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  Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing portsUSPTO Application #: 20060083626Title: Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing ports Abstract: A vapor compression system having a multi-stage compressor with a minimal number of ports located in the hermetically sealed compressor housing. A working fluid at suction pressure enters the compressor housing through a first port and is compressed to an intermediate pressure. The intermediate pressure refrigerant flows from the first stage compressor mechanism to the second stage compressor mechanism where it is compressed to a discharge pressure and discharged through a second port. The intermediate pressure refrigerant is in thermal communication with a heat exchange medium which is introduced into the compressor housing through a third port in the housing. (end of abstract)
Agent: Baker & Daniels LLP 111 E. Wayne Street - Fort Wayne, IN, US Inventor: Dan M. Manole USPTO Applicaton #: 20060083626 - Class: 417245000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Pumps, Successive Stages, Fluid Motor For One Stage Supplied From Another Stage The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060083626. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a hermetically sealed compressor for a vapor compression system and, more particularly, to a compressor housing having a minimal number of housing ports. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] A vapor compression system typically includes at least a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a second heat exchanger fluidly linked in serial order. Other components such as accumulators, flash tanks, and the like are also well-known and may be employed with the vapor compression system, but are not essential for the operation of the vapor compression system. [0005] One known type of vapor compression system is a transcritical vapor compression system wherein the refrigerant is compressed to a supercritical pressure and is returned to the compressor at a subcritical pressure. When the refrigerant is at a supercritical pressure, the liquid and vapor phases of the refrigerant are indistinguishable and the first heat exchanger is typically referred to as a gas cooler instead of a condenser. After cooling the refrigerant in the gas cooler, the pressure of the refrigerant is reduced to a subcritical pressure by the expansion device and the low pressure liquid is communicated to the evaporator where the refrigerant is converted to a vapor. [0006] When carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant, the vapor compression system is typically operated as a transcritical system and generally requires the use of a discharge pressure that is considerably higher than the discharge pressure used with conventional refrigerants in a subcritical system. [0007] To provide the relatively high discharge pressures required in a transcritical system, the compressor in a transcritical vapor compression system is often a multi-stage compressor. The use of multi-stage compressors, such as a two-stage compressor, is known and such compressors typically include first and second stage compressor mechanisms mounted at opposite ends of a drive motor. The drive motor is drivingly linked to each of the first and second stage compressor mechanisms by a common drive shaft. In general, the drive shaft is coupled to the first and second stage compressor mechanisms in a manner that the first and second stage compressor mechanisms are out of phase with respect to one another and/or at different points in the compression cycle. To provide a relatively high pressure differential between the suction and discharge pressures, the compressor mechanisms may be arranged in series. Multi-stage compressor assemblies also often include an intercooler wherein intermediate pressure refrigerant is cooled by ambient air in a heat exchanger after being compressed by a first compressor mechanism before being returned to the compressor assembly for compression to the discharge pressure in a second compressor mechanism. [0008] FIG. 1 provides a schematic illustration of a known vapor compression system 10 that includes gas cooler 12, expansion device 14, evaporator 16, and two-stage compressor 18 connected in series by a plurality of conduits 19. Compressor 18 includes first stage compressor mechanism 20 and second stage compressor mechanism 22 arranged in series and mounted in the compressor housing schematically represented by dashed line 24. During operation of the two-stage compressor 18, suction pressure refrigerant enters housing 24 through first port 26 and flows into first stage compressor mechanism 20 where it is compressed to an intermediate pressure. The intermediate pressure refrigerant then exits compressor 18 through second port 28 and enters intercooler 30 where it is cooled. By cooling the intermediate pressure refrigerant, the efficiency and capacity of second stage compressor mechanism 22 are typically increased. The cooled intermediate pressure refrigerant is then returned to the compressor assembly through third port 32 into second stage compressor mechanism 22. The intermediate pressure refrigerant is then compressed to discharge pressure and discharged from compressor 18 through fourth port 34. [0009] A problem with the foregoing compressor mechanism is that the compressor housing requires as many as four or more ports, each of which include an opening in the compressor housing which requires a seal, thereby increasing the cost of the compressor and the number of locations on the compressor housing at which a fluid leak could potentially occur. [0010] What is needed is a compressor and for transcritical vapor compression systems which is an improvement over the foregoing. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention provides a multi-stage compressor having a reduced number of ports located in the compressor housing. The intermediate pressure refrigerant is cooled between the first and second compressor stages by a flash gas which is introduced into the compressor housing through a single port in the housing. Alternatively, a heat pipe or other heat transfer device may be inserted through a single port in the housing of the compressor assembly to provide a thermal exchange with the intermediate pressure refrigerant. [0012] The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a compressor assembly operable in a vapor compression system defining a fluid circuit for circulating a vapor. The compressor assembly includes a hermetically sealed housing with a first and second compressor mechanism being disposed in the housing. The first and second compressor mechanisms are operable to compress the vapor in two stages, wherein the first compressor mechanism compresses the vapor from a suction pressure to an intermediate pressure and the second compressor mechanism compresses the vapor from the intermediate pressure to a discharge pressure. The housing defines first, second, and third ports. The first and second ports are in fluid communication with the fluid circuit wherein suction pressure vapor is communicated from the fluid circuit to the compressor assembly through the first port and discharge pressure vapor is communicated from the compressor assembly to the fluid circuit through the second port. The third port defines a passage for a heat exchange medium wherein thermal energy is transferable between the heat exchange medium and the compressor assembly. Further, all vapor circulating within the circuit and all heat exchange mediums communicated through the housing are communicated through one of the first, second, and third ports. [0013] The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a transcritical vapor compression system having a compressor assembly, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device and a second heat exchanger serially disposed in a fluid circuit circulating a refrigerant. The compressor assembly includes a hermetically sealed housing with a first and second compressor mechanism being disposed in the housing. The first and second compressor mechanisms are operable to compress the refrigerant in two stages, wherein the first compressor mechanism compresses the refrigerant from a suction pressure to an intermediate pressure and the second compressor mechanism compresses the refrigerant from the intermediate pressure to a discharge pressure. The housing defines first, second, and third ports. The first and second ports are in fluid communication with the fluid circuit wherein suction pressure refrigerant is communicated from the fluid circuit to the compressor assembly through the first port and discharge pressure refrigerant is communicated from the compressor assembly to the fluid circuit through the second port. The third port defines a passage for a heat exchange medium wherein thermal energy is transferable between the heat exchange medium and the compressor assembly. Further, all refrigerant circulating within the circuit and all heat exchange mediums communicated through the housing are communicated through one of the first, second, and third ports. [0014] The invention comprises, in a further form thereof, a method of compressing a refrigerant. The method includes hermetically sealing a first compressor mechanism and a second compressor mechanism in a housing. The method also includes forming first, second, and third ports in the housing and introducing the refrigerant into the housing through the first port. The method further includes compressing the refrigerant in the first compressor mechanism from a suction pressure to an intermediate pressure; and compressing the refrigerant in the second compressor mechanism from the intermediate pressure to a discharge pressure. The method includes discharging the refrigerant from the housing through the second port. The method also includes communicating a thermal exchange medium through the third port; exchanging thermal energy between the intermediate pressure refrigerant and the thermal exchange medium; and wherein all refrigerant and thermal exchange medium communicated through the housing is communicated through one of the first, second, and third ports. [0015] An advantage of the present invention is that same provides a multi-stage compressor mechanism wherein intermediate pressure refrigerant may be cooled without requiring an intercooler and the two housing ports associated with the use of an intercooler. The elimination of the intercooler is beneficial because it may simplify the manufacture of the compressor assembly. [0016] The reduction in the number of ports required in the hermetically sealed housing is also beneficial because each of the ports of the housing must be properly sealed to ensure that the housing provides a hermetically sealed enclosure and an increase in the number of ports in the housing increases the chances that one of such ports may later develop a leak and may also increase the initial cost of manufacturing the compressor assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art vapor compression system; [0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a vapor compression system having a compressor in accordance with the present invention; [0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a vapor compression system having a compressor in accordance with the present invention; and [0021] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of a vapor compression system having a compressor in accordance with the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing ports Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing ports patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing ports or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Control valve for variable displacement compressor Next Patent Application: Vapor compression system including a swiveling compressor Industry Class: Pumps ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Compressor and hermetic housing with minimal housing ports patent info. 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