Compressor for refrigerating machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refrigerating machine compressors used in harsh environments, such as marine containers, face high costs due to excessive metallic material waste from thermal spraying, which is inefficient in protecting against corrosion.
Innovation Solution
A compressor design with a metallic coating applied via thermal spraying, where the coating thickness varies based on the environment's corrosive likelihood, with thicker coatings on low-pressure and welded parts and thinner on high-pressure parts, reducing material usage and corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal spraying is applied uniformly across the entire casing surface, then corrosion protection is provided, but metallic material is wasted leading to increased cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different coating thicknesses to different parts of the casing based on their specific corrosion risks. The low-pressure casing part and welded parts receive thicker coatings (first thickness) while the high-pressure casing part receives a thinner coating (second thickness). This localized differentiation provides adequate protection where needed while reducing material waste in areas with lower corrosion risk.
2Reliability
If thermal spraying is applied to the high-pressure casing part, then corrosion protection is provided, but excessive material is used since adhered moisture is less likely to freeze there
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recognizes that the high-pressure casing part has different environmental conditions (moisture less likely to freeze) compared to low-pressure parts. Therefore, it applies a thinner coating (second thickness) to the high-pressure casing part while maintaining thicker coating (first thickness) on low-pressure and welded parts, optimizing material usage according to actual protection needs.
3Reliability
If uniform thick coating is applied to all parts, then corrosion protection is ensured, but manufacturing cost increases due to material consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a differentiated coating strategy where the low-pressure casing part and welded parts receive thicker coatings (first thickness) due to higher corrosion risk, while the high-pressure casing part receives a thinner coating (second thickness). This approach ensures adequate protection at critical locations while reducing overall material consumption and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of coating thickness based on the specific location and corrosion risk. By adjusting the thickness parameter from uniform to variable (first thickness for low-pressure and welded parts, second thickness for high-pressure parts), the patent optimizes both protection effectiveness and cost efficiency.
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
The compressor achieves cost reduction and enhanced corrosion protection by optimizing the metallic coating thickness, particularly on low-pressure and welded areas, while maintaining effectiveness against freezing and refrigeration demands.
Implementation Method 1
The protective coating is formed by a technique called thermal spraying that sprays a surface of a base material with metallic material that has fluidity produced by melting or the like.
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor includes a casing and a metallic coating. The casing includes a low-pressure casing part covering a low-pressure space and a high-pressure casing part covering a high-pressure space. The metallic coating is formed at least on a part of an outer surface of the casing. The metallic coating includes a low-pressure part coating formed in the low-pressure casing part, a high-pressure part coating formed in the high-pressure casing part, and a welded part coating formed in a welded part. At least either the average thickness of the low-pressure part coating or the average thickness of the welded part coating is greater than the average thickness of the high-pressure part coating.