U.S. patent application number 10/544770 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for screw compressor.
Invention is credited to Masaaki Kamikawa, Souichi Shiraishi, Hiroyuki Yamakawa, Hiroyuki Yoneda.
Application Number | 20060182647 10/544770 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34708603 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060182647 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kamikawa; Masaaki ; et
al. |
August 17, 2006 |
Screw compressor
Abstract
The present invention provides a screw compressor in which an
oil path is provided within the casing body such that the oil for
sealing gaps in the compression chamber and lubricating the
bearings is circulated to the vicinity of the low pressure side,
allowing the compressor to have high adiabatic efficiency and high
volumetric efficiency. The present invention also provides a screw
compressor in which an oil path is provided in the screw bore outer
circumferential portion of the casing body to prevent contact
between the screw rotor and the screw bore portion of the casing
body. The present invention also provides a screw compressor which
includes a heat sink to increase the heat transfer area for
exchanging heat between the oil and refrigerant gas or liquid
refrigerant, thereby achieving increased resistance to returned
liquid refrigerant.
Inventors: |
Kamikawa; Masaaki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Yoneda; Hiroyuki; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Shiraishi; Souichi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Yamakawa;
Hiroyuki; (Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
34708603 |
Appl. No.: |
10/544770 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP03/16448 |
371 Date: |
August 8, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
418/206.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C 28/28 20130101;
F04C 29/028 20130101; F04C 2270/17 20130101; F04C 29/045 20130101;
F04C 28/06 20130101; F05C 2251/048 20130101; F04C 29/0007 20130101;
F04C 18/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
418/206.8 |
International
Class: |
F01C 1/18 20060101
F01C001/18 |
Claims
1. A screw compressor comprising: a casing body; a motor disposed
within said casing body; a screw rotor disposed such that the screw
rotor rotates together with a rotor of said motor within said
casing body; and a compression chamber formed between said screw
rotor and said casing body; wherein an oil path is provided within
said casing body to circulate an oil to a vicinity of the low
pressure side of said compressor, said oil being introduced into
said compression chamber to seal gaps in said compression chamber
or lubricate a bearing.
2. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oil
path is provided in a screw bore outer circumferential portion of
said casing body.
3. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of
said oil path protrudes externally of said casing body and has a
solenoid valve attached thereto.
4. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein an oil
temperature control device is provided on an inlet side of said oil
path to control the temperature of said oil before said oil is
introduced into said oil path.
5. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 4, wherein: said oil
temperature control device is divided into two portions each
attached to said oil path on a respective side of a screw bore
outer circumferential portion of said casing body; said oil is set
at a high temperature before it is passed through said screw bore
outer circumferential portion; and said oil is set at a low
temperature after it is passed through said screw bore outer
circumferential portion.
6. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 4, wherein: a gap
detector is provided to detect a gap between an inner
circumferential portion of said casing body and said screw rotor;
and said temperature of said oil is controlled in accordance with
detection results from said gap detector.
7. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oil
path is extended to a vicinity of a power terminal portion and a
terminal block of said motor disposed within said casing body.
8. The screw compressor as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said oil
path is extended to a vicinity of a boundary wall of said casing
body, said boundary wall constituting a boundary between a motor
chamber and a low pressure chamber of said compressor; and a heat
sink is attached to said boundary wall such that said heat sink
sits on both said motor chamber and said low pressure chamber of
said compressor.
9. A screw compressor comprising: a casing body; a motor disposed
within said casing body; a screw rotor disposed such that the screw
rotor rotates together with a rotor of said motor within said
casing body; a screw shaft connected between said screw rotor and
said motor rotor so as to align the axes of said screw rotor and
said motor rotor; a bearing for supporting said screw shaft; and a
compression chamber formed between said screw rotor and said casing
body; wherein an oil path is provided within said casing body to
circulate an oil to a vicinity of the low pressure side of said
compressor, said oil being introduced into said compression chamber
to seal gaps in said compression chamber or lubricate said bearing.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a screw compressor for
compressing refrigerant gas. In particular, the invention relates
to a screw compressor in which the oil to be introduced into the
compression chamber and bearings to seal gaps in the compression
chamber and lubricate the bearings is cooled to achieve high
adiabatic efficiency and high volumetric efficiency. The present
invention also relates to a screw compressor in which the
difference in thermal expansion between the screw rotor and the
screw bore portion of the casing body due to their temperature
difference is reduced to prevent contact between the screw rotor
and the screw bore portion due to a reduction in the gap between
them. The present invention also relates to a screw compressor
which prevents liquid compression by causing the liquid refrigerant
to exchange heat when it flows into the compressor, thereby
achieving increased resistance to returned liquid refrigerant.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventional screw compressors have been configured such
that the oil for sealing gaps in the compression chamber and
lubricating the bearings is introduced from the high pressure side
into the compression chamber and the bearings at nearly the
discharge gas temperature. Since a conventional screw compressor
has a configuration in which the oil for sealing gaps in the
compression chamber and lubricating the bearings is introduced from
the high pressure side into the compression chamber and the
bearings at nearly the discharge gas temperature, the temperature
of the compression chamber becomes higher than necessary, which
increases the discharge gas temperature and hence the oil
temperature, falling into a vicious circle. If liquid refrigerant
is injected into the compressor to prevent this, the adiabatic
efficiency and volumetric efficiency of the compressor decreases.
The reduction in the viscosity of the oil at high temperatures also
leads to a decrease in the adiabatic and volumetric efficiency.
Furthermore, when the oil is introduced into the compression
chamber at nearly the discharge gas temperature, the screw rotor
thermally expands more quickly than the screw bore portion of the
casing since the screw rotor has smaller heat capacity.
Consequently, the gap between the screw rotor and the screw bore
portion of the casing decreases, which might lead to contact
between the screw rotor and the screw bore portion and hence an
inability to operate the screw compressor properly if the initial
gap is set too small.
[0003] Some conventional screw compressors use the discharge gas to
heat the screw bore portion of the casing to reduce the difference
in thermal expansion between the screw rotor and the screw bore
portion of the casing. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Publication No. 6-42474 discloses a screw compressor in which the
discharge gas path is extended close to the edge of the screw rotor
in the axial direction on the suction side. This structure can
prevent the temperature of the low pressure chamber from greatly
affecting the inner cylinder of the casing which covers the outer
circumferential surface of the screw rotor, thereby preventing
seizure between the screw rotor and the inner cylinder of the
casing while maintaining high performance without increasing the
seal gap between the screw rotor and the inner cylinder.
[0004] With this conventional screw compressor, however, the
pressure differential may increase depending on the operating
conditions, resulting in a reduced discharge gas rate. This reduces
the effect of the above structure for improving the thermal
response of the screw bore portion of the casing and thereby
increases the difference in thermal expansion between the screw
rotor and the screw bore portion of the casing, which might lead to
their contact.
[0005] The present invention has been devised to solve the above
problems. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
provide a screw compressor in which the oil to be introduced into
the compression chamber and bearings to seal gaps in the
compression chamber and lubricate the bearings is cooled to achieve
high adiabatic efficiency and high volumetric efficiency.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
screw compressor in which the difference in thermal expansion
between the screw rotor and the screw bore portion of the casing
body due to their temperature difference is reduced to prevent
contact between the screw rotor and the screw bore portion due to a
reduction in the gap between them.
[0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a screw compressor which prevents liquid compression by causing the
liquid refrigerant to exchange heat when it flows into the
compressor, thereby achieving increased resistance to returned
liquid refrigerant.
[0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
screw compressor in which dew is prevented from being formed on the
power terminal portion of the motor disposed in the casing
body.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In a screw compressor of the present invention, an oil path
is provided in the casing body such that the oil for sealing gaps
in the compression chamber and lubricating the bearings is
circulated to the vicinity of the low pressure side.
[0010] In another screw compressor of the present invention, the
above oil path is provided in the screw bore outer circumferential
portion of the casing body.
[0011] In still another screw compressor of the present invention,
a heat sink is provided to increase the heat transfer area for
exchanging heat with refrigerant gas or liquid refrigerant passed
through the motor chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a partial structural view of the screw compressor
according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention will be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
[0019] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown
in the figure, a motor 2 is fixed to the inside walls of a
cylindrical casing body 1 constituting the body of the screw
compressor. The motor 2 includes: a stator 3 fixed to the inside
walls of the casing body 1; and a rotor 4 disposed inside the
stator 3. A screw rotor 5 is also disposed within the casing body
1. The screw rotor 5 and the motor rotor 4 are attached to a screw
shaft 6 such that their axes are aligned. The screw rotor 5 has a
plurality of spiral compression grooves formed therein and is
connected through the screw shaft 6 to the motor 2, which rotates
the screw rotor 5. Further, a motor cover 7 and an oil separator 8
are each fixed to a respective end of the casing body 1.
[0020] In the screw compressor configured as described above, the
oil to be introduced into a compression chamber 9 to seal the gap
between the inner circumferential surface of the casing body 1 and
the outer circumferential surface of the screw rotor 5 in the
compression chamber 9 is circulated to the vicinity of the low
pressure side such as a low pressure chamber 10 of the compressor.
More specifically, within the casing body 1, an oil path 11 is
formed in a screw bore outer circumferential portion 1b of a screw
casing portion 1a (inside of which the screw rotor 5 is disposed)
such that the oil path 11 extends from the compression chamber 9 to
the low pressure chamber 10 of the compressor. With this, the oil
to be introduced into the compression chamber 9 is cooled by the
cool refrigerant near the low pressure side, making it possible to
remove the heat of compression when the cooled oil is put into the
compression chamber 9. This arrangement also prevents the reduction
in the adiabatic and volumetric efficiency due to the liquid
refrigerant injected to remove the heat of compression. The
reduction in the temperature of the oil increases the viscosity of
the oil and hence improves gap sealing performance, allowing the
screw compressor to have high efficiency.
[0021] With conventional screw compressors, when oil of nearly the
discharge gas temperature is put into the compression chamber, the
screw rotor 5 thermally expands more quickly than the casing body 1
since the screw rotor 5 has smaller heat capacity. This reduces the
gap between the casing body 1 and the screw rotor 5. In the screw
compressor of the present embodiment, on the other hand, the oil is
cooled in the vicinity of the low pressure side, as described
above, reducing the difference in thermal expansion between the
casing body 1 and the screw rotor 5 due to their heat capacity
difference. This can prevent contact between the screw rotor 5 and
the casing body 1 even when the initial gap is set small, allowing
the screw compressor to achieve high reliability.
[0022] Further, since the oil path 11 for circulating the oil to
the vicinity of the low pressure side is formed in the screw bore
outer circumferential portion 1b of the screw casing portion 1a,
the oil of nearly the discharge gas temperature warms the screw
bore outer circumferential portion 1b until it reaches the vicinity
of the low pressure side (i.e., the low temperature portion) of the
screw casing portion 1a. This improves the thermal response of the
screw casing portion 1a with respect to the discharge gas
temperature, making it possible to reduce the difference in thermal
expansion between the screw rotor 5 and the screw casing portion
1a.
[0023] Further, since the oil path 11 is formed in the screw bore
outer circumferential portion 1b of the screw casing portion 1a so
as to warm the screw casing portion 1a by the oil, as described
above, a sufficient amount of oil is supplied even when the
pressure differential is large and hence the discharge gas rate is
reduced, meaning that the effect of warming the screw casing
portion 1a is not reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the
difference in thermal expansion between the screw rotor 5 and the
screw casing portion 1a, allowing the screw compressor to have high
reliability.
[0024] Further, the oil circulation path 11 may be formed to have
the following configuration. The oil path 11 runs from the oil
separator 8 through the screw bore outer circumferential portion 1b
of the screw casing portion 1a to warm the screw bore portion 4b
with the oil. Then, the path goes to the low pressure side (the low
pressure chamber 10 of the compressor, the motor chamber, etc.) to
cool the oil, which is then put into the compression chamber 9.
Such an arrangement achieves the effect of warming the screw casing
portion 1a with the oil, as described above, as well as increasing
the adiabatic efficiency and volumetric efficiency by cooling the
oil, allowing the screw compressor to have high efficiency and high
reliability.
Second Embodiment
[0025] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown
in the figure, an external oil path 11a protruding externally of
the casing body 1 is added to the oil path 11. A solenoid valve 12
is attached to this external oil path 11a so as to control the oil
flow, allowing or not allowing the oil to pass. With this
arrangement, when the thermal expansion of the screw rotor 5 is
small as in normal operation and hence the screw casing portion 1a
need not be warmed, the solenoid valve 12 may be closed to stop the
oil flow in order to prevent an increase in the gap between the
screw rotor 5 and the screw bore portion of the screw casing
portion 1a. The oil may be allowed to flow through the oil path 11
only when the gap between the screw rotor 5 and the screw bore
portion of the screw casing portion 1a is reduced due to the
expansion of the screw rotor 5 caused by increased discharge gas
temperature, etc. Thus, it is possible to ensure the reliability of
the screw compressor while preventing the reduction in the
volumetric efficiency due to an increase in the gap in normal
operation.
Third Embodiment
[0026] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the
first embodiment, the oil trapped in the oil separator 8 is drawn
into the oil path 11. The third embodiment, on the other hand, is
configured such that an oil temperature control device 13 is
provided on the inlet side of the oil path 11 and the oil is
introduced to the oil path 11 through the oil temperature control
device 13. Even though FIG. 3 shows an example in which the oil
temperature control device 13 is provided in an oil tank 14 outside
the compressor, it may be installed in the oil trapping portion
(that is, the lower portion) of the oil separator 8 within the
compressor. The oil temperature may be adjusted in the oil
temperature control device 13 so as to heat the screw casing
portion 1a and thereby expand the screw bore portion when the
compression ratio or the discharge gas temperature is high, which
makes it possible to minimize the difference in thermal expansion
between the screw casing portion 1a and the screw rotor 5 and
prevent their contact. Thus, it is possible to provide a highly
reliable screw compressor. Further, after the oil is passed through
the screw bore portion of the screw casing portion 1a to warm the
screw casing 1a, the above oil temperature control may be performed
so as to cool the oil, which then may be put into the compression
chamber 9. Such an arrangement allows prevention of seizure, etc.
due to the expansion of the screw rotor 5, achieving high
reliability. Furthermore, the increase in the oil viscosity results
in an increase in the sealing performance, allowing the screw
compressor to have high efficiency.
[0027] Further, the above oil temperature control device 13 may be
divided into two portions each disposed on a respective side of the
screw bore outer circumferential portion 1b of the screw casing
portion 1a. In such a configuration, the oil may be set at a high
temperature before it is passed through the screw bore outer
circumferential portion 1b. Then, after the oil is passed through
the screw bore outer circumferential portion 1b, it may be set at a
low temperature. This allows effectively providing increased
adiabatic efficiency and volumetric efficiency through cooling of
the oil, as well as increased reliability through warming of the
casing.
[0028] Further, in the above oil temperature control, the discharge
gas temperature may be detected and the oil temperature may be
controlled according to the temperature or the degree of superheat
of the discharge gas. For example, when the discharge gas
temperature is high (exceeding 100.degree. C.), the oil temperature
may be increased to further expand the screw casing portion 1a and
thereby prevent contact between the screw rotor 5 and the screw
bore portion of the screw casing portion 1a.
[0029] Further, a noncontact/eddy current type gap detector 15,
etc. may be attached to detect the gap between the screw casing
portion 1a and the screw rotor 5, as shown in FIG. 4. Then, in the
above oil temperature control, the oil temperature may be
controlled while detecting the gap, allowing the gap between the
screw rotor 5 and the screw casing portion 1a to be minimized. This
allows the screw compressor to achieve reduced internal leak, as
well as high performance and high reliability.
[0030] According to the first embodiment, the oil path 11 is formed
in the screw bore outer circumferential portion 1b, as described
above. In addition, the third embodiment is configured such that
the temperature of the circulating oil is controlled, also as
described above. Furthermore, according to the third embodiment,
the oil path 11 may be divided into upper and lower paths. When
liquid refrigerant or wet vapor refrigerant enters the screw
compressor, the refrigerant tends to accumulate on the bottom of
the compressor due to its own weight, making the temperature of the
screw casing portion lower in the lower portion of the compressor
than in the upper portion. To address this problem, the above lower
path of the oil path 11 may be set to have a larger heat transfer
area than the upper path, or the oil supplied to the lower path may
be set at a higher temperature than the oil supplied to the upper
path, or oil may be supplied to only the lower path, in order to
warm the lower portion of the compressor. Such arrangements reduce
the temperature difference between the upper and lower portions of
the compressor, allowing the compressor to have resistance to
returned liquid refrigerant and high reliability.
[0031] Further, when the suction gas contains a considerable amount
of liquid refrigerant, the oil flow rate may be increased
accordingly. Thus, appropriately controlling the oil flow rate
enhances the resistance to returned liquid refrigerant.
Fourth Embodiment
[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
According to the first embodiment, the oil path 11 is formed so as
to circulate the high temperature oil to the vicinity of the low
pressure side, as described above. The fourth embodiment, on the
other hand, is configured such that part or all of the oil path,
denoted by 11b, is extended so as to circulate the oil close to the
power terminal portion 16 and the terminal block 17 of the motor 2
disposed in the casing body 1 of the compressor. When the screw
compressor is operated under low temperature conditions, that is,
when the suction gas temperature is low, dew may be formed on the
terminal block 17 and the power terminal portion 16, depending on
the ambient temperature and humidity conditions, which might lead
to a short circuit in the power supply. However, circulating the
oil close to the power terminal portion 16 and the terminal block
17 and thereby warming them prevents dew from being formed thereon,
allowing the screw compressor to have enhanced reliability.
Fifth Embodiment
[0033] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a screw compressor
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the
screw compressor of the first embodiment, the oil path 11 is formed
so as to circulate the oil to the vicinity of the low pressure
side, as described above. The fifth embodiment, on the other hand,
is configured such that the oil path 11 is formed so as to
circulate the oil to the vicinity of a boundary wall 1c of the
casing body 1 constituting the boundary between the motor chamber 2
and the compressor low-pressure chamber 10 on the low pressure
side, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. A heat sink 18 may be
attached to the boundary wall 1c such that it sits on both the
motor chamber 2 and the compressor low-pressure chamber 10 to
increase the heat transfer area for cooling the oil circulated to
the boundary wall 1c. Even when refrigerant in a liquid state is
injected into the compressor, the high temperature oil circulated
to the vicinity of the low pressure side heats the refrigerant (as
in other embodiments). At that time, the above heat sink 18
increases the heat transfer area for exchanging heat between the
refrigerant and the oil, allowing the screw compressor to have
increased resistance to returned liquid refrigerant and high
reliability.
[0034] Further, the heat sink 18 which is attached to the boundary
wall 1c of the casing body 1 such that it sits on both the motor
chamber 2 and the compressor low-pressure chamber 10 may be
provided with cooling fins to improve its heat exchange
performance.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0035] According to the present invention described above, the oil
to be introduced into the compression chamber is circulated to the
vicinity of the low pressure side and thereby cooled. The cooled
oil is put into the compression chamber so as to be able to remove
the heat of compression and thereby prevent the adiabatic
efficiency and volumetric efficiency from being reduced. The
reduction in the oil temperature increases the viscosity of the oil
and hence enhances the oil gap sealing performance, allowing the
screw compressor to have high efficiency.
[0036] Further according to the present invention, a heat sink is
attached near the boundary position between the motor chamber and
the compressor lower-pressure chamber on the low pressure side to
increase the heat transfer area for cooling the oil. As a result of
circulating the oil to the vicinity of the low pressure side and
providing the heat sink, it is possible to prevent liquid
compression by causing the liquid refrigerant to exchange heat with
the oil when the liquid refrigerant flows into the compressor,
allowing the screw compressor to have increased resistance to
returned liquid refrigerant.
* * * * *