Compact rotary compressor with carbon dioxide as working fluid

A rotary compressor for compressing a working fluid comprising:

• a stationary shaft including a longitudinal passage having a lubricant inlet and a working fluid inlet configured to receive the working fluid;
• a motor having a stator and a rotor, said rotor being rotatably mounted on said shaft and including an internal compression chamber;
• and
• a roller rotatably mounted on said shaft and within said compression chamber wherein said roller is rotatable about an axis spaced from a rotational axis of said rotor, said compression chamber being divided between said roller and said rotor into a variable-volume suction pocket and a variable-volume compression pocket, said compression pocket being at least periodically in fluid communication with a chamber containing a lubricant source wherein compressed working fluid is communicated to said chamber containing said lubricant source, said suction pocket being at least periodically in fluid communication with said longitudinal passage wherein working fluid is communicated from said longitudinal passage to said suction pocket, said roller being coupled to said rotor such that rotation of said rotor shrinks said compression pocket and expands said suction pocket, said expansion of said suction pocket operating to draw the working fluid through said longitudinal passage and into said suction pocket, said shrinkage of said compression pocket operating to compress the working fluid within said compression pocket and wherein lubricant from said lubricant source is forced through said lubricant inlet and into said longitudinal passage due to a pressure differential created by operation of said rotary compressor.

A rotary compressor for compressing a working fluid comprising:

• a housing including an interior chamber and an oil sump disposed within said interior chamber;
• a stationary shaft extending into said interior chamber and including a longitudinal passage, said longitudinal passage having an oil inlet in fluid communication with said oil sump and a working fluid inlet configured to receive the working fluid;
• and
• a motor including a stator and a rotor, said rotor being rotatably mounted on said shaft within said interior chamber and disposed directly adjacent said stator, said rotor having an inner surface that forms an internal compression chamber in at least periodic fluid communication with said longitudinal passage and in at least periodic fluid communication with said interior chamber, said rotor being configured to rotate and to thereby:
• draw the working fluid from the longitudinal passage into said compression chamber;
• and
• increase pressure in said interior chamber such that oil from said oil sump enters said oil inlet and flows within said longitudinal passage in a substantially upward direction.

A rotary compressor assembly comprising:

• a motor having a stator and a rotor disposed directly adjacent said stator, said rotor having an inner surface that forms a substantially cylindrical compression chamber having an axis;
• a first plate and a second plate fixed relative to said rotor and defining opposite ends of said compression chamber;
• stationary shaft extending axially through said compression chamber;
• a roller rotatably mounted on said stationary shaft and disposed within said compression chamber;
• a vane having an outer radial end fixed to said rotor and extending radially inwardly, said vane being fixed to said first and second plates proximate a radial inner end of said vane;
• and
• wherein said roller defines a slot, said radial inner end of said vane being disposed within said slot, rotation of said rotor rotating said first and second plates and said vane, rotation of said vane drivingly rotating said roller, said vane and said roller being relatively slidable.