Scroll Compressor Lubrication Groove Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In scroll compressors, the flow of lubricant to the drive bearing is temporarily blocked as the orbiting scroll revolves, leading to reduced lubricant supply and potential poor lubrication, which can cause operational issues.
Innovation Solution
A scroll compressor design that includes a communication section between the suction chamber and supply flow paths, ensuring continuous lubricant supply to the bearing section by maintaining a connection near the suction section, utilizing the momentum of refrigerant to flow lubricant effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas communication grooves are formed on the contact surface between the orbiting scroll end plate and housing, then lubricant can be supplied to the drive bearing, but the flow of lubricant is temporarily blocked when the orbiting scroll orbits
Solution Approach 1:
The communication path is divided into two distinct sections: gas communication grooves for refrigerant flow and liquid communication grooves for lubricant flow. This segmentation allows each groove type to serve its specific function without interference, preventing the blocking issue that occurs when a single groove type is used for both purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dual-groove system where gas communication grooves and liquid communication grooves work together as intermediary pathways. The gas communication grooves handle refrigerant flow while the liquid communication grooves are specifically designed to maintain continuous lubricant supply, acting as a mediator that prevents blocking of the lubricant flow path.
2Power
If the orbiting scroll orbits to compress refrigerant, then compression function is achieved, but the supply flow path to the bearing section is temporarily blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The communication pathways are segmented into gas communication grooves and liquid communication grooves with different orientations. The liquid communication grooves are configured to extend in directions that prevent blocking during the orbiting motion, ensuring continuous lubricant supply while maintaining compression functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid communication grooves are pre-configured in specific patterns on the housing and orbiting scroll end plate to ensure that at least one continuous pathway is always available. This preliminary design ensures that lubricant supply is maintained before blocking can occur during the orbiting cycle.
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 ensures consistent lubricant supply to the bearing section, preventing temporary blocking and improving lubrication, thus enhancing the operational reliability and efficiency of the compressor.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing the momentum of refrigerant to flow lubricant effectively
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A scroll compressor includes a housing (2F); a fixed scroll fixed in the housing (2F); an orbiting scroll (4) that has an orbiting end plate (41) on which a spiral orbiting wall is provided upright and that is supported in the housing (2F) so as to be able to orbit while being prevented from rotating, in a state where the orbiting wall is engaged with the fixed wall; a suction section that makes refrigerant containing lubricant flow into a suction chamber provided in the housing (2F); and a plurality of supply flow paths (23) that are provided on a sliding surface between the housing (2F) and the orbiting end plate (41) and that are connected to the suction chamber. In the vicinity of an outer end, in a radial direction, of a supply flow path (23) extending toward the suction section, among the plurality of supply flow paths (23), a communication section (43) that always ensures a connection between the suction chamber and the supply flow path (23) is provided on at least one of the housing (2F) and the orbiting end plate (41).