Compressor and chiller system including a compressor

Abstract

A compressor and a chiller system including a compressor are provided. The compressor may include one or more impellers that draws a refrigerant in an axial direction and compresses the refrigerant in a radial direction, a rotating shaft that rotates the one or more impellers, and at least one displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the rotating shaft. The displacement sensor may include a flexible circuit board and coils provided on both sides of the flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board may include a plurality of boards which may be connected to each other by one or more connectors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor comprising:
 one or more impellers that draws a refrigerant in an axial direction and compresses the refrigerant in a radial direction;   a rotating shaft that rotates the one or more impellers; and   at least one displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the rotating shaft, wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a flexible circuit board and coils provided on both sides of the flexible circuit board wherein the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of boards which are connected to each other by one or more connectors.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boards is stacked in a zigzag fashion by bending the one or more connectors. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the coils is arranged on one of both sides of the plurality of boards in a spiral fashion, wherein each of the plurality of boards has a hole formed at a position corresponding to a radially inner end of the coil, wherein the radially inner end of the coil provided on a first side of each board is connected to the radially inner end of the coil provided on a second side of the board through the hole. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein, when the plurality of boards are stacked, each of two boards, which are provided at outermost layers, is connected to an adjacent board by a single connector, and each of one or more boards, which are provided between two outermost boards, is connected to adjacent boards by two connectors. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor according to  claim 3 , wherein, when the plurality of boards is stacked, a radially outer end of each of the coils provided on both sides of each of the boards is connected to a radially outer end of one of the coils provided on both sides of an adjacent board through a coil provided in a corresponding connector. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor according to  claim 5 , wherein the coil provided in the connector is configured to have a mesh shape. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more connect and the plurality of boards are integrally formed with each other. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the coils is at least partially coated with an insulator. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a ferrite core, which is coupled to the plurality of boards, wherein each of the plurality of boards has a coupling hole formed in a center thereof, and the ferrite core includes a coupling protrusion corresponding to the coupling hole. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor detects a radial displacement of the rotating shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a plurality of displacement sensors, which is provided around the rotating shaft and is radially spaced apart from the rotating shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of displacement sensors includes a first pair of displacement sensors, which faces each other in a vertical direction above and below the rotating shaft, and a second pair of displacement sensors, which faces each other in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary line that connects the first pair of displacement sensors to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor according to  claim 12 , wherein a position of the rotating shaft in the vertical direction is determined based on a first values which is a difference between values detected by the first pair of displacement sensors, and a position of the rotating shaft in a horizontal direction is determined by a second value, which is a difference between values detected by the second pair of displacement sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor according to  claim 13 , further including a controller which is electrically connected to the first pair of displacement sensors and the second pair of displacement sensors, wherein the bearing housing is provided with magnetic bearings that surround the rotating shaft, and the first pair of displacement sensors and the second pair of displacement sensors are provided at positions that radially correspond to positions of the magnetic bearings provided around the rotating shaft, and wherein the controller controls the magnetic bearings such that the rotating shaft is provided at a predetermined position in the bearing housing based on the first value and the second value. 
     
     
         15 . A chiller system including the compressor accordingly to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A chiller system, comprising:
 a compressor including one or more impellers that draws refrigerant in an axial direction and compresses the refrigerant in a radial direction, a rotating shaft that rotates the one or more impellers, and at least one displacement sensor that detects a displacement of the rotating shaft;   a condenser that exchanges heat between the refrigerant compressed in the compressor and cooling water so as to condense the refrigerant;   an expansion valve that expands the refrigerant condensed in the condenser; and   an evaporator that exchanges heat between the refrigerant expanded at the expansion valve and cold water so as to evaporate the refrigerant and to cool the cold water, wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a flexible circuit board and coils provided on both sides of the flexible circuit board, and wherein the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of boards, which is connected to each other by one or more connectors.   
     
     
         17 . The chiller system according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of boards is stacked in a zigzag fashion by bending the one or more connectors. 
     
     
         18 . The chiller system according to  claim 17 , wherein, when the plurality of boards is stacked, a radially outer end of each of the coils provided on both sides of each of the plurality of boards is connected to a radially outer end of a corresponding one of the coils provided on both sides of an adjacent board through a coil provided in a corresponding connector. 
     
     
         19 . The chiller system according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one displacement sensor includes a plurality of displacement sensors, which is provided around the rotating shaft and is radially spaced apart from the rotating shaft, wherein the plurality of displacement sensors includes a first pair of displacement sensors, which faces each other in a vertical direction above and below the rotating shaft, and a second pair of displacement sensors, which faces each other in a direction perpendicular to an imaginary line that connects the first pair of displacement sensors to each other. 
     
     
         20 . The chiller system according to  claim 19 , wherein a position of the rotating shaft in the vertical direction is determined based on a first value, which is a difference between values detected by the first pair of displacement sensors, and a position of the rotating shaft in a horizontal direction is determined based on a second value, which is a difference between values detected by the second pair of displacement sensors. 
     
     
         21 . The chiller system according to  claim 16 , further including an air-conditioner that exchanges heat between the cold water cooled at the evaporator and air in an air-conditioning space so as to cool the air in the air-conditioning space. 
     
     
         22 . A compressor, comprising:
 one more impellers that draws a refrigerant in an axial direction and compresses the refrigerant in a radial direction;   a rotating shaft that rotates the one or more impellers; and   a plurality of displacement sensors distributed in pairs around a circumference of the rotating shaft, wherein the pairs of displacement sensors detect a radial displacement of the rotating shaft in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, respectively.   
     
     
         23 . The compressor according to  claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of displacement sensors includes a flexible circuit board and coils provided on both sides of the flexible circuit board. 
     
     
         24 . The compressor according to  claim 23 , wherein the flexible circuit board includes a plurality of boards which are connected to each other by one or more connectors. 
     
     
         25 . The compressor according to  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of boards is stacked in a zigzag fashion by bending the one or more connectors. 
     
     
         26 . The compressor according to  claim 24 , wherein the one or more connectors and the plurality of boards are integrally formed with each other. 
     
     
         27 . The compressor according to  claim 22 , wherein the radial displacement of the rotating shaft in the vertical direction is determined based on a first value, which is a difference between values detected by a first pair of displacement sensors, and the radial displacement of the rotating shaft in the horizontal direction is determined by a second value, which is a difference between values detected by a second pair of displacement sensors. 
     
     
         28 . A chiller system including the compressor accordingly to  claim 22 .