Vane-Type Compressor Rotor Alignment and Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vane-type compressors face increased sliding resistance and mechanical loss due to boundary lubrication between vanes and the cylinder, leading to reduced efficiency and shortened compressor life, and existing solutions compromise rotational force transmission and accuracy due to complex structural requirements.
Innovation Solution
A vane-type compressor design that integrates the rotor portion and rotational shaft, utilizing vane angle adjusting means with oil supply channels to maintain a normal alignment between vane tips and the cylinder surface, reducing sliding loss and leakage by stabilizing lubrication and improving structural accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tip ends of the vanes are made to contact the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder through the entire circumference, then the vanes can be held in position, but the radii of the vanes and cylinder surface are significantly different causing boundary lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the vanes rotatable relative to the rotor shaft through bushings, allowing the vane orientation to dynamically adjust during rotation. This dynamic adjustment enables the vane tip to maintain normal alignment with the cylinder surface throughout the rotation cycle, transforming the static contact problem into a dynamic solution that achieves hydrodynamic lubrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of vane orientation from fixed (in conventional designs) to variable. By allowing the vanes to rotate and adjust their angle relative to the rotor shaft, the system achieves optimal alignment with the cylinder surface at different rotational positions, enabling hydrodynamic lubrication while maintaining reliable vane positioning.
2Device complexity
If the vanes are held at fixed angles relative to the rotor portion, then the structure is simple, but sliding resistance increases due to boundary lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces rotational freedom for the vanes through bushings, transforming the static support structure into a dynamic one. This allows the vanes to automatically adjust their orientation during rotation, achieving hydrodynamic lubrication without requiring complex active control mechanisms, thus maintaining structural simplicity while reducing mechanical loss.
3Loss of energy
If the vanes are rotatably supported at the center of the inner circumferential surface, then hydrodynamic lubrication is achieved, but the rotor shaft structure becomes complex affecting rotational force transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies rotational freedom locally only to the vanes through bushings, while keeping the rotor shaft itself structurally simple and suitable for rotational force transmission. This localized application of complexity achieves hydrodynamic lubrication without compromising the overall structural efficiency of the rotor shaft.
4Reliability
If the radius of vane tip arcs is made smaller than the cylinder radius, then contact is maintained, but frictional coefficient increases to 0.05 or greater
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static radius mismatch problem into a dynamic alignment solution. By allowing the vanes to rotate and adjust their orientation, the system achieves proper alignment between the vane tip arc radius and the cylinder radius during operation, reducing the frictional coefficient from 0.05 or greater to the hydrodynamic lubrication range of 0.001 to 0.005.
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 integrated design reduces sliding loss in bearings, enhances structural accuracy, and minimizes leakage by maintaining a stable lubrication state and precise alignment, resulting in improved compressor efficiency and extended lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a lubrication state between the two components (cylinder and vane) is not in a hydrodynamic lubrication state, in which two components slide on each other with an oil film, which is formed therebetween, interposed therebetween, but is in a boundary lubrication state
Implementation Method 2
integrating the rotor portion and the rotational shaft with each other
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vane-type compressor (200) includes a rotor shaft (4) that includes rotating shaft portions (4b and 4c) and a rotor portion (4a), which are integrated with one another. A lower end of the rotating shaft (4c) is disposed in an oil reservoir (104). The vane-type compressor (200) also includes vane aligners (5 to 8) disposed at both end portions of vanes (9 and 10), and recess portions (2a and 3a), which are respectively formed in a frame (2) and a cylinder head (3) so as to be concentric with an inner circumferential surface (1b) of a cylinder (1). Outer circumferential surfaces of the vane aligners (5 to 8) are slidably supported by the recess portions (2a and 3a). In the rotor shaft (4), oil supply channels (4h, 4i, and 4j), which allow communication between the oil reservoir (104) and the recess portions (2a and 3a) of the frame (2) and the cylinder head (3), and an oil pump( 31), which supplies refrigerating machine oil (25)in the oil reservoir (104) to the oil supply channels, are provided.