Scroll Compressor Oil Passage Valve for Speed-Adaptive Lubrication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing scroll compressors face performance issues in low-speed operations due to inadequate oil supply, leading to refrigerant leaks and reduced reliability in high-speed operations, as the oil passage communicates with both lap and thrust surfaces, resulting in excessive oil supply at high speeds and insufficient supply at low speeds.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an opening and closing mechanism in the oil passage that closes the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole at low pressures and opens it at high pressures, ensuring appropriate oil supply to the lap and thrust surfaces based on rotation speed, with a larger diameter second flow passage and a valve body that slides to control oil flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the oil passage communicates with both the lap-side oil supply hole and the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole at all times, then both the lap and thrust surface receive oil supply, but the amount of oil supplied to compression chambers becomes very small in low-speed operation, causing poor sealing and increased refrigerant leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the oil supply path dynamic rather than static. The valve body can slide between two positions: in the first position, it blocks the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole and directs oil to the lap-side oil supply hole for improved sealing; in the second position, it opens the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole and reduces oil to the lap-side for proper lubrication. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between sealing performance and oil quantity for compression chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the oil flow distribution parameters based on operating conditions. The valve body position changes the flow area parameters of different oil supply holes, thereby adjusting the amount of oil supplied to each location. This allows the system to adapt oil supply parameters to match different operating speeds and load conditions.
2Reliability
If the flow area of the lap-side oil supply hole is increased to improve low-speed performance, then sealing is improved in low-speed operation, but oil is excessively supplied to compression chambers in high-speed operation, greatly increasing the amount of outgoing oil and lowering reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the dynamics principle to make the oil supply system adaptive. Instead of having a fixed large flow area that causes excessive oil supply at high speeds, the valve body dynamically adjusts which oil supply hole receives oil based on operating conditions. At low speeds, it directs oil to the lap-side hole for sealing; at high speeds, it switches to the thrust-surface-side hole, preventing excessive oil supply and the associated losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the effective flow area of oil supply paths based on operating conditions. The valve body position changes the flow parameters dynamically, allowing the system to have appropriate oil flow characteristics for both low-speed sealing requirements and high-speed oil conservation requirements.
3Reliability
If a positive-displacement oil pump is used to supply oil, then oil is supplied to the compression mechanism, but in high-speed operation the oil may be excessively supplied from the oil sump to the compression mechanism, increasing outgoing oil and decreasing the amount of oil in the compressor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - the valve body - between the oil pump and the oil supply holes. This intermediary controls and regulates the oil flow from the pump, directing it to appropriate destinations based on operating conditions. It prevents the direct excessive supply to compression chambers that would otherwise occur with a simple positive-displacement pump system.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body changes the flow parameters of oil from the pump based on operating conditions. By sliding between positions, it varies the flow area and distribution ratios, thereby controlling the amount of oil that reaches different destinations and preventing excessive oil supply to compression chambers at high speeds.
4Productivity
If the positive-displacement oil pump draws oil at low speed, then the amount of oil drawn decreases, thus decreasing the amount of oil supplied to the compression chambers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the oil supply path dynamic through the valve body. At low speeds, the valve body is positioned to direct oil to the lap-side oil supply hole, ensuring sufficient oil reaches the compression chambers for proper sealing. This dynamic routing compensates for the reduced oil output of the positive-displacement pump at low speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body changes the flow distribution parameters at low speeds, directing a larger proportion of the reduced oil flow to the lap-side hole where it is needed for sealing. This parameter adjustment ensures adequate oil supply to compression chambers despite the pump's reduced output at low speeds.
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 sealing in low-speed operations by increasing oil supply to compression chambers and ensures reliable lubrication of sliding parts in high-speed operations by optimizing oil distribution, enhancing the compressor's performance and reliability across different speed ranges.
Implementation Method 1
an opening and closing mechanism is provided in the oil passage. The opening and closing mechanism closes the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole when the pressure of the oil in the oil passage is low, and opens the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole when the pressure of the oil in the oil passage is high
Implementation Method 2
The orbiting scroll slides over the thrust surface while orbiting. Thus, in order to prevent, for example, occurrence of seizure at the thrust surface, it is also necessary to supply oil to the thrust surface
Implementation Method 3
As the orbiting scroll orbits, the compression chambers move while decreasing in volume, thus achieving suction and compression of refrigerant in the compression chambers
Data Source
AI summary
A scroll compressor includes an orbiting bedplate which has an oil passage through which oil flows outward in a radial direction of the orbiting bedplate, a lap-side oil supply hole that causes the oil passage to communicate with a lap-formation surface of the orbiting lap, and a thrust-surface-side oil supply hole that causes the oil passage to communicate with a thrust surface of the orbiting bedplate that is opposite to the lap-formation surface of the orbiting bedplate. An opening and closing mechanism provided in the oil passage closes the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole when the pressure of oil that is drawn from an oil sump by an oil pump and supplied into the oil passage is low, and opens the thrust-surface-side oil supply hole when the pressure of the oil is high.