Cooling circuits for compressors and compressors including same

A compressor system comprising:

• a compressor housing;
• a shaft rotationally supported by a first bearing and a second bearing within the compressor housing;
• a first impeller operably connected to the shaft at a first end of the shaft;
• a second impeller operably connected to the shaft at a second end of the shaft;
• a motor operably connected to the shaft between the first bearing and the second a cooling circuit comprising:
• bearing;
• and
• a coolant inlet passage defined by the compressor housing for introducing an inlet coolant flow into the cooling circuit;
• and
• a cooling channel defined by the compressor housing and connected in fluid communication with the coolant inlet passage, wherein the cooling channel extends helically around the motor, the cooling channel includes a first portion and a second portion and wherein each of the first portion and the second portion extends from the coolant inlet passage to respective first and second outlets such that the inlet coolant flow is split into a first coolant flow along the first portion and a second coolant flow along the second portion, wherein each of the first portion and the second portion includes a respective flow resistance coefficient, and wherein the flow resistance coefficient of the first portion is greater than the flow resistance coefficient of the second portion.

A compressor system comprising:

• a compressor housing;
• a shaft rotationally supported by a first bearing and a second bearing within the compressor housing;
• a first impeller operably connected to the shaft at a first end of the shaft;
• a second impeller operably connected to the shaft at a second end of the shaft;
• a motor operably connected to the shaft between the first bearing and the second bearing;
• and
• a cooling circuit comprising:
• a coolant inlet passage defined by the compressor housing for introducing an inlet coolant flow into the cooling circuit;
• and
• a channel connected in fluid communication with the coolant inlet passage, wherein the channel wraps at least partially around the motor, the channel includes a first portion and a second portion, and wherein each of the first portion and the second portion extends from the coolant inlet passage to respective first and second outlets such that the inlet coolant flow is split into a first coolant flow along the first portion and a second coolant flow along the second portion, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first portion is substantially the same as a cross-sectional area of the second portion, and wherein the first portion has a first length longer than a second length of the second portion.