Compact compressors and refrigeration systems

Abstract

Compact compressors and refrigeration systems that can be used to cool computers, servers, and other electronic equipment. Each compact compressor or refrigeration system includes a compact, substantially enclosed hermitic housing having a simple geometry profile, such as a rectilinear profile, which enables the compact compressor or refrigeration system to be easily inserted within a slot, for example, of an electronic component such as a computer server. In one embodiment, a compact compressor is provided, which includes a motor-compressor unit within the housing, including a stator, a rotor disposed interiorly of the stator, and a compressor mechanism disposed interiorly of the rotor to provide a compact profile. In another embodiment, the housing includes the foregoing compact motor-compressor unit, and further includes a condenser formed within one of the walls of the housing and an evaporator formed within another wall of the housing such that the housing defines a completely contained, compact refrigeration system. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the housing may include only one of the condenser and evaporator, with the other of the condenser and evaporator configured as a modular component which is attached to the housing.

1 . A compact compressor unit, comprising: 
 a substantially enclosed housing including an inlet and an outlet; and    a motor-compressor unit disposed within said housing, comprising: 
 a stator;  
 a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and  
 a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor and disposed substantially interiorly of said rotor, said compressor mechanism in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet, whereby said compressor mechanism receives fluid from said inlet at suction pressure, compresses the fluid to discharge pressure, and discharges the fluid at discharge pressure through said outlet.  
   
   
   
       2 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 1 , wherein said housing has a simple geometry profile.  
   
   
       3 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 2 , wherein said simple geometry profile of said housing comprises a rectilinear profile.  
   
   
       4 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 1 , wherein said housing further comprises at least: 
 a first housing component defining at least a first pair of opposite sides of said housing; and    a second housing component defining at least a third side of said housing, said first and second housing components insertable one into the other.    
   
   
       5 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet and said outlet are disposed within a common side of said housing, said inlet and said outlet recessed into said common housing side.  
   
   
       6 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 1 , wherein said compressor mechanism is a rotary compressor mechanism.  
   
   
       7 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 6 , including a first axis about which said rotor rotates, said compressor mechanism further comprising: 
 a hub positioned substantially coaxial with said first axis, said hub including a reciprocal vane;    an annular roller disposed about said hub and said vane to define a variable compression chamber therebetween, said roller driven by said rotor for orbital movement about a second axis eccentric to said first axis.    
   
   
       8 . The compact compressor unit of  claim 1 , wherein said housing further includes an electrical terminal, said electrical terminal at least partially recessed within said housing profile.  
   
   
       9 . The compact compressor of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger configured as a modular unit attached to said housing in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet.  
   
   
       10 . The compact compressor of  claim 9 , wherein said heat exchanger is an evaporator, said evaporator including an evaporator inlet in fluid communication with said housing outlet, and an evaporator outlet in fluid communication with said housing inlet.  
   
   
       11 . The compact compressor of  claim 9 , wherein said heat exchanger is a condenser, said condenser including a condenser inlet in fluid communication with said housing outlet, and a condenser outlet in fluid communication with said housing inlet.  
   
   
       12 . The compact compressor of  claim 9 , further comprising a second heat exchanger formed substantially within a wall of said housing.  
   
   
       13 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a substantially enclosed housing having a simple geometry profile including at least first and second sides;    a motor-compressor unit disposed within said housing, comprising: 
 a stator;  
 a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and  
 a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor, said compressor mechanism having an inlet and an outlet;  
 a condenser formed at least partially within said first side of said housing, said condenser in fluid communication with said compressor mechanism outlet;  
 an evaporator formed at least partially within said second side of said housing, said evaporator in fluid communication with said compressor mechanism inlet; and  
 an expansion device in fluid communication with said condenser and with said evaporator.  
   
   
   
       14 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein said compressor mechanism is disposed substantially interiorly of said rotor.  
   
   
       15 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein said simple geometry profile of said housing comprises a rectilinear profile.  
   
   
       16 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein said housing further comprises at least: 
 a first housing component defining at least a first pair of opposite sides of said housing; and    a second housing component defining at least a third side of said housing, said first and second housing components insertable one into the other.    
   
   
       17 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein said housing further includes an electrical terminal, said electrical terminal at least partially recessed within said housing profile.  
   
   
       18 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said condenser and evaporator includes a passage directed from proximate a central portion of a respective said side of said housing toward a peripheral portion of said side.  
   
   
       19 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 13 , further comprising an auxiliary heat exchanger configured as a modular unit attached to said housing in fluid communication with at least one of said evaporator and said condenser.  
   
   
       20 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a substantially enclosed housing having a simple geometry profile, including an inlet and an outlet and at least a first side;    a motor-compressor unit disposed within said housing, comprising: 
 a stator;  
 a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and  
 a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor; and  
   a first heat exchanger formed substantially within said first side of said housing, said first heat exchanger in fluid communication with said compressor mechanism.    
   
   
       21 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 20 , further comprising a second heat exchanger configured as a modular unit attached to said housing in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet.  
   
   
       22 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 21 , wherein said first heat exchanger is an evaporator and said second heat exchanger is a condenser, and wherein, in serial order, said compressor mechanism is in fluid communication with said condenser via said outlet, said condenser is in fluid communication with said evaporator via said inlet, and said evaporator is in fluid communication with said compressor mechanism.  
   
   
       23 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 21 , wherein said first heat exchanger is an condenser and said second heat exchanger is an evaporator, and wherein, in serial order, said compressor mechanism is in fluid communication with said condenser, said condenser is in fluid communication with said evaporator via said outlet, and said evaporator is in fluid communication with said compressor mechanism via said inlet.  
   
   
       24 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said compressor mechanism is disposed substantially interiorly of said rotor.  
   
   
       25 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said simple geometry profile of said housing comprises a rectilinear profile.  
   
   
       26 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said housing further comprises at least: 
 a first housing component including at least a first pair of opposite sides of said housing; and    a second housing component including at least a third side of said housing, said first and second housing components insertable one into the other.    
   
   
       27 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said inlet and said outlet are disposed within a common side of said housing, said inlet and said outlet recessed into said common housing side.  
   
   
       28 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said housing further includes an electrical terminal, said electrical terminal at least partially recessed within said housing profile.  
   
   
       29 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 19 , wherein said first heat exchanger includes a passage extending from proximate a central portion of said first side of said housing toward a peripheral portion of said first side.  
   
   
       30 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a housing, comprising: 
 a first housing component including at least a first pair of opposite sides of said housing; and  
 a second housing component including at least another side of said housing, said first and second housing components insertable one into the other; and  
   a compressor mechanism disposed within said housing.    
   
   
       31 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 30 , further comprising a heat exchanger formed substantially in one of said sides of said housing.  
   
   
       32 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 31 , wherein said heat exchanger is one of: 
 an evaporator, said evaporator in fluid communication with an inlet of said compressor mechanism; and    a condenser, said condenser in fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor mechanism.    
   
   
       33 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 30 , wherein said heat exchanger includes a passage extending from proximate a central portion of said side of said housing toward a peripheral portion of said side.  
   
   
       34 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 30 , wherein said housing further includes an inlet and an outlet, said housing further comprising a modular heat exchanger attached to said housing in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet.  
   
   
       35 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 30 , wherein said first and second pairs of opposite sides of said housing define a rectilinear profile.  
   
   
       36 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 30 , wherein said compressor mechanism comprises: 
 a stator;    a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and    a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor and disposed interiorly of said stator.    
   
   
       37 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a housing, comprising: 
 a first housing component including at least a first pair of opposite sides of said housing; and  
 a second housing component including at least another side of said housing, said first and second housing components insertable one into the other; and  
   a heat exchanger at least partially integrated into one of said sides of said housing, said heat exchanger including a passage extending from proximate a central portion of said housing side toward a peripheral portion of said housing side.    
   
   
       38 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 37 , further comprising a compressor mechanism disposed within said housing.  
   
   
       39 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 37 , wherein said heat exchanger is one of: 
 an evaporator, said evaporator in fluid communication with an inlet of said compressor mechanism; and    a condenser, said condenser in fluid communication with an outlet of said compressor mechanism.    
   
   
       40 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 37 , wherein said housing includes an inlet and an outlet, said compact refrigeration system further comprising a second, modular heat exchanger attached to said housing in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet.  
   
   
       41 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a housing including an inlet and an outlet;    a compressor unit disposed within said housing, said compressor unit comprising: 
 a stator;  
 a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and  
 a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor and disposed interiorly of said stator; and  
   a first heat exchanger configured as a modular unit attached to a wall of said housing, said heat exchanger in fluid communication with said inlet and with said outlet.    
   
   
       42 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 41 , wherein said housing further includes a second heat exchanger at least partially integrated into a wall of said housing.  
   
   
       43 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 42 , wherein said second heat exchanger includes a fluid passage extending from a central portion of said wall outwardly toward a peripheral portion of said wall.  
   
   
       44 . A compact refrigeration system, comprising: 
 a first housing component having a simple geometry profile including an exterior wall, and a groove formed within said exterior wall;    a second housing component into which said first housing component is received, said second housing component having a wall in abutment with said exterior wall of said first housing component and enclosing said groove to define a heat exchanger passage; and    a compressor mechanism disposed within said first housing component and in fluid communication with said heat exchanger passage.    
   
   
       45 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 44 , wherein said heat exchanger passage extends from a central portion of said exterior wall outwardly toward a peripheral portion of said exterior wall.  
   
   
       46 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 44 , wherein said first housing component includes another exterior wall having another groove formed therein, and said second housing component includes another wall in abutment with said another exterior wall of said first housing component and enclosing said another groove to define another heat exchanger passage.  
   
   
       47 . The compact refrigeration system of  claim 44 , wherein said compressor mechanism comprises: 
 a stator;    a rotor disposed substantially interiorly of said stator; and    a compressor mechanism driven by said rotor and disposed interiorly of said stator.