Compressor bearing housing drain

A compressor, comprising:

• a compressor housing;
• a non-orbiting scroll member and an orbiting scroll member;
• an orbiting scroll hub having an upper end and a lower end and a length from the upper end to the lower end, the lower end of the orbiting scroll hub being disposed at a vertical elevation that is lower than the upper end of the orbiting scroll hub;
• a driveshaft configured to drive the orbiting scroll member;
• a thrust bearing;
• a lubricant sump;
• a housing drain cavity having an upper end and a lower end, the housing drain cavity being disposed within the compressor housing and configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant sump and to deliver the lubricant to the thrust bearing;
• and a bearing housing drain fluidly connected to the housing drain cavity and the lubricant sump, wherein the bearing housing drain receives a lubricant flow from the housing drain cavity at an inlet end, and a portion of the lubricant flow is directed from the housing drain cavity through the bearing housing drain to an outlet end, and the bearing housing drain is configured to control a steady-state lubricant volume in the housing drain cavity, the inlet end of the bearing housing drain being disposed a first distance from the thrust bearing in a direction along the driveshaft, the outlet end being disposed a second distance from the thrust bearing in the direction along the driveshaft, the first distance being greater than the second distance, and the first distance being greater than the length from the upper end of the orbiting scroll hub to the lower end of the orbiting scroll hub,
• wherein the outlet end of the bearing housing drain is lower than the upper end of the housing drain cavity.

A heat transfer circuit, comprising:

• a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected, wherein the compressor includes:
• a compressor housing;
• a non-orbiting scroll member and an orbiting scroll member;
• an orbiting scroll hub having an upper end and a lower end and a length from the upper end to the lower end, the lower end of the orbiting scroll hub being disposed at a vertical elevation that is lower than the upper end of the orbiting scroll hub;
• a driveshaft configured to drive the orbiting scroll member;
• a thrust bearing;
• a lubricant sump;
• a housing drain cavity having an upper end and a lower end, the housing drain cavity being disposed within the compressor housing and configured to receive lubricant from the lubricant sump and to deliver the lubricant to the thrust bearing;
• and
• a bearing housing drain fluidly connected to the housing drain cavity and the lubricant sump, wherein the bearing housing drain receives a lubricant flow from the housing drain cavity at an inlet end and a portion of the lubricant flow is directed from the housing drain cavity through the bearing housing drain to an outlet end, and the bearing housing drain is configured to control a steady-state lubricant volume in the housing drain cavity, the inlet end of the bearing housing drain being disposed a first distance from the thrust bearing in a direction along the driveshaft, the outlet end being disposed a second distance from the thrust bearing in the direction along the driveshaft, the first distance being greater than the second distance, and the first distance being greater than the length from the upper end of the orbiting scroll hub to the lower end of the orbiting scroll hub,
• wherein the outlet end of the bearing housing drain is lower than the upper end of the housing drain cavity.