Lubricant direction change system for HVAC&R systems

Abstract

The compressor system includes a housing having an impeller disposed inside, the impeller configured to rotate within an impeller cavity of the housing to compress a working fluid; and a motor disposed within the housing, the motor including a rotor shaft coupled to the impeller, the motor configured to drive the rotation of the rotor shaft and the impeller. The compressor system also includes a bearing circumferentially disposed around the rotor shaft, the bearing configured to receive lubricant from a lubricant source to facilitate the rotation of the rotor shaft; and a lubricant redirection system configured to redirect the lubricant away from the impeller cavity. The lubricant redirection system includes a seal configured to prevent the flow of lubricant into the impeller cavity; and a balance piston coupled to the impeller, the balance piston configured to redirect the lubricant away from the seal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 522,641, filed on June 22, 2023, entitled "A COMPRESSOR WITH OIL DIVERSION FEATURES", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Background Art

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

[0003] Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems or vapor compression systems are utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial environments to control environmental characteristics such as temperature and humidity for the occupants of each environment. HVAC&R systems typically circulate a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) that changes phase 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 may utilize one or more compressors to circulate the working fluid to a heat exchanger, which can transfer heat between the working fluid flowing through the heat exchanger and another fluid (e.g., a cooling fluid).

[0004] In some applications, the motor that powers the compressor may include a rotating component that operates to rotate the compressor's impeller, thereby enabling the compressor to compress the working fluid and deliver it to other components of the vapor compression system. In many applications, a lubricant such as oil may be guided through various passages to lubricate the components within the motor and / or compressor. Unfortunately, the lubricant within the compressor may escape from its intended passage and unintentionally flow into other areas of the compressor (e.g., the working fluid passages), which can lead to a decrease in the efficiency and / or useful life of the compressor and / or motor. [Overview of the project]

[0005] An overview of certain embodiments disclosed herein is described below. These embodiments are presented solely to provide the reader with a brief overview of these particular embodiments, and it should be understood that these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may encompass a variety of embodiments not described below.

[0006] In one embodiment, the compressor system includes a housing having an impeller disposed therein, the impeller configured to rotate within an impeller cavity of the housing to compress a working fluid; and a motor disposed within the housing, the motor including a rotor shaft coupled to the impeller, the motor configured to drive the rotation of the rotor shaft and the impeller. The compressor system includes a bearing circumferentially disposed around the rotor shaft, the bearing configured to receive lubricant from a lubricant source to facilitate the rotation of the rotor shaft; and a lubricant redirection system configured to redirect the lubricant away from the impeller cavity. The lubricant redirection system includes a seal configured to block the flow of lubricant into the impeller cavity; and a balance piston coupled to the impeller, the balance piston configured to redirect the lubricant away from the seal.

[0007] In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor having an impeller configured to rotate within a compression cavity 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 lubricant redirection system configured to block the flow of lubricant into the compression cavity. The lubricant redirection system includes a balance piston having a wall portion that at least partially defines a chamber configured to capture lubricant, and a seal having a sealing portion configured to engage with the wall portion, wherein the balance piston rotates with the impeller and is configured to guide the lubricant in the chamber to flow away from the seal.

[0008] In one embodiment, a lubricant redirection system for a compressor system includes a balance piston coupled to the impeller of the compressor system. The balance piston includes a wall portion configured to extend axially along the compressor system, and a cavity at least partially defined by the wall portion, the cavity configured to receive lubricant from the bearings of the compressor system. The lubricant redirection system also includes a seal that abuts against the wall portion and is configured to block the flow of lubricant toward the impeller, and the balance piston is configured to rotate with the impeller during the operation of the compressor system and redirect the lubricant away from the seal.

[0009] 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]

[0010] [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 perspective view of one embodiment of a vapor compression system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view 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 system for a steam compression system, illustrating a lubricant direction redirection system for a motor and compressor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the lubricant direction reversal system shown in Figure 5, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a lubricant direction reversal system for a compressor system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] 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, in order to achieve developer-specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and industry-related constraints. Furthermore, it should be recognized that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but are still considered normal business of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who are interested in this disclosure.

[0012] 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.

[0013] 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 to convey that the characteristic value may be within ±5%, ±4%, ±3%, ±2%, ±1% of the given value, or even closer to that. Similarly, when a given feature is described as “substantially parallel” to another feature, or “generally perpendicular” to another feature, it is intended to convey that the given feature may be 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.

[0014] 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, such as those 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., a refrigerant, a heat transfer fluid) and a fluid being conditioned (e.g., air, water, brine). In some embodiments, the working fluid and the fluid being conditioned may be the same fluid (e.g., water). A vapor compression system may include one or more vapor compression circuits (e.g., a heat pump, a working fluid circuit), each of which includes 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, expansion devices, 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, expansion devices, 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 working fluid 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] A compressor may include a compression member (e.g., an impeller) configured to pressurize a working fluid within an impeller cavity. The compressor (e.g., impeller, impeller shaft) may be coupled to a motor (e.g., a rotor shaft) configured to drive or power the compressor. For example, the motor may include a rotor shaft supported by one or more bearing assemblies (e.g., lubricant bearing assemblies) within a motor housing, and the rotor shaft may be coupled to the impeller. By rotating the rotor shaft, the motor enables the rotation of the compression member (e.g., the impeller) of the compressor coupled to the rotor shaft, driving the working fluid through the vapor compression circuit. In certain vapor compression systems, a lubricant (e.g., oil) may be guided through the motor and / or the compressor (e.g., one or more bearing assemblies) to facilitate the rotation of the motor's rotor shaft, and therefore the rotation of the compressor's compression member (e.g., the impeller). During compressor operation (for example, when the compressor pressurizes the working fluid and guides it through the vapor compression circuit), lubricant may unintentionally flow from the bearing assembly and towards certain areas within the compressor (e.g., the impeller cavity, the working fluid flow path), which can be undesirable. For example, lubricant in the impeller cavity may be taken into and / or mixed with the working fluid flow and discharged by the compressor toward downstream components of the vapor compression system (e.g., the heat exchanger). Unfortunately, the introduction of lubricant into the heat exchanger can limit its operational efficiency and / or cause wear and deterioration of the heat exchanger components.

[0017] Certain conventional compression systems (e.g., motors and compressors) may employ one or more dedicated components (e.g., separate components) to obstruct the flow of lubricant toward and / or into the impeller cavity and redirect the lubricant flow away from the working fluid passage within the compressor. Such components(s) may be mounted on the motor's rotating shaft between the compressor's impeller and the bearing assembly positioned closest to the compressor's impeller. Thus, conventional components implemented to obstruct and / or redirect the flow of lubricant within the compressor may occupy axial space on the rotating shaft, which increases the distance (e.g., axial distance) between the bearing assembly and the impeller. Unfortunately, an increase in the distance between the impeller and the bearing assembly can impair rotational mechanical stability. Furthermore, such conventional components may not properly guide the desired amount of lubricant away from the impeller cavity, and therefore the lubricant may nevertheless flow into the impeller cavity (e.g., the working fluid passage) and eventually mix with the working fluid guided to the downstream components of the vapor compression system, which can be undesirable.

[0018] Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure cover lubricant redirection systems (e.g., oil redirection systems, integrated lubricant redirection systems) configured to guide lubricant away from the compressor impeller and therefore away from the compressor impeller cavity and working fluid passages. That is, embodiments of the present disclosure cover lubricant redirection systems configured to reduce, decrease, and / or block the flow of lubricant to the compression side of a compression system (e.g., the impeller side of a system having a compressor and a motor configured to operate to drive the rotation of the compressor). For example, embodiments of the present disclosure cover lubricant redirection systems including a balance piston (e.g., an oil slinger, an integrated balance piston, a lubricant redirection device) coupled to the compressor impeller. Pressure seals (e.g., high-pressure seals, high-pressure gas seals, labyrinth seals) may be attached to the balance piston and may be configured to limit (e.g., block) the amount of lubricant moving from the motor side of the compression system to the compression side of the compressor system (e.g., the impeller side, working fluid passages), thereby reducing the amount of mixture of lubricant and working fluid guided through the compression side of the compressor system.

[0019] Additionally, the balance piston may include an extension (e.g., a flange, a directional deflector) that extends beyond the pressure seal (e.g., outward) in the direction toward the motor side of the compression system. During compressor operation, the balance piston may rotate with the motor's rotor shaft and be configured to redirect the lubricant away from the pressure seal, thereby reducing the amount of lubricant introduced into the impeller cavity and working fluid passages. In this way, the reduced amount of lubricant can be mixed with the working fluid induced by the compressor through the vapor compression system, thereby increasing the efficiency of the vapor compression system. Furthermore, by employing the lubricant redirection system considered herein, fewer separate auxiliary components (e.g., dedicated components) can be implemented to redirect the lubricant away from the compression side of the compressor system. In this way, the distance (e.g., axial) between the impeller and the support (e.g., bearing) of the rotor shaft coupled to the impeller can be reduced, thereby increasing the resonant frequency of the compressor system and / or increasing the rotational mechanical stability of the compressor system.

[0020] 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 a cooled liquid which can be used to cool the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 for supplying a warm 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 a heated liquid from the boiler 16 or a 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 floors.

[0021] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate embodiments 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 include water (e.g., steam), 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.

[0022] 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 fixed line voltage and fixed 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 or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

[0023] The compressor 32 compresses the working fluid vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 34 through an exhaust passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 32 can be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered to the condenser 34 by the compressor 32 can transfer heat to the cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) of the 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 the condenser 34. The liquid working fluid from the condenser 34 can flow through the expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the 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.

[0024] The liquid working fluid delivered to the evaporator 38 can absorb heat from another cooling fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in the condenser 34. The liquid working fluid in the 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, the 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 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) of the evaporator 38 enters the evaporator 38 through the return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 through the supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 can reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 through heat transfer with the working fluid. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and / or a plurality of tube bundles. In either case, the vapor working fluid exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 through the suction line to complete the cycle.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 that collects in the intermediate vessel 70 may have a lower enthalpy than the liquid working fluid leaving the condenser 34 due to expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or within the intermediate vessel 70. The liquid from the intermediate vessel 70 may then flow through line 72 to the evaporator 38 through a second expansion device 36.

[0027] 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.

[0028] According to this technology, a motor having rotating components such as a motor 50 for a compressor 32 can utilize a lubricant redirection system to enable operation of the motor 50 and the compressor 32 at various speeds, while limiting the amount of fluid movement (e.g., lubricant movement) between the motor cavity of the motor 50 and the compression cavity of the compressor 32 (e.g., impeller side, impeller space, working fluid passage, compression chamber) during the operating modes of the compressor 32. For example, an embodiment of the lubricant redirection system considered herein is configured to block the flow of fluid (e.g., lubricant) from the motor cavity of the motor 50 to the compression cavity of the compressor 32, and redirect and / or re-guide the escaped lubricant away from the compression cavity of the compressor 32.

[0029] To facilitate the following discussion, Figure 5 is a 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 compressor 32 and / or the motor 50. In a particular embodiment, 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. The compressor housing portion 102 and the motor housing portion 104 may be coupled to each other (e.g., mounted and fixed). The rotor shaft 106 (e.g., shaft) of the motor 50 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 fasteners 110 (e.g., bolts, rods), thereby allowing the impeller 108 to rotate within the impeller cavity 109 (e.g., compression cavity, impeller space). When the motor 50 is operated, the rotor shaft 106 is rotationally driven to rotate the impeller 108 of the compressor 32, thereby allowing the compressor 32 to compress the working fluid in the impeller cavity 109 to a desired pressure before guiding the working fluid out of the volute portion 112 of the compressor 32 and toward downstream components of the vapor compression system 14 along the working fluid circuit (e.g., heat exchangers such as condensers and / or evaporators).

[0030] As illustrated, the rotor shaft 106 may be a cylindrical component having a length extending along the axial or longitudinal axis or longitudinal direction 200 of the compressor system 100, a radius extending along the radial axis or radial direction 202, and an outer circumference extending along the circumferential axis or circumferential direction 204. In certain embodiments, the rotor shaft 106 may be supported by one or more bearing assemblies (e.g., lubricant bearing assembly, bearings) 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 the working fluid. For example, a first bearing 114 (e.g., a set of first bearings, a first bearing assembly) may be disposed close to the first end of the rotor shaft 106 to which the impeller 108 is fixed via fasteners 110. That is, the first bearing 114 may be spaced axially (for example, along the longitudinal axis 200) from the impeller 108 by a distance less than a threshold distance from the impeller 108. The reduced axial distance between the bearing 114 and the impeller 108 may improve the rotational mechanical stability within the compressor system 100. The second bearing 115 (for example, a set of second bearings) may be positioned near the second end of the rotor shaft 106, opposite to the first end (for example, near the end of the rotor shaft 106 not coupled to the impeller 108). Each bearing 114, 115 may be fluidly coupled to a lubricant source 116 via one or more conduits 118 (for example, lubricant conduits, lubricant circuits, lubricant flow paths). Each conduit 118 (e.g., a flow path) may be configured to guide lubricant toward the respective bearing assemblies 114, 115, thereby facilitating the rotation of the rotor shaft 106 about the longitudinal axis 200 (within the bearing assemblies 114, 115, relative to the radial axis 202). The bearing assemblies 114, 115 may include any preferred bearings, such as journal bearings, ball bearings, sleeve bearings, roller bearings, etc., circumferentially arranged around the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., in the circumferential direction 204).

[0031] In a particular embodiment, the compressor system 100 of the vapor compression system 14 may include a lubricant redirection system 120 (e.g., an integrated balance piston and lubricant slinger, an integrated seal and lubricant slinger, an integrated balance piston and lubricant redirector) configured to block and / or limit the amount of fluid movement toward the impeller cavity 109 (e.g., lubricant movement) (e.g., block and / or limit the amount of fluid movement from the motor cavity of the motor 50 to the compression cavity of the compressor 32, block and / or limit the amount of fluid movement from the motor housing portion 104 to the compressor housing portion 102), and / or redirect the lubricant away from the impeller cavity 109 (e.g., redirect the lubricant away from the compressor housing portion 102, redirect the lubricant away from the impeller 108). For example, the lubricant redirection system 120 may include and / or be integrated with the balance piston 122 configured to reduce the thrust load on the impeller 108. The balance piston 122 may be coupled to the impeller 108 (e.g., integrally coupled, integrally formed, mounted, fixed, mechanically coupled) and may rotate with the impeller 108 during the operation of the compressor system 100. In certain embodiments, as the impeller 108 rotates, a thrust force may be generated in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 of the compressor system 100. Therefore, during operation, the balance piston 122 may be configured to engage (e.g., abut) with other components of the compressor system 100 (e.g., the housing 101) to limit the thrust force (e.g., thrust load) generated on the impeller 108 during the operation (e.g., rotation) of the compressor system 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the balance piston 122 is integrally formed with the impeller 108. However, in other embodiments (for example, Figure 7), the balance piston 122 may be coupled to (e.g., mounted and fixed to) the impeller 108 via one or more fasteners, as will be described in more detail below.

[0032] In certain embodiments, the balance piston 122 may include a body (e.g., an annular body) and have wall portions 124 (e.g., projections, extensions, axial extensions) and a cavity 126 (e.g., an annular cavity, chamber, pocket, recess) at least partially defined by the wall portions 124. In certain embodiments, a portion of the impeller 108 (e.g., the hub of the impeller 108) may further define the cavity 126. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the balance piston 122 is integrally formed with the impeller 108, and a portion 111 (e.g., a curved portion, a bow-shaped portion, a hub) of the impeller 108 that extends at least partially along the radial axis 202 (e.g., extending at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis 200) may further define the cavity 126. The wall portion 124 may extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 of the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., linearly) and may be configured to re-direct lubricant that unintentionally escapes from the bearings 114, 115 to flow away from the compression cavity of the compressor system 100 (e.g., away from the compressor housing section 102 and away from the impeller cavity 109). In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the wall portion 124 (e.g., the distal end of the wall portion, the free end of the wall portion) may extend at an angle (e.g., a non-zero angle) with respect to the longitudinal axis 200. For example, in certain embodiments, the wall portion 124 may extend at an angle toward the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., a non-zero angle, radially inward), while in other embodiments, the wall portion 124 may extend at an angle away from the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., a non-zero angle, radially outward). By orienting the wall portion 124 at a certain angle with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, the balance piston 122 can more effectively remove lubricant that has escaped from the bearings 114 and 115. For example, by orienting the wall portion 124, or at least the distal end of the wall portion 124, at an angle radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, lubricant guided out of the cavity 126 can flow along the wall portion 124.In particular, since the free end of the wall portion 124 is oriented at an angle radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, the free end of the wall portion 124 may extend beyond at least a portion of the seal 130 in the direction along the radial axis 202 away from the rotor shaft 106, thereby blocking and / or limiting the amount of lubricant introduced into the seal 130.

[0033] The cavity 126 may be fluidly coupled to the passage 128 and may be configured to receive (e.g., capture) lubricant escaping from the bearings 114, 115 (e.g., lubricant in the housing 101, lubricant in the motor housing portion 104). The impeller 108 and / or balance piston 122 may guide the lubricant captured in the cavity 126 toward the passage 128. For example, as the balance piston 122 rotates (e.g., via the rotation of the impeller 108), the lubricant in the cavity 126 may collide with the wall portion 124 and / or portion 111 of the impeller 108 before being guided out of the cavity 126 toward the passage 128 (e.g., through it). That is, as the impeller 108 rotates, a centrifugal force may be generated that is induced along the radial axis 202 and away from the rotor shaft 106, causing the lubricant in the cavity 126 to flow away from the rotor shaft 106 toward and / or toward the portion 111 and wall portion 124 of the impeller 108 (e.g., at least partially toward the radial axis 202). As the lubricant flows away from the rotor shaft 106, it may collide with the wall portion 124 of the balance piston 122 and / or the portion 111 of the impeller 108, thereby allowing the lubricant to be guided into the passage 128 (e.g., redirected). The passage 128 may be configured to deliver the lubricant away from the housing 101 (e.g., around the housing 101, away from the impeller cavity 109) before returning the lubricant to the lubricant source 116.

[0034] In certain embodiments, the seal 130 (e.g., a high-pressure gas seal, a pressure seal, or a labyrinth seal) may be disposed on (e.g., mounted) on the balance piston 122 and configured to engage (e.g., abut) with the wall portion 124 of the balance piston 122 in order to restrict (e.g., block) fluid movement (e.g., lubricant movement) from the motor housing section 104 to the compressor housing section 102 (e.g., block fluid movement to the impeller cavity 109) and / or restrict (e.g., block) fluid movement (e.g., working fluid movement) from the compressor housing portion 102 to the motor housing portion 104. For example, the seal 130 may be a labyrinth seal having a T-shaped cross section with a seal extension and a toothed surface, configured to prevent fluid (e.g., lubricant) flowing in the passage 128 from flowing across the seal 130 toward the impeller cavity 109. Additionally or alternatively, the seal 130 may be configured to prevent the flow (e.g., leakage) of working fluid from the working fluid passage in the compressor housing section 102 to the motor housing section 104.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the wall portion 124 of the balance piston 122 may be configured to extend beyond the seal 130 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 of the compressor system 100 (e.g., the axial axis) (e.g., extending beyond the lateral boundary of the seal 130, extending beyond the lateral circumference of the seal 130, and further extending toward the motor housing portion 104 along the longitudinal axis 200 relative to the seal 130), thereby facilitating the redirection of lubricant away from the impeller cavity 109. For example, the wall portion 124 may extend along the longitudinal axis 200, and the length of the wall portion 124 may be greater than the length of the seal 130 along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., greater than the length of the sealing portion of the seal 130 that engages with the wall portion 124), resulting in the wall portion 124 extending beyond the lateral boundary of the seal 130 along the longitudinal axis 200. When centrifugal force (e.g., generated by the rotation of the impeller 108 and / or balance piston 122) directs the lubricant away from the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., in the direction along the radial axis 202), a portion 111 of the impeller 108 and / or a wall portion 124 may further redirect the lubricant away from the seal 130, thereby limiting the amount of lubricant introduced into the seal 130, as will be described in more detail below. By reducing the amount of lubricant introduced into the seal 130, the reduced amount of lubricant may be directed into the impeller cavity 109, thereby reducing the mixing of the lubricant with the working fluid in the impeller cavity 109, which enables more efficient operation of the compressor system 100 and the vapor compression system 14.

[0036] As described above, integrating the wall portion 124 and the balance piston 122 (e.g., the lubricant direction redirection system 120) with the impeller 108 allows, according to this technology, to position the impeller 108 closer to the bearing 114 (e.g., less than a threshold distance) (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 200). In this way, the resonant frequency of the rotor shaft 106 may be increased and / or the rotational mechanical stability of the compressor system 100 may be improved. For this purpose, in certain embodiments, the bearing 114 may extend at least partially within the cavity 126 of the balance piston 122 along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., may be at least partially positioned within the cavity 126). By positioning the bearing 114 at least partially within the cavity 126, the rotor shaft 106, bearing 114, and impeller 108 (e.g., compressor system 100) can be assembled with reduced axial dimensions (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 200), which allows for improved rotational mechanical stability while also reducing the costs associated with manufacturing and assembling such a compressor system. For example, by positioning the bearing 114 at least partially within the cavity 126, a shorter rotor shaft 106 can be implemented in the compressor system 100 compared to a conventional compressor system.

[0037] In a particular embodiment, the compressor system 100 may include one or more sensors 140 configured to detect various operating parameters and / or operating conditions of the compressor system 100. One or more sensors 140 may be disposed throughout the compressor 32 and / or motor 50 and may be configured to detect data indicating the temperature, pressure, flow rate, or composition of the fluid (e.g., working fluid, lubricant) induced through the compressor 32 and / or motor 50. Such data may also be used to determine the amount of lubricant in the compressor housing portion 102 and / or motor housing portion 104. For example, data detected by one of the sensors 140 may indicate that the pressure and / or temperature of the working fluid is outside a threshold range, which may indicate a threshold amount (e.g., an undesirable amount) of lubricant in the working fluid. One or more sensors 140 may communicate the detected data to a controller 150 (e.g., a control panel 40, a control system, or an automation controller), thereby enabling the controller 150 to control the operation of the compressor system 100. For example, the controller 150 may be configured to control the amount of lubricant induced from the lubricant source 116 to the bearing 114, and / or the speed of the motor 50 (e.g., the rotational speed of the impeller 108 and balance piston 122), based on data from one or more sensors 140, as will be described in more detail below. That is, in a particular embodiment, certain components of the compressor system 100 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 150, thereby enabling the controller 150 to control the operation of the compressor system 100 and / or the lubricant redirection system 120 (e.g., by controlling the rotational speed of the balance piston 122), as will be described in more detail below.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the controller 150 may include a processing circuit 152 (e.g., one or more microprocessors) and a memory 154. For example, the controller 150 may include non-temporary code or instructions stored in a machine-readable medium (e.g., memory 154) used by the processing circuit 152 to carry out the technology disclosed herein. The memory 154 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 compressor system 100 and / or the lubricant redirection system 120 when executed by the processing circuit 152. The controller 150 may monitor and control the operation of the lubricant redirection system 120 by, for example, controlling the rotational speed of the rotor shaft 106, and therefore the rotational speed of the impeller 108 and / or the balance piston 122.

[0039] In certain embodiments, the controller 150 may control the operation of the compressor system 100 based on feedback received from one or more sensors 140. For example, upon receiving sensor data indicating a threshold amount of lubricant in the impeller cavity 109, the controller 150 may send a signal to the lubricant source 116 to reduce the amount of lubricant directed toward the bearing 114. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 150 may send a signal to the motor 50 to increase the speed (e.g., rotational speed) of the rotor shaft 106. Increasing the rotational speed of the rotor shaft 106 may increase the rotational speed of the impeller 108 and balance piston 122, thereby allowing the lubricant redirection system 120 to guide the lubricant more efficiently toward the passage 128 toward the seal 130 compared to a compressor operating at a lower speed. For example, increasing the rotational speed of the impeller 108 and balance piston 122 may increase the aforementioned centrifugal force acting on the lubricant in the cavity 126, thereby reducing the tendency of the lubricant to flow toward the impeller cavity 109. In this way, the lubricant may be prevented and / or restricted from moving toward the impeller cavity 109, thereby reducing the amount of mixture between the working fluid and the lubricant and increasing the efficiency of the vapor compression system employing the compressor system 100. In certain embodiments, it should be recognized that the controller 150 may control the operation of the compressor system 100 based on manual input provided via an operator associated with the compressor 32.

[0040] Figure 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of the compressor system 100, enclosed within the dashed line 5-5 in Figure 5, illustrating one embodiment of the lubricant redirection system 120. As shown in Figure 6, the lubricant redirection system 120 includes a balance piston 122 having a wall portion 124 that at least partially defines a cavity 126. In the illustrated embodiment, the balance piston 122 is formed integrally with the impeller 108 (e.g., as a component of a single part), so that a portion 111 of the impeller 108 further defines the cavity 126. Additionally, a portion 160 of the housing 101 (e.g., a portion of the motor housing portion 104) may further define the cavity 126. As described above, the cavity 126 may be configured to receive lubricant that has escaped from the bearing 114, and a portion 111 of the impeller 108, the balance piston 122, and / or wall portion 124 may guide the lubricant toward the passage 128, thereby allowing the passage 128 to guide the lubricant out of the compressor system 100 (for example, returning the lubricant to the lubricant source 116). For example, the centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the balance piston 122 and the impeller 108 may cause the lubricant in the cavity 126 to flow toward the passage 128 along the lubricant flow path 162.

[0041] Due to the geometric shape of a portion 111 of the impeller 108 that at least partially defines the cavity 126, the cavity 126 may have an inclined profile (e.g., relative to the longitudinal axis 200) that facilitates the redirection of lubricant away from the impeller cavity 109 (e.g., at least partially along the radial axis 202) and / or away from the seal 130. For example, if lubricant escapes from the bearing 114, the lubricant may move toward the impeller cavity 109 in a first direction 170 (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 200). However, the rotation of the balance piston 122 may cause the lubricant to move toward the lubricant flow path 162 in a second direction 172 that extends at least partially along the radial axis 202 toward the rotor shaft 106. As the lubricant travels along the lubricant flow path 162 in the second direction 172, it may collide with a portion 111 of the impeller 108, thereby causing the lubricant to flow in a third direction 174, which extends at least partially in the opposite direction to direction 170 at an angle (e.g., a non-zero angle, radially outward angle) with respect to the radial axis 202. That is, the balance piston 122 (e.g., the portion 111 of the impeller 108 and the wall portion 124) may be configured to change the direction of lubricant flow in the cavity 126, facilitating the redirection of lubricant exiting the compressor system 100. Additionally, due to the inclined profile of the cavity 126, a tangential force may be generated that further assists in redirecting the lubricant from the cavity 126 into the passage 128. For example, since a portion 111 of the impeller 108, a wall portion 124, and a portion 160 of the housing 101 alter the direction of lubricant flow within the cavity 126, a tangential force acting in the opposite direction to direction 170 may be applied to the lubricant flow as the lubricant flow changes direction. In this way, the tangential force may further redirect the lubricant toward the passage 128, thereby allowing the lubricant to bypass the seal 130 (e.g., be redirected away from the seal 130). That is, the increased amount of lubricant in the cavity 126 may be guided away from the impeller cavity 109 through the passage 128 compared to a conventional compressor system.Furthermore, the centrifugal force generated through the rotation of the impeller 108 and balance piston 122 can increase the velocity of the lubricant flowing through the passage 128. As the velocity of the lubricant induced through the passage 128 increases, the tendency of the lubricant to change direction and / or to flow toward the seal 130 may decrease (for example, due to inertia), thereby allowing a reduced amount of lubricant to be introduced into the seal 130. The reduced amount of lubricant can then be induced into the impeller cavity 109, thereby reducing the introduction of lubricant into the working fluid induced through the compressor system 100, which enables an increase in the efficiency of the vapor compression system 14.

[0042] As described above, in certain embodiments, at least a portion of the bearing 114 may extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., horizontally), and as a result, the bearing 114 is at least partially positioned within the cavity 126 (e.g., radially within the cavity 126 with respect to the radial axis 202, and longitudinally within the cavity 126 with respect to the longitudinal axis 200). By positioning at least a portion of the bearing 114 within the cavity 126, the first end 180 of the bearing 114 (e.g., the end of the bearing 114 close to the impeller 108) may be less than a threshold distance from the impeller 108. A more compact positioning of the bearing 114 and the impeller 108 relative to each other (e.g., along the rotor shaft 106) (e.g., axial positioning) can reduce the amount of axial space 182 between the impeller 108 and the bearing 114, thereby increasing the rotational mechanical stability of such a compressor system while reducing the costs associated with the manufacture and assembly of the compressor system 100.

[0043] As described above, in certain embodiments, at least a portion of the wall portion 124 may extend beyond the lateral boundary 184 (e.g., the lateral periphery, axial edge) of the seal 130 (e.g., the sealing portion of the seal 130 that engages with the wall portion 124) in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200. By extending the wall portion 124 beyond the lateral boundary 184 of the seal 130 (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 200, toward the motor 50), a reduced amount of lubricant can be introduced into the seal 130. For example, as the impeller 108 rotates with the balance piston 122, the lubricant may flow along the lubricant flow path 162 before reaching the distal end 186 (e.g., the free end of the wall portion 124). Upon reaching the distal end 186 of the wall portion 124, the lubricant may be thrown (e.g., propelled, forced, driven) into the passage 128 in a direction along the radial axis 202 (e.g., radially outward) away from the rotor shaft 106. In particular, the centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the impeller 108 and balance piston 122, as well as the tangential force generated when the lubricant collides with parts of the impeller 108 and / or balance piston 122 (e.g., part 111 of the impeller 108, part 160 of the housing 101, wall portion 124), may guide the lubricant flow out of the cavity 126 at a speed that allows the lubricant flow to bypass the seal 130. In this way, the possibility and / or tendency of the lubricant to flow in direction 170 toward the seal 130 and impeller cavity 109 may be reduced. Furthermore, the additional clearance provided by extending the wall portion 124 beyond the lateral boundary 184 of the seal 130 may further redirect the lubricant away from the seal 130, thereby reducing the amount of lubricant introduced into the seal 130. Additionally, as described above, in certain embodiments, the distal end 186 of the wall portion 124 may extend at a certain angle (e.g., a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, a radially outward angle) to facilitate redirection of the lubricant away from the seal 130.For example, in an embodiment where the distal end 186 of the wall portion 124 extends at an angle radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, the distal end 186 of the wall portion 124 can be at least partially aligned with a portion of the seal 130 along the longitudinal axis 200. In this way, the distal end 186 of the wall portion 124 can help prevent and / or block lubricant from reaching the seal 130.

[0044] Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of the compressor system 100 illustrating one embodiment of the lubricant direction redirection system 300. The lubricant direction redirection system 300 may include features similar to those of the lubricant direction redirection system 120 described above. For example, the lubricant direction redirection system 300 may include a balance piston 302, a passage 304, and a seal 306 (e.g., a high-pressure gas seal) disposed within the motor housing portion 104 of the compressor system 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the balance piston 302 includes a first portion 308 (e.g., a rotor shaft portion, a first axial portion, a linear portion, a mounting portion) configured to engage at least partially with and / or radially with the rotor shaft 106. The first portion 308 may extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., linear, longitudinal) and may be configured to engage (e.g., abut, contact) with the rotor shaft 106. The balance piston 302 may include a second portion 310 (e.g., an impeller portion, an impeller hub portion, a radial portion) extending from the first portion 308 in a direction along the radial axis 202 (e.g., radially), and a third portion 312 (e.g., a wall portion, an extension portion, a second axial portion, a linear portion) extending from the second portion 310 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., linear, longitudinal). In certain embodiments, the third portion 312 may extend at an angle toward the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., a non-zero angle, a radially inward angle), while in other embodiments, the third portion 312 may extend at an angle away from the rotor shaft 106 (e.g., a non-zero angle, a radially outward angle). By orienting the third portion 312 at a certain angle with respect to the longitudinal axis 200, the balance piston 302 can more effectively redirect lubricant that has escaped from the bearings 114, 115, causing it to flow away from the impeller cavity 109, as described above. It should be recognized that the balance piston 302 may be formed from a single piece of material, or alternatively, each of the first portion 308, the second portion 310, and the third portion 312 may be joined to one another by any preferred technique (e.g., welding, brazing).

[0045] As shown in Figure 7, the first portion 308, the second portion 310, and the third portion 312 can collectively define a cavity 314 (e.g., a C-shaped cavity, chamber, recess, pocket) configured to capture lubricant that may escape and / or flow away from the bearing 114. Similar to the balance piston 122 described above, the rotation of the impeller 108 and the balance piston 302 can cause the lubricant in the cavity 314 to flow along the lubricant flow path 316 toward the passage 304, thereby allowing the lubricant to bypass the seal 306. As described above, in certain embodiments, the balance piston 302 may be mechanically coupled to the impeller 108 (e.g., mounted and fixed). For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the fastener 318 extends through the second portion 310 of the balance piston 302 into the body of the impeller 108 (e.g., the hub) (e.g., in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200), fastening the balance piston 302 to the impeller 108. Thus, when the motor 50 operates to drive the compressor 32 (e.g., when the motor 50 operates to rotate the impeller 108), the balance piston 302 may also rotate, thereby allowing the lubricant to be redirected away from the impeller cavity 109 and / or allowing the lubricant to bypass the seal 306 in the manner described above.

[0046] Similar to the embodiments described above, the third portion 312 of the balance piston 302 may be configured to extend beyond the seal 306 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 200 (for example, beyond the lateral boundary 320 of the seal 306) to facilitate the redirection of lubricant away from the impeller cavity 109. For example, the third portion 312 may extend along the longitudinal axis 200, and the length of the third portion 312 may be greater than the length of the seal 306 along the longitudinal axis 200, so that the third portion 312 extends beyond the lateral boundary 320 of the seal 306 in a direction 322 toward the bearing 114 along the longitudinal axis 200. In this way, an additional clearance may be provided between the passage 304 and the seal 306, thereby reducing the amount of lubricant introduced into the seal 306.

[0047] Furthermore, as described above, this technology allows the bearing 114, rotor shaft 106, and impeller 108 to be assembled in a more compact (e.g., axially compact) arrangement. That is, the bearing 114 and impeller 108 can be positioned closer to each other along the longitudinal axis 200. In this way, this technology allows for increased rotational mechanical stability of the compressor system 100. For this purpose, the bearing 114 can extend at least partially within the cavity 314 of the balance piston 302 along the longitudinal axis 200 (e.g., it can be at least partially positioned within the cavity 314). By positioning the bearing 114 at least partially within the cavity 314, the axial distance between the impeller 108 and the bearing 114 can be reduced, thereby improving the rotational mechanical stability of the compressor system 100. In other words, the distance 324 between the impeller 108 and the first end 180 of the bearing 114 along the longitudinal axis 200 can be reduced compared to existing systems that incorporate separate and / or dedicated components to reduce the flow of lubricant from the bearing to the impeller.

[0048] During the operation of the compressor system 100, the lubricant redirection system 300 may be configured to guide the lubricant collected in the cavity 314 toward the periphery of the compressor system 100 (e.g., radially periphery) (e.g., away from the impeller cavity 109 and away from the seal 306). For example, similar to the operation of the lubricant redirection system 120, the balance piston 302 of the lubricant redirection system 300 may be configured to rotate with the impeller 108 to redirect (e.g., throw, force) the lubricant out of the cavity 314. The rotation of the balance piston 302 may generate a centrifugal force acting on the lubricant in the cavity 314, thereby causing the lubricant in the cavity 314 to flow in a direction at least partially aligned with the radial axis 202 (e.g., radially outward) toward the rotor shaft 106. As the lubricant moves away from the rotor shaft 106 along the radial axis 202, it may collide with the balance piston 302 (e.g., with the second portion 310 and / or third portion 312) before being guided out of the cavity 314 into the passage 304. Furthermore, the centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the balance piston 302 may increase the velocity of the lubricant flow (e.g., from the cavity 314 to the passage 304). Since the centrifugal force is oriented along the radial axis 202 away from the rotor shaft 106, when the lubricant flow reaches the distal end (e.g., the free end) of the third portion 312, the centrifugal force may act on the lubricant flow, thereby forcing the lubricant flow out of the cavity 314 into the passage 304. In particular, since the third portion 314 extends axially (e.g., towards the motor 50) beyond the lateral boundary 320 of the seal 306, a reduced amount of lubricant may flow towards the seal 306. Alternatively, the lubricant may bypass the seal 306 by centrifugal force that forces the lubricant away from the rotor shaft 106.

[0049] As described above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in operating a compressor system configured to circulate lubricant to facilitate the operation of the compressor system. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a lubricant redirection system configured to redirect escaped lubricant away from the impeller cavity in which the impeller of the compressor system is positioned. The lubricant redirection system may include a balance piston coupled to the impeller, which includes structural parts that facilitate the collection (e.g., capture) and redirection (e.g., discharge) of lubricant away from the impeller cavity. For example, the balance piston may include a wall portion that at least partially defines a cavity configured to capture lubricant that may escape from the bearings of the compressor system. The wall portion may extend axially beyond the lateral boundary of the seal so that the lubricant captured by the cavity may be guided into a passage, thereby allowing the lubricant to bypass the seal. In this way, a reduced amount of lubricant can be introduced into the impeller cavity. Additionally, by employing the lubricant direction reversal system considered herein, the bearing configured to support the rotor shaft of a motor operably coupled to the compressor can be positioned (e.g., assembled) closer to the impeller in the axial direction compared to conventional compressor systems. That is, employing the lubricant direction reversal system considered herein can reduce the axial distance between the bearing and the impeller, thereby improving the rotational mechanical stability of the compressor system while reducing the costs associated with the manufacture and assembly of such a compressor system. Furthermore, by reducing the amount of lubricant introduced into the impeller cavity, the reduced amount of lubricant can be introduced into the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) induced through the compressor, thereby avoiding the introduction of lubricant to downstream components of the compressor system (e.g., heat exchangers such as evaporators and / or condensers), which can lead to an improvement in the heat exchange efficiency of such components.

[0050] 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., the size, dimensions, structure, shape, and proportions of various elements, the values ​​of parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, the use of materials, 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 appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

[0051] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual implementations may be described, such as those that are not relevant to the currently considered best form or those that are not relevant to activation. 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 nevertheless, for a person skilled in the art who is interested in this disclosure, it would be a normal part of the work of design, fabrication, and manufacturing, without excessive experimentation.

[0052] The technologies presented and claimed herein are not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical, as they refer to and apply to concrete objects and specific examples of a practical nature that clearly improve the art. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements designated as “means for performing [a function]” or “steps for performing [a function],” such elements are intended to be construed under Section 112(f) of the United States Patent Act. However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other form, such elements are not intended to be construed under Section 112(f) of the United States Patent Act.

Claims

1. A compressor system, A housing comprising an impeller disposed inside, wherein the impeller is configured to rotate within the impeller cavity of the housing to compress the working fluid, 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 bearing disposed circumferentially around the rotor shaft, wherein the bearing is configured to receive lubricant from a lubricant source in order to facilitate the rotation of the rotor shaft, A lubricant direction changing system configured to change the direction of the lubricant so that it moves away from the impeller cavity, wherein the lubricant direction changing system is A seal configured to prevent the flow of the lubricant into the impeller cavity, and A compressor system comprising a lubricant direction redirection system, which includes a balance piston coupled to the impeller, wherein the balance piston is configured to redirect the lubricant away from the seal.

2. The compressor system according to claim 1, wherein the balance piston comprises a wall portion configured to at least partially define a cavity configured to capture the lubricant that escapes from the bearing.

3. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the lubricant direction redirection system comprises a passage defined within the housing, the cavity being fluidly coupled to the passage, and the balance piston being configured to guide the lubricant toward the passage during rotation of the balance piston.

4. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the balance piston is configured to guide the lubricant through the cavity and radially away from the rotor shaft, thereby bypassing the seal.

5. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the wall portion extends axially beyond the lateral boundary of the seal in the axial direction toward the bearing.

6. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the seal is configured to engage with the surface of the wall portion to prevent the flow of the lubricant into the impeller cavity.

7. The compressor system according to claim 2, wherein the bearing extends at least partially in the axial direction within the cavity.

8. The compressor system according to claim 1, wherein the balance piston is integrally formed with the impeller.

9. The compressor system according to claim 1, wherein the balance piston is coupled to the impeller via one or more fasteners.

10. The compressor system according to claim 1, wherein the seal is a labyrinth seal.

11. One or more sensors configured to detect data indicating the amount of lubricant in the housing, The compressor system according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to control the operation of the compressor system based on the amount of lubricant in the housing.

12. The compressor system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to increase the speed of the motor based on the amount of the lubricant exceeding a threshold amount.

13. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, A compressor comprising an impeller configured to rotate within a compression cavity to compress a working fluid and to 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, A lubricant direction redirection system configured to block the flow of lubricant into the compression cavity, wherein the lubricant direction redirection system is configured A balance piston having a wall portion that at least partially defines a chamber configured to capture the lubricant, and A seal comprising a sealing portion configured to engage with the aforementioned wall portion, A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system comprising a lubricant redirection system, wherein the balance piston rotates together with the impeller and is configured to guide the lubricant in the chamber to flow away from the seal.

14. The HVAC&R system according to claim 13, comprising a bearing configured to receive the lubricant from a lubricant source, wherein the bearing extends at least partially in the axial direction within the chamber.

15. The HVAC&R system according to claim 14, wherein the sealing portion of the seal extends a first length in the axial direction, and the wall portion of the balance piston extends a second length in the axial direction, the first length being shorter than the second length, and as a result, the wall portion extends toward the motor in the axial direction beyond the edge of the sealing portion.

16. The HVAC&R system according to claim 13, wherein a portion of the impeller has an inclined profile that at least partially defines the chamber, and the chamber is configured to redirect the flow of the lubricant away from the seal.

17. A lubricant direction redirection system for a compressor system, A balance piston coupled to the impeller of the compressor system, wherein the balance piston is A wall portion configured to extend axially in the compressor system, and A balance piston comprising a cavity at least partially defined by the wall portion, the cavity configured to receive lubricant from the bearing of the compressor system, A seal is provided which contacts the wall portion and is configured to block the flow of the lubricant toward the impeller, A lubricant direction redirection system wherein the balance piston rotates together with the impeller during the operation of the compressor system and is configured to redirect the lubricant away from the seal.

18. The lubricant direction change system according to claim 17, wherein the balance piston is formed integrally with the impeller as a single component.

19. The lubricant direction change system according to claim 18, wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by the hub of the impeller.

20. The lubricant direction redirection system according to claim 17, wherein the balance piston comprises an additional wall portion configured to extend radially and abut against the impeller, and the balance piston is coupled to the impeller via one or more fasteners extending into the impeller through the additional wall portion.

Images