Centrifugal refrigerant vapour compressors
AssigneeVenus Systems Limited
InventorMichael Creamer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a refrigerant vapour in a refrigeration cycle. The compressor comprises an impeller drive shaft supported by first and second radial bearings for rotation within the compressor housing and an impeller assembly including at least one centrifugal impeller wheel mounted on the impeller drive shaft to rotate with the impeller drive shaft. The first and second radial bearings are hydrodynamic fluid bearings in which the bearing fluid is the refrigerant vapour. The compressor further comprises a conduit for supplying a portion of the refrigerant vapour from the impeller assembly to the first and second fluid bearings.
Claims42
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a refrigerant vapour in a refrigeration cycle, the compressor comprising:
- an impeller drive shaft supported by first and second radial bearings for rotation within the compressor housing;
- and
- an impeller assembly including at least one centrifugal impeller wheel mounted on the impeller drive shaft to rotate with the impeller drive shaft;
- wherein the first and second radial bearings are hydrodynamic fluid bearings in which the bearing fluid is the refrigerant vapour, the compressor further comprising a conduit for supplying a portion of the refrigerant vapour from the impeller assembly to the first and second fluid bearings.
A centrifugal compressor for compressing a refrigerant vapour in a refrigeration cycle, the compressor comprising:
- an impeller drive shaft supported by first and second radial bearings for rotation within the compressor housing, wherein the first and second radial bearings are hydrodynamic fluid bearings in which the bearing fluid is the refrigerant vapour;
- an impeller assembly including at least one centrifugal impeller wheel mounted on the impeller drive shaft to rotate with the impeller drive shaft;
- and
- an external supply of pressurised refrigerant vapour that is independent of the operation of the compressor and is adapted to be connected to the bearings to supply pressurised refrigerant vapour to the bearings.
A monitoring and control system for a heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
- a means for sensing a system variable, a means for determining rotor speed of a compressor, a motor for driving the compressor, a means for measuring mass flow of coolant through the compressor, a microprocessor operating under control of software arranged to modify one or more parameters associated with the compressor so as to optimise efficiency.
A method of switching on a compressor, comprising the steps of:
- displacing a compressor shaft from a static (rest) position to a raised (active) position using a hydrodynamic bearing by introducing a volume of vapour through the bearing in order to create a lift force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.