Compliant Scroll Compressor Seal for Discharge-Suction Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compressors in heat-pump systems face challenges in maintaining efficient and reliable operation due to leakage issues between the discharge and suction chambers, which affect the overall performance and efficiency of the system.
Innovation Solution
The compressor design incorporates a wear ring with an annular recess that allows for resilient deflection, combined with a floating seal and muffler plate, to create a compliant sealing system that isolates the discharge chamber from the suction chamber, using different materials for the wear ring to enhance flexibility and reduce leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid seal is used to isolate the discharge chamber from the suction chamber, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the seal cannot accommodate operational pressures and distortions, leading to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The wear ring is designed as a flexible component that can resiliently deflect to maintain sealing contact between the discharge and suction chambers. This flexibility allows the seal to adapt to operational pressures and distortions while maintaining reliable isolation, directly resolving the contradiction between rigid sealing effectiveness and compliance with operational variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular recess in the muffler plate is specifically designed to allow the wear ring to deflect within a controlled range. By changing the geometric parameters of the wear ring and its mounting structure, the system enables the seal to dynamically adjust its position and contact pressure in response to operational conditions, maintaining sealing integrity under varying pressures and distortions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the wear ring is made from a single rigid material, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the seal cannot resiliently deflect to maintain contact under operational conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The wear ring is constructed from composite materials with different mechanical properties in different regions. The radially inner and outer portions use a first material providing structural support, while the radially intermediate portion uses a second, more flexible material that enables resilient deflection. This composite construction maintains reliability by allowing the seal to adapt to operational conditions while remaining manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the wear ring are assigned different material properties tailored to their specific functional requirements. The intermediate portion that contacts the floating seal is made more flexible to allow deflection, while the inner and outer portions maintain greater rigidity for structural support. This localized differentiation of material quality enables both manufacturing feasibility and sealing reliability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the wear ring is fully supported by the muffler plate, then structural stability is improved, but the wear ring cannot deflect to accommodate operational distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented through the annular recess, which creates a controlled gap between the muffler plate and the wear ring. This segmentation allows the wear ring to be supported at the edges while maintaining the ability to deflect in the unsupported intermediate region, achieving both structural stability and sealing adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The wear ring is designed with dynamic support characteristics - fully supported at the radial edges by the muffler plate for stability, but with a controlled unsupported region in the annular recess that allows dynamic deflection. This dynamic support arrangement enables the seal to adapt to operational distortions while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively reduces leakage and maintains sealing integrity even under operational pressures and distortions, enhancing the compressor's efficiency and reliability by allowing the wear ring to deflect and maintain contact with the muffler plate and seal assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The annular recess may provide clearance between the muffler plate and the wear ring to allow the wear ring to resiliently deflect relative to the muffler plate during operation of the compressor
Implementation Method 2
The floating seal may sealingly engage the second scroll member
Implementation Method 3
The wear ring may sealingly engage the muffler plate and the floating seal such that the wear ring, the muffler plate, and the floating seal fluidly isolate the discharge chamber from the suction chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor may include a shell, first and second scroll members, a floating seal, a muffler plate, and a wear ring. The shell defines a discharge chamber and a suction chamber. The floating seal may sealingly engage the second scroll member. The muffler plate defines the discharge chamber and the suction chamber. The wear ring may sealingly engage the muffler plate and the floating seal such that the wear ring, the muffler plate, and the floating seal fluidly isolate the discharge chamber from the suction chamber. The muffler plate may include an axially facing surface that contacts the wear ring. The axially facing surface may include an annular recess. The wear ring may at least partially cover the annular recess. The annular recess may provide clearance between the muffler plate and the wear ring to allow the wear ring to deflect relative to the muffler plate during compressor operation.