Compressor with improved oil separation

Abstract

An oil separator for a fluid compressor is disclosed. The oil separator includes a housing having a generally cylindrical cavity formed therein. A wall is disposed in the cavity to form an inlet side of the cavity and an outlet side of the cavity. A conduit extends through the wall and provides a fluid communication path between the inlet side and the outlet side of the cavity. The inlet side of the cavity facilitates the separation of an oil from a fluid, wherein the separated oil is returned to an oil reservoir formed in the housing, and the fluid is provided substantially free of oil to an associated refrigeration circuit.

1 . An oil separator for a fluid compressor comprising:
 a housing having a cavity formed therein;   a wall disposed in the cavity to divide the cavity into an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side including a fluid inlet channel and at least one fluid drain channel, and the outlet side including a fluid outlet channel, wherein the inlet side of the cavity facilitates the separation of an oil from a fluid; and   a conduit extending through the wall providing a fluid communication path between the inlet side and the outlet side of the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the cavity is textured to maximize a surface area thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet channel in the inlet side of the cavity is in fluid communication with a discharge port of the fluid compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet channel in the inlet side of the cavity is formed adjacent the wall. 
     
     
         6 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet channel in the inlet side of the cavity is formed to facilitate a rotational fluid flow in the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The oil separator according to  claim 1  wherein one end of the conduit extends from the wall into the inlet side of the cavity and an opposite end of the conduit extends from the wall into the outlet side of the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The oil separator according to  claim 7 , wherein the conduit includes a bell mouth formed at the one end of the conduit extending into the inlet side of the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the conduit is concentric with the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The oil separator according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid outlet channel formed in the outlet side of the cavity is adapted to be in fluid communication with a refrigeration circuit. 
     
     
         11 . A fluid compressor comprising:
 a housing having a discharge port and at least one oil reservoir formed therein;   a generally cylindrical cavity formed in the housing forming an oil separator, the oil separator further comprising:
 a wall disposed in the cavity to divide the cavity into an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side including a fluid inlet channel providing fluid communication between the discharge port and the inlet side, and at least one fluid drain channel providing fluid communication between the at least one oil reservoir and the inlet side, the outlet side including a fluid outlet channel adapted to provide fluid communication between the outlet side and a refrigeration circuit, wherein the inlet side of the cavity facilitates the separation of an oil from a fluid; and 
 a conduit extending through the wall providing a fluid communication path between the inlet side and the outlet side of the cavity. 
   
     
     
         12 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the oil reservoir is formed to surround at least a portion of the housing of the compressor. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein an orifice is formed in the housing of the compressor to provide a fluid communication path between the oil reservoir and an interior of the compressor. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the fluid inlet channel in the inlet side of the cavity is formed adjacent the wall. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the fluid inlet channel in the inlet side of the cavity is formed to facilitate a rotational fluid flow in the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein a surface of the cavity is textured to maximize a surface area thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid compressor according to  claim 11 , including a bell mouth formed at an end of the conduit disposed in the inlet side of the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . A method for separating a lubricant from a refrigerant in a fluid compressor comprising the steps of:
 providing a housing for the compressor having a generally cylindrical cavity, a discharge port, and at least one oil reservoir formed therein;   providing a wall to divide the cavity into an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side including a fluid inlet channel providing fluid communication between the discharge port and the inlet side of the cavity, and at least one fluid drain channel providing fluid communication between the at least one oil reservoir and the inlet side of the cavity, the outlet side including a fluid outlet channel providing fluid communication between the outlet side of the cavity and an associated refrigeration circuit;   providing a conduit extending through the wall providing a fluid communication path between the inlet side and the outlet side of the cavity;   causing a refrigerant-oil fluid mixture to flow from the discharge port, through the fluid inlet channel, and into the inlet side of the cavity, wherein the fluid inlet channel is formed to facilitate a rotational flow of the refrigerant-oil fluid mixture in the cavity to apply a centrifugal force to separate the oil from the refrigerant.   causing the separated oil to pool in the inlet side and flow through the fluid drain channel to the at least one oil reservoir, and   causing the refrigerant to flow from the inlet side of the cavity through the conduit into the outlet side of the cavity, and through the fluid outlet channel to the associated refrigeration circuit.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of providing a textured surface to a surface of the inlet side of the cavity to maximize a surface area thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of forming a bell mouth at an end of the conduit extending into the inlet side of the cavity.