Scroll compressor

A scroll compressor comprising:

• a casing that defines an oil storage space in a lower portion of an inner space of the casing;
• a motor disposed in the inner space of the casing;
• a fixed scroll disposed within the inner space of the casing, wherein the motor and the fixed scroll are arranged along an axial direction;
• an orbiting scroll engaged with the fixed scroll and configured to perform an orbiting motion relative to the fixed scroll, the orbiting scroll being configured to define a compression chamber together with the fixed scroll during the orbiting motion;
• a rotating shaft coupled to the motor and to the orbiting scroll;
• a refrigerant suction pipe that is connected from an outside of the casing to the compression chamber through the casing, the refrigerant suction pipe defining a suction passage configured to supply refrigerant from the outside of the casing to the compression chamber;
• an oil circulation pipe having a first end connected to the oil storage space through the casing and a second end connected to the suction passage;
• an oil circulation valve disposed between the first end and the second end of the oil circulation pipe, the oil circulation valve being configured to selectively open and close the oil circulation pipe;
• an oil supply pipe that is coupled to a lower end of the rotating shaft and extends to the oil storage space in the axial direction, the oil supply pipe having a lower end that is open to the oil storage space;
• and
• a controller configured to control the oil circulation valve to be selectively opened and closed,
• wherein the first end of the oil circulation pipe is disposed at a position vertically lower than or equal to a position of the lower end of the oil supply pipe.