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US 5,469,716 AGranted
Scroll compressor with liquid injection
AssigneeCopeland Corporation
InventorsMark Bass, Alexander P. Rafalovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scroll-type compressor has a liquid injection system for injecting liquid into an enclosed space defined by first and second scroll members which engage in cyclical relative orbiting motion, to reduce the temperature of the working fluid. The compressor incorporates a discharge diffuser for reducing the pressure of the working fluid in an enclosed space, so that the liquid may be injected into the enclosed space from a more centrally located injection port than one which would allow liquid injection without the discharge diffuser.
Claims21
A scroll-type compressor for handling a working fluid, comprising:
- first and second scroll members having intermeshed spiral wraps;
- a drive mechanism for causing said scroll members to engage in cyclical relative orbiting motion, said spiral wraps forming successive enclosed spaces which move during normal operation from a radially outer position where said working fluid is at a suction pressure to a radially inner central position where said working fluid is at a higher central pressure;
- a discharge diffuser disposed near said central position and having a diverging sidewall for discharging said working fluid from said enclosed spaces, said discharge diffuser having no discharge value and being adapted to reduce the pressure within an innermost enclosed space to allow for the injection of a liquid into said innermost enclosed space;
- and
- a liquid injection circuit for injecting said liquid into said innermost enclosed space to reduce the temperature of said working fluid, said liquid injection circuit including an injection passage extending from a liquid refrigerant supply member to an injection port formed in one of said scroll members, said injection port being disposed proximate to said diffuser such that said injection port is in communication with said discharge diffuser during a portion of said cyclical relative orbiting motion of said scroll members.
2 more elements
A scroll-type compressor for handling a working fluid, comprising:
- first and second scroll members having intermeshed spiral wraps;
- a drive mechanism for causing said scroll members to engage in cyclical relative orbiting motion, said spiral wraps forming successive enclosed spaces which move during normal operation from a radially outer position where said working fluid is at a suction pressure to a radially inner central position where said working fluid is at a higher central pressure;
- a discharge diffuser having a diverging sidewall for discharging said working fluid from said enclosed spaces, said discharge diffuser having no discharge value and being adapted to reduce the pressure within an innermost enclosed space to allow for the injection of a liquid into said innermost enclosed space;
- and
- a liquid injection circuit for injecting said liquid into said innermost enclosed space to reduce the temperature of said working fluid, said liquid injection circuit including an injection passage extending from a liquid refrigerant supply member to an injection port formed in one of said scroll members, wherein said injection circuit injects said liquid into a first of said enclosed spaces at one time in said cycle of orbiting motion when said first enclosed space is out of fluid communication with said discharge diffuser, and said injection circuit injects said liquid into said innermost enclosed space at another time in said cycle when said innermost enclosed space is in fluid communication with said discharge diffuser.
2 more elements
A scroll-type compressor for handling a working fluid, comprising:
- first and second scroll members having intermeshed spiral wraps;
- a drive mechanism for causing said scroll members to engage in cyclical relative orbiting motion, said spiral wraps forming successive enclosed spaces which move during normal operation from a radially outer position where said working fluid is at a suction pressure to a radially inner central position where said working fluid is at a higher central pressure;
- a liquid injection circuit for injecting a liquid into an innermost enclosed space to reduce the temperature of said working fluid, said liquid injection circuit including an injection passage extending from a liquid refrigerant supply member where said liquid is at a supply pressure to an injection port formed in one of said scroll members;
- and
- a discharge diffuser having a diverging sidewall and being disposed proximate to said central position for discharging said working fluid from said innermost enclosed space, said discharge diffuser having no discharge value and being adapted to reduce the pressure of said innermost enclosed space such that said liquid injection circuit injects said liquid into said innermost enclosed space from said injection port said injection port being in communication with said discharge diffuser during said injecting of said liquid.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.