Scroll compressor

A scroll compressor, comprising:

• a rotary shaft;
• a compression mechanism configured to be driven by rotation of the rotary shaft, the compression mechanism including a compression chamber configured to compress refrigerant;
• and
• a housing rotatably supporting the rotary shaft, the housing including a suction chamber into which refrigerant is drawn from outside, a discharge chamber from which the refrigerant compressed in the compression chamber is discharged, and a suction passage through which the refrigerant drawn from the suction chamber into the compression chamber passes, wherein
• the compression mechanism includes:
• a fixed scroll fixed to the housing, the fixed scroll including a fixed base plate, a fixed volute wall extending from the fixed base plate in an axial direction of the rotary shaft, and a fixed peripheral wall extending from the fixed base plate in the axial direction of the rotary shaft and surrounding the fixed volute wall;
• and
• an orbiting scroll configured to orbit inside the fixed peripheral wall in response to rotation of the rotary shaft, the orbiting scroll including an orbiting base plate opposing the fixed base plate and an orbiting volute wall extending from the orbiting base plate toward the fixed base plate and meshing with the fixed volute wall,
• the compression chamber is defined by the fixed base plate, the fixed volute wall, the orbiting base plate, and the orbiting volute wall,
• the housing includes:
• a shaft support housing member that is disposed on an opposite side of the orbiting base plate from the fixed base plate and supports the rotary shaft;
• and
• a discharge housing member including a discharge housing end wall and a cylindrical discharge housing peripheral wall extending from the discharge housing end wall to surround the fixed peripheral wall, the discharge housing member defining the discharge chamber between the discharge housing end wall and the fixed base plate,
• the suction passage includes:
• a first suction hole located in the shaft support housing member and connected to the suction chamber;
• an annular passage located between the fixed peripheral wall and the discharge housing peripheral wall and connected to the first suction hole;
• and
• a second suction hole located in the fixed peripheral wall and connected to the annular passage,
• the discharge housing peripheral wall includes an inner surface that defines the annular passage, the inner surface including a lower portion located vertically below an axis of the rotary shaft,
• as viewed in the axial direction of the rotary shaft,
• a straight line intersecting the axis of the rotary shaft and extending vertically is a first straight line,
• a straight line intersecting the axis of the rotary shaft and extending with an inclination of 30 degrees toward one side in a circumferential direction of the rotary shaft with respect to the first straight line is a second straight line,
• a straight line intersecting the axis of the rotary shaft and extending with an inclination of 30 degrees toward the other side in the circumferential direction of the rotary shaft with respect to the first straight line is a third straight line,
• an intersection of the lower portion of the inner surface and the second straight line is a first intersection,
• an intersection of the lower portion of the inner surface and the third straight line is a second intersection, and
• a straight line passing through the first intersection and the second intersection and extending horizontally is a fourth straight line,
• as the annular passage is viewed in the axial direction of the rotary shaft, a region of the annular passage vertically below the fourth straight line is a liquid refrigerant reservoir,
• the liquid refrigerant reservoir is configured to store liquid refrigerant generated by condensation of the refrigerant in the annular passage while limiting suction of the liquid refrigerant from the annular passage into the compression chamber through the second suction hole, and
• the second suction hole is located in a portion of the fixed peripheral wall that is positioned vertically above the liquid refrigerant reservoir.