US 5,186,613 AGranted

Reverse phase and high discharge temperature protection in a scroll compressor

AssigneeAmerican Standard Inc.

InventorsPeter A. Kotlarek, John R. Moilanen, Mark W. Harrison

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Abstract

A low side scroll compressor is protected from both the potentially damaging effects of improper electrical hookup and the development of high discharge temperatures by the disposition of a valve member in a passage which communicates between the suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion of the compressor. The valve operates to permit the flow of gas from the suction to the discharge pressure portion of the compressor through a protective passage when the compressor is caused to run backwards due to miswiring so as to avert damage to the scroll members. The valve permits the flow of gas from the discharge to the suction pressure portion of the compressor through the protective passage when the temperature of the discharge gas produced by the compressor is caused to exceed a predetermined temperature. The resulting flow causes the compressor motor to de-energize.

Claims23

Dependent claims

Scroll gas compression apparatus comprising:

a shell through which a gas flows when said compression apparatus is in operation, said shell defining a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion;
a first scroll member disposed in said shell, said first scroll member having an involute wrap and defining a discharge aperture, said discharge aperture being in flow communication with said discharge pressure portion of said shell;
a second scroll member disposed in said shell, said second scroll member having an involute wrap in interleaving engagement with the involute wrap of said first scroll member, the involute wraps of said first and said second scroll members cooperating to define a plurality of pockets including a discharge pocket which is in flow communication with said discharge aperture of said first scroll member and out of which compressed gas is discharged when said apparatus is in normal operation;
and
means for permitting selective bi-directional gas flow between said discharge pocket and said suction pressure portion of said shell, said gas flow occurring in a first direction when gas pressure in said discharge pocket is less than gas pressure in said suction pressure portion of said shell and said flow being in a direction opposite said first direction when discharge gas temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

2 more elements

Apparatus for compressing a gas comprising:

a hermetic shell defining a suction pressure portion and a discharge pressure portion;
means for preventing the backflow of gas through said discharge pressure potion of said shell;
an orbiting scroll member disposed in said shell, said orbiting scroll member having an involute wrap;
a fixed scroll member disposed in said shell, said fixed scroll member having an involute wrap and defining a discharge aperture, said discharge aperture being in flow communication with said discharge pressure portion of said shell, the involute of said fixed scroll member being in interleaving engagement with the involute wrap of said orbiting scroll member so as to cooperatively define a plurality of pockets therebetween including a discharge pocket, said discharge pocket being in flow communication with said discharge aperture, said fixed scroll member further defining a passage, said passage opening into said suction pressure portion of said shell and into a location within said apparatus between said discharge pocket and said means for preventing backflow;
and
means for controlling gas flow through said passage in said fixed scroll member, said means for controlling flow (i.) permitting the flow of gas from said suction pressure portion of said shell to said discharge pocket when the pressure in said discharge pocket is less than the pressure in said suction pressure portion and (ii.) permitting the flow of gas from said discharge pocket to said suction pressure portion when the temperature of said gas exceeds a predetermined temperature.

3 more elements

A method for protecting a scroll compressor against damage upon the occurrence of reverse direction motor rotation or high discharge temperatures comprising the steps of:

defining a passage in said compressor, said passage communicating between a suction pressure portion of said compressor and a portion of said compressor through which discharge gas flows when said compressor is in normal operation;
and
controlling flow through said passage so that:
(i) gas is permitted to flow through said passage from said suction pressure portion to said portion of said compressor through which discharge gas normally flows when the pressure in said suction pressure portion exceeds the pressure in said portion of said compressor through which discharge gas normally flows;
(ii) gas is permitted to flow through said passage from said portion of said compressor through which discharge gas normally flows to said suction pressure portion of said compressor when the temperature of said gas exceeds a predetermined temperature;
and
(iii) gas is prevented from flowing through said passage when said discharge temperature is less than said predetermined temperature and when the pressure in said portion of said compressor through which discharge gas normally flows exceeds the pressure in said suction pressure portion.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.