Scroll compressor with oil-cooled motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9239054-B2
Application number	US-201314063056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2013
Priority date	Nov 20, 2012
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A compressor may include a shell, a compression mechanism, a motor, a pumping mechanism, and a heat exchanger. The shell may define an internal cavity and an oil sump. The compression mechanism is disposed the said shell. The motor is coupled to a driveshaft for selectively powering the compression mechanism. The pumping mechanism may be in fluid-pumping communication with the oil sump. The first heat exchanger may be disposed external from the shell and in fluid communication with the pumping mechanism. The first heat exchanger may cool the oil prior to returning the cooled oil to the internal cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compressor comprising:
a shell defining an internal cavity and an oil sump;
a compression mechanism disposed within said shell;
a motor coupled to a driveshaft for selectively powering said compression mechanism, said drive shaft includes a first end disposed proximate to said oil sump and a second end disposed proximate to said compression mechanism, said drive shaft operable to transport said oil from said oil sump to said second end;
a pumping mechanism in fluid-pumping communication with said oil sump; and
a first heat exchanger disposed external from said shell and in fluid communication with said pumping mechanism, said first heat exchanger cooling said oil prior to returning said cooled oil to said internal cavity;
a bearing housing supporting said driveshaft and defining a counterweight cavity; and
a counterweight fixed to said driveshaft proximate to said second end, said counterweight is rotatably received within said counterweight cavity,
wherein said counterweight cooperates with said counterweight cavity to pump oil received from said oil sump to direct said oil into said first heat exchanger,
wherein said bearing housing includes a lubricant inlet and a lubricant outlet extending radially outward from said counterweight cavity, said first heat exchanger receiving lubricant from said lubricant outlet and providing cooled lubricant to said lubricant inlet.

2. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising first and second conduits, said first conduit in fluid communication with said pumping mechanism at a first end and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger at a second end, said second conduit in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger at a first end and in fluid communication with said internal cavity at a second end.

3. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said counterweight cavity is at least partially formed in a main bearing housing.

4. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said counterweight cavity.

5. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising an oil distribution member receiving oil from said first heat exchanger and distributing said cooled oil within said internal cavity.

6. The compressor of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of said cooled oil is directed toward said motor.

7. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said compression mechanism includes a non-orbiting scroll member in meshing engagement with an orbiting scroll member.

8. The compressor claim 1 , further comprising a suction port fluidly coupled with said compression mechanism to fluidly isolate suction-pressure gas entering the compressor from said motor.

9. The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising a conduit in fluid communication with a discharge port at a first end and in fluid communication with said internal cavity at a second end to divert oil disposed within said discharge port to said oil sump.

10. The compressor of claim 9 , further comprising an oil separator operable to separate discharge-pressure gas from said oil, said separated oil delivered to said return line of said first heat exchanger via said conduit.

11. The compressor of claim 9 , further comprising a valve disposed on said conduit and operable to control an amount of oil directed to said return line of said first heat exchanger via said conduit.

12. The compressor of claim 1 , wherein said compression mechanism include first and second compression members, and wherein at least one of said first and second compression members includes a lubricant groove in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger.

13. A compressor comprising:
a shell defining an internal cavity and an oil sump;
a compression mechanism disposed within said shell;
a motor coupled to a driveshaft for selectively powering said compression mechanism;
a pumping mechanism in fluid-pumping communication with said oil sump; and
a first heat exchanger disposed external from said shell and in fluid communication with said pumping mechanism, said first heat exchanger cooling said oil prior to returning said cooled oil to said internal cavity;
a suction port fluidly coupled with said compression mechanism to fluidly isolate suction-pressure gas entering the compressor from said motor;
a first conduit in fluid communication with said pumping mechanism at a first end and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger at a second end; and
a second conduit fluidly coupled at one end with said first conduit upstream of said first heat exchanger and fluidly coupled at another end with said suction port to inject oil into a flow of suction-pressure working fluid.

14. The compressor of claim 13 , further comprising a lubricant distribution member in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and operable to distribute said cooled oil within said shell, wherein said distribution member is an annular member including a plurality of lubricant drain apertures extending therethrough.

15. The compressor of claim 13 , wherein said compression mechanism include first and second compression members, and wherein at least one of said first and second compression members includes a lubricant groove in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger.

16. The compressor of claim 13 , further comprising a counterweight fixed to said driveshaft proximate to said compression mechanism, said counterweight is rotatably received within a counterweight cavity disposed within said internal cavity, wherein said counterweight cooperates with said counterweight cavity to pump oil received from said oil sump to direct said oil into said first heat exchanger.

17. The compressor of claim 16 , wherein said counterweight cavity is at least partially formed in a bearing housing that rotatably supports said driveshaft.

18. A compressor comprising:
a shell defining an internal cavity and an oil sump;
a compression mechanism disposed within said shell;
a motor coupled to a driveshaft for selectively powering said compression mechanism;
a bearing housing including a bearing aperture through which said driveshaft extends and a lubricant passage disposed radially outward relative to said bearing aperture;
a pumping mechanism in fluid-pumping communication with said oil sump; and
a first heat exchanger disposed external from said shell and in fluid communication with said pumping mechanism, said first heat exchanger cooling said oil prior to returning said cooled oil to said internal cavity;
a lubricant distribution member mounted to said bearing housing such that said distribution member is disposed axially between said bearing housing and said motor, said distribution member in fluid communication with said heat exchanger and said lubricant passage in said bearing housing and operable to distribute said cooled lubricant within said shell,
wherein said distribution member is an annular member including a plurality of lubricant drain apertures extending therethrough, said lubricant drain apertures are disposed radially outward relative to a central aperture in said distribution member through which said driveshaft extends, said lubricant drain apertures extend axially through an axial end of said distribution member, said axial end facing said motor.

19. The compressor of claim 18 , wherein said drive shaft includes a first end disposed proximate to said oil sump and a second end disposed proximate to said compression mechanism, said drive shaft operable to transport said oil from said oil sump to said

Assignees

• Emerson Climate Technologies

Inventors

• Ignatiev Kirill M
• Bonear Ronald E
• Stover Robert C

Classifications

• F04C18/0215

  where only one member is moving · CPC title

• F04C23/008

  Hermetic pumps · CPC title

• F04C29/045 Primary

  of the electric motor in hermetic pumps · CPC title