Scroll compressor with pressure equalization groove

Details Scroll compressor with pressure equalization groove Scroll compressor with pressure equalization groove

1997-11-03

2001-01-09

Nguyen, Hoang (Department: 3748)

Rotary expansible chamber devices

Working member has planetary or planetating movement

Helical working member, e.g., scroll

C418S075000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171086

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a scroll compressor with a groove connecting between two compression chambers at a point in the compression cycle prior to communication to the discharge port, but after the chambers have been sealed.
Scroll compressors are becoming widely utilized for refrigerant compression applications. As known, interfitting orbiting and fixed scroll wraps define a plurality of compression chambers. Typically, two compression chambers are concurrently sealed and moved through intermediate pressures to a discharge port. The compression chambers are not always equally spaced about a center line of the scroll compressor, and thus there may be some asymmetry to the forces from the compressed fluid.
Moreover, it is possible that one of the two chambers may have a slightly higher pressure than the other. This could occur as an example if one of the two chambers has a higher volume of fluid entrapped on a particular cycle. Eventually, the two chambers merge together and communicate with the discharge port. If there is a pressure imbalance at communication, there may be mixing losses as fluid in the higher pressure chamber mixes with fluid in the lower pressure chamber. Such mixing losses decrease the efficiency of the scroll compressor. Further, the differential pressures can result in vibration, noise, and, for example, excessive loading of the anti-rotation coupling which holds the scroll members in alignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a pressure equalization groove communicates between two scroll compression chambers after they have been sealed from suction, but prior to merging and being communicated to the discharge port. The communication ensures the two chambers are at similar pressures when they merge and communicate with the discharge port.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the scroll compressor may be utilized with economizer injection ports. Economizer ports extend through the fixed scroll to supply fluid to a compression chamber. The economizer port increases the mass of refrigerant trapped in each compression chamber. Preferably the pressure equalization groove does not communicate between the compression chambers until a point just before or after the chambers have moved beyond the economizer ports. If groove communication between the compression chambers ends prior to merging of the chambers and communication with the discharge port, the groove may not ensure proper pressure balance.
In one embodiment, the pressure equalization groove is formed in the base of the fixed scroll. In a second embodiment the pressure equalization groove is formed in the base of the orbiting scroll. Also, grooves can be formed in both scrolls.


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