Rear head with vortex oil separator for compressor and electric compressor with vortex oil separator

A housing assembly associated with an electric scroll compressor, the electric scroll compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising:

• a center housing;
• a rear head coupled to the center housing, the center housing and the rear head defining a discharge volume, the discharge volume configured to receive intermixed oil and pressurized refrigerant, the rear head including a slot adjacent to, and in fluidic communication with, the discharge volume;
• a refrigerant outlet port coupled to, and integral with, the rear head and in fluidic communication with the slot, the refrigerant outlet port being configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor from the discharge volume;
• and,
• a vortex oil separator, the slot in the housing being configured to receive the vortex oil separator via the discharge volume, wherein the vortex oil separator is configured to receive the intermixed oil and refrigerant, to separate oil from the compressed refrigerant and to allow the compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor through the refrigerant outlet, wherein the vortex oil separator includes an aperture and is configured to receive the intermixed oil and refrigerant through the aperture.

An electric scroll compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising:

• a housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume, the housing including a slot adjacent to, and in fluidic communication with the discharge volume;
• a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume;
• a refrigerant outlet port coupled to, and integral with, the housing and in fluidic communication with the slot, the refrigerant outlet port being configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor from the discharge volume;
• a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the housing;
• a compression device coupled to the drive shaft and having an orifice, the compression device configured to receive the refrigerant from the intake volume and to compress the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated, the compression device configured to release intermixed oil and compressed refrigerant through the orifice into the discharge volume;
• and,
• a vortex oil separator, the slot in the housing being configured to receive the vortex oil separator via the discharge volume, wherein the vortex oil separator is configured to receive the intermixed oil and refrigerant, to separate oil from the compressed refrigerant and to allow the compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor through the refrigerant outlet, wherein the vortex oil separator includes an aperture and is configured to receive the intermixed oil and refrigerant through the aperture.