Compressor with an oil separator between compressing stages
AssigneeThe Coca-Cola Company
InventorRoberto Horn Pereira
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application provides a compressor for use with a flow of carbon dioxide. The compressor may include a first stage compression mechanism for compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from a low pressure to an intermediate pressure, an oil separator downstream of the first stage compression mechanism, and a second stage compression mechanism positioned downstream of the oil separator for compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from the intermediate pressure to a high pressure.
Claims18
A compressor for use with a flow of carbon dioxide, comprising:
- a first stage compression mechanism for compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from a low pressure to an intermediate pressure;
- an oil separator downstream of the first stage compression mechanism;
- and
- a second stage compression mechanism downstream of the oil separator for compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from the intermediate pressure to a high pressure;
- wherein the oil separator comprises an expansion chamber;
- and
- wherein the oil separator comprises a J-tube, the J-tube comprising an inlet at a bottom of the expansion chamber, an outlet within the expansion chamber and wherein the J-tube provides an approximate 180 degree turn to the flow of carbon dioxide.
A method of compressing a flow of carbon dioxide for use in a refrigeration system, comprising:
- compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from a low pressure to an intermediate pressure in a first stage compressor;
- passing the flow of carbon dioxide at the intermediate pressure through a J-tube with an inlet located at a bottom of an expansion chamber of an oil separator;
- turning the flow of carbon dioxide approximately 180 degrees;
- reducing a velocity of the flow of carbon dioxide in the oil separator;
- and
- compressing the flow of carbon dioxide from the intermediate pressure to a high pressure in a second stage compressor.
A compressor for use with a flow of a refrigerant, comprising:
- a shell casing;
- a first stage compression mechanism for compressing the flow of the refrigerant from a low pressure to an intermediate pressure positioned within the shell casing;
- an oil separator downstream of the first stage compression mechanism and positioned outside the shell casing;
- wherein the oil separator comprises a J-tube and an expansion chamber, the J-tube comprising an inlet at a bottom of the expansion chamber, an outlet within an expansion chamber and the wherein J-tube provides an approximate 180 degree turn to the flow of refrigerant;
- a second stage compression mechanism downstream of the oil separator for compressing the flow of the refrigerant from the intermediate pressure to a high pressure positioned within the shell casing;
- and
- a motor to drive the first stage compression mechanism and the second stage compression mechanism positioned within the shell casing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.