Compressor with cooling pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867164-B2
Application number	US-202117369730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2021
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A compressor includes a compression mechanism, a motor, a drive shaft, and a motor cooler. The compressor is configured to compress a working fluid. The motor dives the compression mechanism and is housed within a motor housing. The drive shaft is engaged with the motor and the compression mechanism and is configured to drive operation of the compression mechanism. The motor cooler is disposed adjacent the motor and is configured to pump a cooling working fluid around the motor. The motor cooler includes a pump that pumps the cooling working fluid into the motor housing based on a rotational speed of the drive shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compressor comprising:
a compression mechanism configured to compress a working fluid;
a motor driving the compression mechanism, the motor being housed within a motor housing;
a drive shaft engaged with the motor and the compression mechanism and being configured to drive operation of the compression mechanism; and
a motor cooler disposed adjacent the motor and configured to pump a cooling working fluid,
wherein the motor cooler includes a pump that pumps the cooling working fluid into the motor housing based on a rotational speed of the drive shaft, and
wherein the pump is disposed between the motor and the compression mechanism.

2. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper counterweight fixed for rotation with the drive shaft, the upper counterweight being disposed between the motor and the motor cooler.

3. The compressor of claim 2 , wherein the pump is a ring-shaped pump disposed within a central aperture of a pump housing, the pump moving about a circumference of the central aperture with rotation of the drive shaft.

4. The compressor of claim 3 , further comprising:
an eccentric drive mechanism fixed for rotation with the upper counterweight,
wherein the eccentric drive mechanism includes an axial sleeve that engages an inner circumference of the pump, and
rotation of the eccentric drive mechanism drives movement of the pump within the pump housing.

5. The compressor of claim 4 , wherein the eccentric drive mechanism is fixed to the upper counterweight by a fastener.

6. The compressor of claim 4 , wherein the eccentric drive mechanism includes a plurality of tabs projecting from a radially-extending base, the plurality of tabs engaging the upper counterweight to prevent relative rotation between the eccentric drive mechanism and the upper counterweight.

7. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a shell housing the motor, the drive shaft, and the motor cooler.

8. The compressor of claim 7 , wherein the motor cooler is fluidly connected to a heat exchanger external to the shell.

9. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the cooling working fluid is a gas or a liquid-gas mixture.

10. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the cooling working fluid includes a refrigerant.

11. A compressor motor cooler comprising:
a cooling housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a pump housing having a central aperture defining an inlet notch and an outlet notch;
a pump disposed within the central aperture and moving about a circumference of the central aperture to pump a working fluid from the fluid inlet, through the inlet notch, about the central aperture, through the outlet notch, and to the fluid outlet; and
an upper thrust plate disposed between the cooling housing and the pump housing, the upper thrust plate having an inlet aperture aligning with the fluid inlet of the cooling housing and the inlet notch of the pump housing and an outlet aperture aligning with the fluid outlet of the cooling housing and the outlet notch of the pump housing.

12. The compressor motor cooler of claim 11 , further comprising:
a lower thrust plate disposed on a side of the pump housing opposite the upper thrust plate,
wherein the lower thrust plate, the pump housing, the upper thrust plate, and the cooling housing are fixed together.

13. The compressor motor cooler of claim 11 , wherein the cooling housing includes an annular channel in fluid communication with the fluid outlet and configured to receive fluid from the fluid outlet and disperse fluid about a circumference of the cooling housing.

14. The compressor motor cooler of claim 12 , wherein the cooling housing includes a plurality of exit apertures in fluid communication with the annular channel.

15. A compressor comprising:
a compression mechanism configured to compress a first working fluid;
a bearing housing engaged with the compression mechanism;
a motor;
a drive shaft engaging the motor and the compression mechanism and extending through the bearing housing;
a motor cooler engaged with the bearing housing, the motor cooler including a pump configured to pump a second working fluid into a cavity surrounding the motor;
an upper counterweight fixed for rotation with the drive shaft; and
an eccentric drive mechanism fixed for rotation with the upper counterweight,
wherein the eccentric drive mechanism includes an axial sleeve that engages an inner circumference of the pump,
wherein rotation of the eccentric drive mechanism movement of the pump within the pump housing, and
wherein rotation of the drive shaft drives the pump in the motor cooler to pump the second working fluid.

16. The compressor of claim 15 , wherein
the upper counterweight is disposed between the motor and the motor cooler.

17. The compressor of claim 16 , wherein
the motor cooler includes a pump housing having a central aperture,
the pump is a ring-shaped pump disposed within the central aperture of the pump housing, and
the pump is configured to move about a circumference of the central aperture with rotation of the drive shaft.

18. The compressor of claim 17 , wherein
the pump includes a projection extending radially from a body of the pump,
the pump housing defines a notch in the central aperture, and
the projection of the pump is disposed within the notch to prevent rotation of the pump relative to the pump housing.

Assignees

• Copeland Lp

Inventors

• Berning Jeffrey Lee
• Stover Robert C

Classifications

• F04B39/06 Primary

  Cooling; Heating; Prevention of freezing · CPC title

• F04C18/321

  with vanes hinged to the inner member and reciprocating with respect to the inner member · CPC title

• F04C29/0085

  Prime movers · CPC title

• F04C29/042 Primary

  by injecting a fluid (injection of fluid for sealing, cooling or lubrication F04C29/0007) · CPC title

• F25B31/02

  of motor-compressor units · CPC title