Variable volume ratio screw compressor
AssigneeTrane International Inc.
InventorAlberto Scala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A screw compressor, method of operating, and refrigerant circuit are disclosed. The screw compressor includes a suction inlet that receives a working fluid to be compressed. A compression mechanism is fluidly connected to the suction inlet that compresses the working fluid. A discharge outlet is fluidly connected to the compression mechanism that outputs the working fluid following compression by the compression mechanism. A valve assembly is configured to vary a location at which the compression mechanism compresses the working fluid, the valve assembly being disposed to modify a suction location of the screw compressor.
Claims14
A screw compressor, comprising:
- a suction inlet that receives a working fluid to be compressed;
- a compression mechanism fluidly connected to the suction inlet that compresses the working fluid, the compression mechanism including one or more rotors;
- a rotor housing containing the one or more rotors;
- a discharge outlet fluidly connected to the compression mechanism that outputs the working fluid following compression by the compression mechanism;
- and
- a rotor sealing member configured to move relative to the rotor housing between a first position and second position, wherein
- a suction port of the compression mechanism is closer to a discharge end of the rotor housing in the first position than in the second position, and
- a longitudinal length along which the compression mechanism compresses the working fluid is longer in the second position than in the first position.
A refrigerant circuit, comprising:
- a screw compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator fluidly connected, wherein the screw compressor includes:
- a suction inlet that receives a working fluid to be compressed;
- a compression mechanism fluidly connected to the suction inlet that compresses the working fluid, the compression mechanism including one or more rotors;
- a rotor housing, the one or more rotors disposed in the rotor housing;
- a discharge outlet fluidly connected to the compression mechanism that outputs the working fluid following compression by the compression mechanism;
- and
- a rotor sealing member configured to move relative to the rotor housing between a first position and second position, wherein
- a suction port of the compression mechanism is closer to a discharge end of the rotor housing in the first position than in the second position, and
- a longitudinal length along which the compression mechanism compresses the working fluid is longer in the second position than in the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.