Electric compressor with passive pressure system between high and low pressure regions

An A electric compressor having a central axis and being configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising:

• a housing defining an intake volume and a 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 the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor from the discharge volume;
• an inverter section including:
• an inverter housing,
• an inverter back cover connected to the inverter housing and forming an inverter cavity, and,
• an inverter module mounted inside the inverter cavity and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power;
• a motor section including:
• a motor housing forming a motor cavity and being mounted to the inverter housing,
• a drive shaft located within the motor housing having a central axis, and
• a motor located within the motor housing to controllably rotate the drive shaft about the central axis, and,
• a compression device including:
• a fixed scroll located within, and being fixed relative to, the housing, and
• an orbiting scroll coupled to the drive shaft, the orbiting scroll and the fixed scroll forming compression chambers for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated about the central axis;
• and,
• a passive pressure system located within the compression device body and having a first end located adjacent the intake volume and a second end being located adjacent the discharge volume, the passive pressure system being closed, and the expansion valve being open during baseline operation of the electric compressor, the passive pressure system being configured to automatically open a passage between the discharge volume and the intake volume in response to a predetermined pressure differential between the discharge volume and the intake volume resulting in operation electric compressor in the second operation mode, wherein compressed refrigerant is recycled into the intake volume while the electric compressor is operating in the second operation mode compounding compression losses and increasing a temperature of the discharged refrigerant exiting the electric compressor.

An electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and to be operated in a baseline operation mode and in a second mode, comprising:

• a housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume, the discharge volume being coupled to an expansion valve controllably operated by a valve controller, wherein pressure in the intake volume is reduced in response to limiting compressed refrigerant from exiting the discharge volume via closure of the expansion valve;
• a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume;
• a refrigerant outlet port coupled to the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor from the discharge volume;
• a compression device having a compression device body and configured to receive and compress the refrigerant from the intake volume, the compression device body at least partially defining the intake volume and the discharge volume;
• and,
• a passive pressure system located within the compression device and having a first end located adjacent the intake volume and a second end being located adjacent the discharge volume, the passive pressure system being closed, and the expansion valve being open during baseline operation of the electric compressor, the passive pressure system being configured to automatically open a passage between the discharge volume and the intake volume in response to a predetermined pressure differential between the discharge volume and the intake volume resulting in operation electric compressor in the second operation mode, wherein compressed refrigerant is recycled into the intake volume while the electric compressor is operating in the second mode compounding compression losses and increasing a temperature of the discharged refrigerant exiting the electric compressor.

A system, comprising:

• an electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and to be operated in a baseline operation mode and in a second mode, including:
• a housing defining an intake volume and a 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 the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor from the discharge volume;
• a drive shaft coupled to a motor;
• a compression device having a compression device body and being coupled to the drive shaft, for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated by the motor, the compression device body at least partially defining the intake volume and the discharge volume;
• a passive pressure system;
• and,
• an expansion valve coupled to the electric compressor and configured to controllably reduce a flow of compressor refrigerant from the discharge volume, wherein pressure in the intake volume is reduced in response to limiting compressed refrigerant from exiting the discharge volume via closure of the expansion valve, the passive pressure system located within the compression device body and having a first end located adjacent the intake volume and a second end being located adjacent the discharge volume, the passive pressure system being closed, and the expansion valve being open during baseline operation of the electric compressor, the passive pressure system being configured to automatically open a passage between the discharge volume and the intake volume in response to a predetermined pressure differential between the discharge volume and the intake volume resulting in operation electric compressor in the second mode, wherein compressed refrigerant is recycled into the intake volume while the electric compressor is operating in the second mode compounding compression losses and increasing a temperature of the discharged refrigerant exiting the electric compressor.