Electric compressor with integrated vapor injection circuit

An electric scroll compressor configured to compress a refrigerant for use with a vapor injection system, comprising:

• a main housing forming an intake volume and a discharge volume, the main housing including a center housing and a rear head coupled to the center housing, the rear head being unitarily formed;
• a vapor injection cavity;
• and at least one vapor injection channel coupled to the vapor injection cavity;
• a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the center housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume;
• a refrigerant outlet port coupled to the rear head and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor from the discharge volume;
• a vapor injection port integral with the rear head and being coupled to the vapor injection cavity, the discharge volume, the vapor injection cavity, the refrigerant outlet port, and the at least one vapor injection channel being integral with, and at least partly defined by, the rear head;
• a drive shaft rotatably coupled inside the main housing;
• and,
• a compression device coupled to the drive shaft, configured to receive the refrigerant from the intake volume and to compress as the drive shaft rotates, the compression device including:
• a fixed scroll located within the main housing and being fixed relative thereto;
• and,
• an orbiting scroll coupled to the drive shaft, the orbiting scroll and the fixed scroll forming a compression chamber for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated, wherein the fixed scroll includes at least one vapor outlet aperture in communication with the at least one vapor injection channel for allowing vapor to enter the compression chamber formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll.

An electric scroll compressor configured to compress a refrigerant for use with a vapor injection system, comprising:

• a main housing forming an intake volume and a discharge volume, the main housing including a center housing and a rear head coupled to the center housing, the rear head being unitarily formed;
• a vapor injection cavity;
• and at least one vapor injection channel coupled to the vapor injection cavity;
• a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the center housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume;
• a refrigerant outlet port coupled to the rear head and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric scroll compressor from the discharge volume;
• a vapor injection port integral with the rear head and being coupled to the vapor injection cavity, the discharge volume, the vapor injection cavity, the refrigerant outlet port, and the at least one vapor injection channel being integral with, and at least partly defined bye the rear head;
• an inverter module mounted inside the main housing and adapted to convert direct current electrical power to alternating current electrical power;
• a motor mounted inside the main housing and being coupled to the inverter module;
• a drive shaft coupled to the motor;
• and,
• a compression device 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 including:
• a fixed scroll located within the main housing and being fixed thereto;
• and,
• an orbiting scroll coupled to the drive shaft, the orbiting scroll and the fixed scroll forming a compression chamber for receiving the refrigerant from the intake volume and compressing the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated about a center axis, wherein the fixed scroll includes at least one vapor outlet aperture in communication with the at least one vapor injection channel for allowing vapor to enter the compression chamber formed between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll.