compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional check valves in compressors result in significant pressure loss of injected refrigerant due to its passage through cutouts in the valve body, leading to inefficiencies and increased dead volume.
Innovation Solution
A check valve design with a center hole and peripheral holes in the valve body and supporting member, respectively, where refrigerant passes through the center hole to minimize pressure loss and prevent backflow, with the peripheral holes arranged in a point symmetry manner to ensure uniform pressure distribution and prevent valve inclination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a check valve with cutouts in the valve body is used to prevent backflow, then backflow prevention is achieved, but pressure loss of injected refrigerant increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming flow passages by removing material (cutouts) from the valve body as in conventional designs, this invention forms flow passages by positioning the valve body to leave gaps between its outer peripheral face and the check valve chamber. The valve body is inverted from a solid structure with cutouts to a structure that defines passages by its outer boundaries, thereby eliminating the need for material removal and reducing pressure loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow passage is segmented into multiple regions: an outer peripheral passage between the valve body outer peripheral face and check valve chamber inner peripheral face, and a central passage through the valve body. This segmentation allows refrigerant to flow through multiple paths, reducing resistance and pressure loss while maintaining effective backflow prevention.
2Ease of operation
If cutouts are formed in the valve body to create flow passages, then refrigerant flow is enabled, but pressure loss increases and compressor efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than creating flow passages by cutting into the valve body, this invention inverts the approach by using the valve body's outer surface to define the flow passage boundaries. The passage is formed in the space between the valve body and the check valve chamber, eliminating the need for cutouts and reducing flow resistance, thereby improving compressor efficiency.
3Volume of stationary object
If a check valve is placed close to the compression chamber to reduce dead volume, then dead volume is minimized, but pressure loss of injected refrigerant increases
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the valve body structure to define flow passages through its outer boundaries rather than internal cutouts, this invention enables the check valve to be positioned close to the compression chamber inlet. This proximity reduces dead volume while the inverted passage structure minimizes pressure loss, simultaneously achieving both objectives.
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 suppresses pressure loss and enhances compressor efficiency by ensuring smooth refrigerant flow and reducing dead volume, improving the overall performance of the compressor.
Implementation Method 1
When the pressure in the compression chamber into which refrigerant is to be injected becomes higher than the pressure of the injected refrigerant, and the refrigerant flows backward from the compression chamber to the side of the injection pipe
Implementation Method 2
The peripheral hole is closed by the rim part of the valve body when the check valve checks the flow of refrigerant from the compression chamber to the injection pipe
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention provides a compressor that is provided with a check valve in an injection passage formed in a housing member and is possible to suppress loss of pressure of injected refrigerant. The compressor is provided with a fixed scroll (30) in which an injection passage (31) communicating with a compression chamber (Sc) is formed; a check valve (50) provided in the passage (31); and an injection pipe (25) that supplies refrigerant to the passage (31). The check valve has a valve body (51), slidably arranged in the passage (31), and a valve supporting member (52) that restricts movement of the valve body toward the pipe (25) when the flow of refrigerant from the compression chamber to the pipe (25) is being checked. A center hole (51 a) is formed in the valve body, and a peripheral hole (52a) opposing a rim part (51b) of the valve body is formed in the valve supporting member. During the supply of refrigerant from the pipe (25) to the compression chamber, refrigerant passes through the hole (52a) and the hole (51a) and is supplied to the compression chamber, and during checking by the check valve, the hole (51 a) is closed by the valve supporting member, and the hole (52a) is closed by the valve body.