US-12624695-B2 - Oil separator for compressor and compressor with oil separator

US12624695B2US 12624695 B2US12624695 B2US 12624695B2US-12624695-B2

Abstract

An electric compressor includes a housing and a compression device. The housing defines an intake volume and a discharge volume. The compression device is a rotary-type compression device configured to compress refrigerant. The compression device includes a piston device including a cylinder and a rolling piston. The cylinder is eccentrically coupled to a drive shaft. The rolling piston has an outer surface in contact with an inner surface of a compression chamber. The rolling piston rotates about the cylinder as the drive shaft and the piston device are rotated by a motor. A vane moveably coupled to the housing and having an end adjacent the compression chamber is biased such that the end of the vane is in contact with the rolling piston as the piston device is rotated by the drive shaft.

Inventors

Corey Van Auken
Steven Moran

Assignees

MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240919

Claims (20)

1 . An oil separator mechanism for use with an electric compressor, the electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant and including a housing, a refrigerant inlet port, a refrigerant outlet port, and a compression device, the housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume and having a center axis, the electric compressor includes a compression chamber, the compression device being located within the compression chamber, the refrigerant inlet port coupled to the housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume, the refrigerant outlet port coupled to the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor, the housing, the compression device, and the compression chamber defining a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant inlet port and the refrigerant outlet port, comprising: a drive shaft configured to be positioned and rotated within the housing, the drive shaft coupled to the compression device; and, a disk-shaped oil separator located within the discharge volume and having a center, the disk-shaped oil separator coupled to the drive shaft and configured to be rotated therewith about the center, the disk-shaped oil separator being located on a plane and having a continuous outer edge and a plurality of trough-shaped features, each trough-shaped feature having a first end and a second end, the first end being located adjacent the center, each trough-shaped feature extending outward from the first end towards the second end, the second end of each trough-shaped feature located on the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator, and forming an opening therein, the second end of each trough-shaped feature extending away from the plane at the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator.
2 . The oil separator mechanism, as set forth in claim 1 , each trough-shaped feature having an associated width, wherein the associated width increases as the trough-shaped feature extends from the first end towards the second end.
3 . The oil separator mechanism, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from steel.
4 . The oil separator mechanism, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from plastic.
5 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from aluminum.
6 . An electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising: a housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume and having a center axis, the housing further defining a compression chamber; a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume; a drive shaft located within the housing; a refrigerant outlet port coupled to the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor from the discharge volume; a compression device located within the compression chamber and being coupled to the drive shaft, the compression device configured to receive the refrigerant from the intake volume and compress the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated, the housing, the compression device, and the compression chamber defining a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant inlet port and the refrigerant outlet port; and, a disk-shaped oil separator located within the discharge volume and having a center, the disk-shaped oil separator coupled to the drive shaft and configured to be rotated therewith, the disk-shaped oil separator being located on a plane and having a continuous outer edge and a plurality of trough-shaped features, each trough-shaped feature having a first end and a second end, the first end being located adjacent the center, each trough-shaped feature extending outward from the first end towards the second end, the second end of each trough-shaped feature located on the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator, and forming an opening therein, the second end of each trough-shaped feature extending away from the plane at the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator.
7 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , each trough-shaped feature has an associated width, wherein the associated width increases as the trough-shaped feature extends from the first end towards the second end.
8 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from steel.
9 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from plastic.
10 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from aluminum.
11 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the housing includes a cylinder housing, the disk-shaped oil separator being located above the cylinder housing.
12 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 6 , the compression device including: a piston device including a cylinder and a rolling piston, the cylinder being eccentrically coupled to the drive shaft, the cylinder having a circular outer circumference, the rolling piston being tubular and concentric with the cylinder, the rolling piston having an outer surface in contact with an inner surface of the compression chamber, the rolling piston rotating about the cylinder as the drive shaft and the piston device is rotated by the motor; and, a vane moveably coupled to the housing and having an end adjacent the compression chamber, the vane being biased such that the end of the vane is in contact with the rolling piston as the piston device is rotated by the drive shaft, the housing, piston device, and the vane forming variable sub-chambers within the compression chamber as the piston device is rotated within the compression chamber, wherein refrigerant enters one of the sub-variable sub-chambers from the intake volume, is compressed as the piston device is rotated, and exits the one of the sub-chambers into the discharge volume.
13 . An electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, comprising: a housing defining an intake volume and a discharge volume and having a center axis, the housing further defining a compression chamber, the housing including a cylinder housing, the compression chamber being formed by the cylinder housing and having an open end adjacent a first side of the cylinder housing, wherein compressed refrigerant exits the compression chamber into the discharge chamber via an orifice; a refrigerant inlet port coupled to the housing and configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume; a refrigerant outlet port coupled to the housing and configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor from the discharge volume through the orifice; a motor mounted inside the housing; a drive shaft coupled to the motor and configured to rotate about the center axis; and, a compression device located within the compression chamber and being coupled to the drive shaft, the compression device configured to receive the refrigerant from the intake volume and to compress the refrigerant as the drive shaft is rotated by the motor, the housing, the compression device, and the compression chamber defining a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant inlet port and the refrigerant outlet port; and, a disk-shaped oil separator located within the discharge volume and having a center, the disk-shaped oil separator coupled to the drive shaft and configured to be rotated therewith, the disk-shaped oil separator being located on a plane and having a continuous outer edge and a plurality of trough-shaped features, each trough-shaped feature having a first end and a second end, the first end being located adjacent the center, each trough-shaped feature extending outward from the first end towards the second end, the second end of each trough-shaped feature located on the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator, and forming an opening therein, the second end of each trough-shaped feature extending away from the plane at the continuous outer edge of the disk-shaped oil separator.
14 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 13 , each trough-shaped feature has an associated width, wherein the associated width increases as the trough-shaped feature extends from the first end towards the second end.
15 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from steel.
16 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from plastic.
17 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the disk-shaped oil separator is composed from aluminum.
18 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 13 , the disk-shaped oil separator being located above the cylinder housing.
19 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 18 , the compression device including: a piston device including a cylinder and a rolling piston, the cylinder being eccentrically coupled to the drive shaft, the cylinder having a circular outer circumference, the rolling piston being tubular and concentric with the cylinder, the rolling piston having an outer surface in contact with an inner surface of the compression chamber, the rolling piston rotating about the cylinder as the drive shaft and the piston device is rotated by the motor; and, a vane moveably coupled to the housing and having an end adjacent the compression chamber, the vane being biased such that the end of the vane is in contact with the rolling piston as the piston device is rotated by the drive shaft, the housing, piston device, and the vane forming variable sub-chambers within the compression chamber as the piston device is rotated within the compression chamber, wherein refrigerant enters one of the sub-variable sub-chambers from the intake volume, is compressed as the piston device is rotated, and exits the one of the sub-chambers into the discharge volume.
20 . The electric compressor, as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the housing includes a central housing and a rear head, the discharge volume being formed, at least partially, by the central housing, the rear head, and the refrigerant outlet port.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to electric compressors, and more particularly to an electric compressor with a spinning oil separator. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Compressors have long been used in cooling systems. Rotary compressors typically use a rotating drive shaft and a compression device connected to the drive shaft that rotates with the drive shaft to compress refrigerant. For example, scroll-type compressors, in which an orbiting scroll is rotated in a circular motion relative to a fixed scroll to compress a refrigerant, have been used in systems designed to provide cooling in specific areas. For example, such scroll-type compressors have long been used in the HVAC systems of motor vehicles, such as automobiles, to provide air-conditioning. Such compressors may also be used, in reverse, in applications requiring a heat pump. Generally, these compressors are driven using rotary motion derived from the automobile's engine. Other types of rotary compressors, such as a reciprocating-type compressor have also been used. With the advent of battery-powered or electric vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles, in which the vehicle may be solely powered by a battery at times, such compressors must be driven or powered by the battery rather than an engine. Such compressors may be referred to as electric compressors. In addition to cooling a passenger compart of the motor vehicle, electric compressors may be used to provide heating or cooling to other areas or components of the motor vehicle. For instance, it may be desired to heat or cool the electronic systems and the battery or battery compartment, when the battery is being charged, especially during fast charging modes, as such generate heat which may damage or degrade the battery and/or other system. It may also be used to cool the battery during times when the battery is not being charged or used, as heat may damage or degrade the battery. Since the electric compressor may be run at various times, even when the motor vehicle is not in operation, such use, requires electrical energy from the battery, thus reducing the operating time of the battery. Rotary-driven compression devices must be balanced in order to reduce noise and vibration and to maximize the efficiency and operating life of the compressor. It is thus desirable to provide an electric compressor having high efficiency, low-noise and maximum operating life. The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems or advantages identified above. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, a compressor has a compression device for compressing a refrigerant. The compressor operates via rotation of the compression device within a compression chamber. The compression device includes a piston device having a cylinder and a rolling piston configured to rotate on the cylinder. The rolling piston being in contact with an inner surface of the compression chamber and, with a vane, forming sub-chamber(s) in which the refrigerant is compressed as the piston device is rotated within the compression chamber. In a first embodiment of the present invention, an oil separator mechanism for use with an electric compressor is provided. The electric compressor is configured to compress a refrigerant and includes a housing, a refrigerant inlet port, a refrigerant outlet port, and a compression device. The housing defines an intake volume, has a center axis, and includes a compression chamber. The compression device is located within the compression chamber. The refrigerant inlet port is coupled to the housing and is configured to introduce the refrigerant to the intake volume. The refrigerant outlet port is coupled to the housing and is configured to allow compressed refrigerant to exit the electric compressor. The housing, the compression device, and the compression chamber define a refrigerant flow path between the refrigerant inlet port and the refrigerant outlet port. The oil separator mechanism includes a drive shaft and a disk-shaped oil separator. The drive shaft is configured to be positioned and rotated within the housing and is coupled to the compression device. The disk-shaped oil separator has a center. The disk-shaped oil separator is coupled to the drive shaft and is configured to be rotated therewith about the center. The disk-shaped oil separator has a continuous outer edge and a plurality of trough-shaped features. Each trough-shaped feature has a first end and a second end. Thee first end is located adjacent the center. Each trough-shaped feature extends from the first end outward towards the second end. In a second embodiment of the present invention, an electric compressor configured to compress a refrigerant is provided. The electric compressor includes a housing, a refrigerant inlet port, a refrigerant outlet port, a drive shaft located within the housing, a compression device and a disk-shaped oil separator. The housing defines an intake volume a