Oil circulation in a scroll compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019113037-A1
Application number	US-201715783615-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 13, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system including a scroll compressor is disclosed. The scroll compressor includes a compression mechanism having an orbiting scroll and a non-orbiting scroll aligned in meshing engagement. The scroll compressor also includes an electric motor. A bearing housing is disposed between the compression mechanism and the electric motor. A lubricant drain is formed in the bearing housing. The lubricant drain is disposed in a location that lubricant draining from the bearing housing via the lubricant drain is directed toward the electric motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A scroll compressor, comprising:
a compression mechanism including an orbiting scroll and a non-orbiting scroll aligned in meshing engagement; an electric motor; a bearing housing disposed between the compression mechanism and the electric motor; and a lubricant drain formed in the bearing housing, the lubricant drain being disposed in a location that lubricant draining from the bearing housing via the lubricant drain is directed toward the electric motor.

2 . The scroll compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant drain is disposed directly above the electric motor.

3 . The scroll compressor according to claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the lubricant drain is parallel to a crankshaft of the scroll compressor.

4 . The scroll compressor according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant drain is oriented away from a suction flow of the scroll compressor.

5 . The scroll compressor according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lubricant drains formed in the bearing housing.

6 . A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system, comprising:
a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected to form a refrigerant circuit, wherein the compressor is a scroll compressor, the scroll compressor including:
a compression mechanism including an orbiting scroll and a non-orbiting scroll aligned in meshing engagement;
an electric motor;
a bearing housing disposed between the compression mechanism and the electric motor; and
a lubricant drain formed in the bearing housing, the lubricant drain being disposed in a location that lubricant draining from the bearing housing via the lubricant drain is directed toward the electric motor.

7 . The HVACR system according to claim 6 , wherein the lubricant drain is disposed directly above the electric motor.

8 . The HVACR system according to claim 6 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the lubricant drain is parallel to a crankshaft of the scroll compressor.

9 . The HVACR system according to claim 6 , wherein the lubricant drain is oriented away from a suction flow of the scroll compressor.

10 . The HVACR system according to claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of lubricant drains formed in the bearing housing.

11 . A method of reducing an oil circulation rate in a scroll compressor, comprising:
forming a lubricant drain in the scroll compressor through a bearing housing of the scroll compressor; and orienting the lubricant drain such that lubricant draining from the bearing housing via the lubricant drain will be directed toward an electric motor of the scroll compressor.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein orienting the lubricant drain includes orienting the lubricant drain such that a longitudinal axis of the lubricant drain is parallel to a longitudinal axis of a crankshaft of the scroll compressor.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein forming the lubricant drain in the scroll compressor includes forming the lubricant drain in a location that is disposed directly above the electric motor of the scroll compressor.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising forming a plurality of lubricant drains in the scroll compressor.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Branch Scott M
• Lepak Derrick

Classifications

• F04C29/0085

  Prime movers · CPC title

• F04C29/02 Primary

  Lubrication (of machines or engines in general F01M); Lubricant separation (separation in general B01D) · CPC title

• F04C18/0215 Primary

  where only one member is moving · CPC title

• F04C29/028

  Means for improving or restricting lubricant flow · CPC title

• F04C23/008

  Hermetic pumps · CPC title