Oil conduit system for HVAC&r system

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor and an oil conduit system. The compressor includes an inlet configured to receive refrigerant directed along a refrigerant flow path and through the compressor, a displacement component, and an actuator configured to drive operation of the displacement component to pressurize the refrigerant in a chamber of the compressor. The oil conduit system includes a channel configured to direct oil into the refrigerant flow path, and the channel is configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path and flowing at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet to the chamber.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 448,944, entitled “OIL CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR HVAC&R SYSTEM,” filed Feb. 28, 2023, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.BACKGROUND

[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed 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 statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0003] Chiller systems, or vapor compression systems, utilize a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes phases between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to exposure to different temperatures and pressures within components of the chiller system. The chiller system may place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) and may deliver the conditioning fluid to conditioning equipment and / or a conditioned environment serviced by the chiller system. For example, the chiller system may include a heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid and the conditioning fluid to place the working fluid in the heat exchange relationship with the conditioning fluid. The conditioning fluid may be directed from the heat exchanger to other equipment, such as air handlers, to condition other fluids, such as air in a building. The working fluid may be directed from the heat exchanger through other components of the chiller system, such as a compressor and / or a condenser, configured to process (e.g., pressurize, cool) the working fluid to enable the working fluid to provide further conditioning of the conditioning fluid. The chiller system may also utilize oil to facilitate operation of certain components, such as the compressor, of the chiller system.SUMMARY

[0004] A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0005] In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor and an oil conduit system. The compressor includes an inlet configured to receive refrigerant directed along a refrigerant flow path and through the compressor, a displacement component, and an actuator configured to drive operation of the displacement component to pressurize the refrigerant in a chamber of the compressor. The oil conduit system includes a channel configured to direct oil into the refrigerant flow path, and the channel is configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path and flowing at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet to the chamber.

[0006] In another embodiment, an oil conduit system for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes an oil filter configured to remove impurities from an oil flow, and a channel positioned adjacent a refrigerant flow path through a compressor, where the channel is configured to receive the oil flow from the oil filter and direct the oil flow into a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path.

[0007] In another embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor and an oil conduit system. The compressor includes a support having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly to support an actuator of the compressor, and the plurality of ribs defines a plurality of passages configured to receive refrigerant and direct the refrigerant therethrough. The oil conduit system includes a channel configured to direct oil therethrough, the channel is formed through at least one of the plurality of ribs, and the channel in configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed through the plurality of passages.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building utilizing an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system in a commercial setting, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of a vapor compression system with an oil conduit system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0015] FIG. 7 is an overhead cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0016] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0017] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0018] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be noted that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

[0019] As used herein, the terms “approximately,”“generally,”“substantially,” and so forth, are intended to convey that the property value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. For example, when a property value is described as being “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar” to) a given value, this is intended to convey that the property value may be within + / −5%, within + / −4%, within + / −3%, within + / −2%, within + / −1%, or even closer, of the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being “substantially parallel” to another feature, “generally perpendicular” to another feature, and so forth, this is intended to convey that the given feature is within + / −5%, within + / −4%, within + / −3%, within + / −2%, within + / −1%, or even closer, to having the described nature, such as being parallel to another feature, being perpendicular to another feature, and so forth. Mathematical terms, such as “parallel” and “perpendicular,” should not be rigidly interpreted in a strict mathematical sense, but should instead be interpreted as one of ordinary skill in the art would interpret such terms. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that two lines that are substantially parallel to each other are parallel to a substantial degree, but may have minor deviation from exactly parallel.

[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, such as a chiller system, having a vapor compression system. The vapor compression system may include a compressor configured to pressurize a working fluid and discharge the pressurized working fluid to a condenser configured to cool the working fluid. The condenser may discharge the cooled working fluid to an expansion valve configured to reduce a pressure of the working fluid, thereby further cooling the working fluid. The expansion valve may direct the cooled working fluid to an evaporator, which may be configured to place the cooled working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid to cool the conditioning fluid and heat the working fluid. The evaporator may then discharge the working fluid to the compressor, and the compressor may recompress the working fluid received from the evaporator.

[0021] In some embodiments, oil may be used to facilitate operation of certain components of the vapor compression system, such as to improve efficiency of operation of a component and / or to extend a useful lifespan of the component. As an example, oil may be circulated through a compressor to facilitate operation of various components of the compressor, such as a bearing, a linkage, a displacement component, an actuator, and so forth. Unfortunately, in some circumstances, a property of the oil flow may not be desirable, and the oil may not facilitate operation of a component of the vapor compression system as a result. For example, the viscosity, dilution, pressure, and / or the temperature of the oil may be outside of a desirable range. As a result, operation of the vapor compression system may not be desirable.

[0022] Thus, it is presently recognized that processing the oil to adjust the property of the oil flow toward the desirable range may improve operation of the vapor compression system. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an oil conduit system configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant flow directed through a compressor of the vapor compression system. For example, the refrigerant flow may be directed from an inlet of the compressor to a chamber in which the refrigerant flow is pressurized by a displacement component of the compressor. The oil conduit system may place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flow prior to the refrigerant flow being pressurized by the displacement component. In this manner, the refrigerant flow placed in the heat exchange relationship with the oil may be at a relatively lower temperature to enable greater heat transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow, thereby reducing a temperature of the oil. The oil cooled by the refrigerant flow may then be directed into the refrigerant flow to flow across components of the compressor. The cooling of the oil via the refrigerant flow may place the oil in a more desirable condition (e.g., at a more desirable temperature, having a more desirable dilution, having a more desirable viscosity) to facilitate operation of the compressor.

[0023] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an environment for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 for a typical commercial setting. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a chiller) that supplies a chilled liquid, which may be used to cool the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 to supply warm liquid to heat the building 12 and an air distribution system which circulates air through the building 12. The air distribution system can 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 that is 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 chilled liquid from the vapor compression system 14, depending on the mode of operation of the HVAC&R system 10. The HVAC&R system 10 is shown with a separate air handler on each floor of building 12, but in other embodiments, the HVAC&R system 10 may include air handlers 22 and / or other components that may be shared between or among floors.

[0024] FIGS. 2 and 3 are embodiments of the vapor compression system 14 that can be used in the HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 may circulate a refrigerant through a circuit starting with a compressor 32. The circuit may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve(s) or device(s) 36, and a liquid chiller or an evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 that has an analog to digital (A / D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, a non-volatile memory 46, and / or an interface board 48.

[0025] Some examples of fluids that may be used as refrigerants in the vapor compression system 14 are hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based refrigerants, for example, R-410A, R-407, R-134a, R-1234ze, R1233zd, R513A, R515B, R516A, hydrofluoro olefin (HFO), “natural” refrigerants like ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, R290, or hydrocarbon based refrigerants, water vapor, or any other suitable refrigerant. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may be configured to efficiently utilize refrigerants having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) at one atmosphere of pressure, also referred to as low pressure refrigerants, versus a medium pressure refrigerant, such as R-134a. As used herein, “normal boiling point” may refer to a boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere of pressure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSDs) 52, a motor 50, the compressor 32, the condenser 34, the expansion valve or device 36, and / or the evaporator 38. The motor 50 may drive the compressor 32 and may be powered by a variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives alternating current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source, and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 may be powered directly from an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 50 may include any type of motor that can be powered by a VSD or 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.

[0027] The compressor 32 compresses a refrigerant vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The refrigerant vapor delivered by the compressor 32 to the condenser 34 may transfer heat to a cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in the condenser 34. The refrigerant vapor may condense to a refrigerant liquid in the condenser 34 due to thermal heat transfer with the cooling fluid. The liquid refrigerant from the condenser 34 may 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, which supplies the cooling fluid to the condenser 34.

[0028] The liquid refrigerant delivered to the evaporator 38 may absorb heat from another cooling fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in the condenser 34. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 38 may undergo a phase change from the liquid refrigerant to a refrigerant vapor. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the evaporator 38 may include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to a cooling load 62. The cooling fluid of the evaporator 38 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 via return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 via supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 may reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 via thermal heat transfer with the refrigerant. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and / or a plurality of tube bundles. In any case, the vapor refrigerant exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 by a suction line to complete the cycle.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic of the vapor compression system 14 with an intermediate circuit 64 incorporated between condenser 34 and the expansion device 36. The intermediate circuit 64 may have an inlet line 68 that is directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly coupled to the condenser 34. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of an intermediate vessel 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be a flash tank (e.g., a flash intercooler, an economizer, etc.). In other embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a “surface economizer.” In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the intermediate vessel 70 is used as a flash tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to lower the pressure of (e.g., expand) the liquid refrigerant received from the condenser 34. During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may vaporize, and thus, the intermediate vessel 70 may be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

[0030] Additionally, the intermediate vessel 70 may provide for further expansion of the liquid refrigerant because of a pressure drop experienced by the liquid refrigerant when entering the intermediate vessel 70 (e.g., due to a rapid increase in volume experienced when entering the intermediate vessel 70). The vapor in the intermediate vessel 70 may be drawn by the compressor 32 through a suction line 74 of the compressor 32. In other embodiments, the vapor in the intermediate vessel may be drawn to an intermediate stage of the compressor 32 (e.g., not the suction stage). The liquid that collects in the intermediate vessel 70 may be at a lower enthalpy than the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser 34 because of the expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or the intermediate vessel 70. The liquid from intermediate vessel 70 may then flow in line 72 through a second expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38.

[0031] It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the vapor compression system 14 or any other suitable HVAC&R systems. For example, the present techniques may be incorporated with any HVAC&R system having an economizer, such as the intermediate vessel 70, and a compressor, such as the compressor 32. The discussion below describes the present techniques incorporated with embodiments of the compressor 32 configured as a single stage compressor. However, it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein may be incorporated with other embodiments of the compressor 32 and HVAC&R system 10.

[0032] The present disclosure is directed to an HVAC&R system that utilizes oil to condition certain components. For example, the oil may cool and / or lubricate the components. The HVAC&R system may include an oil conduit system configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant flow directed through a compressor of the HVAC&R system. For instance, the oil conduit system may place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flow upstream of where the refrigerant flow is pressurized by the compressor with respect to a direction in which the refrigerant flow is directed through the compressor. Thus, the oil conduit system enables greater heat transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow to place the oil in a desirable condition for cooling and / or lubricating components of the compressor. As such, operation of the compressor may be improved.

[0033] With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system 14 having the compressor 32 and the condenser 34. The vapor compression system 14 also includes an oil conduit system 100 configured to circulate oil through the compressor 32 to facilitate operation of the compressor 32. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may include an oil separator 102 configured to discharge oil to an oil filter 104 of the oil conduit system 100, and the oil filter 104 may be configured to cleanse the oil. For example, the oil filter 104 may remove impurities from the oil. The oil filter 104 may discharge the cleansed oil into the compressor 32, where the oil may mix with the refrigerant in the compressor 32. The compressor 32 may then discharge the oil / refrigerant mixture back to the oil separator 102 of the oil conduit system 100. The oil separator 102 may be configured to separate the oil and the refrigerant from one another, direct the oil to the oil filter 104, and direct the refrigerant to the condenser 34. In certain embodiments, a pressure differential between the oil separator 102 and an interior volume of the compressor 32 (e.g., a position within the compressor 32 in which the oil filter 104 is disposed) may drive the oil through the oil conduit system 100 from the oil separator 102 to the oil filter 104 and through the compressor 32. For example, the oil separator 102 may be at a higher pressure relative to an interior volume of the compressor 32 in which the oil filter 104 is disposed. Thus, the pressure differential may drive oil from the high-pressure oil separator 102 to the oil filter 104 (which may also be at a higher pressure relative to an interior volume of the compressor 32), and the oil filter 104 may discharge the oil into a low-pressure area within an interior volume of the compressor 32 (e.g., a bearing cavity). In other embodiments, the oil separator 102 may include an oil pump 106 configured to facilitate discharge of the oil toward the oil filter 104 and toward the compressor 32. It should be noted that the oil conduit system 100 may include any suitable components, such as valves, conduits (e.g., tubing, piping), couplings, and so forth, to facilitate directing oil between the oil separator 102, the oil filter 104, the compressor 32, and / or the oil condenser 34.

[0034] The oil may condition various components of the compressor 32. For example, the compressor 32 may include an actuator 108 (e.g., a motor, a linear actuator, a rotary actuator) configured to drive movement of a displacement component or device 110. The displacement component 110 may be configured to move to pressurize the refrigerant, such as by driving the refrigerant from a larger volume into a smaller volume. For example, the displacement component 110 may include a screw, a piston, a scroll, an impeller, a diaphragm, and so forth. The compressor 32 may also include a linkage 112 that may connect the actuator 108 and the displacement component 110 to one another to enable the actuator 108 to drive movement of the displacement component 110. The compressor 32 may further include one or more bearings 114 (e.g., axial bearing(s), radial bearing(s)) that may provide support and / or desirable positioning of a component of the compressor 32. For example, the bearing(s) 114 may constrain movement of the displacement component 110 in certain directions (e.g., rotational directions) and / or facilitate movement of the displacement component 110 in other directions (e.g., linear directions).

[0035] Before the oil conduit system 100 directs the oil into the compressor 32 to mix with the refrigerant, the oil conduit system 100 may place the oil in one or more heat exchange relationships with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32 to enable heat transfer between the aspects and / or components of the compressor 32 and the oil. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may be configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a desirable condition (e.g., more desirable temperature, having a more desirable dilution, having a more desirable viscosity) before directing the oil into the compressor 32.

[0036] In the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode), the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil toward the compressor 32 without placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32. For example, in certain embodiments, oil discharged from the oil separator 102 and directed toward the oil filter 104 may already be in a desirable condition. Thus, the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil through a channel 116 (e.g., conduit, neutral channel, neutral conduit), such that the oil may pass through the compressor 32 without undergoing a heat exchange relationship. For example, the channel 116 may be formed (e.g., machined) through a housing of the compressor 32 and may be positioned a threshold distance away from various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 such that minimal heat exchange occurs between the components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 and the oil flow directed through the channel 116.

[0037] In the second operating mode, the oil conduit system 100 may place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a flow of the refrigerant to enable heat transfer between the flow of the refrigerant and the oil. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil through a channel 117 (e.g., oil cooling channel), which may place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant flow 118 at a suction of the compressor 32. The refrigerant flow 118 may be generally cooler than the oil in the channel 117. Thus, heat may transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow 118, thereby cooling the oil. Cooling of the oil via the refrigerant flow 118 may adjust certain properties, such as a temperature, a pressure, a dilution, and / or a viscosity, of the oil toward a desirable range, such as 1 and 2.5 kappa or 1 or greater kappa, for a ratio of viscosity at operating temperature over a specified viscosity for the bearing(s) 114. Thus, the oil may be in a more desirable condition for intake at the compressor 32 to flow across the various components of the compressor 32. For example, in the desirable condition, the oil may better reduce friction between components (e.g., between the linkage 112 and the displacement component 110), facilitate movement of a component (e.g., of the displacement component 110), reduce temperature of a component (e.g., of the bearing(s) 114), and so forth. As a result, pressurization of refrigerant (e.g., the refrigerant flow 118) by the compressor 32 and / or longevity of the compressor 32 may be increased.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the oil conduit system 100 may include a valve 120 (e.g., solenoid valve) positioned between the oil filter 104 and the compressor 32. The valve 120 may be configured to transition between a first position (e.g., solenoid closed position) in which oil from the oil filter 104 is directed through the channel 116, and a second position (e.g., solenoid open position) in which oil from the oil filter 104 is directed through the channel 117. In this way, the valve 120 may dictate which operating mode the oil conduit system 100 is operating in. For example, when the valve 120 transitions to the first position (e.g., when the solenoid is closed), oil may be directed through the channel 116 such that the oil does not undergo a heat exchange relationship with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32, thereby enabling the oil conduit system 100 to operate in the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode). Conversely, when the valve 120 transitions to the second position (e.g., when the solenoid is opened), oil may be directed through the channel 117 such that the oil is cooled by the refrigerant flow 118 before being introduced into the compressor 32, thereby enabling the oil conduit system 100 to operate in the second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode). It should be appreciated that in certain embodiments, the oil conduit system 100 may operate such that oil is directed into the channel 117 when the valve 120 is in the first position (e.g., when the valve 120 is closed) and into the channel 116 when the valve 120 is in the second position (e.g., when the valve 120 is opened).

[0039] In certain embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may include one or more sensors 122 configured to detect a condition of the oil directed toward the compressor 32. For example, the one or more sensors 122 may be disposed throughout the vapor compression system 14 and / or the compressor 32 and may be configured to detect data indicative of a temperature, a pressure, a viscosity, and / or a dilution of the oil. The one or more sensors 122 may communicate such data to a controller 130 (e.g., control system, automation controller), thereby enabling the controller 130 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode (e.g., by controlling a position of the valve 120 between the first position and the second position), based on said data. In certain embodiments, certain components of the vapor compression system 14 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 130 (e.g., control panel 40), thereby enabling the controller 130 to receive data from the components, control operation of the vapor compression system 14 and / or control operation of the oil conduit system 100, as described in greater detail below.

[0040] In certain embodiments, the controller 130 may include processing circuitry 132 (e.g., one or more microprocessors) and a memory 134. For example, the controller 130 may include non-transitory code or instructions stored in a machine-readable medium (e.g., the memory 134) that is used by the processing circuitry 132 to implement the techniques disclosed herein. The memory 134 may include volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), optical drives, hard disc drives, solid-state drives, or any other non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry 132, control operation of the vapor compression system 14 and / or the oil conduit system 100. The controller 130 may monitor and control operation of the oil conduit system 100, for example, by adjusting a position of the valve 120 based on the feedback received from the one or more sensors 122. For example, upon receiving sensor data indicative of a current property of the oil deviating from a desired property, the controller 130 may control the valve 120 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode. In this way, the oil may be cooled, as desired. It should be appreciated that certain features discussed herein may be omitted from certain embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, the channel 116, the valve 120, one or more of the sensors 122, and / or the controller 130 may be omitted, and the oil conduit system 100 may operate in a single mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to direct oil through the channel 117 (e.g., to cool the oil).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 32 includes a support 140 (e.g., an enclosure). The support 140 may define or include a first chamber 142 (e.g., a first section, a first volume, a first space, an intake section), a second chamber 144 (e.g., a second section, a second volume, a second space, a pressurization section), and a third chamber 146 (e.g., a third section, a third volume, a third space, a discharge section). During operation of the compressor 32, refrigerant (e.g., the refrigerant flow 118) may flow along a refrigerant flow path 150 sequentially through the first chamber 142, the second chamber 144, and the third chamber 146.

[0042] For example, the compressor 32 may include a motor 148 (e.g., the motor 50, the actuator 108) positioned within the first chamber 142 and a screw 152 (e.g., a rotor, the displacement component 110) extending through the first chamber 142, the second chamber 144, and the third chamber 146. The motor 148 may be coupled to a first shaft 154 of the screw 152 in the first chamber 142. The screw 152 may include lobes 156 (e.g., threads) extending through the second chamber 144 and a second shaft 158 extending through the third chamber 146. The refrigerant may flow into the first chamber 142 of the compressor 32 (e.g., from the evaporator 38) via an inlet 160 (e.g., a suction inlet) of the compressor 32. The refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant flow path 150 into a passage 162 formed between the motor 148 and the support 140 toward the second chamber 144. The refrigerant may then flow from the first chamber 142 into the second chamber 144 via a first opening 164.

[0043] The motor 148 may drive rotation of the first shaft 154 about an axis 166 during operation of the compressor 32. Rotation of the shaft 154 may drive rotation of the screw 152 about the axis 154, thereby enabling the screw 152 to compress the refrigerant and drive flow of the refrigerant into the third chamber 146 via a second opening 168. A cross-sectional area of the third chamber 146 may be less than a cross-sectional area of the first chamber 142. Thus, the refrigerant may be at a higher pressure in the third chamber 146 as compared to in the first chamber 142. The refrigerant may then flow through the third chamber 146, along the refrigerant flow path 150, and out of the compressor 32 via an outlet 170 (e.g., a discharge outlet).

[0044] As noted above, the oil conduit system 100 may be configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a more desirable condition before introducing the oil into a chamber of the compressor 32. For example, when the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode, when the solenoid valve 120 is closed), the oil conduit system 100 may direct oil along an oil flow path 171 via the channel 116 such that less than a threshold amount of heat exchange occurs between the oil and various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32. To this end, the channel 116 may be positioned and / or machined through the support 140 such that the channel 116 is at least a threshold distance away from the refrigerant flow path 118 through which refrigerant flows and / or at least a threshold distance away from other components and / or aspects of the compressor32 that may induce the oil flow into a heat exchange relationship (e.g., moving components of the compressor 32 (e.g., motor 148)). In this way, minimal heat exchange may occur between the oil directed through the channel 116 and the various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 before the oil is introduced into the compressor 32.

[0045] When the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode, when the solenoid valve is opened), the oil conduit system 100 may direct oil through the channel 117 and place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing along the refrigerant flow path 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the oil may flow along an oil flow path 172 through the compressor 32 via the channel 117. For example, the oil filter 104 may discharge oil toward the valve 120, and the valve 120 may direct the oil into the channel 117 extending through the support 140 when the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the second operating mode. The channel 117 may extend along the passage 162, thereby placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing through the passage 162 within the first chamber 142. By way of example, the passage 162 may extend at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144 (e.g., at least partially along the axis 166). Thus, the oil may be placed in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing along the refrigerant flow path 150 at least partially in the direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144.

[0046] The refrigerant flowing through the first chamber 142 (e.g., upstream of the second chamber 144 where the screw 152, such as the lobes 156, initiates pressurization of the refrigerant) may be at a lower temperature than the oil (e.g., oil discharged by the oil filter 104) placed in a heat exchange relationship with such a refrigerant. Thus, heat may transfer from the oil to the refrigerant to cool the oil. Such heat transfer may adjust a property of the oil to place the oil in condition to improve operation of the compressor 32. For example, a temperature of the oil may decrease and / or a viscosity of the oil may increase as a result of the heat transfer, and the oil may be able to provide desirable cooling of the components of the compressor 32, enable desirable movement of the components of the compressor 32, improve a useful lifespan of the components of the compressor 32, and so forth.

[0047] Such benefits may also improve efficiency of the compressor 32 to pressurize the refrigerant. For instance, the motor 148 may drive movement of the screw 152 more readily and / or more efficiently to enable the screw 152 to pressurize the refrigerant more efficiently. Indeed, desirable operation of the compressor 32 may be maintained and / or achieved at different ambient temperatures. By way of example, the benefits provided by the oil cooled via the refrigerant may enable the compressor 32 to achieve desirable operation at a higher ambient temperature condition, which may otherwise increase a temperature of the oil, increase a temperature of the refrigerant, and / or affect operation (e.g., movement) of the components of the compressor 32.

[0048] Moreover, such benefits may be achieved without implementing equipment dedicated to cooling oil (e.g., an external oil cooler, an additional cooling system), thereby reducing costs associated with installation and / or operation of such equipment. Additionally, the oil may be cooled without substantially affecting a condition (e.g., a temperature, a flow rate) of the refrigerant flowing through the compressor 32. Thus, the oil conduit system 100 may be readily incorporated in an existing HVAC&R system without having to adjust operation of the compressor 32.

[0049] As noted above, in certain embodiments, the controller 130 may be configured to control a position of the valve 120 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode based on data from the one or more sensors 122 disposed about the compressor 32. For example, one or more sensors 122 may be positioned within the first chamber 142 (e.g., within the oil filter 104), within the second chamber 144, and / or within the third chamber 146 (e.g., proximate the bearings 114). The sensors 122 may collect data indicative of an operating parameter of the oil (e.g., temperature, pressure, viscosity, dilution), and the controller 130 may utilize such data to control a position of the valve 120. For example, upon receiving data from the one or more sensors 122 indicating that a temperature of the oil exceeds a desired threshold temperature, the controller 130 may transition the valve 120 toward the open position such that the oil is directed through the channel 117 to be cooled. Conversely, upon receiving data from the one or more sensors 122 indicating that a temperature of the oil is within a desired temperature range, the controller 130 may transition the valve 120 toward the closed position such that the oil is directed through the channel 116, thereby minimizing heat exchange between the oil flowing through the channel 116 and other components and / or aspects of the compressor 32.

[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, the channel 116 and the channel 117 discharge their respective oil flows into an oil discharge assembly 174 that extends along the second chamber 144. The oil discharge assembly 174 may include a first conduit 175 fluidly coupled to the channels 116, 117, a first port 176, a second conduit 177, a second port 178, and a valve 179 (e.g., orifice). For example, the channels 116, 117 may discharge oil into the first conduit 175, and the first conduit 175 may discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second chamber 144. In certain embodiments, the oil discharge assembly 175 may discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path via the first port 176 and / or the second port 178. As an example, the first port 176 may be positioned upstream of the second chamber 144, such as within the first opening 164. The second port 178 may be positioned downstream of the second chamber 144, such as within the third chamber 146. Thus, the ports 176, 178 may discharge oil received from the channels 116, 117 into the refrigerant flow path 150 at locations that are proximate to and outside of the second chamber 144.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be configured to control distribution of the flow of oil between the first port 176 and the second port 178. For example, in certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be a modulating valve that directs a portion of the oil through the first conduit 175 and toward the first port 176, while a remaining portion of the oil is directed through the second conduit 177 and toward the second port 178. In certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 130, thereby enabling the controller 130 to control a position of the valve 179 and thus control distribution of the oil between the first and second ports 176, 178, respectively. Further, in other embodiments, the valve 179 may correspond to a static orifice having a specified diameter to enable at least a portion of the oil flow directed through the oil discharge assembly 174 to flow through the first port 176 while a remaining portion of the oil flow is directed through the second conduit 177 and into the compressor 32 via the second port 178. That is, in certain embodiments, a size, configuration, and / or diameter of the static orifice 179 may be selected based on certain design conditions, thereby enabling the oil discharge assembly 174 to distribute the oil flow between the first and second ports 176, 178.

[0052] The oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 may flow through the second chamber 144 and / or the third chamber 146 of the compressor 32. For instance, the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the second port 178 may flow through the third chamber 146, out of the compressor 32 via the outlet 170, and toward the oil separator 106 to be separated from the refrigerant and directed back toward the oil filter 104. The oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the first port 176 may flow through the second chamber 144, through the third chamber 146, out of the compressor 32 via the outlet 170, and toward the oil separator 106. The oil conduit system 100 may include a port configured to discharge oil into a different location of the refrigerant flow path 150 in additional or alternative embodiments. For example, another port my discharge oil into second chamber 144 (e.g., onto the lobes 156), into the first chamber 142 (e.g., onto the motor 148), or at any suitable location to cause the oil to mix with the refrigerant.

[0053] The compressor 32 may also include the bearings 114 positioned adjacent to the ports 176, 178 to enable the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 to flow across the bearings 114. By way of example, the compressor 32 may include one or more first bearings 180 positioned downstream of the first port 176 (e.g., and upstream of the second chamber 144), such as within the first opening 164, with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32. The compressor 32 may additionally or alternatively include one or more second bearings 182 positioned downstream of the second port 178 with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32. Thus, the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 (e.g., and cooled via the refrigerant flowing in the first chamber 142) may be directed across the first bearing 180 and the second bearing 182 via the first port 176 and the second port 178, respectively. The bearings 180, 182 may support the screw 152, such as to position and / or orient the screw 152 in a desirable manner, block undesirable movement of the screw 152, and the like. Positioning of the bearings 180, 182 adjacent to the ports 176, 178, respectively, may enable the oil to flow more desirably upon discharge into the refrigerant flow path 150 (e.g., to flow more immediately or readily across the bearings 180, 182).

[0054] In some embodiments, the oil filter 104 may be coupled to the support 140 to facilitate positioning of the oil filter 104 to discharge oil into the channel 116 or the channel 117. In additional or alternative embodiments, the oil filter 104 may be separate from the support 140 or positioned in any other suitable manner to discharge oil into the channels 116, 117. As an example, the oil filter 104 may be arranged at a position to discharge the oil into the channel 117 for placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant flow at any suitable portion of the refrigerant flow path 150 within the first chamber 142. As another example, the oil filter 104 may be oriented to discharge oil in any suitable direction, such as along (e.g., substantially parallel to) a direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144 or crosswise to (e.g., perpendicular to) the direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144.

[0055] FIG. 7 is an overhead cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. Certain features, such as the support 140, are not shown for visualization purposes. In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 32 includes a first screw 152A and a second screw 152B. For example, the first screw 152A (e.g., a male screw) may be coupled to the motor 148 and directly driven by the motor 148 to rotate. The second screw 152B (e.g., a female screw) may be in engagement with the first screw 152A, and movement of the first screw 152A may drive corresponding movement of the second screw 152B. Each of the first screw 152A and the second screw 152B may pressurize refrigerant during rotation and may increase a rate or amount in which refrigerant is pressurized as compared to a compressor having a single screw.

[0056] In the illustrated embodiment, the first port 176 discharges the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the first screw 152A (e.g., upstream of the lobes 156 of the first screw 152A with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and the second port 178 discharges the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the lobes 156 of the first screw 152A with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32). The oil filter 104 (shown in phantom lines) may cleanse the oil of impurities and direct oil through the valve 120 and through either the channel 116 or 117 before the oil is directed toward the oil discharge assembly 174. The oil discharge assembly 174 may then direct the oil flow to the first port 176 and / or to the second port 178 to distribute the oil for discharge into the refrigerant flow path 150, such as to flow across the first bearing(s) 180 and the second bearing(s) 182 that support the first screw 152A. In additional or alternative embodiments, the first port 176 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., upstream of lobes 208 e.g., threads) of the second screw 152B with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and / or the second port 178 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32).

[0057] In some embodiments, the oil may flow from the first screw 152A to the second screw 152B. For example, the pressure at the first screw 152A may be greater than the pressure at the second screw 152B. The pressure differential may drive flow of the oil from the first screw 152A to the second screw 152B. Thus, the pressure differential may facilitate distribution of oil (e.g., oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the first port 176) across the screws 152. In additional or alternative embodiments, the oil discharge assembly 174 of the oil conduit system 100 may include a third port 210 and / or a fourth port 212. The third port 210 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., upstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and the third port 212 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32). For example, the third port 210 and the fourth port 212 may direct the oil to flow across one or more third bearings 214 and one or more fourth bearings 216, respectively, which may support the second screw 152B. The oil discharged by the oil filter 104 may be distributed across each of the ports 176, 178, 210, 212, thereby enabling the oil to be discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 at different locations (e.g., adjacent to each of the screws 152).

[0058] Although the compressor 32 of FIG. 7 includes two screws 152, an additional or alternative embodiment of the compressor 32 may include more than two screws 152, along with any suitable number of ports to discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 to flow across each of the screws 152. Additionally, each of the compressors 32 of FIGS. 6 and 7 includes a single oil filter 104 (e.g., a centralized oil filter), which may reduce a number of components of the oil conduit system 100 to facilitate implementation and / or maintenance (e.g., to replace, repair, or inspect the oil conduit system 100). However, multiple oil filters 104 (e.g., oil filters 104 coupled to the support 140 and / or separate from the support 140) may be utilized in additional or alternative embodiments to facilitate cleansing of oil and / or directing of oil.

[0059] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. The support 140 may include a body 238 and multiple ribs 240 that extend inwardly from the body 238 to support the motor 148. For example, the ribs 240 may abut the motor 148 (e.g., a stator 242 of the motor 148) and cooperatively capture the motor 148 to maintain the position of the motor 148. The ribs 240 may be circumferentially offset from one another around the motor 148 to form multiple passages 162 that enable flow of refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path 150 through the first chamber 142.

[0060] Each of the channels 116, 117 of the oil conduit system 100 may be formed through the body 238 and / or one of the ribs 240. For example, the channel 116 may extend through the body 238 and the channel 117 may extend through one of the ribs 240. As noted above, the channel 116 may be formed (e.g., machined) through the support 140 (e.g., through the body 238 of the support 140) and may be positioned at least a threshold distance away from the passages 162 through which refrigerant may flow and / or at least a threshold distance away from the motor 148 (e.g., the stator 242 of the motor 148). In this way, minimal heat exchange may occur between the oil flowing through the channel 116 and the various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 (e.g., refrigerant flow through the passages 162, stator 242 of the motor 148).

[0061] The channel 117 may be formed (e.g., machined) through one of the ribs 240 (e.g., rib 240A) and may be positioned within a threshold distance from the passages 162 through which refrigerant may flow, thereby enabling a heat exchange relationship between the refrigerant flow and the oil (e.g., thereby enabling cooling of the oil flow through the channel 117). In certain embodiments, the ribs (e.g., rib 240A) may be formed from a conductive material (e.g., a metal) to facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerant flowing through the passage 162 adjacent to the rib 240A and the oil flowing through the channel 117 formed into the rib 240A. In the illustrated embodiment, the rib 240A terminates prior to abutment with the motor 148, thereby forming a gap 244 between the rib 240A and the motor 148. Refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant flow path 150 and through the gap 244. As such, the rib 240A may have a greater amount of surface area exposed to refrigerant flow along the refrigerant flow path 150, thereby increasing heat transfer between the oil flowing through the channel 117 and the refrigerant flowing through the first chamber 142 as compared to a channel formed through a rib extending to abut the motor 242. As such, the rib 240A may enable desirable conditioning of the oil. However, in additional or alternative embodiments, at least a portion of the rib 240A may extend in abutment with the motor 242 to enable the rib 240A to support the motor 242. The rib 240A may also include fins in some embodiments to increase a surface area to facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerant and the oil.

[0062] Each rib 240 of the support 140 may have a dimension or size (e.g., a width, a thickness) to provide sufficient support of the motor 148 and / or to form the passages 162 having a desirable size. For example, the ribs 240 may define passages 162 that are sufficiently sized to enable refrigerant flow therethrough at a desirable flow rate and / or velocity, such as to reduce pressure drop of the refrigerant flowing through the passages 162. For instance, the size of the ribs 240 may be increased for larger sized supports 140. Moreover, the ribs 240 may have different sizes than one another. As an example, the rib 240A through which the channel 117 is formed may be of a different size than a rib 240 that does not include the channel 117. Additionally, the channel 117 may be sized to enable sufficient flow of oil therethrough (e.g., to direct oil at a target flow rate that enables desirable heat transfer between the oil and the refrigerant), while enabling the structure of the rib 240A to support the motor 148. Furthermore, although the channels 116, 117 are formed through a single portion of the body 238 and / or through a single one of the ribs 240A, respectively, in the illustrated embodiment, the channel 116, 117 may be formed through multiple portions of the body 238 and / or through multiple ribs 240 in additional or alternative embodiments. In such embodiments, the oil may flow through the channels 116, 117 in parallel with one another (e.g., to increase an overall flow rate of oil through the channels 116, 117) and / or in series with one another (e.g., to be in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant along multiple flow passes and increase an overall amount of heat exchanged between the oil and the refrigerant).

[0063] As set forth above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in operating HVAC&R systems. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an oil conduit system configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a more desirable condition (e.g., more desirable temperature, more desirable dilution, more desirable viscosity) before introducing the oil into a compressor of the HVAC&R system. For example, the oil conduit systems discussed herein may include a first channel and a second channel and a valve configured to transition between a first position in which oil is directed through the first channel and a second position in which oil is directed through the second channel. The first channel may be positioned within (e.g., may extend through) a support of the compressor, and may be configured to minimize heat exchange relationships between the oil flow directed therethrough and various aspects and / or components of the compressor. The second channel may also be positioned within a support of the compressor. However, the second channel may be positioned proximate a refrigerant flow path directed through the compressor, thereby enabling oil directed through the second channel to undergo a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path. In this way, the oil may be conditioned (e.g., cooled) in a desirable manner to enable efficient operation of the compressor. The oil conduit system may also include one or more sensors configured to detect one or more properties of the oil directed toward the oil conduit system and a controller configured to control a position of the valve to transition the oil conduit system between the first operating mode and the second operating mode based on the sensor data. By including each of the above described components, oil directed toward the compressor may undergo one or more heat exchange relationships to place the oil in a more desirable condition before the oil is introduced into the compressor, thereby increasing an efficiency of the compressor and / or reducing costs associated with repair and maintenance of the compressor.

[0064] While only certain features and embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, including temperatures and pressures, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, and so forth without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described, such as those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out the disclosure, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed disclosure. It should be noted that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

[0065] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0017]One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0018]When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements....

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 448,944, entitled “OIL CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR HVAC&R SYSTEM,” filed Feb. 28, 2023, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.BACKGROUND

[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed 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 statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0003] Chiller systems, or vapor compression systems, utilize a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that changes phases between vapor, liquid, and combinations thereof in response to exposure to different temperatures and pressures within components of the chiller system. The chiller system may place the working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) and may deliver the conditioning fluid to conditioning equipment and / or a conditioned environment serviced by the chiller system. For example, the chiller system may include a heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid and the conditioning fluid to place the working fluid in the heat exchange relationship with the conditioning fluid. The conditioning fluid may be directed from the heat exchanger to other equipment, such as air handlers, to condition other fluids, such as air in a building. The working fluid may be directed from the heat exchanger through other components of the chiller system, such as a compressor and / or a condenser, configured to process (e.g., pressurize, cool) the working fluid to enable the working fluid to provide further conditioning of the conditioning fluid. The chiller system may also utilize oil to facilitate operation of certain components, such as the compressor, of the chiller system.SUMMARY

[0004] A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0005] In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor and an oil conduit system. The compressor includes an inlet configured to receive refrigerant directed along a refrigerant flow path and through the compressor, a displacement component, and an actuator configured to drive operation of the displacement component to pressurize the refrigerant in a chamber of the compressor. The oil conduit system includes a channel configured to direct oil into the refrigerant flow path, and the channel is configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path and flowing at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet to the chamber.

[0006] In another embodiment, an oil conduit system for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes an oil filter configured to remove impurities from an oil flow, and a channel positioned adjacent a refrigerant flow path through a compressor, where the channel is configured to receive the oil flow from the oil filter and direct the oil flow into a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path.

[0007] In another embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor and an oil conduit system. The compressor includes a support having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly to support an actuator of the compressor, and the plurality of ribs defines a plurality of passages configured to receive refrigerant and direct the refrigerant therethrough. The oil conduit system includes a channel configured to direct oil therethrough, the channel is formed through at least one of the plurality of ribs, and the channel in configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed through the plurality of passages.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building utilizing an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system in a commercial setting, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system of FIG. 2, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of a vapor compression system with an oil conduit system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0015] FIG. 7 is an overhead cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0016] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of a compressor of a vapor compression system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0017] One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0018] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be noted that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

[0019] As used herein, the terms “approximately,”“generally,”“substantially,” and so forth, are intended to convey that the property value being described may be within a relatively small range of the property value, as those of ordinary skill would understand. For example, when a property value is described as being “approximately” equal to (or, for example, “substantially similar” to) a given value, this is intended to convey that the property value may be within + / −5%, within + / −4%, within + / −3%, within + / −2%, within + / −1%, or even closer, of the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being “substantially parallel” to another feature, “generally perpendicular” to another feature, and so forth, this is intended to convey that the given feature is within + / −5%, within + / −4%, within + / −3%, within + / −2%, within + / −1%, or even closer, to having the described nature, such as being parallel to another feature, being perpendicular to another feature, and so forth. Mathematical terms, such as “parallel” and “perpendicular,” should not be rigidly interpreted in a strict mathematical sense, but should instead be interpreted as one of ordinary skill in the art would interpret such terms. For example, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that two lines that are substantially parallel to each other are parallel to a substantial degree, but may have minor deviation from exactly parallel.

[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, such as a chiller system, having a vapor compression system. The vapor compression system may include a compressor configured to pressurize a working fluid and discharge the pressurized working fluid to a condenser configured to cool the working fluid. The condenser may discharge the cooled working fluid to an expansion valve configured to reduce a pressure of the working fluid, thereby further cooling the working fluid. The expansion valve may direct the cooled working fluid to an evaporator, which may be configured to place the cooled working fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid to cool the conditioning fluid and heat the working fluid. The evaporator may then discharge the working fluid to the compressor, and the compressor may recompress the working fluid received from the evaporator.

[0021] In some embodiments, oil may be used to facilitate operation of certain components of the vapor compression system, such as to improve efficiency of operation of a component and / or to extend a useful lifespan of the component. As an example, oil may be circulated through a compressor to facilitate operation of various components of the compressor, such as a bearing, a linkage, a displacement component, an actuator, and so forth. Unfortunately, in some circumstances, a property of the oil flow may not be desirable, and the oil may not facilitate operation of a component of the vapor compression system as a result. For example, the viscosity, dilution, pressure, and / or the temperature of the oil may be outside of a desirable range. As a result, operation of the vapor compression system may not be desirable.

[0022] Thus, it is presently recognized that processing the oil to adjust the property of the oil flow toward the desirable range may improve operation of the vapor compression system. Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an oil conduit system configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant flow directed through a compressor of the vapor compression system. For example, the refrigerant flow may be directed from an inlet of the compressor to a chamber in which the refrigerant flow is pressurized by a displacement component of the compressor. The oil conduit system may place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flow prior to the refrigerant flow being pressurized by the displacement component. In this manner, the refrigerant flow placed in the heat exchange relationship with the oil may be at a relatively lower temperature to enable greater heat transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow, thereby reducing a temperature of the oil. The oil cooled by the refrigerant flow may then be directed into the refrigerant flow to flow across components of the compressor. The cooling of the oil via the refrigerant flow may place the oil in a more desirable condition (e.g., at a more desirable temperature, having a more desirable dilution, having a more desirable viscosity) to facilitate operation of the compressor.

[0023] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an environment for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and / or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 for a typical commercial setting. The HVAC&R system 10 may include a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., a chiller) that supplies a chilled liquid, which may be used to cool the building 12. The HVAC&R system 10 may also include a boiler 16 to supply warm liquid to heat the building 12 and an air distribution system which circulates air through the building 12. The air distribution system can 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 that is 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 chilled liquid from the vapor compression system 14, depending on the mode of operation of the HVAC&R system 10. The HVAC&R system 10 is shown with a separate air handler on each floor of building 12, but in other embodiments, the HVAC&R system 10 may include air handlers 22 and / or other components that may be shared between or among floors.

[0024] FIGS. 2 and 3 are embodiments of the vapor compression system 14 that can be used in the HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 may circulate a refrigerant through a circuit starting with a compressor 32. The circuit may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve(s) or device(s) 36, and a liquid chiller or an evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 that has an analog to digital (A / D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, a non-volatile memory 46, and / or an interface board 48.

[0025] Some examples of fluids that may be used as refrigerants in the vapor compression system 14 are hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) based refrigerants, for example, R-410A, R-407, R-134a, R-1234ze, R1233zd, R513A, R515B, R516A, hydrofluoro olefin (HFO), “natural” refrigerants like ammonia (NH3), R-717, carbon dioxide (CO2), R-744, R290, or hydrocarbon based refrigerants, water vapor, or any other suitable refrigerant. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may be configured to efficiently utilize refrigerants having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) at one atmosphere of pressure, also referred to as low pressure refrigerants, versus a medium pressure refrigerant, such as R-134a. As used herein, “normal boiling point” may refer to a boiling point temperature measured at one atmosphere of pressure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSDs) 52, a motor 50, the compressor 32, the condenser 34, the expansion valve or device 36, and / or the evaporator 38. The motor 50 may drive the compressor 32 and may be powered by a variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives alternating current (AC) power having a particular fixed line voltage and fixed line frequency from an AC power source, and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 may be powered directly from an AC or direct current (DC) power source. The motor 50 may include any type of motor that can be powered by a VSD or 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.

[0027] The compressor 32 compresses a refrigerant vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 34 through a discharge passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The refrigerant vapor delivered by the compressor 32 to the condenser 34 may transfer heat to a cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in the condenser 34. The refrigerant vapor may condense to a refrigerant liquid in the condenser 34 due to thermal heat transfer with the cooling fluid. The liquid refrigerant from the condenser 34 may 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, which supplies the cooling fluid to the condenser 34.

[0028] The liquid refrigerant delivered to the evaporator 38 may absorb heat from another cooling fluid, which may or may not be the same cooling fluid used in the condenser 34. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator 38 may undergo a phase change from the liquid refrigerant to a refrigerant vapor. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the evaporator 38 may include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to a cooling load 62. The cooling fluid of the evaporator 38 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 via return line 60R and exits the evaporator 38 via supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 may reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the tube bundle 58 via thermal heat transfer with the refrigerant. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and / or a plurality of tube bundles. In any case, the vapor refrigerant exits the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 by a suction line to complete the cycle.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic of the vapor compression system 14 with an intermediate circuit 64 incorporated between condenser 34 and the expansion device 36. The intermediate circuit 64 may have an inlet line 68 that is directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly coupled to the condenser 34. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of an intermediate vessel 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be a flash tank (e.g., a flash intercooler, an economizer, etc.). In other embodiments, the intermediate vessel 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a “surface economizer.” In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the intermediate vessel 70 is used as a flash tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to lower the pressure of (e.g., expand) the liquid refrigerant received from the condenser 34. During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid may vaporize, and thus, the intermediate vessel 70 may be used to separate the vapor from the liquid received from the first expansion device 66.

[0030] Additionally, the intermediate vessel 70 may provide for further expansion of the liquid refrigerant because of a pressure drop experienced by the liquid refrigerant when entering the intermediate vessel 70 (e.g., due to a rapid increase in volume experienced when entering the intermediate vessel 70). The vapor in the intermediate vessel 70 may be drawn by the compressor 32 through a suction line 74 of the compressor 32. In other embodiments, the vapor in the intermediate vessel may be drawn to an intermediate stage of the compressor 32 (e.g., not the suction stage). The liquid that collects in the intermediate vessel 70 may be at a lower enthalpy than the liquid refrigerant exiting the condenser 34 because of the expansion in the expansion device 66 and / or the intermediate vessel 70. The liquid from intermediate vessel 70 may then flow in line 72 through a second expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38.

[0031] It should be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be incorporated with the vapor compression system 14 or any other suitable HVAC&R systems. For example, the present techniques may be incorporated with any HVAC&R system having an economizer, such as the intermediate vessel 70, and a compressor, such as the compressor 32. The discussion below describes the present techniques incorporated with embodiments of the compressor 32 configured as a single stage compressor. However, it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein may be incorporated with other embodiments of the compressor 32 and HVAC&R system 10.

[0032] The present disclosure is directed to an HVAC&R system that utilizes oil to condition certain components. For example, the oil may cool and / or lubricate the components. The HVAC&R system may include an oil conduit system configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant flow directed through a compressor of the HVAC&R system. For instance, the oil conduit system may place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flow upstream of where the refrigerant flow is pressurized by the compressor with respect to a direction in which the refrigerant flow is directed through the compressor. Thus, the oil conduit system enables greater heat transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow to place the oil in a desirable condition for cooling and / or lubricating components of the compressor. As such, operation of the compressor may be improved.

[0033] With the foregoing in mind, FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of the vapor compression system 14 having the compressor 32 and the condenser 34. The vapor compression system 14 also includes an oil conduit system 100 configured to circulate oil through the compressor 32 to facilitate operation of the compressor 32. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may include an oil separator 102 configured to discharge oil to an oil filter 104 of the oil conduit system 100, and the oil filter 104 may be configured to cleanse the oil. For example, the oil filter 104 may remove impurities from the oil. The oil filter 104 may discharge the cleansed oil into the compressor 32, where the oil may mix with the refrigerant in the compressor 32. The compressor 32 may then discharge the oil / refrigerant mixture back to the oil separator 102 of the oil conduit system 100. The oil separator 102 may be configured to separate the oil and the refrigerant from one another, direct the oil to the oil filter 104, and direct the refrigerant to the condenser 34. In certain embodiments, a pressure differential between the oil separator 102 and an interior volume of the compressor 32 (e.g., a position within the compressor 32 in which the oil filter 104 is disposed) may drive the oil through the oil conduit system 100 from the oil separator 102 to the oil filter 104 and through the compressor 32. For example, the oil separator 102 may be at a higher pressure relative to an interior volume of the compressor 32 in which the oil filter 104 is disposed. Thus, the pressure differential may drive oil from the high-pressure oil separator 102 to the oil filter 104 (which may also be at a higher pressure relative to an interior volume of the compressor 32), and the oil filter 104 may discharge the oil into a low-pressure area within an interior volume of the compressor 32 (e.g., a bearing cavity). In other embodiments, the oil separator 102 may include an oil pump 106 configured to facilitate discharge of the oil toward the oil filter 104 and toward the compressor 32. It should be noted that the oil conduit system 100 may include any suitable components, such as valves, conduits (e.g., tubing, piping), couplings, and so forth, to facilitate directing oil between the oil separator 102, the oil filter 104, the compressor 32, and / or the oil condenser 34.

[0034] The oil may condition various components of the compressor 32. For example, the compressor 32 may include an actuator 108 (e.g., a motor, a linear actuator, a rotary actuator) configured to drive movement of a displacement component or device 110. The displacement component 110 may be configured to move to pressurize the refrigerant, such as by driving the refrigerant from a larger volume into a smaller volume. For example, the displacement component 110 may include a screw, a piston, a scroll, an impeller, a diaphragm, and so forth. The compressor 32 may also include a linkage 112 that may connect the actuator 108 and the displacement component 110 to one another to enable the actuator 108 to drive movement of the displacement component 110. The compressor 32 may further include one or more bearings 114 (e.g., axial bearing(s), radial bearing(s)) that may provide support and / or desirable positioning of a component of the compressor 32. For example, the bearing(s) 114 may constrain movement of the displacement component 110 in certain directions (e.g., rotational directions) and / or facilitate movement of the displacement component 110 in other directions (e.g., linear directions).

[0035] Before the oil conduit system 100 directs the oil into the compressor 32 to mix with the refrigerant, the oil conduit system 100 may place the oil in one or more heat exchange relationships with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32 to enable heat transfer between the aspects and / or components of the compressor 32 and the oil. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may be configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a desirable condition (e.g., more desirable temperature, having a more desirable dilution, having a more desirable viscosity) before directing the oil into the compressor 32.

[0036] In the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode), the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil toward the compressor 32 without placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32. For example, in certain embodiments, oil discharged from the oil separator 102 and directed toward the oil filter 104 may already be in a desirable condition. Thus, the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil through a channel 116 (e.g., conduit, neutral channel, neutral conduit), such that the oil may pass through the compressor 32 without undergoing a heat exchange relationship. For example, the channel 116 may be formed (e.g., machined) through a housing of the compressor 32 and may be positioned a threshold distance away from various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 such that minimal heat exchange occurs between the components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 and the oil flow directed through the channel 116.

[0037] In the second operating mode, the oil conduit system 100 may place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with a flow of the refrigerant to enable heat transfer between the flow of the refrigerant and the oil. For example, the oil conduit system 100 may direct the oil through a channel 117 (e.g., oil cooling channel), which may place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant flow 118 at a suction of the compressor 32. The refrigerant flow 118 may be generally cooler than the oil in the channel 117. Thus, heat may transfer from the oil to the refrigerant flow 118, thereby cooling the oil. Cooling of the oil via the refrigerant flow 118 may adjust certain properties, such as a temperature, a pressure, a dilution, and / or a viscosity, of the oil toward a desirable range, such as 1 and 2.5 kappa or 1 or greater kappa, for a ratio of viscosity at operating temperature over a specified viscosity for the bearing(s) 114. Thus, the oil may be in a more desirable condition for intake at the compressor 32 to flow across the various components of the compressor 32. For example, in the desirable condition, the oil may better reduce friction between components (e.g., between the linkage 112 and the displacement component 110), facilitate movement of a component (e.g., of the displacement component 110), reduce temperature of a component (e.g., of the bearing(s) 114), and so forth. As a result, pressurization of refrigerant (e.g., the refrigerant flow 118) by the compressor 32 and / or longevity of the compressor 32 may be increased.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the oil conduit system 100 may include a valve 120 (e.g., solenoid valve) positioned between the oil filter 104 and the compressor 32. The valve 120 may be configured to transition between a first position (e.g., solenoid closed position) in which oil from the oil filter 104 is directed through the channel 116, and a second position (e.g., solenoid open position) in which oil from the oil filter 104 is directed through the channel 117. In this way, the valve 120 may dictate which operating mode the oil conduit system 100 is operating in. For example, when the valve 120 transitions to the first position (e.g., when the solenoid is closed), oil may be directed through the channel 116 such that the oil does not undergo a heat exchange relationship with aspects and / or components of the compressor 32, thereby enabling the oil conduit system 100 to operate in the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode). Conversely, when the valve 120 transitions to the second position (e.g., when the solenoid is opened), oil may be directed through the channel 117 such that the oil is cooled by the refrigerant flow 118 before being introduced into the compressor 32, thereby enabling the oil conduit system 100 to operate in the second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode). It should be appreciated that in certain embodiments, the oil conduit system 100 may operate such that oil is directed into the channel 117 when the valve 120 is in the first position (e.g., when the valve 120 is closed) and into the channel 116 when the valve 120 is in the second position (e.g., when the valve 120 is opened).

[0039] In certain embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may include one or more sensors 122 configured to detect a condition of the oil directed toward the compressor 32. For example, the one or more sensors 122 may be disposed throughout the vapor compression system 14 and / or the compressor 32 and may be configured to detect data indicative of a temperature, a pressure, a viscosity, and / or a dilution of the oil. The one or more sensors 122 may communicate such data to a controller 130 (e.g., control system, automation controller), thereby enabling the controller 130 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode (e.g., by controlling a position of the valve 120 between the first position and the second position), based on said data. In certain embodiments, certain components of the vapor compression system 14 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 130 (e.g., control panel 40), thereby enabling the controller 130 to receive data from the components, control operation of the vapor compression system 14 and / or control operation of the oil conduit system 100, as described in greater detail below.

[0040] In certain embodiments, the controller 130 may include processing circuitry 132 (e.g., one or more microprocessors) and a memory 134. For example, the controller 130 may include non-transitory code or instructions stored in a machine-readable medium (e.g., the memory 134) that is used by the processing circuitry 132 to implement the techniques disclosed herein. The memory 134 may include volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), optical drives, hard disc drives, solid-state drives, or any other non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry 132, control operation of the vapor compression system 14 and / or the oil conduit system 100. The controller 130 may monitor and control operation of the oil conduit system 100, for example, by adjusting a position of the valve 120 based on the feedback received from the one or more sensors 122. For example, upon receiving sensor data indicative of a current property of the oil deviating from a desired property, the controller 130 may control the valve 120 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode. In this way, the oil may be cooled, as desired. It should be appreciated that certain features discussed herein may be omitted from certain embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in certain embodiments, the channel 116, the valve 120, one or more of the sensors 122, and / or the controller 130 may be omitted, and the oil conduit system 100 may operate in a single mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to direct oil through the channel 117 (e.g., to cool the oil).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 32 includes a support 140 (e.g., an enclosure). The support 140 may define or include a first chamber 142 (e.g., a first section, a first volume, a first space, an intake section), a second chamber 144 (e.g., a second section, a second volume, a second space, a pressurization section), and a third chamber 146 (e.g., a third section, a third volume, a third space, a discharge section). During operation of the compressor 32, refrigerant (e.g., the refrigerant flow 118) may flow along a refrigerant flow path 150 sequentially through the first chamber 142, the second chamber 144, and the third chamber 146.

[0042] For example, the compressor 32 may include a motor 148 (e.g., the motor 50, the actuator 108) positioned within the first chamber 142 and a screw 152 (e.g., a rotor, the displacement component 110) extending through the first chamber 142, the second chamber 144, and the third chamber 146. The motor 148 may be coupled to a first shaft 154 of the screw 152 in the first chamber 142. The screw 152 may include lobes 156 (e.g., threads) extending through the second chamber 144 and a second shaft 158 extending through the third chamber 146. The refrigerant may flow into the first chamber 142 of the compressor 32 (e.g., from the evaporator 38) via an inlet 160 (e.g., a suction inlet) of the compressor 32. The refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant flow path 150 into a passage 162 formed between the motor 148 and the support 140 toward the second chamber 144. The refrigerant may then flow from the first chamber 142 into the second chamber 144 via a first opening 164.

[0043] The motor 148 may drive rotation of the first shaft 154 about an axis 166 during operation of the compressor 32. Rotation of the shaft 154 may drive rotation of the screw 152 about the axis 154, thereby enabling the screw 152 to compress the refrigerant and drive flow of the refrigerant into the third chamber 146 via a second opening 168. A cross-sectional area of the third chamber 146 may be less than a cross-sectional area of the first chamber 142. Thus, the refrigerant may be at a higher pressure in the third chamber 146 as compared to in the first chamber 142. The refrigerant may then flow through the third chamber 146, along the refrigerant flow path 150, and out of the compressor 32 via an outlet 170 (e.g., a discharge outlet).

[0044] As noted above, the oil conduit system 100 may be configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a more desirable condition before introducing the oil into a chamber of the compressor 32. For example, when the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode, when the solenoid valve 120 is closed), the oil conduit system 100 may direct oil along an oil flow path 171 via the channel 116 such that less than a threshold amount of heat exchange occurs between the oil and various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32. To this end, the channel 116 may be positioned and / or machined through the support 140 such that the channel 116 is at least a threshold distance away from the refrigerant flow path 118 through which refrigerant flows and / or at least a threshold distance away from other components and / or aspects of the compressor32 that may induce the oil flow into a heat exchange relationship (e.g., moving components of the compressor 32 (e.g., motor 148)). In this way, minimal heat exchange may occur between the oil directed through the channel 116 and the various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 before the oil is introduced into the compressor 32.

[0045] When the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode, when the solenoid valve is opened), the oil conduit system 100 may direct oil through the channel 117 and place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing along the refrigerant flow path 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the oil may flow along an oil flow path 172 through the compressor 32 via the channel 117. For example, the oil filter 104 may discharge oil toward the valve 120, and the valve 120 may direct the oil into the channel 117 extending through the support 140 when the oil conduit system 100 is operating in the second operating mode. The channel 117 may extend along the passage 162, thereby placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing through the passage 162 within the first chamber 142. By way of example, the passage 162 may extend at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144 (e.g., at least partially along the axis 166). Thus, the oil may be placed in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing along the refrigerant flow path 150 at least partially in the direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144.

[0046] The refrigerant flowing through the first chamber 142 (e.g., upstream of the second chamber 144 where the screw 152, such as the lobes 156, initiates pressurization of the refrigerant) may be at a lower temperature than the oil (e.g., oil discharged by the oil filter 104) placed in a heat exchange relationship with such a refrigerant. Thus, heat may transfer from the oil to the refrigerant to cool the oil. Such heat transfer may adjust a property of the oil to place the oil in condition to improve operation of the compressor 32. For example, a temperature of the oil may decrease and / or a viscosity of the oil may increase as a result of the heat transfer, and the oil may be able to provide desirable cooling of the components of the compressor 32, enable desirable movement of the components of the compressor 32, improve a useful lifespan of the components of the compressor 32, and so forth.

[0047] Such benefits may also improve efficiency of the compressor 32 to pressurize the refrigerant. For instance, the motor 148 may drive movement of the screw 152 more readily and / or more efficiently to enable the screw 152 to pressurize the refrigerant more efficiently. Indeed, desirable operation of the compressor 32 may be maintained and / or achieved at different ambient temperatures. By way of example, the benefits provided by the oil cooled via the refrigerant may enable the compressor 32 to achieve desirable operation at a higher ambient temperature condition, which may otherwise increase a temperature of the oil, increase a temperature of the refrigerant, and / or affect operation (e.g., movement) of the components of the compressor 32.

[0048] Moreover, such benefits may be achieved without implementing equipment dedicated to cooling oil (e.g., an external oil cooler, an additional cooling system), thereby reducing costs associated with installation and / or operation of such equipment. Additionally, the oil may be cooled without substantially affecting a condition (e.g., a temperature, a flow rate) of the refrigerant flowing through the compressor 32. Thus, the oil conduit system 100 may be readily incorporated in an existing HVAC&R system without having to adjust operation of the compressor 32.

[0049] As noted above, in certain embodiments, the controller 130 may be configured to control a position of the valve 120 to transition the oil conduit system 100 between the first operating mode and the second operating mode based on data from the one or more sensors 122 disposed about the compressor 32. For example, one or more sensors 122 may be positioned within the first chamber 142 (e.g., within the oil filter 104), within the second chamber 144, and / or within the third chamber 146 (e.g., proximate the bearings 114). The sensors 122 may collect data indicative of an operating parameter of the oil (e.g., temperature, pressure, viscosity, dilution), and the controller 130 may utilize such data to control a position of the valve 120. For example, upon receiving data from the one or more sensors 122 indicating that a temperature of the oil exceeds a desired threshold temperature, the controller 130 may transition the valve 120 toward the open position such that the oil is directed through the channel 117 to be cooled. Conversely, upon receiving data from the one or more sensors 122 indicating that a temperature of the oil is within a desired temperature range, the controller 130 may transition the valve 120 toward the closed position such that the oil is directed through the channel 116, thereby minimizing heat exchange between the oil flowing through the channel 116 and other components and / or aspects of the compressor 32.

[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, the channel 116 and the channel 117 discharge their respective oil flows into an oil discharge assembly 174 that extends along the second chamber 144. The oil discharge assembly 174 may include a first conduit 175 fluidly coupled to the channels 116, 117, a first port 176, a second conduit 177, a second port 178, and a valve 179 (e.g., orifice). For example, the channels 116, 117 may discharge oil into the first conduit 175, and the first conduit 175 may discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second chamber 144. In certain embodiments, the oil discharge assembly 175 may discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path via the first port 176 and / or the second port 178. As an example, the first port 176 may be positioned upstream of the second chamber 144, such as within the first opening 164. The second port 178 may be positioned downstream of the second chamber 144, such as within the third chamber 146. Thus, the ports 176, 178 may discharge oil received from the channels 116, 117 into the refrigerant flow path 150 at locations that are proximate to and outside of the second chamber 144.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be configured to control distribution of the flow of oil between the first port 176 and the second port 178. For example, in certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be a modulating valve that directs a portion of the oil through the first conduit 175 and toward the first port 176, while a remaining portion of the oil is directed through the second conduit 177 and toward the second port 178. In certain embodiments, the valve 179 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 130, thereby enabling the controller 130 to control a position of the valve 179 and thus control distribution of the oil between the first and second ports 176, 178, respectively. Further, in other embodiments, the valve 179 may correspond to a static orifice having a specified diameter to enable at least a portion of the oil flow directed through the oil discharge assembly 174 to flow through the first port 176 while a remaining portion of the oil flow is directed through the second conduit 177 and into the compressor 32 via the second port 178. That is, in certain embodiments, a size, configuration, and / or diameter of the static orifice 179 may be selected based on certain design conditions, thereby enabling the oil discharge assembly 174 to distribute the oil flow between the first and second ports 176, 178.

[0052] The oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 may flow through the second chamber 144 and / or the third chamber 146 of the compressor 32. For instance, the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the second port 178 may flow through the third chamber 146, out of the compressor 32 via the outlet 170, and toward the oil separator 106 to be separated from the refrigerant and directed back toward the oil filter 104. The oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the first port 176 may flow through the second chamber 144, through the third chamber 146, out of the compressor 32 via the outlet 170, and toward the oil separator 106. The oil conduit system 100 may include a port configured to discharge oil into a different location of the refrigerant flow path 150 in additional or alternative embodiments. For example, another port my discharge oil into second chamber 144 (e.g., onto the lobes 156), into the first chamber 142 (e.g., onto the motor 148), or at any suitable location to cause the oil to mix with the refrigerant.

[0053] The compressor 32 may also include the bearings 114 positioned adjacent to the ports 176, 178 to enable the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 to flow across the bearings 114. By way of example, the compressor 32 may include one or more first bearings 180 positioned downstream of the first port 176 (e.g., and upstream of the second chamber 144), such as within the first opening 164, with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32. The compressor 32 may additionally or alternatively include one or more second bearings 182 positioned downstream of the second port 178 with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32. Thus, the oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 (e.g., and cooled via the refrigerant flowing in the first chamber 142) may be directed across the first bearing 180 and the second bearing 182 via the first port 176 and the second port 178, respectively. The bearings 180, 182 may support the screw 152, such as to position and / or orient the screw 152 in a desirable manner, block undesirable movement of the screw 152, and the like. Positioning of the bearings 180, 182 adjacent to the ports 176, 178, respectively, may enable the oil to flow more desirably upon discharge into the refrigerant flow path 150 (e.g., to flow more immediately or readily across the bearings 180, 182).

[0054] In some embodiments, the oil filter 104 may be coupled to the support 140 to facilitate positioning of the oil filter 104 to discharge oil into the channel 116 or the channel 117. In additional or alternative embodiments, the oil filter 104 may be separate from the support 140 or positioned in any other suitable manner to discharge oil into the channels 116, 117. As an example, the oil filter 104 may be arranged at a position to discharge the oil into the channel 117 for placing the oil in a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant flow at any suitable portion of the refrigerant flow path 150 within the first chamber 142. As another example, the oil filter 104 may be oriented to discharge oil in any suitable direction, such as along (e.g., substantially parallel to) a direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144 or crosswise to (e.g., perpendicular to) the direction extending from the inlet 160 to the second chamber 144.

[0055] FIG. 7 is an overhead cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. Certain features, such as the support 140, are not shown for visualization purposes. In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 32 includes a first screw 152A and a second screw 152B. For example, the first screw 152A (e.g., a male screw) may be coupled to the motor 148 and directly driven by the motor 148 to rotate. The second screw 152B (e.g., a female screw) may be in engagement with the first screw 152A, and movement of the first screw 152A may drive corresponding movement of the second screw 152B. Each of the first screw 152A and the second screw 152B may pressurize refrigerant during rotation and may increase a rate or amount in which refrigerant is pressurized as compared to a compressor having a single screw.

[0056] In the illustrated embodiment, the first port 176 discharges the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the first screw 152A (e.g., upstream of the lobes 156 of the first screw 152A with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and the second port 178 discharges the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the lobes 156 of the first screw 152A with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32). The oil filter 104 (shown in phantom lines) may cleanse the oil of impurities and direct oil through the valve 120 and through either the channel 116 or 117 before the oil is directed toward the oil discharge assembly 174. The oil discharge assembly 174 may then direct the oil flow to the first port 176 and / or to the second port 178 to distribute the oil for discharge into the refrigerant flow path 150, such as to flow across the first bearing(s) 180 and the second bearing(s) 182 that support the first screw 152A. In additional or alternative embodiments, the first port 176 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., upstream of lobes 208 e.g., threads) of the second screw 152B with respect to flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and / or the second port 178 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32).

[0057] In some embodiments, the oil may flow from the first screw 152A to the second screw 152B. For example, the pressure at the first screw 152A may be greater than the pressure at the second screw 152B. The pressure differential may drive flow of the oil from the first screw 152A to the second screw 152B. Thus, the pressure differential may facilitate distribution of oil (e.g., oil discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 via the first port 176) across the screws 152. In additional or alternative embodiments, the oil discharge assembly 174 of the oil conduit system 100 may include a third port 210 and / or a fourth port 212. The third port 210 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., upstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32), and the third port 212 may discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 adjacent to the second screw 152B (e.g., downstream of the threads 208 of the second screw 152B with respect to the flow of refrigerant through the compressor 32). For example, the third port 210 and the fourth port 212 may direct the oil to flow across one or more third bearings 214 and one or more fourth bearings 216, respectively, which may support the second screw 152B. The oil discharged by the oil filter 104 may be distributed across each of the ports 176, 178, 210, 212, thereby enabling the oil to be discharged into the refrigerant flow path 150 at different locations (e.g., adjacent to each of the screws 152).

[0058] Although the compressor 32 of FIG. 7 includes two screws 152, an additional or alternative embodiment of the compressor 32 may include more than two screws 152, along with any suitable number of ports to discharge oil into the refrigerant flow path 150 to flow across each of the screws 152. Additionally, each of the compressors 32 of FIGS. 6 and 7 includes a single oil filter 104 (e.g., a centralized oil filter), which may reduce a number of components of the oil conduit system 100 to facilitate implementation and / or maintenance (e.g., to replace, repair, or inspect the oil conduit system 100). However, multiple oil filters 104 (e.g., oil filters 104 coupled to the support 140 and / or separate from the support 140) may be utilized in additional or alternative embodiments to facilitate cleansing of oil and / or directing of oil.

[0059] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of the compressor 32. The support 140 may include a body 238 and multiple ribs 240 that extend inwardly from the body 238 to support the motor 148. For example, the ribs 240 may abut the motor 148 (e.g., a stator 242 of the motor 148) and cooperatively capture the motor 148 to maintain the position of the motor 148. The ribs 240 may be circumferentially offset from one another around the motor 148 to form multiple passages 162 that enable flow of refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path 150 through the first chamber 142.

[0060] Each of the channels 116, 117 of the oil conduit system 100 may be formed through the body 238 and / or one of the ribs 240. For example, the channel 116 may extend through the body 238 and the channel 117 may extend through one of the ribs 240. As noted above, the channel 116 may be formed (e.g., machined) through the support 140 (e.g., through the body 238 of the support 140) and may be positioned at least a threshold distance away from the passages 162 through which refrigerant may flow and / or at least a threshold distance away from the motor 148 (e.g., the stator 242 of the motor 148). In this way, minimal heat exchange may occur between the oil flowing through the channel 116 and the various components and / or aspects of the compressor 32 (e.g., refrigerant flow through the passages 162, stator 242 of the motor 148).

[0061] The channel 117 may be formed (e.g., machined) through one of the ribs 240 (e.g., rib 240A) and may be positioned within a threshold distance from the passages 162 through which refrigerant may flow, thereby enabling a heat exchange relationship between the refrigerant flow and the oil (e.g., thereby enabling cooling of the oil flow through the channel 117). In certain embodiments, the ribs (e.g., rib 240A) may be formed from a conductive material (e.g., a metal) to facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerant flowing through the passage 162 adjacent to the rib 240A and the oil flowing through the channel 117 formed into the rib 240A. In the illustrated embodiment, the rib 240A terminates prior to abutment with the motor 148, thereby forming a gap 244 between the rib 240A and the motor 148. Refrigerant may flow along the refrigerant flow path 150 and through the gap 244. As such, the rib 240A may have a greater amount of surface area exposed to refrigerant flow along the refrigerant flow path 150, thereby increasing heat transfer between the oil flowing through the channel 117 and the refrigerant flowing through the first chamber 142 as compared to a channel formed through a rib extending to abut the motor 242. As such, the rib 240A may enable desirable conditioning of the oil. However, in additional or alternative embodiments, at least a portion of the rib 240A may extend in abutment with the motor 242 to enable the rib 240A to support the motor 242. The rib 240A may also include fins in some embodiments to increase a surface area to facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerant and the oil.

[0062] Each rib 240 of the support 140 may have a dimension or size (e.g., a width, a thickness) to provide sufficient support of the motor 148 and / or to form the passages 162 having a desirable size. For example, the ribs 240 may define passages 162 that are sufficiently sized to enable refrigerant flow therethrough at a desirable flow rate and / or velocity, such as to reduce pressure drop of the refrigerant flowing through the passages 162. For instance, the size of the ribs 240 may be increased for larger sized supports 140. Moreover, the ribs 240 may have different sizes than one another. As an example, the rib 240A through which the channel 117 is formed may be of a different size than a rib 240 that does not include the channel 117. Additionally, the channel 117 may be sized to enable sufficient flow of oil therethrough (e.g., to direct oil at a target flow rate that enables desirable heat transfer between the oil and the refrigerant), while enabling the structure of the rib 240A to support the motor 148. Furthermore, although the channels 116, 117 are formed through a single portion of the body 238 and / or through a single one of the ribs 240A, respectively, in the illustrated embodiment, the channel 116, 117 may be formed through multiple portions of the body 238 and / or through multiple ribs 240 in additional or alternative embodiments. In such embodiments, the oil may flow through the channels 116, 117 in parallel with one another (e.g., to increase an overall flow rate of oil through the channels 116, 117) and / or in series with one another (e.g., to be in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant along multiple flow passes and increase an overall amount of heat exchanged between the oil and the refrigerant).

[0063] As set forth above, the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful in operating HVAC&R systems. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an oil conduit system configured to transition between a first operating mode (e.g., normal operating mode) and a second operating mode (e.g., oil cooling mode) to place the oil in a more desirable condition (e.g., more desirable temperature, more desirable dilution, more desirable viscosity) before introducing the oil into a compressor of the HVAC&R system. For example, the oil conduit systems discussed herein may include a first channel and a second channel and a valve configured to transition between a first position in which oil is directed through the first channel and a second position in which oil is directed through the second channel. The first channel may be positioned within (e.g., may extend through) a support of the compressor, and may be configured to minimize heat exchange relationships between the oil flow directed therethrough and various aspects and / or components of the compressor. The second channel may also be positioned within a support of the compressor. However, the second channel may be positioned proximate a refrigerant flow path directed through the compressor, thereby enabling oil directed through the second channel to undergo a heat exchange relationship with refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path. In this way, the oil may be conditioned (e.g., cooled) in a desirable manner to enable efficient operation of the compressor. The oil conduit system may also include one or more sensors configured to detect one or more properties of the oil directed toward the oil conduit system and a controller configured to control a position of the valve to transition the oil conduit system between the first operating mode and the second operating mode based on the sensor data. By including each of the above described components, oil directed toward the compressor may undergo one or more heat exchange relationships to place the oil in a more desirable condition before the oil is introduced into the compressor, thereby increasing an efficiency of the compressor and / or reducing costs associated with repair and maintenance of the compressor.

[0064] While only certain features and embodiments of the disclosure have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, including temperatures and pressures, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, and so forth without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the disclosure. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described, such as those unrelated to the presently contemplated best mode of carrying out the disclosure, or those unrelated to enabling the claimed disclosure. It should be noted that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.

[0065] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0017]One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0018]When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements....

Claims

1. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:a compressor comprising:an inlet configured to receive refrigerant directed along a refrigerant flow path and through the compressor;a displacement component; andan actuator configured to drive operation of the displacement component to pressurize the refrigerant in a chamber of the compressor; andan oil conduit system comprising a channel configured to direct oil into the refrigerant flow path, wherein the channel is configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path and flowing at least partially along a direction extending from the inlet to the chamber.

2. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the channel is configured to place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path between the inlet and the chamber with respect to a flow of the refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path.

3. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the compressor comprises a support defining the chamber, and the channel is formed through the support.

4. The HVAC&R system of claim 3, wherein the displacement component comprises a screw, and the screw comprises threads positioned within the chamber.

5. The HVAC&R system of claim 3, wherein the chamber is a first chamber, the support defines a second chamber, the compressor comprises a motor coupled to the displacement component and configured to drive movement of the displacement component to cause the displacement component to pressurize the refrigerant.

6. The HVAC&R system of claim 5, wherein the motor and the support cooperatively define a passage through which the refrigerant flows along the refrigerant flow path at least partially along the direction extending from the inlet to the chamber, and the channel is configured to place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant flowing through the passage.

7. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, comprising an oil filter configured to discharge the oil into the channel.

8. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the oil conduit system comprises a first port configured to discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path upstream of the chamber with respect to a flow of the refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path, a second port configured to discharge the oil into the refrigerant flow path downstream of the chamber with respect to the flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path, or both.

9. The HVAC&R system of claim 8, comprising a first bearing configured to support the displacement component, a second bearing configured to support the displacement component, or both, wherein the first bearing is positioned upstream of the chamber with respect to the flow of the refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path, and the second bearing is positioned downstream of the chamber with respect to the flow of the refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path.

10. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the channel is configured to place the oil in the heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant upstream of a location where the displacement component initiates pressurization of the refrigerant relative to a flow of the refrigerant along the refrigerant flow path.

11. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the displacement component comprises a screw, a scroll, a piston, an impeller, or a diaphragm.

12. An oil conduit system for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, the oil conduit system comprising:an oil filter configured to remove impurities from an oil flow; anda channel positioned adjacent a refrigerant flow path through a compressor, wherein the channel is configured to receive the oil flow from the oil filter and direct the oil flow into a heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant directed along the refrigerant flow path.

13. The oil conduit system of claim 12, wherein the channel is configured to discharge the oil flow into the refrigerant flow path via one or more ports.

14. The oil conduit system of claim 13, wherein a first port of the one or more ports is positioned upstream of a screw of the compressor relative to a flow direction of the refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path, and wherein a second port of the one or more ports is positioned downstream of the screw of the compressor relative to the flow direction of the refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path.

15. The oil conduit system of claim 14, comprising a valve configured to control distribution of the oil flow between the first port and the second port.

16. The oil conduit system of claim 12, comprising:an oil separator configured to:receive an oil and refrigerant mixture from the compressor;separate the oil and refrigerant mixture into the oil flow and a refrigerant flow; anddischarge the oil flow toward the oil filter.

17. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:a compressor comprising a support having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly to support an actuator of the compressor, wherein the plurality of ribs defines a plurality of passages configured to receive refrigerant and direct the refrigerant therethrough; andan oil conduit system comprising a channel configured to direct oil therethrough, wherein the channel is formed through at least one rib of the plurality of ribs, and wherein the channel is configured to place the oil in a heat exchange relationship with the refrigerant directed through the plurality of passages.

18. The HVAC&R system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of ribs is circumferentially offset from one another around the actuator of the compressor.

19. The HVAC&R system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of ribs is composed of a conductive material to facilitate the heat exchange relationship between the oil directed through the channel and the refrigerant directed through the plurality of passages.

20. The HVAC&R system of claim 17, wherein the at least one rib through which the channel is formed is offset from the actuator to form a gap, wherein the gap is configured to receive the refrigerant and direct the refrigerant therethrough to facilitate the heat exchange relationship between the oil directed through the channel and the refrigerant directed through the gap.

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