Fluid-cooled, scroll-type, positive fluid displacement apparatus
AssigneeArthur D. Little, Inc.
InventorJohn E. McCullough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Cooling means are provided for the stationary and orbiting scroll members of scroll-type apparatus. These cooling means comprise fluid coolant channels in the end plates and in the involute wraps of the scroll members and means to circulate a fluid coolant therethrough. In the case of the stationary scroll member the coolant may be water, oil or the like; while in the case of the orbiting scroll member the coolant is the lubricating oil used to lubricate a thrust bearing and the coupling means. The resulting effective cooling of the scroll members makes it possible to form scroll apparatus in large sizes.
Claims21
In a positive fluid displacement apparatus into which fluid is introduced through an inlet port for circulation therethrough and subsequently withdrawn through a discharge port, and comprising a stationary scroll member having an end plate and an involute wrap and an orbiting scroll member having an end plate and an involute wrap, driving means for orbiting said orbiting scroll member with respect to said stationary scroll member whereby said involute wraps make moving line contacts to seal off and define at least one moving pocket of variable volume and zones of different fluid pressure, coupling means to maintain said scroll members in fixed angular relationship, means for providing an axial force to urge said involute wrap of said stationary scroll member into axial contact with said end plate of said orbiting scroll member and said involute wrap of said orbiting scroll member into axial contact with said end plate of said stationary scroll member thereby to achieve radial sealing of said pockets, and tangential sealing means for effecting tangential sealing along said moving line contacts, the improvement comprising first internal coolant circulation channel means extending throughout essentially the entire length of said involute wrap of said stationary scroll member;
- means to circulate a fluid coolant through said first internal coolant circulation channel means;
- second internal coolant circulation channel means extending throughout essentially the entire length of said involute wrap of said orbiting scroll member;
- and means to circulate a fluid coolant through said second internal coolant circulation channel means during the orbiting of said orbiting scroll member.
A positive fluid displacement apparatus, comprising in combination
- a. a stationary scroll member having an end plate and an involute wrap;
- b. an orbiting scroll member having an end plate and an involute wrap;
- c. driving means, incorporating a main shaft and an orbiting scroll member shaft parallel therewith for orbiting said orbiting scroll member whereby said involute wraps make moving line contacts to seal off and define at least one moving pocket of variable volume and zones fo different fluid pressure, said driving means including radial compliant linking means between said main shaft and said orbiting scroll member shaft to attain tangential sealing along said moving line contacts;
- d. coupling means to maintain said scroll members in fixed angular relationship;
- e. means for providing an axial force to urge said involute wrap of said stationary scroll member into axial contact with said end plate of said orbiting scroll member and said involute wrap of said orbiting scroll member into axial contact with said end plate of said stationary scroll member thereby to achieve radial sealing of said pockets;
- f. stationary scroll member cooling means comprising in combination
- 1. first stationary involutely configured channel means within said end plate of said stationary scroll member,
- 2. second stationary channel means extending internally throughout essentially the entire length of said involute wrap of said stationary scroll member, and
- 3. means to circulate a fluid coolant through said first and second stationary channel means;
- g. orbiting scroll member cooling means comprising in combination
- 1. first orbiting involutely configured channel means within said end plate of said orbiting scroll member,
- 2. second orbiting channel means extending internally throughout essentially the entire length of said involute wrap of said orbiting scroll member, and
- 3. means to circulate a fluid coolant through said first and second orbiting channel means;
- and
- h. housing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.