Scroll compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
In scroll compressors, the oil groove on the orbiting scroll can communicate with the compression chamber or intermediate pressure chamber, leading to lubricant flow into these chambers, which reduces efficiency and reliability, making it difficult to achieve a small diameter for the orbiting scroll.
Innovation Solution
The scroll compressor design includes an orbiting scroll with two non-communicating oil grooves that are semi-ring shaped, allowing them to communicate with the oil passage outlets at specific times during rotation without communicating with the compression or intermediate pressure chambers, ensuring proper lubrication and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an oil groove is provided in a single ring shape and constantly communicates with the outlet of the oil passage, then lubrication is continuously supplied, but the orbiting scroll diameter cannot be made small due to lubricant leakage into compression chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The single ring-shaped oil groove is divided into multiple separate oil grooves (first oil groove and second oil groove) that are positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each groove to be strategically placed so they communicate with the oil passage outlet at different times during rotation, preventing simultaneous communication with compression chambers while ensuring continuous lubrication supply to the sliding surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil grooves are designed to communicate with the oil passage outlet periodically during the rotation of the orbiting scroll, rather than constantly. This periodic communication ensures lubrication is supplied at appropriate moments in the rotation cycle when the grooves are not in communication with compression chambers, thus preventing lubricant leakage while maintaining reliable lubrication.
2Volume of moving object
If the orbiting scroll diameter is reduced, then compressor size is reduced, but lubricant flows into compression or intermediate pressure chambers reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the orbiting scroll are provided with different lubrication characteristics through the strategically positioned oil grooves. The grooves are located at specific radial positions and angles to ensure that lubrication is supplied locally at the sliding surface without allowing lubricant to migrate into the compression or intermediate pressure chambers, thus maintaining both compact size and high efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil grooves act as intermediaries that control the flow path of lubricant. By positioning the grooves to communicate with the oil passage outlet only at specific times during rotation, they mediate between the continuous need for lubrication and the need to prevent lubricant leakage into compression chambers, enabling small diameter design without efficiency loss.
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 allows for a smaller diameter of the orbiting scroll while maintaining appropriate lubrication and sealing, improving the efficiency and reliability of the scroll compressor and enabling a reduction in compressor size while increasing capacity.
Implementation Method 1
an oil groove provided on a sliding surface of the orbiting scroll facing the fixed scroll, The oil groove is installed to communicate with the outlet of the oil passage
Data Source
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AI summary
A scroll compressor including an orbiting scroll having a small diameter compared to a case in which an oil groove is provided in a ring shape and constantly communicates with an outlet of an oil passage. The scroll compressor includes a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll configured to orbit in engagement with the fixed scroll. The fixed scroll includes an outlet of an oil passage configured to communicate with an oil tray storing lubricant, the outlet of the oil passage connected to a sliding surface of the orbiting scroll. The orbiting scroll includes a plurality of oil grooves configured not to communicate with each other so as to supply the lubricant to a sliding surface of the fixed scroll, the plurality of oil grooves configured to communicate with the outlet at least once and not to communicate with the outlet at least once while the orbiting scroll rotates once.