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US 10,519,958 B2Granted
Systems and methods to provide lubricant to a bearing
AssigneeTrane International Inc.
InventorsMark W. Harrison, Jon C. Johnson, Todd W. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods to help provide lubricant to a bearing in a compressor are disclosed. The embodiments disclosed herein generally are directed to systems and methods to provide a lubricant flow to the bearing, where the lubricant flow relies on the rotation of a shaft of the compressor, so that the lubricant flow can be independent of a power supply.
Claims9
A centrifugal compressor, comprising:
- a shaft;
- a lubricant sump, the lubricant sump covering an end of the shaft;
- a bearing configured to support the shaft, the bearing having a bearing access;
- and
- a shroud, located within the lubricant sump and covering the end of the shaft, the shroud having an aperture, the aperture allowing a lubricant inlet to extend out of the shroud, such that the lubricant inlet can take in lubricant from the lubricant sump,
- wherein the shaft has a first opening at the end of the shaft and a second opening in fluid communication with the bearing access;
- and the first opening and the second opening are in fluid communication with a lubricant delivery channel.
4 more elements
A method of lubricating a bearing in a centrifugal compressor, comprising:
- rotating a shaft of the centrifugal compressor;
- rotating a lubricant pump connected to an end of the shaft;
- directing lubricant from a lubricant sump into an inlet of the lubricant pump;
- directing lubricant through a lubricant delivery channel to a bearing access;
- and
- lubricating a bearing surface with the lubricant that was delivered to the bearing access,
- wherein a shroud covers the end of the shaft,
- the shroud is within the lubricant sump,
- the shroud has an aperture, and
- the aperture allows the inlet of the lubricant pump to extend out of the shroud, such that the lubricant inlet can take in lubricant from the lubricant sump.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.