Porous gas bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774873-B2
Application number	US-201816005415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2018
Priority date	Jun 11, 2018
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A porous gas bearing is disclosed. The porous gas bearing includes a housing having a fluid inlet and an aperture. A porous surface layer is disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction. The porous surface layer is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet. A damping system includes a damping system including a biasing member, the biasing member being disposed in a passageway that extends along the longitudinal direction of the aperture and circumferentially about the aperture, wherein the biasing member is arranged radially outward from the porous surface layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A porous gas bearing, comprising:
a housing having a fluid inlet, a passageway, and an aperture, the housing including a first segment and a second segment disposed radially inward of the first segment, and the passageway extending along a longitudinal direction of the aperture, circumferentially about the aperture, and between the first segment and the second segment;
a porous surface layer disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction, the porous surface layer in fluid communication with the fluid inlet; and
a damping system including one or more biasing members, the one or more biasing members being disposed in the passageway and extend circumferentially along a majority of a circumference of the aperture, wherein the one or more biasing members are arranged radially outward from the porous surface layer.

2. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet is fluidly connected to a refrigerant circuit.

3. The porous gas bearing according to claim 2 , wherein the fluid inlet is fluidly connected to the refrigerant circuit at a location between a condenser and expansion device of the refrigerant circuit or at a discharge location of a compressor in the refrigerant circuit.

4. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of grooves in the porous surface layer.

5. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more biasing members include a spring.

6. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the porous surface layer is made of a carbon-graphite material.

7. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more biasing members include a wave spring.

8. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of dampers, the plurality of dampers being disposed circumferentially about the aperture in the housing.

9. The porous gas bearing according to claim 1 , the damping system further comprising one or more of an O-ring, a squeeze film, and a wire mesh.

10. A refrigerant circuit, comprising:
a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected,
wherein the compressor includes a shaft, the shaft being supported by a porous gas bearing, the porous gas bearing including:
a housing having a fluid inlet, a passageway, and an aperture, the housing including a first segment and a second segment disposed radially inward of the first segment, the passageway extending along a longitudinal direction of the aperture, circumferentially about the aperture, and between the first segment and the second segment;
a porous surface layer disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction, the porous surface layer in fluid communication with the fluid inlet; and
a damping system including one or more biasing members, the one or more biasing members being disposed in the passageway and extend circumferentially along a majority of a circumference of the aperture, wherein the one or more biasing members are arranged radially outward from the porous surface layer.

11. The refrigerant circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the porous gas bearing is fluidly connected to the refrigerant circuit.

12. The refrigerant circuit according to claim 10 , further comprising a fluid source that is fluidly separate from the refrigerant circuit, the fluid source being fluidly connected to the porous gas bearing.

13. The refrigerant circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the damping system further comprises one or more of an O-ring, a squeeze film, and a wire mesh.

14. The refrigerant circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the porous gas bearing is fluidly connected to the refrigerant circuit at a location configured to receive a mixed gas and liquid fluid from the refrigerant circuit.

15. The refrigerant circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the refrigerant circuit is a lubricant free refrigerant circuit.

16. A centrifugal compressor, comprising:
a shaft that rotates; and
a porous gas bearing, the porous gas bearing including:
a housing having a fluid inlet, a passageway, and an aperture, the housing including a first segment and a second segment disposed radially inward of the first segment, the passageway extending along a longitudinal direction of the aperture, circumferentially about the aperture, and between the first segment and the second segment;

a porous surface layer disposed within the housing surrounding the aperture in a circumferential direction, the porous surface layer in fluid communication with the fluid inlet; and
a damping system including one or more biasing members, the one or more biasing members being disposed in the passageway and extend circumferentially along a majority of a circumference of the aperture, wherein the one or more biasing members are arranged radially outward from the porous surface layer.

17. The centrifugal compressor according to claim 16 , wherein the damping system further comprises one or more of an O-ring, a squeeze film, and a wire mesh.

18. The centrifugal compressor according to claim 16 , wherein the shaft is configured to rotate from at or about 10,000 revolutions per minute to at or about 150,000 revolutions per minute.

19. The centrifugal compressor according to claim 16 , wherein the porous gas bearing is a radial bearing that supports the shaft, and a radial cross sectional shape of the second segment is circular.

20. The centrifugal compressor according to claim 16 , wherein the one or more biasing members are pre-tensioned to provide a selected amount of damping.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Jeung Sung Hwa
• Johnson Jay H
• Hill Donald Lee
• Cambio Matthew

Classifications

• F16F15/022

  using dampers and springs in combination · CPC title

• F16C2362/52

  Compressors of refrigerators, e.g. air-conditioners · CPC title

• F16C2202/52

  Graphite · CPC title

• F16C32/0618 Primary

  via porous material · CPC title

• F16C33/104

  in a porous body, e.g. oil impregnated sintered sleeve · CPC title