Vapor Injected Piston Compressor Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current piston compressors face challenges in achieving efficient cooling and heating while minimizing space occupation, material costs, and energy consumption, particularly due to increased displacement leading to higher power consumption and emissions, and vapor injection into piston compressors often results in inefficiencies and lost compression work.
Innovation Solution
A vapor injected piston compressor design with a cylinder housing featuring a central bore and radially formed bores, where supplemental fluid passages extend from the central bore to the cylinder bores, allowing for efficient vapor injection and minimizing expansion volume, thereby maximizing mass flow and compressor efficiency without increasing displacement or manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the maximum displacement of the compressor is increased to achieve desired cooling capacity, then the heating and cooling capacity is improved, but the compressor occupies larger space, increases manufacturing cost, and decreases efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of vapor injection by directing it to specific locations (cylinder head or suction port) rather than the traditional suction chamber, and by controlling injection timing and pressure to optimize density. This parameter optimization allows the compressor to achieve desired cooling capacity without increasing displacement, thereby maintaining efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vapor as an intermediary substance to enhance the cooling capacity. By injecting vapor into the compression chamber or suction port, the system achieves increased mass flow and cooling capacity without physically enlarging the compressor displacement, thus avoiding the energy penalties associated with larger compressors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vapor is injected into the suction chamber of the piston compressor, then the vapor injection function is achieved, but the temperature of vapor increases and re-expansion occurs resulting in lost compression work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the vapor injection function from the traditional suction chamber location and relocates it to the cylinder head or suction port. This separation removes the harmful thermal interaction between injected vapor and the hot cylinder walls, preventing vapor heating and subsequent re-expansion losses while maintaining the vapor injection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to the injected vapor by directing it away from hot surfaces and into regions where it can be compressed without excessive heating. This preliminary action prevents the temperature rise that would lead to re-expansion and compression work loss.
3Productivity
If the maximum displacement of the compressor is increased to achieve desired cooling capacity, then the heating and cooling capacity is improved, but the compressor occupies larger space and greater material is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes vapor injection parameters (location, timing, pressure, density) to maximize the cooling effect per unit volume of compressor. This allows the system to achieve desired cooling capacity with a compact compressor size by enhancing the efficiency of the existing displacement rather than increasing it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fluid system by mixing refrigerant vapor with injected vapor, achieving enhanced cooling capacity through the synergistic interaction of different fluid phases and compositions without requiring larger compressor volume.
4Productivity
If vapor is injected into the cylinders, then the mass flow through the compressor is increased, but the expansion volume increases which decreases compressor efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality optimization by directing vapor injection to specific locations (cylinder head or suction port) rather than uniformly throughout the cylinder. This localized approach increases mass flow where needed while minimizing unnecessary expansion volume and maintaining compression efficiency in other regions of the cylinder.
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 design enhances compressor efficiency and mass flow density, reducing energy consumption and emissions while maintaining compact size and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of passages separate from the inlet and the outlet, each passage being formed in the main housing and being configured for conveying the supplemental fluid to one of the plurality of bores
Implementation Method 2
piston type compressor has a main housing including a cylinder housing. The cylinder housing has a central bore for receiving a shaft therein through a first surface thereof and a plurality of bores configured for receiving a plurality of cylinders therein through the first surface thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A piston type compressor has a main housing including a cylinder housing. The cylinder housing has a central bore for receiving a shaft therein through a first surface thereof and a plurality of bores configured for receiving a plurality of pistons therein through the first surface thereof. An inlet is configured for conveying a primary fluid to the plurality of bores. An outlet is configured for conveying the primary fluid from the plurality of bores. A plurality of passages is separate from the inlet and the outlet. Each of the plurality of passages is formed in the main housing and is configured for conveying a supplemental fluid to one of the plurality of bores.