Discharge valve arrangement for a refrigerant compressor

A discharge valve arrangement for a refrigerant compressor, including:

• a valve plate configured to be secured to the refrigerant compressor, the valve plate including a discharge passage, which is configured to be fluidly connected to a compression chamber of the refrigerant compressor, and a valve seat surrounding the discharge passage,
• a valve housing being secured to the valve plate, the valve housing including a bottom portion facing away from the valve plate and a sidewall extending from the bottom portion and towards the valve plate, the bottom portion and the sidewall defining an inner space, the valve housing further including at least one discharge opening formed in the sidewall of the valve housing between a lower edge of the sidewall and an upper face of the valve plate, wherein the valve plate forms an edge of the discharge opening, and configured to allow a flow of compressed gas from the discharge passage and towards a discharge chamber of the refrigerant compressor,
• a valve member having a plate shape and being arranged within the inner space of the valve housing, the valve member being displaceable between a closed position in which the valve member bears against the valve seat and closes the discharge passage, and an open position in which the valve member is remote from the valve seat and the at least one discharge opening is fluidly connected to the discharge passage, and
• a biasing member configured to bias the valve member against the valve seat,
• wherein the valve housing includes a gas damping device including:
• a gas damping chamber defined by the bottom portion and the sidewall of the valve housing, the biasing member being at least partially arranged within the gas damping chamber and the gas damping chamber being configured to accommodate the valve member when the valve member is in the open position, and
• an exhaust opening formed in the bottom portion and emerging in the gas damping chamber, the exhaust opening being configured to fluidly connect the gas damping chamber with the discharge chamber of the refrigerant compressor.