Rotary Compressor Segmented Housing for Natural Refrigerants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary compressors face challenges with high internal pressures due to the use of natural refrigerants like CO2 and HC refrigerants, which require thick housing walls and limit refrigerant amounts, and lubricating oils' solubility in these gases reduces viscosity, leading to lubrication issues and efficiency decreases.
Innovation Solution
A rotatory compressor design with a hermetically sealed housing containing lubricating oil and an electric motor, featuring an air cylinder with a sliding vane mechanism and eccentric shaft, where the internal pressure is equal to suction pressure, allowing efficient lubrication of sliding vanes and controlled oil supply through an oil separator, reducing oil amounts and preventing efficiency decreases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If high-pressure housing is used to withstand CO2 operation pressure, then the compressor can operate with natural refrigerants, but the housing wall thickness must be more than 7 mm causing significant production problems and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two distinct pressure zones: a low-pressure outer housing (5 MPa or less) and a high-pressure inner compression chamber. This segmentation allows the outer housing to use thin walls for easy manufacturing while the inner chamber withstands high CO2 pressures during compression.
Solution Approach 2:
A partition structure acts as an intermediary between the low-pressure outer housing and the high-pressure compression chamber. This partition isolates the high-pressure zone during compression while allowing the outer housing to maintain low pressure, enabling both high-pressure operation and easy manufacturing.
2Use of energy by moving object
If high internal pressure housing is used, then energy efficiency is improved, but the housing wall thickness increases causing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into low-pressure outer shell and high-pressure inner chamber, allowing the outer housing to use thin walls reducing material cost while the inner chamber maintains high pressure for energy efficiency.
3Productivity
If HC refrigerants with strong solubility in lubricating oil are used, then the refrigeration effect is improved, but the viscosity of oils is significantly reduced causing lubrication issues
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effect of oil viscosity reduction is eliminated by extracting the oil from the high-pressure compression chamber before the refrigerant is discharged. The oil separator removes lubricating oil from the compressed refrigerant, preventing it from mixing with the system oil and causing viscosity reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
An oil separator acts as an intermediary between the compression chamber and the discharge line, separating oil from the compressed refrigerant and preventing oil viscosity degradation while maintaining effective refrigeration.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the amount of refrigerant sealed in the system is limited due to flammability, then safety is improved, but the refrigeration capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a low-pressure outer housing containing most of the refrigerant volume and a high-pressure inner compression chamber. This allows the majority of refrigerant to be contained in the low-pressure outer housing where it does not pose flammability risks, while maintaining sufficient refrigeration capacity.
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 design ensures reliable lubrication of sliding vanes, maintains compressor efficiency, and allows for a low-pressure housing with reduced refrigerant and oil usage, enhancing the reliability and performance of the compressor.
Implementation Method 1
a sliding vane chamber (12) connected with the first bearing flange (25a) and the second bearing flange (30a) respectively... the sliding vane chamber (12) receives the sliding vane (20)... a back force being high enough to beat a pressure in a second stage compression chamber is produced
Implementation Method 2
An exhaust muffler (32) is within one of the first bearing (25) and the second bearing (30)... The exhaust muffler (32) is communicated with the sliding vane chamber (12)
Implementation Method 3
a piston (24) disposed within the compressing chamber (13); an eccentric shaft (16) adapted to revolute the piston (24)
Implementation Method 4
a sliding vane (20) disposed in the sliding vane chamber (12) and adapted to reciprocate synchronously with the piston (24)... the compressing chamber (13) capable of being communicated with the exhaust muffler (32)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A rotatory compressor and a refrigerating cycle device are provided. The rotatory compressor includes a lubricating oil in an interior of a hermetically sealed housing, and an electric motor and a rotatory compressing mechanism disposed in the housing. An internal pressure of the housing is substantially equal to a suction pressure of the compressing mechanism. The compressing mechanism includes a first bearing and a second bearing at least one of which includes an exhaust muffler. A refrigerant of the exhaust muffler flows through the sliding vane chamber and is discharged from an exhaust pipe of the compressing mechanism.