Refrigerant Compressor Clamping Element Valve Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerant piston compressors with screwed-on cylinder heads face issues such as increased installation effort, non-uniform contact pressure, and seal settling, leading to reduced efficiency and tightness, making it difficult to adapt existing designs to avoid these problems.
Innovation Solution
A clamping element is introduced that presses the valve plate against the cylinder housing, providing pre-tension and compensating for seal settling, allowing for a redesign of the cylinder head structure without altering the fundamental construction, and incorporating positioning arms and recesses for precise alignment and reduced heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screw connections are used to fasten the valve plate and cylinder cover, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the installation effort increases and the contact pressure becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is segmented into multiple individual screw connections distributed across the valve plate and cylinder cover interface. This segmentation allows for modular assembly and enables the use of simplified fastening elements rather than a complex integrated fastening system, thereby reducing overall installation effort while maintaining structural integrity through distributed connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw holes are pre-positioned and pre-threaded into the valve plate and cylinder cover during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures proper alignment and centering without requiring complex alignment procedures during installation, significantly reducing the installation effort while guaranteeing the structural integrity of the connection.
2Reliability
If screw connections are used to fasten the valve plate, then the valve plate is securely attached, but the contact pressure is concentrated at discrete points rather than distributed uniformly
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing element (gasket) is introduced as an intermediary component between the valve plate and cylinder cover. This sealing element distributes the contact pressure from the discrete screw connections across the entire sealing surface, transforming the concentrated point loads into a uniform distributed pressure field while maintaining secure attachment through the mechanical fastening system.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible sealing membrane or gasket is used between the valve plate and cylinder cover. This thin flexible film conforms to the mating surfaces and distributes the clamping force uniformly across the sealing interface, converting the discrete screw connection pressures into a continuous uniform contact pressure distribution while maintaining secure attachment.
3Reliability
If the valve plate is pressed against the cylinder housing in the area of the piston bore wall, then seal settling is compensated and tightness is improved, but the structural design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping force application is made asymmetric by concentrating the pressing force specifically in the area of the piston bore wall rather than distributing it uniformly across the entire valve plate surface. This asymmetric force application targets the critical sealing region where seal settling occurs, improving tightness without requiring complex structural modifications throughout the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve plate is designed with locally varied properties or features in the area of the piston bore wall, such as localized reinforcement, specific geometric shaping, or concentrated clamping features. This local quality enhancement provides the necessary tightness compensation for seal settling in the critical region without requiring complex structural changes to the entire valve plate or cylinder housing.
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 solution reduces installation effort, ensures uniform contact pressure, and enhances energy efficiency by minimizing heat transfer, while allowing for adaptation of existing compressors to improve seal performance and structural redesign.
Implementation Method 1
a first clamping element screwed into the holes is provided, which contacts the valve plate and presses it against the cylinder housing in the area of at least a section of the piston bore wall and has a pre-tension in the direction of the valve plate in the screwed-on state
Data Source
AI summary
Refrigerant compressor for a hermetically encapsulated small refrigerator, which has a piston (20) guided in a piston bore (3) of a cylinder housing (1), the cylinder housing being frontally terminated using a valve plate (7) having a pressure opening (17) and a suction opening (16) and also being frontally provided with holes (5), which each have a thread. In order to adapt refrigerant piston compressors having screwed-on cylinder head in such a manner that an energy-efficient redesign of the structure cylinder cover-valve plate-cylinder housing is possible, the changes on the structure required for this purpose simultaneously being minimized, it is provided that a first clamping element (11), which is screwed into the holes (5), is provided, which contacts the valve plate (7) and presses it against the cylinder housing (1) in the area of at least a section of the piston bore wall (14) and has a pre-tension in the direction of the valve plate (7) in the screwed-on state, the clamping element (11) having a clamping section (13), which is located above the piston bore wall (14) in the installed position and has the shape of an imaginary projection of the piston bore wall (14) on the first clamping element (11).