Scroll Compressor Orbital Disc Lubrication System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scroll compressors face reliability and lifetime issues due to inadequate lubrication of the rotation preventing device, particularly for high-capacity models, as the existing lubrication system fails to ensure proper oil supply to the outer circumferential bearing surfaces of orbital discs under high loads.
Innovation Solution
The lubrication system is redesigned with lubrication passages formed within the support arrangement, featuring oil outlet apertures located at positions where low loads occur during rotation, ensuring proper lubrication of both inner and outer circumferential bearing surfaces without reducing the thrust bearing surface area, and including features like circumferential grooves and oil supplying channels for enhanced oil distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lubrication grooves are formed in the thrust bearing surface, then lubrication of the bearing surfaces is improved, but the surface area of the thrust bearing surface is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication function is segmented from the thrust bearing surface by creating separate lubrication passages within the support arrangement. This allows the thrust bearing surface to maintain its full area for load support while the lubrication passages provide dedicated oil supply paths to the orbital discs, resolving the contradiction between lubrication effectiveness and bearing surface area.
2Reliability
If lubrication grooves are located at high load positions, then oil supply to bearing surfaces is improved, but the oil supply is avoided or limited by high loads during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication passages are positioned to deliver oil to the orbital discs at locations where low loads occur during rotation. This preliminary positioning of lubrication sources ensures that oil is supplied when the orbital discs are in lower-load phases of their rotation cycle, preventing the high loads from preventing effective lubrication.
3Productivity
If the lubrication system is designed for high capacity compressors, then capacity is improved, but the oil supply to the rotation preventing device becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system is extended into the third dimension by forming lubrication passages within the support arrangement structure itself, rather than relying on surface grooves. This dimensional integration allows the lubrication system to serve high-capacity compressors by providing adequate oil supply paths through the support arrangement to the orbital discs, maintaining reliability despite increased capacity requirements.
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 configuration improves the reliability and lifetime of the scroll compressor by ensuring optimal lubrication of critical components, maintaining the surface area of the thrust bearing surface and enhancing the overall performance, especially for high-capacity compressors.
Implementation Method 1
a lubrication system configured to lubricate at least partially the inner and outer circumferential bearing surfaces with oil supplied from the oil sump
Implementation Method 2
each orbital disc being provided with an eccentric hole and with an outer circumferential bearing surface configured to cooperate with an inner circumferential bearing surface provided on the respective circular receiving hole
Data Source
AI summary
The scroll compressor (1) includes a fixed scroll (7); an orbiting scroll (8); a drive shaft (16); a support arrangement (5) including a thrust bearing surface (9) on which is slidably mounted the orbiting scroll (8); a rotation preventing device configured to prevent rotation of the orbiting scroll (8) with respect to the fixed scroll (7), the rotation preventing device including orbital discs (28) respectively arranged in circular receiving holes (29) provided on the support arrangement (5), each orbital disc (28) being provided with an outer circumferential bearing surface (31) cooperating with an inner circumferential bearing surface (32) of the respective circular receiving hole (29); and a lubrication system configured to lubricate the inner and outer circumferential bearing surfaces (32, 31) with oil supplied from an oil sump (50), the lubrication system including lubrication passages (41) formed within the support arrangement (5), each lubrication passage (41) including an oil outlet aperture (41.2) emerging in the inner circumferential bearing surface (32) of a respective circular receiving hole (29) and at a predetermined position where low load is applied on the respective orbital disc during rotation of the drive shaft.