Scavenge loss limiter for a rotary compressor
AssigneeIngersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc.
InventorTaylor Stratman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid compressor system has a scavenge loss limiter that increases the efficiency of the fluid compressor system by reducing the compressed working fluid recirculated into the airend through a scavenge flow. The scavenge loss limiter includes a scavenge hole positioned at a discharge end face of a rotor cavity of the compressor housing. As a rotor of the compressor system rotates, the rotor may intermittently restrict the free-flowing scavenge flow returning from a lubricant separation tank. The rotor may be a male rotor having a plurality of male lobes. As the discharge end clearance between the rotor and the discharge end face is tightly controlled and monitored, a better control of the scavenge flow returning to the rotor cavity is achieved.
Claims20
A rotary compressor comprising:
- a housing having a first housing end, a second housing end, and a rotor cavity defined between the first housing end and the second housing end, the housing including a first interior wall proximate to the first housing end;
- a first rotor housed within the rotor cavity and rotating about a first rotor axis extending from the first housing end to the second housing end, the first rotor having a plurality of male lobes;
- a second rotor housed within the rotor cavity and rotating about a second rotor axis extending from the first housing end to the second housing end, the second rotor having a plurality of female lobes, the plurality of female lobes configured to intermesh with the plurality of male lobes to compress a working fluid;
- and
- a scavenge loss limiter disposed within the first interior wall, the scavenge loss limiter comprising a scavenge passage and a scavenge orifice;
- wherein, as the first rotor rotates, the first rotor intermittently covers and uncovers the scavenge orifice opening and closing the scavenge orifice, and wherein the scavenge loss limiter is configured to recirculate scavenge flow from an oil separator into the rotor cavity as the rotation of the first rotor intermittently uncovers the scavenge orifice.
A rotary compressor comprising:
- a housing having a first housing end, a second housing end, and a rotor cavity defined between the first housing end and the second housing end, the housing including a first interior wall proximate to the first housing end;
- a first rotor housed within the rotor cavity, rotating about a first rotor axis, the first rotor axis extending from the first housing end to the second housing end;
- and
- a scavenge loss limiter disposed within the first interior wall, the scavenge loss limiter including a scavenge passage and a scavenge orifice, the scavenge orifice connecting the scavenge passage with the rotor cavity;
- wherein the first rotor rotates intermittently opening and closing the scavenge orifice, and wherein the scavenge loss limiter is configured to recirculate scavenge flow from an oil separator into the rotary rotor cavity intermittently as the rotation of the first rotor opens the scavenge orifice.
A compressor system comprising:
- an airend configured to compress a working fluid, the airend including:
- a housing having a first housing end, a second housing end, and a rotor cavity defined between the first housing end and the second housing end, the housing including a first interior wall proximate to the first housing end;
- a first rotor housed within the rotor cavity, rotating about a first rotor axis, the first rotor axis extending from the first housing end to the second housing end;
- and
- a scavenge loss limiter disposed within the first interior wall, the scavenge loss limiter including a scavenge passage and a scavenge orifice, the scavenge orifice connecting the scavenge passage with the rotor cavity;
- and
- a lubricant separator configured to separate a lubricant from the working fluid, the lubricant separator delivering a scavenge flow to the airend;
- wherein the first rotor rotates intermittently opening and closing the scavenge orifice, and wherein the scavenge loss limiter is configured to recirculate the scavenge flow into the rotary rotor cavity intermittently as the rotation of the first rotor opens the scavenge orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.