U.S. patent application number 10/022991 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-18 for scroll-type compressor with cooling fins included inside a discharge port of a compressed gas.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki. Invention is credited to Hoshino, Tatsuyuki, Kawaguchi, Ryuta, Moroi, Takahiro, Nakane, Yoshiyuki, Nasuda, Tsutomu.
Application Number | 20020094289 10/022991 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18874484 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020094289 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakane, Yoshiyuki ; et
al. |
July 18, 2002 |
Scroll-type compressor with cooling fins included inside a
discharge port of a compressed gas
Abstract
A scroll-type compressor 1 of the present invention comprises a
fixed scroll 30, a movable scroll 51 which orbits so that it slides
along the fixed scroll 30, draws, and compresses gas, and a housing
3 which includes a discharge port 6 from which the gas compressed
by the movable scroll 51 is discharged; wherein a cooling fin 35,
which directly contacts at least a part of the compressed gas,
receives heat from the compressed gas, and reduces the temperature
of the compressed gas, is included inside the discharge port 6. In
the scroll-type compressor in the present invention the cooling fin
is provided in the discharge port. When the cooling fin is provided
in the discharge port, and not around the discharge port, the
discharge gas of high temperature directly contacts the cooling
fin, so that the cooling efficiency of the compressor is
improved.
Inventors: |
Nakane, Yoshiyuki;
(Kariya-shi, JP) ; Hoshino, Tatsuyuki;
(Kariya-shi, JP) ; Kawaguchi, Ryuta; (Kariya-shi,
JP) ; Nasuda, Tsutomu; (Kariya-shi, JP) ;
Moroi, Takahiro; (Kariya-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Woodcock Washburn LLP
46th Floor
One Liberty Place
Philadelphia
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota
Jidoshokki
|
Family ID: |
18874484 |
Appl. No.: |
10/022991 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
418/55.1 ;
418/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 18/0253 20130101;
F04C 18/0215 20130101; F04C 29/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
418/55.1 ;
418/101 |
International
Class: |
F04C 018/00; F04C
029/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 15, 2001 |
JP |
2001-006625 |
Claims
1. A scroll-type compressor, comprising a fixed scroll, a movable
scroll which orbits so that it slides along the fixed scroll,
draws, and compresses gas, and a housing which includes a discharge
port from which gas compressed by said movable scroll is
discharged; wherein a cooling fin which directly contacts at least
a part of the compressed gas, receives heat from the compressed
gas, and reduces the temperature of said compressed gas, is
included inside the discharge port.
2. A scroll-type compressor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
housing comprises a cooling chamber on at least a part of an outer
circumference of the discharge port.
3. A scroll-type compressor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
cooling fin comprises an inner passage.
4. A scroll-type compressor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
housing is provided with a cooling chamber on at least a part of an
outer circumference of the discharge port, the cooling fin is
provided with inner passage, and said cooling chamber is connected
to said inner passage.
5. A scroll-type compressor, as set forth in claim 1, is used to
compress gas supplied to a fuel cell.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a scroll-type compressor.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a scroll-type
compressor that compresses gas to be supplied to a fuel cell,
etc.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] There are various kinds of compressors such as a screw-type
compressor, a two lobe rotor type compressor, a rotary-type
compressor, and a scroll-type compressor. The scroll-type
compressor is compact and light, and generates little vibration and
noise, so that it has broadly been used in various applications
such as refrigerating use, air-conditioning use, etc. When
compressed gas in the scroll-type compressor is cooled, in
conventional cases, a cooling chamber is normally arranged around a
discharge port of the compressed gas, as in the case described in
Japanese unexamined patent publication (Kokai) No. 8-247,056.
[0005] FIG.4 is an axial cross-sectional view of a conventional
scroll-type compressor. A housing 100 of a conventional compressor
comprises a front casing 101, an end plate 102, and a rear casing
103.
[0006] In the center of the front casing 101 and the end plate 102,
a discharge port 104 is provided. Also, a cooling chamber 120 is
provided between a recess portion of the front casing 101 and the
end plate 102. A fixed scroll 105 is provided and stands inside the
front casing 101. Moreover, a suction chamber 106 is provided on
the outer circumferential side of the fixed scroll 105 and a
discharge chamber 107 is provided in the center of the inner
circumferential side of the fixed scroll 105. The discharge chamber
107 and the discharge port 104 are separated by a discharge valve
108.
[0007] On the other hand, one end of a drive shaft 109 of crank
shape is arranged on a rear end of the rear casing 103 so that
rotation is possible. A movable plate 111 on which a movable scroll
110 is installed and stands is also arranged on the top end of the
drive shaft 109 so that rotation is possible.
[0008] When the drive shaft 109 rotates and the movable scroll 110
orbits, air in a space enclosed by the fixed scroll 105 and the
movable scroll 110 moves toward the center region of the fixed
scroll 105, while being compressed. The compressed air which
arrives at the discharge chamber 107 passes through the discharge
valve 108, and is discharged to the outside of the compressor from
the discharge port 104.
[0009] Cooling water flows into a cooling chamber 120 through a
cooling water inflow port, which is not shown. The cooling chamber
120 is contiguous to the discharge port 104, so that heat of the
compressed air in the discharge port 104 is transmitted from the
compressed air to the cooling water. The cooling water to which
heat is transmitted and whose temperature is increased flows out of
the compressor through a cooling water outflow port, which is not
shown.
[0010] However, in the conventional scroll-type compressor the
cooling chamber which acts as a cooling means is provided around
the discharge port and the heat of the compressed gas is
transmitted to the cooling water through the thick wall of the
discharge port. Therefore, the cooling efficiency, of the
conventional scroll type compressor, for the compressed gas has
been low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] To solve the above-mentioned problems, a scroll-type
compressor of the present invention comprises a fixed scroll, a
movable scroll which orbits so that it slides along the fixed
scroll and which draws and compresses gas, and a housing which
includes a discharge port from which the gas compressed by the
movable scroll is discharged, wherein a cooling fin which directly
contacts at least a part of the compressed gas, receives heat from
the compressed gas, and reduces the temperature of the compressed
gas, is included inside the discharge port.
[0012] That is, in the scroll-type compressor in the present
invention a cooling fin is provided in the discharge port. When the
cooling fin is provided in the discharge port, not around the
discharge port, high temperature discharge gas directly contacts
the cooling fin. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the
scroll-type compressor in the present invention is improved.
[0013] The present invention may be more fully understood from the
description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth
below, together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] In the drawings:
[0015] FIG.1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a scroll-type
compressor in the first embodiment.
[0016] FIG.2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG.1.
[0017] FIG.3 is a radial cross-sectional view of a discharge port
portion of a scroll-type compressor in the second embodiment.
[0018] FIG.4 is an axial cross-sectional view of a conventional
scroll-type compressor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Some embodiments of the scroll-type compressor of the
present invention will be described below.
[0020] First Embodiment
[0021] FIG.1 is an axial cross-sectional view of a scroll-type
compressor in the present embodiment. A scroll-type compressor 1 in
the present embodiment is used to compress air supplied to a fuel
cell. Also, the scroll-type compressor is driven by an electric
motor, which is not shown. A housing of the scroll-type compressor
1 in the present embodiment comprises a front casing 3 which has a
recess 39 in the end face of the discharge side of the front casing
3, an end plate 4 which is provided on the end face of the
discharge side thereof, and a rear casing 5 which is provided on
the end face of the motor side of the front casing 3. All these
members are made of an aluminum alloy.
[0022] A fixed scroll 30 is provided inside the front casing 3 and
extends in an axial direction from an inner wall 36. A suction
chamber 31 is also formed on an outer circumferential side of the
fixed scroll 30 and a discharge chamber 32 is formed in the center
region of the fixed scroll 30. A discharge valve 33 which opens
only in a discharge direction is provided on the discharge side of
the discharge chamber 32 and a discharge port 6, which penetrates
through the end plate 4 and communicates with a fuel cell, is
provided on the downstream side of the discharge valve 33. Also,
cooling fins 35 integrally formed with the front casing 3 are
provided in the discharge port 6. On the other hand, a cooling
chamber 7 which includes heat radiating fins 70 installed and
standing inside the cooling chamber 7 is provided between the
recess 39 of the front casing 3 and the end plate 4.
[0023] FIG.2 is a section view taken along line A-A in FIG.1. The
cooling chamber 7 is formed in a U shape and surrounds the
discharge port 6, an inflow port 37 into which cooling water flows
is provided on one end of the cooling chamber 7, and an outflow
port 38 from which the cooling water flows out is provided on the
other end thereof. The cooling chamber 7 is also a component of a
cooling circuit, which is not shown. In the cooling circuit, a
radiator which cools a high temperature cooling water flowing out
from the outflow port 38, a pump which allows cooled cooling water
to flow into the inflow port 37, and so on, are arranged. Pure
water which is produced through a fuel cell reaction in the fuel
cell is used as the cooling water which circulates in the cooling
circuit.
[0024] On the other hand, as shown in FIG.1, one end of the drive
shaft 50 is arranged on the motor side end of the rear casing 5
through a ball bearing so that rotation is possible. The drive
shaft 50 has a crank shape. A circular-shaped movable plate 52 is
arranged on the other end of the drive shaft 50 through a bearing
so that rotation is possible and also a balance weight is arranged
so that the drive shaft 50 rotates in a balanced manner. A movable
scroll 51 is provided on the movable plate 52 and extends out in
the axial direction therefrom. The drive shaft 50 is connected to a
rotating shaft of the motor, which is not shown. The end portion of
the fixed scroll 30 extending from the inner wall 36 of the front
casing 3 comes into contact with the surface of the movable plate
52 which is opposed to the inner wall 36. On the other hand, the
end portion of the movable scroll 51 comes into contact with the
inner wall 36. That is, the fixed scroll 30 and the movable scroll
51 are arranged between the inner wall 36 and the movable plate 52,
they overlap each other, and the fixed scroll 30 is arranged in a
status being turned, in just 180 degree, with respect to the
movable scroll 51. A space in which air is compressed is defined by
the inner wall 36, the fixed scroll 30, the movable plate 52, and
the movable scroll 51. One end of a movable shaft 55 is arranged on
the outer circumferential side of the movable plate 52 through a
ball bearing so that rotation is possible. The movable shaft 55
also has a crank shape as same as the drive shaft 50 and has a
balance weight on one end thereof. The other end of the movable
shaft 55 is also arranged on the rear casing 5 through a ball
bearing so that rotation is possible.
[0025] When the drive shaft 50 is rotated by the motor, a
rotational force is transmitted to the movable plate 52 and the
movable plate 52 rotates around the drive shaft 50 which defines
the center of the rotation. The movable scroll 51 orbits so that it
slides along the fixed scroll 30. The self-rotation of the movable
scroll 51 is prevented by the movable shaft 55.
[0026] Air is drawn from an air suction port, which is not shown,
and flows into the suction chamber 31 connected to the air suction
port. When the movable scroll 51 orbits, air in a space enclosed by
the fixed scroll 30 and the movable scroll 51 moves toward the
center region of the fixed scroll 30 while being compressed. The
compressed air then arrives at the discharge chamber 32 in the
center of the fixed scroll 30, flows into the discharge port 6
through the discharge valve 33, and is discharged to the outside of
the compressor from the end of the discharge port 6.
[0027] Cooling water flows into the cooling chamber 7 from the
inflow port 37, as shown in FIG.2, receives the heat of the
compressed air, in the discharge port 6, at the cooling chamber 7,
and then flows out from the outflow port 38. The cooling water
flowing out is cooled by a radiator, which is not shown, and is
forced back into the cooling chamber 7 again by a pump, which is
not shown. That is, the cooling water is circulated in the cooling
circuit, while a temperature increase, and a decrease, of the
cooling water are repeated in turn. However, a part of the cooling
water flowing out from the outflow port 38 is disposed and
alternatively pure water produced in a fuel cell is adequately
complemented into the cooling circuit.
[0028] The cooling fins 35 in this embodiment are made, integrally
with the front casing 3, by casting.
[0029] Second Embodiment
[0030] FIG.3 is a cross-sectional view around the discharge port 6
of a scroll-type compressor 1 in this embodiment. In FIG.3, the
same symbols are attached to the same components as in the first
embodiment. The cooling fins 35 in this embodiment are constructed
as separate members from the front casing 3. The cooling fins 35
are made by a casting. Also, the inner passages 34 are formed in
the cooling fins 35 in this embodiment. The inner passages 34 are
fabricated by obliquely boring holes in both ends of the cooling
fins 35, after casting, and by connecting both holes. The
fabricated cooling fins 35 are assembled in the front casing 3 in a
procedure in which, at first, cuts are formed in the discharge port
6 in an axial direction from the discharge end and, next, the
cooling fins 35 are inserted in the cuts and, lastly, the end
plate, which is not shown, is placed on the discharge port 6. The
different constitutions, of the scroll-type compressor in this
embodiment, which differ from those in the first embodiment, are
that the cooling fins are separately constructed from the front
casing and that the inner passages are formed by boring in the
cooling fins. Other constitutions of the scroll-type compressor in
this embodiment are same as those in the first embodiment.
[0031] The scroll-type compressor of the present invention has the
cooling fins in the discharge port. Therefore, it can effectively
cool the compressed gas to be discharged.
[0032] The variants and modifications of the present invention and
the effects thereof become more apparent from the following
descriptions.
[0033] Though the shape of cooling fins is not particularly
restricted, preferably the shape thereof has a low flow resistance
against the discharge flow of the compressed gas so that the
discharge flow is not disturbed and the temperature of discharge
gas is not increased. Also, the surface areas (the heat
transferring areas) of the cooling fins are preferably large so
that the cooling efficiency of the compressor can be improved. For
the above reasons, concretely, the cooling fins preferably have a
shape such that the cooling fins extend in an axial direction of
the discharge port. The installing location of the cooling fins is
also not particularly restricted as far as they are located within
the discharge port, but the area which is close to the discharge
valve and in which the temperature of the compressed gas is high is
preferable in order to improve the cooling efficiency. In order to
increase the heat transferring areas the cooling fins may be
provided on the whole axial length of the inside of the discharge
port. Also, the cooling fins may be integrally made with the
members forming and surrounding the discharge port or may be
separately made from the members. When the cooling fins and the
members forming and surrounding the discharge port are integrally
made, the time spent for the fabrication thereof can be shortened.
Further, when they are separately made, the cooling fins can be
fabricated in a relatively easy manner even if the shape of the
cooling fins is complicated.
[0034] The cooling chamber may be provided on at least a part of
the outer circumference of the discharge port, while the cooling
chamber is arranged separate from the cooling fins. The cooling
fluid which is used for cooling the compressed gas is supplied into
the cooling chamber. The cooling fluid receives the heat of the
compressed gas, so that the cooling efficiency can be more
improved. The cooling chamber may be provided either on the whole
areas of the outer circumference of the discharge port or only on a
partial area thereof. The larger installation areas of the cooling
chamber are preferable, because the cooling efficiency can be
improved. If fins are extended in the cooling chamber, the heat
transferring areas are increased and the cooling efficiency can be
more improved. The cooling chamber constitutes a part of a cooling
circuit, though it is positioned separate from the cooling circuit.
Cooling fluid which has a lower temperature than that of the
compressed gas should be supplied to the cooling chamber by the
cooling circuit. The cooling circuit may, for example, comprise a
cooling method which cools the cooling fluid heated by the
compressed gas, a pumping method which supplies the cooling fluid,
and so on, and may circulate the cooling fluid in the cooling
circuit. Moreover, a cooling fluid supply method and a cooling
fluid disposal method may additionally be provided in the cooling
circuit and the cooling fluid may circulate in the cooling circuit,
while some of cooling fluids are replaced by new fluids. In
addition, if sufficient quantity of low temperature cooling fluids
is supplied, the cooling fluids heated by the compressed gas may be
disposed without circulating in the cooling circuit.
[0035] Moreover, the kinds of the cooling fluids are not
particularly restricted. Fluids, such as water, air, etc., with
lower temperature than the compressed gas can be applied.
[0036] Preferably, the cooling fins may also be provided with inner
passages. Cooling fluid is supplied to the inner passages which are
formed in the cooling fins and thereby the cooling efficiency, of
the compressor, for the compressed gas can be more improved. The
inner passages also constitute a part of the cooling circuit,
though they are provided separate from the cooling circuit. The
cooling circuit in this case can also have a similar construction
as that of the cooling circuit, for the cooling chamber, described
above. The compressed gas directly contacts the cooling fins. The
cooling efficiency of the compressor can be more improved by
supplying the cooling fluid to the inner passages in the cooling
fins.
[0037] Moreover, the cooling chamber may preferably be connected to
the inner passages. Thus, a single cooling circuit allows the
cooling fluids to be supplied to both the cooling chamber and the
inner passages. That is, respective cooling circuits for the
cooling chamber and the inner passages need not to be provided
separately. Therefore, the cooling circuit can be simplified and
the location areas of the cooling circuit in the compressor can be
reduced.
[0038] The scroll-type compressor of the present invention is
especially advantageous for compressing gas supplied to a fuel
cell. In the automobile industry, a demand for electric cars, to
which a fuel cell supplies energy, is increasing. A scroll-type
compressor that is compact and light is expected to be used to
supply compressed gas to the fuel cell. When gas is supplied to the
fuel cell, it must be previously humidified before it is employed
in a fuel cell reaction. Therefore, a water vapor exchange membrane
for humidifying compressed gas is provided in the outlet side of
the discharge port of the compressor and the water vapor exchange
membrane can resist a temperature of around 140.degree. C.
Moreover, some components of the fuel cell only resist a
temperature of around 100.degree. C. Therefore, the compressed gas
should previously be cooled in the compressor to the condition
approximately satisfying the above temperature conditions. When the
scroll-type compressor of the present invention is applied to
compress the supplied gas, the compressed gas, that is, the gas
supplied to a fuel cell, can be cooled to around the temperature
that satisfies the above-mentioned temperature conditions.
Therefore, the fuel cell and the components thereof can be
protected from heat. In addition, in a fuel cell pure water is
produced as a by-product of a fuel cell reaction and can be
effectively used as the cooling fluid supplied to the cooling
chamber and the inner passages of the scroll-type compressor. The
gases supplied to the fuel cell include air, oxygen, etc., as an
oxidizer, and hydrogen etc., as a fuel. The scroll-type compressor
of the present invention can be used for all of the above
gases.
[0039] Though several aspects of the scroll-type compressor of the
present invention are explained above, the aspects of the
scroll-type compressor of the present invention are not
particularly limited to the aspects described above. The variants
and modifications, of the aspects, which can easily be performed by
those of ordinary skill in the art, can be realized.
[0040] While the invention has been described by reference to
specific embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustration, it
should be apparent that numerous modifications could be made
thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the
basic concept and scope of the invention.
* * * * *