Compressor having external shell with vibration isolation and pressure balance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240603-B2
Application number	US-201514718812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 22, 2014
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed to isolate operation vibration of a compressor to reduce operational sound. A compressor may include an external shell, and one or more isolators that separate a compression mechanism of a compressor from the external shell. The isolator can help isolate the vibration of the compression mechanism from the external shell. The isolator can also support a weight of the compression mechanism. The external shell can also include one or more internal seals. The internal seals can help separate a low-pressure side (e.g., a suction side) and a high-pressure side (e.g., a discharge side) of the compression mechanism. The compressor may also include a pressure balancing mechanism configured to help reduce a pressure difference between, for example, two ends of the compression mechanism, so as to reduce/eliminate the compression mechanism from physical shift in position due to the pressure difference.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A screw compressor, comprising:
a screw compression mechanism, the screw compression mechanism having a first pressure side and a second pressure side;
an external shell, the external shell configured to enclose the screw compression mechanism, and the external shell including a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment, the first compartment being in fluid communication with the first pressure side, the second compartment being in fluid communication with the second pressure side,
the third compartment encloses a first portion of the screw compression mechanism,
the second compartment encloses a second portion of the screw compression mechanism,
the first portion and the second portion of the screw compression mechanism are oppositely located, and a pressure in the second compartment and a pressure in the third compartment are balanced;
a first seal fluidly separating the first compartment and the second compartment; and
a second seal fluidly separating the first compartment and the third compartment,
the second seal secured to the external shell and the second seal secured to the screw compression mechanism, thereby forming the third compartment,
wherein the screw compression mechanism is isolated from the external shell by an isolator secured to the external shell and to the screw compression mechanism, wherein the isolator is configured to reduce vibration transmitted from the screw compression mechanism to the external shell, and
wherein the first seal is physically separate from the isolator.

2. The screw compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the first pressure side includes a suction port of the screw compression mechanism, and the second pressure side includes a discharge port of the screw compression mechanism.

3. The screw compressor according to claim 2 , wherein the external shell includes an outlet, and the outlet and the discharge port form fluid communication with the second compartment.

4. The screw compressor according to claim 2 , wherein the external shell includes an inlet, and the inlet and the suction port form fluid communication with the first compartment.

5. The screw compressor according to claim 2 , wherein the discharge port is equipped with a muffler.

6. The screw compressor according to claim 1 , further including:
a pressure balancing line connecting the second compartment and the third compartment.

7. The screw compressor according to claim 1 , wherein a weight of the screw compression mechanism is supported by the isolator.

8. The screw compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the first pressure side includes a suction port of the screw compression mechanism, and the second pressure side includes a discharge port of the screw compression mechanism,
the third compartment being disposed opposite the second compartment so that the first compartment is arranged between the second compartment and the third compartment.

9. A method of reducing operational sound of a screw compressor, comprising:
enclosing a screw compression mechanism of the screw compressor in a shell;
partitioning the shell to include a first compartment and a second compartment;
positioning a low-pressure side of the screw compression mechanism in the first compartment and a high-pressure side of the screw compression mechanism in the second compartment;
sealing the low-pressure side of the screw compression mechanism in the first compartment from the high-pressure side of the screw compression mechanism in the second compartment with a first seal;
isolating the screw compression mechanism from the shell to reduce a vibration transmitted from the screw compression mechanism to the shell, the isolating including securing an isolator to the screw compression mechanism and to the shell, the isolator being physically separate from the first seal;
partitioning the shell to include a third compartment using a second seal, the partitioning including securing the second seal to the screw compression mechanism and securing the second seal to the shell,
wherein the third compartment encloses a first portion of the screw compression mechanism and the second compartment encloses a second portion of the screw compression mechanism;
and
balancing a pressure in the second compartment and the third compartment when the screw compression mechanism is in operation.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the first compartment is disposed between the second compartment and the third compartment of the screw compression mechanism.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Rockwood William B
• Mehta Pavak
• Beekman Dennis M
• Crum Daniel R
• Garvin Timothy G
• Lakowske Rodney L
• Powell Jr Gordon

Classifications

• F04C29/068

  the silencing means being arranged inside the pump housing · CPC title

• F04C29/0021

  Systems for the equilibration of forces acting on the pump (interstice adjustment other than by fluid pressure F01C21/102) · CPC title

• F04C29/0042

  Driving elements, brakes, couplings, transmissions specially adapted for pumps (brakes, couplings, transmissions per se F16, B60) · CPC title

• F04C2270/13

  Noise · CPC title

• F04C29/065

  Noise dampening volumes, e.g. muffler chambers · CPC title