Moisture Removal Channel in Electric Compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Moisture in the fluid stream entering a compressor device can negatively affect the electric motor and electronic control components, leading to reduced operating efficiency and potentially shorter device lifetime.
Innovation Solution
A moisture removal system is integrated into the compressor device, featuring a channel defined by a spacer and the housing, which routes moisture away from the compressor wheel's back face to an area between the spacer and the housing wall, with a drain line connected to the channel to effectively remove moisture without increasing manufacturing complexity or costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If moisture removal system is added to protect components, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture removal system is merged with the existing compressor housing and spacer structures. The channel is formed by the cooperative arrangement of the spacer and housing wall, eliminating the need for separate moisture removal components and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer serves as an intermediary component that performs dual functions: maintaining mechanical clearance between the compressor wheel and bearing, and simultaneously forming part of the moisture removal channel structure. This intermediary element enables moisture removal without adding dedicated complex subsystems.
2Ease of manufacture
If moisture removal system is integrated into existing structure, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture removal channel is segmented into multiple formation steps: the spacer defines part of the channel, the housing wall defines another part, and the drain line completes the moisture removal path. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately with standard tolerances, then assembled to form the complete channel, reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is pre-formed with the channel-defining features before assembly into the housing. This preliminary action ensures the channel geometry is established early in the manufacturing process, allowing subsequent components to be fitted to predetermined dimensions rather than requiring high-precision final assembly of all components simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor device includes a housing and a rotating group with a shaft and a compressor wheel supported on the shaft. The compressor wheel includes a back face. The compressor device further includes a bearing that supports the rotating group within the housing for rotation about an axis. Also, the compressor device includes a spacer that is disposed longitudinally along the axis between the back face of the compressor wheel and the bearing. The spacer is received within a wall of the housing. Moreover, the compressor device includes a moisture removal system configured to receive and remove moisture included within a fluid flow from the back face of the compressor wheel to an area between the spacer and the wall of the housing. The moisture removal system includes a channel cooperatively defined by the spacer and the wall of the housing. The channel extends about the axis.