) configured to enclose and / or house the components of the compressor system 100, such as the motor 50. In some embodiments, the housing 101 may include a compressor housing portion 102 configured to enclose the components of the compressor 32 and a motor housing portion 104 configured to enclose the components of the motor 50, and the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104 may be coupled to each other (e.g., mounted and fixed). A rotor shaft 106 may be disposed within the internal volume of the motor housing portion 104, coupled to the compressor 32, and configured to drive the compressor 32 when the motor 50 is operated. For example, the rotor shaft 106 may be coupled to the impeller 108 of the compressor 32 via the rotor 33. When the motor 50 is operated, the rotor shaft 106 may be rotationally driven to rotate the impeller 108 of the compressor 32, thereby allowing the compressor 32 to compress the working fluid (e.g., water, steam) to a desired pressure before directing the working fluid out of the volute portion 110 of the compressor 32 toward downstream components of the vapor compression system 14 (e.g., heat exchangers such as condensers and / or evaporators). For example, in an embodiment in which the compressor 32 is configured to circulate water as the working fluid, evaporated water (e.g., steam) may be directed from the evaporator 38 to the compressor 32, thereby allowing the compressor 32 to compress the steam before delivering it to the condenser 34.

[0029] As illustrated, the rotor shaft 106 may be a cylindrical component having a length extending axially or along a longitudinal axis or longitudinal direction 200, a radius extending along a radial axis or radial direction 202, and an outer circumference extending along a circumferential axis or circumferential direction 204. The rotor shaft 106 may be supported by one or more bearing assemblies 112, which are configured to allow the rotor shaft 106 to rotate about the longitudinal axis 200 relative to the housing 101 to perform tasks such as compressing a working fluid (e.g., water, steam). The bearing assemblies 112 may include any preferred bearings, such as ball bearings, sleeve bearings, roller bearings, etc., which are circumferentially arranged around the rotor shaft 106.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the compressor system 100 of the vapor compression system 14 may include a seal system 120 (e.g., a seal assembly) configured to allow high-speed rotation of the rotor shaft 106 and thus the compressor 32 during the operating modes of the compressor 32 (e.g., active operating mode, operating state, active state, compression state), and to restrict and / or reduce fluid movement between the motor cavity of the motor 50 and the compression side of the compressor 32 (e.g., between the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104) during the operating modes and / or idle or standby modes of the compressor 32 (e.g., non-operating mode, non-operating mode, inactive state). For example, the seal system 120 may include one or more seal elements 122 (e.g., seals, seal members) configured to engage with the rotor shaft 106 to provide a seal and / or seal interface between the motor cavity of the motor 50 and the compression side of the compressor 32 (e.g., between the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104). In certain embodiments, the sealing system 120 may include one or more labyrinth seals 124, such as two labyrinth seals 124 positioned on either side of the lip seal 126 (for example, with respect to and / or along the longitudinal axis 200). One or more labyrinth seals 124 may include a seal extension and a T-shaped cross section including a toothed surface, the toothed surface configured to block the flow of fluid (e.g., lubricant) from the bearing assembly 112 to the compression side of the compressor 32, to block the movement of fluid (e.g., non-condensable air) from the motor housing portion 104 to the compressor housing portion 102, and / or to block the movement of fluid (e.g., condensable working fluid [e.g., water]) from the compressor housing portion 102 to the motor housing portion 104. The lip seal 126 may be formed from a flexible material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) rubber or another suitable material, which allows the lip seal 126 to be biased against the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 when the lip seal 126 is in a stationary state (e.g., relaxed state).Therefore, when the compressor 32 is in idle or standby mode, such as a mode in which the rotor shaft 106 is not rotated, the lip seal 126 can be biased to the rotor shaft 106 and / or force applied to the rotor shaft 106, thereby forming a fluid seal that restricts the movement of fluid from the motor housing portion 104 to the compressor housing portion 102 and / or from the compressor housing portion 102 to the motor housing portion 104.

[0031] Additionally, the seal system 120 includes a pressurized fluid source 130 (e.g., a steam buffer source, a gas buffer source) configured to guide a pressurized fluid 132 (e.g., water, steam, air, gas) toward the back surface of the lip seal 126 (e.g., a convex surface, a surface facing the compressor, an impeller-facing surface) through injection paths 134 (e.g., injection passages, injection ports) formed (e.g., machined) in the housing 101 (e.g., a compressor housing portion 102, a motor housing portion 104). When the pressurized fluid 132 collides with the back surface of the lip seal 126, the pressurized fluid 132 may cause the lip seal 126 to disengage (e.g., lift) from the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106. Therefore, as will be discussed in more detail below, the lip seal 126 may be configured to transition between a first configuration (e.g., a disengaged configuration) in which the lip seal 126 is not engaged with the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., when pressurized fluid is directed toward the rear surface of the lip seal 126) and a second configuration (e.g., an engaged configuration) in which the lip seal 126 engages with (e.g., contacts) the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., when pressurized fluid is not directed toward the lip seal 126), based on the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source 130 (e.g., based on whether the compressor 32 is in an operating mode or an idle mode).

[0032] The pressurized fluid supply source 130 may include the high-pressure or discharge section of the compressor 32, an external pressurized fluid supply source such as a canister or pump, or any other suitable source of fluid to be pressurized against the pressure of the annular chamber where the lip seal 126 is located. For example, in an embodiment in which the compressor 32 circulates water as the working fluid, evaporated water (e.g., steam) may be led from the evaporator to the compressor 32, and the compressor 32 may compress the steam and release it into the condenser. A portion of the steam pressurized by the compressor 32 may be used as the pressurized fluid 132. In certain cases, the steam may undergo multi-stage compression before the generated steam is sufficiently pressurized against the annular chamber where the lip seal 126 is located. For example, the pressure of the steam in the compressor 32 may be below atmospheric pressure, which may be insufficient to disengage the lip seal 126 from the rotor shaft 106 when the pressurized fluid 132 is led toward the lip seal 126. Therefore, in certain embodiments, as will be described in more detail below, the steam may first be guided through one or more additional compression stages, thereby allowing the steam to reach a pressure higher than a desired threshold pressure (e.g., a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure), thereby enabling the steam to lift the lip seal 126 away from the rotor shaft 106. In other embodiments, the pressurized fluid 132 may be supplied by an external pressurized supply source, which has a pump configured to pressurize the pressurized fluid 132 to a desired pressure before guiding the pressurized fluid 132 toward the lip seal 126.

[0033] In this embodiment, the pressurized fluid 132 flows through an injection path 134 defined or machined within the housing 101. The injection path 134 may extend between the pressurized fluid source 130 and the annular chamber in which the lip seal 126 is located. Thus, the pressurized fluid 132 can flow through the injection path 134 and through the orifice of the annular chamber to pressurize the annular chamber in which the lip seal 126 is located, thereby selectively applying pressure to the lip seal 126 that effectively lifts the lip seal 126 away from the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., disengages it). Thus, the seal system 120 can apply the pressurized fluid 132 to the lip seal 126 to selectively lift the lip seal 126 away from contact with the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., move the lip seal 126 to a first configuration). In fact, since the lip seal 126 can lift away from the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 in response to the pressurized fluid 132, the lip seal 126 can be considered a “reverse” lip seal, in contrast to conventional lip seals that can be biased against the rotor shaft in response to the application of the pressurized fluid.

[0034] During the operation of the compressor 32, the rotor shaft 106 can rotate around the circumferential axis 204 and relative to the housing 101 at various rotational rates or speeds to supply power to the rotor 33 of the compressor 32, and therefore to the impeller 108, or to drive the impeller 108. For example, the motor 50 can increase the rotational rate of the rotor shaft 106 from a stationary state corresponding to zero revolutions per minute (RPM) to starting states corresponding to approximately 500 RPM, 1000 RPM, 2500 RPM, 5000 RPM, and / or other preferred speeds, based on a control signal received from the control panel 40 or another preferred control device or system. In other words, the motor 50 can increase the speed of the rotor shaft 106 from a stationary state corresponding to zero meters per second (m / s) to approximately 50 m / s, 75 m / s, 90 m / s, and / or other preferred speeds. As described above, in certain embodiments, the rotational rate or rotational speed of the compressor 32 (e.g., rotor shaft 106) may depend on the type of working fluid (e.g., working fluid) introduced through the vapor compression system 14. For example, in embodiments where water is used as the working fluid, the compressor 32 may be configured to operate at a higher rotational rate or shaft seal surface speed (e.g., 15,000 RPM, 25,000 RPM, 45,000 RPM, 100 m / s, 115 m / s, 130 m / s) to preferably compress the water and introduce it through the vapor compression system 14. However, operating the compressor 32 at such rotational rates and / or rotational speeds may result in wear and deterioration of the components of the seal system 120.

[0035] Therefore, in order to operate the compressor 32 at a rotation rate or rotational speed exceeding a threshold rotation rate or threshold speed (e.g., exceeding the design threshold rotation rate of the seal system 120 and / or lip seal 126, or exceeding the design threshold rotational speed of the seal system 120 and / or lip seal 126), the pressurized fluid 132 is selectively guided through the injection path 134 (e.g., via a signal from the control panel 40) to lift the lip seal 126 of the rotating rotor shaft 106, thereby allowing the rotor shaft 106 and thus the compressor 32 to rotate at higher speeds, while limiting the amount of wear and deterioration of the lip seal 126 (e.g., by reducing contact between the lip seal 126 and the rotor shaft 106 during the rotation of the rotor shaft 106). The pressurized fluid 132 flowing across and / or over the lip seal 126 may then flow toward an outlet path 136 (e.g., an injection port, fluid outlet, discharge port) formed (e.g., machined) within the housing 101 and configured to guide the pressurized fluid 132 out of the housing 101. For example, the outlet path 136 may guide the pressurized fluid 132 to the atmosphere via an outlet 138 (e.g., in the housing 101) of the outlet path 136. The outlet path 136 may be fluid-coupled to an injection path 134 and may be positioned downstream of the injection path 134 with respect to the flow direction of the pressurized fluid 132 through the seal system 120. In this way, the amount of pressurized fluid 132 present within the housing 101 may be limited, which may be desirable, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0036] As described above, in certain embodiments, water may be used as the working fluid, and during the operating mode of the compressor 32 (e.g., during the rotation of the rotor shaft 106), water vapor (e.g., steam) may be supplied to the compressor 32 (e.g., injection path 134) and used as a pressurized fluid 132 to selectively lift the lip seal 126 from the rotor shaft 106. However, the presence of the pressurized fluid 132 (e.g., steam) within the housing 101 (e.g., within the motor housing portion 104 of the housing 101) may reduce the efficiency of the motor 50 and / or increase the wear and deterioration of the components of the motor 50. Therefore, in certain embodiments, the compressor system 100 may have an open design (e.g., as opposed to a closed compressor design or a semi-closed compressor design), thereby separating the motor 50 from the compressor 32 through the housing 101 (e.g., through the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104) to which air is ventilated. For example, the motor housing portion 104 may be cooled by a pressurized airflow, which is forced into the motor housing portion 104 (e.g., via a fan or blower), resulting in a pressure increase within the motor housing portion 104. In certain embodiments, the pressure within the motor housing portion 104 may be maintained at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure (e.g., using pressurized air from an air source). During the operation of the compressor 32, a pressurized fluid 132 (e.g., steam) may be guided through the injection path 134 toward an outlet path 136, which is fluidly coupled to air via an outlet 138. The outlet 138 may be sized such that the pressure at the outlet 138 is atmospheric pressure or close to atmospheric pressure (e.g., 1 bar). Since the pressure in the motor housing portion 104 is maintained at a pressure above atmospheric pressure (for example, through the supply of cooling air to the motor housing portion 104), and the pressure of the pressurized fluid 132 is also higher than atmospheric pressure, when the pressurized fluid 132 (e.g., steam) is introduced through the injection path 134 and over the lip seal 126, the pressurized fluid 132 can flow toward the outlet path 136 and out of the outlet 138 (for example, because the pressurized fluid 132 follows the path of least resistance), thereby enabling the removal of the pressurized fluid 132 from the housing 101.In certain embodiments, the pressure of the cooling pressurized airflow within the motor housing portion 104 may be higher than the pressure of the pressurized fluid 132, thereby preventing the pressurized fluid 132 from entering the motor housing portion 104. However, in embodiments where the pressure of the cooling pressurized airflow is lower than the pressure of the pressurized fluid 132, the size of the outlet 138 allows the pressurized fluid 132 to take a path of least resistance from the housing 101, so the pressurized fluid 132 can still be prevented from entering the motor housing portion 104.

[0037] Furthermore, during the operating mode of the compressor 32, when the pressurized fluid 132 flows through the injection path 134 and lifts the lip seal 126 away from the rotor shaft 106, the pressure and flow direction of the pressurized fluid 132 through the injection path 134 may prevent other fluids (e.g., pressurized air from the motor housing portion 104) from flowing in the opposite direction to the flow direction of the pressurized fluid 132. For example, due to the pressure and flow direction of the pressurized fluid 132 flowing through the injection path 134, pressurized air from the motor housing portion 104 may be prevented from entering the compressor 32 (e.g., the compressor housing portion 102) through the injection path 134.

[0038] During the idle or standby mode of the compressor 32, the rotor shaft 106 cannot rotate, and the pressurized fluid 132 can no longer be guided from the pressurized fluid source 130 through the injection path 134 toward the lip seal 126 (for example, based on a control signal from the control panel 40). As a result, the lip seal 126 can return to a stationary state in which it engages with the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 (for example, due to the inherent elasticity of the lip seal 126). Since the rotor shaft 106 and the compressor 32 can no longer rotate during the idle mode of the compressor 32, the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32 may decrease, which can cause the working fluid vapor in the compressor 32 to condense into the working fluid liquid. For example, in embodiments where water is used as the working fluid, if the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32 decreases due to the compressor 32 being inactive (e.g., inactive, non-rotating), water vapor (e.g., steam) may begin to condense into liquid water. As described above, it may be undesirable for water and / or steam to be present in the motor housing portion 104 of the housing 101. However, since pressurized fluid 132 can no longer be injected into the injection path 134 during the idle or standby mode of the compressor 32, the lip seal 126 may transition to a second configuration in which the lip seal 126 engages with the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106, thereby preventing the condensing working fluid (e.g., liquid water) from crossing the lip seal 126 and moving toward (e.g., into) the motor housing portion 104 of the housing 101. In this way, the amount of fluid (e.g., condensing working fluid) moving from the compression side of the compressor 32 to the motor cavity of the motor 50 (e.g., from the compressor housing portion 102 to the motor housing portion 104) may be limited, thereby reducing the costs associated with wear and deterioration of the motor 50.

[0039] Additionally, during the idle mode of the compressor 32, if the working fluid vapor condenses (for example, as a result of a decrease in the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32), the pressure in the compressor 32 may also decrease, and a negative pressure vacuum may be created on the compression side, which may draw non-condensable air in the motor housing portion 104 into the compressor 32 (e.g., the compression side), which may also be undesirable. However, since the pressurized fluid 132 is not guided through the injection path 134 toward the lip seal 126, the lip seal 126 may engage (e.g., contact) with the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106, thereby preventing non-condensable air from crossing the lip seal 126 and entering the compressor 32 (e.g., the compression side, into the compressor housing portion 102). Furthermore, since the lip seal 126 engages with the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106, if the pressure inside the compressor 32 continues to decrease, the magnitude of the negative pressure or vacuum inside the compressor 32 may increase, which may generate a tensile force on the lip seal 126, and this tensile force pulls the lip seal 126 toward the rotor shaft 106, reinforcing the seal engagement between the lip seal 126 and the rotor shaft 106.

[0040] Furthermore, as the working fluid in the compressor 32 condenses, the pressure in the compressor 32 may continue to decrease until it falls below the atmospheric pressure surrounding the compressor system 100. Since the pressure in the compressor 32 is below atmospheric pressure and / or below the pressure in the motor housing portion 104 (which can be maintained slightly above atmospheric pressure via pressurized air injected into the motor housing portion 104, for example, as described above), air from the motor housing portion 104 and / or ambient air from the environment may collide with (e.g., push against) the lip seal 126, thereby reinforcing the seal engagement between the lip seal 126 and the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106. In this way, while the compressor 32 is in idle or standby mode, non-condensable air from the motor housing portion 104 can be prevented from crossing the lip seal 126 and flowing into the compressor 32 (for example, to the compression side, into the compressor housing portion 102), while condensable liquid working fluid from the compressor 32 (for example, from the compressor housing portion 102) can be prevented from crossing the lip seal 126 and entering the motor housing portion 104 (for example, into the motor cavity of the motor 50).

[0041] In certain embodiments, the compressor 32 may include one or more sensors 210 configured to detect various operating parameters and / or operating conditions of the compressor 32. For example, one or more sensors 210 may be arranged throughout the compressor 32 and may be configured to detect data indicating the operating mode of the compressor (e.g., whether the compressor 32 is in operating mode, idle mode, or machine mode), the temperature, pressure, and / or flow rate of the working fluid passing through the compressor 32, the rotational speed of the compressor 32 (e.g., the rotational speed of the impeller of the compressor 32), and so on. One or more sensors 210 may communicate such data to a controller 220 (e.g., a control panel 40, a control system, an automation controller), thereby enabling the controller 220 to control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source 130 (e.g., thereby enabling the controller 220 to transition the lip seal 126 between a first configuration and a second configuration). In other words, in certain embodiments, as will be described in more detail below, certain components of the compressor 32 may be communicatively coupled to a controller 220 (e.g., a control panel 40), thereby enabling the controller 220 to control the operation of the compressor 32 and / or the sealing system 120 (e.g., a lip seal 126, a pressurized fluid supply source 130).

[0042] In certain embodiments, the controller 220 may include a processing circuit 222 (e.g., one or more microprocessors) and a memory 224. For example, the controller 220 may include non-temporary code or instructions stored in a machine-readable medium (e.g., memory 224) used by the processing circuit 222 to carry out the technology disclosed herein. The memory 224 may include volatile memory such as read-only memory (ROM), an optical drive, a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, or any other non-temporary computer-readable medium, which stores instructions that control the operation of the vapor compressor 32 and / or the seal system 120 when executed by the processing circuit 222. The controller 220 may monitor and control the operation of the seal system 120, for example, by controlling the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source 130. In certain embodiments, the controller 220 may control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source 130 based on feedback received from one or more sensors 210. For example, when the controller 220 receives sensor data indicating that the compressor 32 has entered idle or standby mode, it may control the pressurized fluid supply source 130 to stop directing the pressurized fluid 132 toward the lip seal 126 of the seal system 120. Conversely, when the controller 220 detects that the compressor 32 is in operating mode (for example, via data from one or more sensors 210), it may activate the pressurized fluid supply source 130 to direct the pressurized fluid 132 toward the lip seal 126 through the injection path 134. That is, the controller 220 may control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source 130 to selectively transition the lip seal 126 between a first configuration and a second configuration. In this way, high-speed operation of the compressor 32 may be achievable, while the amount of fluid transfer between the compressor 32 and the motor cavity of the motor 50 (for example, between the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104) is limited. In certain embodiments, it should be recognized that the controller 220 may control the operation of the sealing system 120 based on manual input provided through an operator associated with the compressor 32.

[0043] Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the compressor system 100, enclosed within the dashed line 5-5 in Figure 5, illustrating one embodiment of the seal system 120. As shown in Figure 6, the lip seal 126 is disposed within an annular chamber 140 defined between the wall of the housing 101 (e.g., the inner housing wall) and the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106. In certain embodiments, a sleeve 142 may be positioned around the rotor shaft 106, and during the idle mode of the compressor 32, the lip seal 126 may engage with the sleeve 142 to restrict fluid movement across the lip seal 126. However, it should be noted that in certain embodiments, the sleeve 142 may be omitted, and the lip seal 126 may be configured to directly contact the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 during the idle mode of the compressor 32 and / or to lift away from the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106 during the operating mode of the compressor 32. The lip seal 126 may include a seal portion 144 formed of a flexible material that allows the seal portion 144 to be biased against the sleeve 142 (or the outer surface 128 of the shaft 106). Thus, as described above, when the rotor shaft 106 is stationary or at rest, the seal portion 144 applies force to the sleeve 142 and thus limits the amount of fluid transfer from the compression side of the compressor 32 to the motor cavity of the motor 50 and / or from the motor cavity to the compression side of the compressor 32.

[0044] Additionally, as described above, the seal system 120 includes a pressurized fluid source 130 configured to guide the pressurized fluid 132 toward the rear surface 146 (e.g., the back surface, convex surface) of the lip seal 126. For example, the pressurized fluid 132 may travel toward the annular chamber 140 through the injection path 134 to pressurize the space between the annular chamber 140 and the rear surface 146 of the lip seal 126. By controlling the flow of the pressurized fluid 132 toward the annular chamber 140 (e.g., via a control signal transmitted from the controller 220), pressure can be selectively applied to the rear surface 146 of the lip seal 126 to control the lifting of the sealing portion 144 of the lip seal 126 away from the sleeve 142. Once the sealing portion 144 of the lip seal 126 is lifted away from the sleeve 142, the pressurized fluid 132 may be guided toward the outlet path 136 and finally discharged into the atmosphere via the outlet 138. For example, as described above, the outlet 138 may be sized such that the pressure difference at the outlet 138 drives the pressurized fluid 132 to exit the outlet 138 through the outlet path 136 (for example, by taking the path of least resistance). In this way, the pressurized fluid 132 may be prevented from entering the motor housing portion 104 and interacting with the components of the motor 50. Additionally, in certain embodiments, pressurized air may be introduced into the motor housing portion 104 to cool the components of the motor 50 and maintain the pressure inside the motor housing portion 104 above atmospheric pressure. In this way, the pressurized fluid 132 introduced through the injection path 134 may be prevented from entering the motor housing portion 104 by the pressurized air inside the motor housing portion 104, and instead may be pushed toward the outlet path 136, exit the outlet 138, and be released from the compressor system 100. Thus, wear and deterioration from the pressurized fluid 132 interacting with the components of the motor 50 may be reduced, thereby limiting unplanned maintenance and replacement costs associated with the compressor system 100.

[0045] Figures 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of embodiments of the seal system 120 illustrating the various forces generated on the components of the seal system 120 and the various fluid flows within the compressor system 100 during different operating modes of the compressor system 100. For example, Figure 7A illustrates the various forces and fluid flows within the compressor system 100 when the compressor 32 is in operating mode, and Figure 7B illustrates the various forces and fluid flows within the compressor system 100 when the compressor 32 is in idle or standby mode.

[0046] Referring to Figure 7A, during the operating mode of the compressor system 100 (detected, for example, by one or more sensors 210), the controller 220 may signal the pressurized fluid supply source 130 to guide the pressurized fluid 132 into the injection path 134 toward the lip seal 126. As described above, the pressurized fluid 132 may be guided toward the back surface 146 of the lip seal 126 (for example, into the annular chamber 140) in a direction 206 along the longitudinal axis 200 (for example, toward the motor 50), and the pressurized fluid 132 may generate a force 150 that lifts the sealing portion 144 of the lip seal 126 away from the sleeve 142. As a result, the rotor shaft 106 may rotate at an increased speed, while the amount of wear and degradation caused by the interaction between the rotor shaft 106 and the lip seal 126 may be reduced. Furthermore, as the pressurized fluid 132 is introduced through the injection path 134, the pressurized air 152 in the housing 101 (e.g., in the motor housing portion 104) may be restricted from entering the compressor housing portion 102 (on the compression side of the compressor 32) by traveling in the opposite direction 208 (e.g., towards the compressor 32) to the direction 206 from the motor housing portion 104. For example, in certain embodiments, the pressure at which the pressurized fluid 132 travels through the injection path 134 may be slightly higher than the pressure of the pressurized air 152 in the housing 101. As a result, the pressurized fluid 132 prevents the pressurized air 152 in the motor housing portion 104 from entering the compressor housing portion 102 (e.g., by flow across the lip seal 126), and instead directs the pressurized fluid 132 and / or pressurized air 152 along the outlet path 136 toward the outlet 138 which is fluid-coupled to the atmosphere. In this way, when the compressor 32 is operated, the motor housing portion 104 can remain substantially free of any pressurized fluid 132 (e.g., steam), while the compressor housing portion 102 can remain substantially free of any pressurized air 152 from the motor housing portion 104.

[0047] Referring to Figure 7B, during idle or standby mode of the compressor system 100 (detected, for example, by one or more sensors 210), the controller 220 may send a signal to the pressurized fluid supply source 130 to stop the supply of pressurized fluid 132 to the injection path 134. As described above, since the compressor 32 is inactive during idle mode, the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32 may decrease, thereby causing the working fluid in the compressor 32 to condense. For example, in an embodiment in which the compressor 32 circulates water as the working fluid, a decrease in the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32 may cause water vapor (e.g., steam) in the compressor 32 to condense into liquid water. Therefore, when the compressor 32 is idle and the pressurized fluid supply source 130 does not supply pressurized fluid 132 to the compressor 32, the lip seal 126 can engage with the sleeve 142 (or the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106) thanks to the radial rigidity and / or radial elasticity of the lip seal 126, and also thanks to the increase in the pressure difference between the compressor 32 and the atmosphere due to the condensation of the working fluid (e.g., water vapor, steam) inside the compressor 32. For example, as described above, a decrease in pressure inside the compressor 32 (e.g., inside the compressor system 100) due to the condensation of the working fluid can create a negative pressure or vacuum inside the compressor 32, thereby generating a tensile force 160 in direction 208 on the back surface 146 of the lip seal 126. The tensile force 160 reinforces the seal engagement between the lip seal 126 and the sleeve 142 and / or the rotor shaft 106. Additionally, in certain embodiments, as the working fluid condenses, the pressure inside the compressor 32 decreases, so the pressurized air 152 in the motor housing portion 104 and / or the ambient air 162 surrounding the compressor system 100 (e.g., guided through the outlet path 136 via the outlet 138) can provide a pressing force 164 in direction 208 that further reinforces the sealing engagement between the lip seal 126 and the sleeve 142. In this way, the lip seal 126 limits the amount of non-condensable air entering the compressor 32, thereby reducing potential wear and deterioration of the components of the compressor 32.Furthermore, by limiting the amount of air entering the compressor 32, a purging process to remove air from the compressor system 100 before starting the compressor system 100 can be avoided, thereby improving efficiency and reducing the costs associated with the operation of the compression section 100.

[0048] Figure 8 is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the compressor system 100 of a vapor compression system 14, which has a dovetail seal 170 (e.g., an axial floating gasket) that can be used instead of a lip seal (e.g., as a component of the seal system 120). As illustrated, the compressor system 100 may include several features similar to the embodiment of the compressor system 100 having a lip seal 126. In fact, the dovetail seal 170 may function substantially similarly to the lip seal 126 of Figure 5 discussed above. For example, a pressurized fluid supply source 130 may direct pressurized fluid 132 towards the dovetail seal 170 via an injection path 134 during the operating mode of the compressor system 100. As the pressurized fluid 132 is guided through the injection path 134 toward the dovetail seal 170, the pressurized fluid 132 may engage with the float ring of the dovetail seal 170, pushing the float ring and associated gasket radially away from the sleeve 142 (or the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106), thereby disengaging the dovetail seal 170 from the sleeve 142 (e.g., lifting it). Once the dovetail seal 170 is disengaged from the sleeve 142 and / or the rotor shaft 106, friction and heat losses may be reduced or eliminated as a result of the contact between the dovetail seal 170 and the rotor shaft 106, thereby allowing the rotor shaft 106 to rotate at an increased speed (e.g., a speed higher than the design speed of the seal system 120). Furthermore, since the pressurized fluid 132 is guided in direction 206 along the longitudinal axis 200, another fluid in the compressor system 100 (e.g., from the motor 50) is prevented from moving in the opposite direction 208 to the direction 206 in which the pressurized fluid 132 flows. In this way, when the compressor 32 is operated, pressurized air 152 from the motor housing portion 104 may be prevented from moving into the compressor 32 (e.g., into the compressor housing portion 102) in direction 208.Furthermore, similar to the embodiments described above, the pressurized fluid 132 may flow along the path of least resistance, through the injection path 134, toward the outlet path 136, and then out into the atmosphere via the outlet 138, thereby limiting the amount of pressurized fluid 132 that enters the motor housing portion 104 and interacts with the components of the motor 50.

[0049] The controller 220 may transmit a signal during the compressor 32's idle mode to stop directing the pressurized fluid 132 toward the dovetail seal 170. Similar to the lip seal 126 discussed above, the dovetail seal 170 may be made of a suitable material having elastic properties and static geometry that allows the dovetail seal 170 to seal-engage with the sleeve 142 (or the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106) when no pressurized fluid 132 is being directed through the injection path 134. In certain embodiments, the dovetail seal 170 may include a spring configured to bias the dovetail seal 170 to engage with the sleeve 142 (or the outer surface 128 of the rotor shaft 106). However, during the compressor 32's operating mode, the force applied by the spring may be overcome by directing the pressurized fluid 132 through the injection path 134, thereby allowing the dovetail seal 170 to disengage from the rotor shaft 106. Furthermore, as described above, when the compressor 32 is inactive, the saturation temperature of the fluid in the compressor 32 may decrease, which can result in condensation of the working fluid in the compressor 32. When the working fluid condenses, the pressure in the compressor 32 may also decrease, thereby creating negative pressure or vacuum within the compressor 32. As discussed herein, this negative pressure or vacuum can reinforce the sealing engagement between the float ring and gasket of the dovetail seal 170 and the rotor shaft 106, thereby limiting the amount of fluid movement between the compression side of the compressor 32 and the motor cavity of the motor 50 (for example, between the compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104). In this way, wear and deterioration of the components of the compressor system 100 can be reduced. In addition, reducing the amount of air in the compressor 32 can avoid the use of a purge process in the compressor 32 before startup, thus shortening the startup time. In this way, operating costs can be reduced and the operating efficiency of the vapor compression system 14 can be improved.

[0050] As described above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful when operating a compressor configured to circulate water as the working fluid. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a sealing element that can be selectively lifted from the rotor shaft of the motor in response to the pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid supply source during the operating mode of the compressor. In this way, the compressor may operate at an increased speed, thereby enabling the compressor to effectively compress the water as the working fluid. During the idle mode of the compressor, the sealing element may re-engage with the rotor shaft, thereby limiting the amount of fluid moving from the motor housing to the compressor and from the compressor to the motor housing. In this way, wear and deterioration of components of both the compressor and the motor may be reduced, thereby reducing maintenance and repair costs. The technical effects and technical problems described herein are examples and not limiting. It should be noted that embodiments described herein may have other technical effects and may solve other technical problems.

[0051] While only specific features and embodiments have been illustrated and described, those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of numerous modifications and changes (e.g., sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes, and proportions of various elements, parameter values ​​(e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, material use, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and merits of the subject matter enumerated in the claims. Any order or sequence of process or method steps may be modified or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. It should be understood that the attached claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual implementations may be described (i.e., those unrelated to the thoughtfully considered best mode of implementation for carrying out this disclosure, or unrelated to enabling the claimed disclosure). As in any engineering or design project, it should be recognized that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be made. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but they would still be routine design, fabrication, and manufacturing tasks for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, without requiring excessive experimentation.

Claims

1. A compressor system, A housing equipped with an impeller located inside, A motor disposed within the housing, wherein the motor comprises a rotor shaft coupled to the impeller, and the motor is configured to drive the rotation of the rotor shaft and the impeller. A seal system disposed within the housing, wherein the seal system comprises a seal element disposed circumferentially around the rotor shaft and configured to bias the surface of the rotor shaft in the first configuration, Equipped with, A compressor system wherein the housing comprises an injection port formed inside, the injection port is configured to guide pressurized fluid into the housing and cause it to collide with the seal element, thereby transitioning the seal element from a first configuration to a second configuration, the seal element being lifted away from the surface of the rotor shaft in the second configuration.

2. The compressor system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the operation of a pressurized fluid supply source and guide the pressurized fluid to the injection port during the active operating mode of the compressor system.

3. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source during the idle mode of the compressor system to temporarily suspend the supply of the pressurized fluid to the injection port.

4. The compressor system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sealing element includes a lip seal.

5. The compressor system according to claim 4, wherein the lip seal comprises a flexible material and is configured to bias the surface of the rotor shaft when the lip seal is stationary.

6. The compressor system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the lip seal has a convex surface, the convex surface facing the injection port such that the pressurized fluid introduced into the housing collides with the convex surface of the lip seal.

7. The compressor system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the sealing system comprises a first labyrinth seal and a second labyrinth seal, wherein the first labyrinth seal and the second labyrinth seal are configured to each provide a sealing interface with the surface of the rotor shaft, and the lip seal is disposed between the first labyrinth seal and the second labyrinth seal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the compressor system.

8. The compressor system according to claim 7, wherein each of the first labyrinth seal and the second labyrinth seal comprises a seal expansion portion having a T-shaped cross-section with a toothed surface.

9. The compressor system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the housing defines a compressor housing portion and a motor housing portion, the impeller is disposed within the compressor housing portion, the motor is disposed within the motor housing portion, and the motor housing portion is configured to receive and guide a flow of cooling air through it.

10. The compressor system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and claim 7, wherein the sealing element is configured to create a sealing engagement with the surface of the rotor shaft in the first configuration, and the sealing element is configured to prevent fluid movement between the compressor housing portion and the motor housing portion in the first configuration.

11. The compressor system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the housing comprises an outlet port formed inside, and the outlet port is configured to guide the pressurized fluid out of the housing.

12. The compressor system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the outlet port is configured to discharge the pressurized fluid into the atmosphere surrounding the compressor system.

13. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration system, which is an HVAC&R system, A compressor configured to compress a working fluid and circulate the working fluid through a working fluid circuit, A motor is coupled to the compressor via a rotor shaft and configured to drive the operation of the compressor via the rotation of the rotor shaft, HVAC&R system comprising: a seal system configured to restrict fluid movement between the motor and the compressor, wherein the seal system comprises a seal element, the seal element is configured to transition from a first configuration to a second configuration based on the operation of a pressurized fluid supply source fluid-coupled to the seal element, the seal portion of the seal element is configured to engage with the surface of the rotor shaft in the first configuration, and the seal portion of the seal element is configured to disengage from the surface of the rotor shaft in the second configuration.

14. The HVAC&R system according to claim 13, wherein the working fluid is water, the HVAC&R system is arranged along a vapor compression circuit and includes an evaporator configured to generate steam by placing the water in a heat exchange relationship, and the compressor is configured to guide a portion of the steam toward the pressurizing fluid supply source so that it is used as the pressurizing fluid.

15. The HVAC&R system according to claim 14, wherein the compressor is configured to pressurize the steam through one or more compression stages before introducing the steam to the pressurized fluid supply source.

16. A sealing system for a compressor motor, A sealing element is disposed circumferentially around the rotor shaft of the motor and configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the sealing element is In the first configuration described above, the engagement is released from the outer surface of the rotor shaft, The second configuration includes a sealing element having a sealing portion configured to contact the outer surface of the rotor shaft, A pressurized fluid supply source configured to provide pressurized fluid, wherein the seal element is configured to transition from the second configuration to the first configuration in response to the pressurized fluid supply source providing the pressurized fluid, A seal system comprising: a controller configured to control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source according to the detected operating state of the compressor, thereby causing the seal element to move between the first configuration and the second configuration.

17. The aforementioned controller Based on the detected operating state of the compressor corresponding to the operating mode, the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source is started to transition the seal element to the first configuration. The sealing system according to claim 16, wherein the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source is stopped and the sealing element is switched to the second configuration based on the detected operating state of the compressor corresponding to the idle mode.

18. The sealing system During the operation mode of the compressor, the amount of fluid transferred from the motor to the compressor is limited. During the idle mode of the compressor, the amount of the second fluid transfer from the motor to the compressor is limited. The sealing system according to claim 16 or 17, configured to limit the amount of a third fluid transfer from the compressor to the motor during the idle mode of the compressor.

19. The sealing system according to any one of claims 16 to 18, comprising one or more sensors configured to detect data indicating the operating mode of the compressor, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source based on the data from the one or more sensors.

20. The aforementioned controller, Based on the data from one or more sensors indicating that the compressor is in operating mode, the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source is initiated to move the sealing element to the first configuration. The sealing system according to claim 19, wherein the system is configured to stop the operation of the pressurized fluid supply source and transition the sealing element to a second configuration based on the data from one or more sensors indicating that the compressor is in idle mode.

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