U.S. patent number 3,913,346 [Application Number 05/474,629] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-21 for liquid refrigerant injection system for hermetic electric motor driven helical screw compressor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Dunham Bush, Inc.. Invention is credited to Clark B. Hamilton, Harold W. Moody, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,913,346 |
Moody, Jr. , et al. |
October 21, 1975 |
Liquid refrigerant injection system for hermetic electric motor
driven helical screw compressor
Abstract
An electric motor driven helical screw compressor of the
hermetic type forms a closed refrigeration circuit including,
downstream of the compressor, and in order, a condenser, a thermal
expansion valve and evaporator means. The electric motor housing is
hermetically sealed from the screw compressor and ambient, and the
screw compressor housing is provided with a liquid refrigerant
injection or bleed port opening to a closed screw compressor thread
at a pressure intermediate of compressor suction and discharge
which determines the pressure within the motor housing. High
pressure liquid refrigerant bled from the condenser enters the
hermetically sealed motor casing and rises to the level of the
peripheral gap between the electric rotor and stator and is
maintained at that level by the liquid refrigerant being picked up
as result of rotor rotation and splashed against the stator for
motor cooling by resultant vaporization. A fluid passage leads from
the motor casing at the liquid level, normally defined by the gap
position between the stator and rotor, to the bleed port to feed
some of the liquid refrigerant to the closed threads for cooling
the screw compressor by vaporization thereof during compression
depending on the level of liquid refrigerant within the motor
housing. Flash vapor resulting from liquid refrigerant subcooling
within the system may be additionally fed to the motor casing for
additional cooling of the motor windings and returned to the system
through the compressor bleed port.
Inventors: |
Moody, Jr.; Harold W.
(Farmington, CT), Hamilton; Clark B. (Wethersfield, CT) |
Assignee: |
Dunham Bush, Inc. (West
Hartford, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23884363 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/474,629 |
Filed: |
May 30, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/197;
62/505 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04C
29/042 (20130101); F25B 31/008 (20130101); F25B
1/047 (20130101); F25B 2400/13 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F25B
1/04 (20060101); F25B 1/047 (20060101); F25B
31/00 (20060101); F04C 29/04 (20060101); F25B
031/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;62/510,505,196,197 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wayner; William E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn &
Macpeak
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a refrigeration system employing an electric motor driven
helical screw compressor forming a part of a closed refrigeration
circuit which further includes downstream of the compressor and in
order, a condenser, a thermal expansion valve, and evaporator
means, wherein the electric motor includes a motor housing which
hermetically seals the motor from the screw compressor and which
carries a fixed stator and a rotatable rotor in concentric fashion,
and the screw compressor housing is provided with a liquid
refrigerant bleed port opening to a closed screw compressor thread
at a pressure intermediate compressor suction and discharge, the
improvement comprising:
means for bleeding liquid refrigerant from the high pressure side
of the circuit, and delivering the liquid refrigerant to the bottom
of the motor housing for gravity accumulation therein,
means responsive to accumulation of liquid refrigerant within said
motor housing, for causing said motor rotor in response to rotation
thereof, to pick up some liquid refrigerant and distribute it to
that portion of said stator lying above the accumulated refrigerant
to cool the same by vaporization and to thereby maintain said
liquid refrigerant at a predetermined level, determined by initial
contact of said rotor with said liquid refrigerant accumulating
within said motor housing, and
fluid passage means coupled at one end to said injection port and
opening at the other end within said housing at said predetermined
level;
whereby, liquid refrigerant accumulating within said motor housing
is simultaneously vaporized within said housing to cool said motor
and is bled to the closed thread for injection into said compressor
for cooling the screw compressor closed thread content by
vaporization of said liquid refrigerant therein during compression
thereof.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means
within said system, downstream of said compressor, for providing
vaporized refrigerant at a pressure intermediate compressor suction
and discharge pressure, and means for delivering said vaporized
refrigerant to said motor housing for impingement on said motor
stator to additionally cool said motor prior to passing from said
motor housing to said compressor via said bleed port.
3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means within said
system for providing vaporized refrigerant at a pressure
intermediate compressor suction and discharge comprises: an
economizer positioned within said system intermediate of said
condenser and said thermal expansion valve, a fluid restrictor
within the line leading from said condenser to said economizer for
reducing pressure of the liquid refrigerant entering said
economizer to cause flash gas resulting therefrom to subcool the
remaining liquid refrigerant therein, resulting in creation of the
vaporized refrigerant, and wherein said vapor delivering means
comprises conduit means fluid coupling said economizer to said
motor housing to supply the vaporized refrigerant thereto.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said electric motor
is oriented horizontally, said rotor is spaced relative to said
fixed stator to form an annular gap between the peripheries
thereof, and said fluid coupling means comprises a passage leading
to said bleed port and opening into said motor housing at a height
corresponding to the lowermost gap position.
5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said electric motor
is oriented horizontally, said rotor is spaced relative to said
fixed stator to form an annular gap between the peripheries
thereof, and said fluid coupling means comprises a passage leading
to said bleed port and opening into said motor housing at a height
corresponding to the lowermost gap position.
6. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein: said electric motor
is oriented horizontally, said rotor is spaced relative to said
fixed stator to form an annular gap between the peripheries
thereof, and said fluid coupling means comprises a passage leading
to said bleed port and opening into said motor housing at a height
corresponding to the lowermost gap position.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a thermal
expansion valve positioned within said circuit leading from said
condenser to said motor housing for modulating the flow of liquid
refrigerant between said condenser and said motor housing, and
thermal energy sensing means positioned in heat transfer with
respect to said means fluid coupling said bleed port to said motor
housing interior and being operatively coupled to said thermal
expansion valve for controlling valve operation.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein: said valve further
includes means responsive to vapor pressure within said motor
housing for additionally modulating said flow of liquid refrigerant
therethrough.
9. In a refrigeration system employing an electric motor driven
helical screw compressor forming a part of a closed refrigeration
circuit which further includes downstream of the compressor and in
order, a condenser, a thermal expansion valve, and evaporator
means, and wherein the electric motor includes a motor housing
which hermetically seals the motor from the screw compressor and
which carries a fixed stator and a rotatable rotor in concentric
fashion, and the screw compressor housing is provided with a liquid
refrigerant bleed port opening to a closed screw compressor thread
at a pressure intermediate compressor suction and discharge, the
improvement comprising:
means for bleeding liquid refrigerant from the high pressure side
of the circuit, and delivering the liquid refrigerant to the bottom
of the motor housing for gravity accumulation therein,
means responsive to accumulation of liquid refrigerant within said
motor housing to a predetermined level, for causing liquid
refrigerant to impinge upon portions of said motor stator and by
rotation thereof to splash against portions of the motor stator
above said predetermined level for cooling by vaporization of
liquid refrigerant and to maintain the level of accumulated liquid
refrigerant within said housing at said predetermined level defined
by initial contact of said rotor with the liquid refrigerant
accumulating within said motor housing in a closed fluid passage
opening at one end to liquid injection port and at the other end
directly to said motor housing at said predetermined level such
that simulaneously in response to accumulation of liquid
refrigerant to said predetermined level, vaporized liquid
refrigerant within said housing deposited on the stator above the
level of accumulated liquid refrigerant causes cooling of said
motor and liquid refrigerant delivered to said port through said
passage cools the screw compressor closed thread content by
vaporization of said liquid refrigerant therein during compression
thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to helical screw rotary compressors and more
particularly, to compressor assembly wherein the helical screw
compressor is driven by an electric motor hermetically sealed from
the compressor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Helical screw, rotary compressors driven by electric motors have
been built in terms of hermetic units, wherein the electric motor
rotor is directly coupled to the driving screw of the screw
compressor by means of the rotor shaft, and wherein the motor is
open to the compressor discharge with both units confined by a
sealed casing defining the hermetic environment of the mechanically
coupled motor and screw compressor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,826,
assigned to the common assignee, is representative thereof. Where
the screw compressor forms a component of a closed refrigeration
circuit, the compressed gaseous refrigerant and oil exits from the
discharge end of the screw compressor section of the unit and
impinges against the stator and rotor winding to limit the
temperature of the motor windings within acceptable limits. In
order to favorably influence the efficiency of the machine and to
lubricate the moving parts, some compressors have employed oil
injectors within the compression area with the oil reducing the
discharge temperature of the compressed gas, while at the same time
acting as a seal between the rotating screw and the stationary
compressor housing defining the compressor working area.
Necessarily, the oil which is separated from the compressor working
fluid, that is, the refrigerant, is required to be cooled prior to
re-injecting into the compressor. The adjunct of extra oil cooler
necessarily increases the size of the refrigeration unit, adds an
additional unit to the system, and complicates system maintenance
and operation.
Attempts have been made to inject liquid refrigerant into the
refrigerant vapor or working fluid as it is being compressed such
that the flashing of the liquid refrigerant within a closed thread
of the helical screw compressor, further reduces the temperature of
the working fluid compressor discharge, and in some cases has
resulted in the elimination of the need for additionally cooling
the oil after separation of the working fluid downstream of the
compressor. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 285,695 filed Sept. 1,
1972 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,117 and U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 433,418 filed Jan. 14, 1974, also assigned to the common
assignee, are directed to such subject matter. While such
arrangements have resulted in an improvement in efficiency without
adversely affecting the volumetric capacity of the compressor or
increasing the horsepower required, they have not been completely
satisfactory, since the electric motor is required to operate in
the discharge environment and cooling of the motor is achieved only
with disadvantageous effects of higher windage losses and viscous
drag and without change of state of the cooling medium.
Rather than having the compressor discharge gaseous refrigerant
flow over the motor windings as a means for cooling the motor,
attempts have been made to cool the electric drive motor in a
hermetic rotary compressor combination by bleeding liquid
refrigerant from the refrigeration circuit intermediate of the
condenser and the evaporator and permitting the refrigerant to
vaporize by contact with the hot motor components wherein the
vaporized refrigerant is directed to the compressor suction for
recompression. Such an arrangement is employed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,388,559 to Jonnson. In another form of hermetic rotary compressor
for refrigeration use, flash gas resulting from an economizer,
which subcools the liquid refrigerant downstream of the condenser,
has been directed to the hermetically sealed motor casing which is
at a pressure intermediate of the suction and discharge pressures
of the rotary compressor, whereby, heat is absorbed by the flash
gas prior to being introduced into the compressor and recompressed.
This type of arrangement is the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No.
2,921,446 to Zulinke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the objects of the present invention are met by
providing a hermetically sealed, electric motor driven screw
compressor assembly in which the electric motor preferably has its
axis of rotation horizontal and wherein a housing defines a chamber
sealed from the compressor for the motor rotor and stator which is
maintained at a pressure intermediate the screw compressor suction
and discharge pressure. The motor driven screw compressor forms a
part of a closed refrigeration circuit including at least a
condenser, a thermal expansion valve and evaporator means in a
series connection, in that order downstream of the compressor. The
screw compressor includes a liquid refrigerant injection or bleed
port opening to a closed screw of the compressor at a pressure
intermediate of compressor suction and discharge. The improvement
resides in bleeding high pressure liquid refrigerant from the
system and delivering it to the motor casing such that the
accumulation of liquid refrigerant in the casing reaches a
predetermined level controlled by rotation of the rotor which picks
up the liquid refrigerant during its rotation and splashes it
against the stator for vaporized cooling of the motor coils.
Conduit means leads from the housing, at the predetermined level of
liquid refrigerant, normally defined by the lowermost gap between
the stator and rotor, to the said liquid refrigerent injection port
of the screw compressor to maintain the motor housing at an
intermediate pressure relative to compressor discharge and suction
pressure and permit some liquid refrigerant to flash within the
sealed compression chamber to control compressor discharge
temperature, such that the compressor discharge temperature is
responsive to motor load, compressor load, motor housing discharge
gas temperature and compressor discharge gas temperature.
The refrigeration system may further include a source of
intermediate pressure refrigerant vapor as from a secondary
evaporator, flash tank or system side load which is additionally
ported to the motor housing to absorb heat from the motor during
operation in addition to that absorbed by flashing of the liquid
refrigerant within the motor housing and also promotes circulation.
The liquid refrigerant injection port to the compressor is located
such that the motor housing hermetic chamber defined by the motor
housing is maintained at a pressure level intermediate of suction
and discharge, and at a level such that refrigerant vapor moves
under pressure differential automatically to the motor chamber from
the economizer, secondary evaporator or side load. The liquid
refrigerant flow through the motor housing may be further
controlled by valve means responsive to compressor load, responsive
to compressor discharge temperature, or responsive to discharge
compressor superheat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of an electric motor driven
helical screw compressor with the motor hermetically sealed from
the compressor and forming a part of a refrigeration system,
incorporating the liquid refrigerant motor cooling and liquid
refrigerant screw compressor injection system of the present
invention in one form.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the hermetically sealed
motor driven screw compressor assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a pressure enthalpy diagram for a conventional helical
screw compressor operating with Freon refrigerant.
FIG. 4 is a pressure enthalpy diagram of the hermetically sealed
motor driven helical screw compressor of the present invention
employing the liquid refrigerant injection cooling of the motor,
and subcooling arrangement of the present invention, with similar
Freon refrigerant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates by way of a partial,
schematic perspective view and schematic block diagram, and a
sectional elevation, a refrigeration system which incorporates as
an element thereof, an electric motor driven, rotary screw
compressor assembly indicated generally at 10, which forms one
component of a closed refrigeration circuit including in addition
to the screw compressor 12, driven by the electric motor 14, in
series and in order, from the discharge side identified by the
arrow marked Discharge, a condenser C connected to the discharge
port 16 of the compressor, and an economizer EC, a thermal
expansion valve TXV, an evaporator EV, and all within line 18 which
leads back to the suction side of the compressor 12 as indicated by
the arrow marked Suction. A restrictor 20 may be provided in the
line intermediate the condenser and the economizer for effecting a
pressure drop resulting in vaporization of a portion of the liquid
refrigerant within the economizer. The operation of the economizer
EC is conventional and tends to maintain the refrigerant in liquid
form for delivery to the evaporator via the TXV valve as well as to
subcool the liquid relative to its temperature as it is discharged
from the condenser C. The helical screw rotary compressor 12
comprises paired, intermeshed male and female screws as at 22 and
24 respectively and while either the male or female screw may be
driven in a positive manner and wherein the screw which is coupled
to the source of motive power acts as a driver for the other screw,
it is not important to the present invention which screw is the
driver and which screw is driven. In the illustrated embodiment,
the male screw 22 is driven by means of a direct drive by way of
its shaft 26 and the rotor 42 of the hermetic drive motor 14.
In this respect, the screw compressor 12 is provided with a housing
or casing 28 which effectively hermetically seals the screw
compressor relative to electric motor 14. In turn, the motor 14 is
encased within a housing or casing 30 which is sealed from the
compressor 12 by way of an end wall 32 which acts as a wall common
to both compressor housing 28 and motor housing 30 but acts in
conjunction with appropriate seals to seal off cavity or chamber 34
of the motor housing from the helical screw compressor 12. The male
screw support shaft 26 is shown as integral with the motor rotor
support shaft of electric motor 14 and is suitably rotatably
supported by bearings 39, 41, FIG. 2. The common shaft in this case
extends through the end wall 32.
For the purposes of the present invention, it is important only
that the intermeshed helical screws 22 and 24 define in conjunction
with the fixed housing 12 a series of closed threads or isolated
compression chambers such as thread 36 which is sealed off from the
suction side 38 of the screw compressor and from the discharge side
as identified by discharge port 16. In this machine, a liquid
refrigerant injection or bleed port P is provided within screw
compressor casing 28 opening up to the closed thread 36 at a point,
wherein the refrigerant gas entering from suction 38 is sealed off,
and partially compressed prior to discharge by that same thread
opening up to the discharge port 16. The exact location of the
liquid refrigerant injection port P and its effect in reducing and
lowering the temperature of the gas being compressed along with any
oil entrained therein, is the subject matter of previously referred
to co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 433,418. In order to
control the capacity of the screw compressor, conventionally a
slide valve 46 is provided to the screw compressor supported within
a slideway 40 formed within the compressor housing 28 and being
moved axially by a hydraulic motor 50. A hydraulic fluid such as
pressurized lubricating oil may be selectively applied to
respective faces of a piston 56 supported for reciproacting
movement within cylinder 58, and being coupled by way of shaft 54
to the slide valve 46. The end face 66 of the slide valve
cooperates with a fixed stop 52 and with an opening 53 formed
thereby to open up the leading end of the compression area of the
intermeshed helical screws, allowing the passage surrounding the
shaft 54 to act as a bypass returning some of the refrigerant gas
to the suction side of the screw compressor to effect compressor
unloading. Again, the slide valve 46 and its manner of operation is
conventional to the helical screw rotary compressor 12 and forms no
part of the present invention. It is noted in FIG. 2 that housing
28 is comprised of several parts, including a section 28 a at the
discharge side of the machine forming a discharge passage 60. The
housing section 28a terminates in the common housing end wall 32,
through which shaft 26 protrudes. Shaft 26 is supported by bearing
41 at this point, and is sealed appropriately at 64, such that
cavity or chamber 34 of motor housing 30 is heremetically sealed
from the discharge side of the screw compressor. The common shaft
26 supports to the side of the end wall 32, remote from the
compressor screws, electric motor rotor 42 which is concentrically
carried within motor stator 40 fixed to motor casing 30. The stator
40 is provided appropriately with motor windings having end turns
at 68 while the rotor 42 may be of squirrel cage type. A narrow gap
70 separates the peripheries 72 and 74 of the motor rotor and
stator, respectively.
Pertinent to the present invention is the fact that a fluid passage
leading from motor housing chamber 34 to the liquid injection port
P, is formed by way of intersecting passages 76 and 78, within
screw compressor housing section 28, while housing section 28a is
provided with a drilled passage 80 coaxial with and open to passage
78. Passage 80 terminates in a fitting 82 which sealably has
coupled thereto, metal tube or conduit 84. The other end of the
tube or conduit 84 is fluid coupled in sealed fashion to a hole 86
extending through end wall 32 by way of a threaded coupling 88. It
is important to note that the hole 86 within wall 32 is in
alignment with gap 70 at its lowermost position.
Further, the temperature control scheme of the present invention
involves the utilization of a line such as line 90 which extends
from the condenser and terminates at the motor casing 30, for
example at end wall 32', conduit 90 opening up to cavity 34 near
the bottom thereof. Liquid refrigerant, from the condenser C,
passes through the conduit 90 and enters cavity 34 tending to
accumulate by way of gravity within the bottom of casing 30.
The present invention is highlighted by the fact that the
accumulation of liquid refrigerant will occur to the extent that
liquid refrigerant reaches the rotor 42. The liquid refrigerant in
contacting the rotor 42 is picked up by the rotor 42 and is
splashed against the stator and in fact the interior of the cavity
30 by the relative rotation between the rotor and stator.
Preferably, the rotor 42 is provided with integral vanes or
impellers as at 94 on both ends and at circumferentially spaced
positions. The vanes 94 are oriented radially such that in sweeping
by the stator 40 and in contacting the accumulated liquid
refrigerant 96 the vanes 94 pick up the liquid refrigerant
splashing it against the stator coils 68 that lie above the level
98 of liquid refrigerant resulting in vaporization of the liquid
refrigerant and the absorption of the heat created by current flow
through the windings of the motor components. Secondly, the
location of the hole or passage 86 within casing 30 being
preferably at the height of gap 70 between the rotor and stator,
permits any liquid refrigerant reaching this level to be bled off
to the liquid injection or bleed port P through conduit 84 and
passages 80, 78 and 76 in that order. The liquid injection or bleed
port P to the compressor is arranged so that the pressure of the
closed thread or chamber 36 will determine the intermediate
pressure within cavity or chamber 34 of the hermetically sealed
motor and which will insure the delivery of liquid refrigerant
through conduit 90 from the higher pressure condenser C to the
intermediate pressure motor housing cavity or chamber 34 and then
by the accumulation of liquid refrigerant, to the compressor
itself. Thus, some liquid refrigerant 96 as well as gas vapor
residing within cavity 34 above the level 98 of the liquid
refrigerant is led to a closed thread location for the purpose of
evaporating the liquid refrigerant in sealed thread compression
chamber, to thereby control the compressor discharge temperature at
60. The bleed port or injection port P is selected in the
compressor rotor within housing 28 such that the motor housing will
operate at a closely controlled pressure level intermediate of
compressor suction and discharge. The intermediate pressure level
may be 10 to 100 psi above that of compressor suction.
The motor housing pressure level is also selected so that
refrigerant vapor can be bled to the motor housing from a secondary
system source such as a flash tank for the purpose of producing
subcooled liquid, a secondary evaporator or chiller that is
operating at a pressure level above that of the primary system
evaporator or chiller. In this respect, the economizer EC
constitutes, as a non-limiting illustration, a flash tank for the
purpose of producing subcooled liquid for the evaporator EV and a
line 100 opens up to the economizer EC at a point where the vapor
collects above the liquid refrigerant, this vapor being ported
directly to the motor housing 30 by way of a fluid connection
through line 100. This preferably occurs well above the liquid
refrigerant level 98. It is important to note that in addition to
providing more efficient motor cooling by vaporizing liquid
refrigerant in and around the motor windings, the system capacity
is not significantly affected by the bleeding of this vapor to a
closed compressor thread which occurs in the absence of liquid
refrigerant entering hole 86 within housing end wall 32 separating
the compressor from the drive motor. In addition, the secondary
vapor bled to the motor housing 32 from the flash tank or
economizer EC will increase overall system capacity and will result
in improvement in specific performance, that is, brake horse power
per ton of refrigeration or kilowatt per ton. The refrigerant vapor
entering the motor housing 30 through line 100 is also directed
over and about the hermetic motor winding and absorbs heat from the
motor 14.
Multiple advantages are realized from the invention, being achieved
by the cumulative effect of the features of the invention involving
cooling of motor windings by the liquid refrigerant being splashed
thereon, controlled by the accumulation of that liquid within the
motor housing, the cooling effect of the refrigerant vapor being
fed to the same casing or housing from the flash tank of the
economizer or the like and the cooling effect achieved by the
further flash of liquid refrigerant within a closed thread of the
compressor with controlled movement of such liquid refrigerant to
the bleed port of the screw compressor.
This arrangement is in contrast to a suction cooled motor, where
the motor windings are subjected to the refrigerant vapor entering
the compressor on the suction side which causes the motor loss to
superheat the suction gas and be put through the compressor and
results in further deterioration of the performance as determined
by the compressor inlet condition. The invention avoids the losses
associated with a "discharge cooled motor" where the motor is
required to operate in a discharge atmosphere with higher windage
losses and viscous drag associated therewith. The motor is more
efficiently cooled as a result of direct impingement of liquid
refrigerant onto the motor winding by bleeding liquid refrigerant
from the high side of the system, in connection with an arrangement
for bleeding, by maintenance of the motor housing intermediate
pressure, the supplementary cooling of the motor winding by bled
saturated refrigerant vapor. Again, both bleeds are achieved by
maintaining a predetermined intermediate pressure within the motor
housing cavity as determined by the location of the compressor
bleed port relative to the compressor screw bore and opening that
port to the motor housing. The control of refrigerant and the
agitation and pick-up of the liquid refrigerant from the bottom of
the motor housing is achieved automatically by the location of the
bleed port from the motor housing which is located at the lowermost
level of the gap between the rotor and stator peripheries in a
horizontally oriented machine, so that liquid refrigerant upon
reaching that level, is conducted or otherwise distributed by the
rotor onto the stator at positions above the level of accumulated
liquid refrigerant, while the further flow of liquid refrigerant to
the bleed port associated with the compressor is self regulated by
that accumulaion level. The provision of the port in the compressor
housing at an intermediate pressure level insures vaporized liquid
refrigerant from the motor housing, supplementary refrigerant gas
vapor and liquid refrigerant is introduced to the compressor
working chamber after the screw compressor working chamber has
closed for each thread formed thereby. This arrangement increases
the charge of refrigerant vapor to the compressor while not
affecting the compressor suction volume or volumetric efficiency
which determines the compressor capacity from the system's point of
view. The provision of the bleed port permits less work to be
required to raise the vapor from an intermediate pressure level to
compressor discharge pressure, permits liquid refrigerant to
vaporize within the closed thread to cool the main charge of the
gas being compressed and this results in an improved compressor
specific power for mass of refrigerant being pumped.
The increase in overall system capacity as well as the realization
of that increase with a minor increase in horse power input may be
seen by a comparison between FIGS. 3 and 4 which are pressure
enthalpy diagrams for the compressor of FIGS. 1 and 2 operating
with and without the system improvements of the present invention.
In FIG. 3, the compressor operates within the system of FIG. 1 and
without the influence of vapor and liquid refrigerant injection
within the screw compressor closed thread, and the advantageous
effects of subcooling by way of the economizer EC. In both cases,
the compressor operates with a conventional refrigerant such as
Freon as the compressor working fluid.
Referring to FIG. 3, this constitutes a standard pressure entahlpy
diagram for an unmodified compressor and working fluid. The
refrigeration effect H is equal to the value (h.sub.1 - h.sub.4)
per pound and the work of compressor W is equal to (h.sub.2 -
h.sub.1). By comparison, in FIG. 4 which is a diagram showing the
effects of inclusion of gas and liquid refrigerant injection within
the closed thread of the screw compressor and the effect of
subcooling under the system arrangement of the illustrated
embodiment, the increase in refrigeration effect H, in this case,
may be seen from the formula (h.sub.1 - h.sub.4 ') and the
improvement in terms of percentage is equal to ##EQU1## while the
work of compression per pound may be determined from the
formula
where: y is the vapor injected mass of refrigerant at the bleed
port of the compressor, h.sub.4 ' is the enthalpy resulting from
subcooling, h.sub.4 is the enthalpy of the refrigerant at the
condenser, h.sub.1 is the enthalpy at the suction side of the
compressor, h.sub.1 ' is the enthalpy at the closed thread after
liquid refrigerant injection, h.sub.2 ' is the enthalpy at the
point of compression of the vapor available at compressor suction
prior to the closed thread reaching the bleed port P, and h.sub.2
is the enthalpy of the refrigerant under compressor discharge
conditions prior to reaching the condenser.
Without giving specific values, it is apparent that a system
capacity increase identified as the improvement percentage in terms
of refrigeration effect may be visually appreciated by contrast in
the diagrams of FIGS. 3 and 4, particularly in terms of the small
increase in horse power input which results from a proper selection
of the hermetic motor housing intermediate pressure level as
defined by the physical location of the bleed port P relative to
the closed threads of the compressor which periodically opens up
that port. The result is an improved system specific horse power
per ton as compared to a system as shown in FIG. 3 that does not
have this arrangement. The gain in system capacity is readily
visually apparent by comparison of these two figures.
To control the liquid refrigerant flow via line 90 to motor housing
30 for the purpose of cooling the motor by means responsive to
compressor load, responsive to compressor discharge temperature, or
responsive to compressor discharge superheat, or a combination of
these parameters, reference may be had to referred to co-pending
U.S. application Ser. No. 285,695 entitled "Injection Cooling of
Screw Compressor" which employs the utilization of the same
parameters as the means for controlling liquid injection to the
closed thread of the helical screw compressor by bleeding liquid
refrigerant from the high side of the system downstream of the
condenser.
Based on these principles, but a modification thereof, the present
system employs in one form, a thermal expansion valve 110 within
bleed line 90 constituting a thermal responsive modulation for
variably controlling the flow of liquid refrigerant from condenser
C to motor housing 30. In this respect, a thermobulb 112 may be
positioned in thermal energy transfer relation to conduit 84, for
instance, which permits the bled liquid refrigerant and/or vapor
from within cavity 34 of the motor housing 30 to pass via bleed
port P directly to the closed thread of the screw compressor 12.
The bulb 112 may carry a thermal expansive liquid or solid and
fluid coupled by way of capillary tube 114 to the temperature
expansion valve 110 such that the temperature expansive material,
as in the referred to application, expanding in response to
increase in temperature, variably shifts a movable valve element
(not shown) within valve 110 to modulate the flow of liquid
refrigerant (increase flow) to the injection or bleed port P of
screw compressor 12. A second input to the same valve is shown via
tube 116 which opens up into the motor casing 30 so that the
pressure of the intermediate gas vapor pressure within the
hermetically sealed motor acts as a second input to valve 110 and
may modify the input from the thermobulb 112 in the same manner as
that in the referred application. If desired, the thermobulb 112
may be positioned within the discharge passage 60 of the compressor
and thus responsive to compressor discharge temperature
(proportional to load) and the pressure line 116 could open up to
the same passage. In this respect, the valve then maintains a given
superheat temperature differential between the condensing
temperature and the discharge temperature of the refrigerant. The
passage leading from intermediate chamber 34 of the motor housing,
to injection port P should be maintained thermally isolated from
the compressor discharge, this being schematically achieved by
means of the thermal insulation T surrounding the tube or conduit
84 within discharge passage 60.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood
by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in
form and details may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
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