Porous oil flow controller

Abstract

A compressor comprises a housing having a hollow interior for communicating a fluid comprising a mixture of a gas and a lubricant therethrough. The hollow interior of the housing is divided into a low pressure side and a high pressure side. The low pressure side is disposed upstream of compression mechanism and the high pressure side is disposed downstream of the compression mechanism. A porous flow controller fluidly couples the high pressure side to the low pressure side. The porous flow controller is configured to meter a flow of the lubricant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor comprising:
 a housing having a hollow interior for communicating a fluid therethrough, the hollow interior of the housing divided into a low pressure side and a high pressure side; and   a porous flow controller fluidly coupling the high pressure side to the low pressure side, wherein the porous flow controller is configured to meter a flow of the fluid from the high pressure side to the low pressure side.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor of  claim 1 , further comprising a compression mechanism, wherein the low pressure side is disposed upstream of the compression mechanism in a direction of flow of the fluid and the high pressure side is disposed downstream of the compression mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein an oil separator is disposed in the high pressure side upstream of the porous flow controller in a direction of flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a mixture of a gaseous refrigerant and an oil. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the fluid being metered by the porous flow controller comprises a higher percentage of the oil by volume than the gaseous refrigerant. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor of  claim 4 , wherein the oil flows directly from the high pressure side to the low pressure side through the porous flow controller. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the porous flow controller is formed in one of a sintering process, a liquid foaming process, or a replication casting process. 
     
     
         8 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow interior of the housing includes a conduit fluidly coupling the high pressure side to the low pressure side and the porous flow controller extends across an entirety of a cross-section of the conduit. 
     
     
         9 . The compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow interior of the housing does not include a filter disposed adjacent the porous flow controller. 
     
     
         10 . A compressor comprising:
 a housing having a hollow interior for communicating a fluid comprising a mixture of a gas and a lubricant therethrough, the hollow interior of the housing divided into a low pressure side and a high pressure side;   a compression mechanism, wherein the low pressure side is disposed upstream of the compression mechanism in a direction of flow of the fluid and the high pressure side is disposed downstream of the compression mechanism;   a porous flow controller fluidly coupling the high pressure side to the low pressure side, wherein the porous flow controller is configured to meter a flow of the lubricant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side; and   an oil separator disposed in the high pressure side.   
     
     
         11 . The compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the oil separator is disposed upstream of the porous flow controller in a direction of flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the gas is a refrigerant and the lubricant is a lubricating oil. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the oil separator is disposed in a chamber formed in the high pressure side, the chamber defined by a wall including:
 a fluid inlet formed therein and fluidly coupling the compression mechanism to the chamber;   a first fluid outlet formed therein and fluidly coupling the chamber to a discharge port of the housing; and   a second fluid outlet formed therein and fluidly coupling the chamber to the low pressure side, wherein the porous flow controller is disposed in the second fluid outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The compressor of  claim 13 , wherein a sump is formed in the chamber adjacent the second fluid outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor of  claim 13 , wherein the porous flow controller extends across an entirety of a cross-section of the second fluid outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor of  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid outlet does not include a filter disposed therein. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a compressor comprising the steps of:
 providing a compressor having a housing with a hollow interior for communicating a fluid mixture of a gas and a lubricant therethrough, the hollow interior of the housing divided into a low pressure side and a high pressure side;   separating at least a portion of the lubricant from the fluid mixture within the high pressure side; and   metering a flow of the at least a portion of the lubricant from the high pressure side to the low pressure side through a porous flow controller.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of compressing the fluid mixture prior to the fluid mixture entering the high pressure side. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the porous flow controller is disposed in a conduit formed in the housing, the conduit fluidly coupling the high pressure side to the low pressure side. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of filtering debris from the at least a portion of the lubricant as the lubricant is metered through the porous flow controller.