Compressor having a sealing channel

Abstract

A compressor having a housing and a rotor, the rotor having a compressor impeller at least on one side; a compressor chamber being configured between the compressor impeller and the housing; the rotor being rotationally mounted; an annular sealing channel being configured between the rotor and the housing; the sealing channel being routed from the compressor chamber to a lower-pressure zone; at least two throttling sections being provided in the sealing channel; in each of the two throttling sections, in the direction of flow viewed from the compressor chamber to the lower-pressure zone, a first section having a reduction in the cross section of the sealing channel being first provided, and a second section having an enlargement of the cross section of the sealing channel being subsequently provided.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A compressor, comprising:
 a housing;   a rotor having a compressor impeller at least on one side, the rotor being rotationally mounted;   a compressor chamber configured between the compressor impeller and the housing; and   an annular sealing channel configured between the rotor and the housing, the sealing channel being routed from the compressor chamber to a lower-pressure zone, at least two throttling sections being provided in the sealing channel, in each of the two throttling sections, in the direction of flow viewed from the compressor chamber to the lower-pressure zone, a first section having a reduction in the cross section of the sealing channel being first provided, and a second section having an enlarged cross section of the sealing channel being subsequently provided.   
     
     
         16 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein two contours are provided between the rotor and the housing in the sealing channel, wherein, viewed in a plane of an axis of rotation of the rotor, the contours having steps, the steps of the contours being formed in such a way that the two throttling sections are realized by the steps of the contours. 
     
     
         17 . The compressor as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the contours are in the form of ascending and descending stairs. 
     
     
         18 . The compressor as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the contours are in the form of at least a radial web and at least a radial recess, the web engaging into the recess. 
     
     
         19 . The compressor as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the recess is bounded by side walls of different heights, as viewed axially, and wherein the web has side walls of different heights, as viewed radially. 
     
     
         20 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first portion of the throttling section is formed by a constriction that is disposed radially relative to an axis of rotation of the rotor and between the rotor and the housing, and the second portion of the throttling section is realized by an axial distance that, viewed in the axial direction, is disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor and between the rotor and the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein at least three or more throttling sections are provided in the sealing channel, as viewed in the flow direction. 
     
     
         22 . The compressor as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the web, extending from the housing or the rotor, has a first section that merges into a second section, wherein viewed in a plane of an axis of rotation of the rotor, the first section has a smaller width than the second section. 
     
     
         23 . The compressor as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the second section has an annular first surface that is disposed radially at the end face and that is associated with an annular second surface, which is disposed radially at the end face, of a recess in the form of a radial groove, wherein the first and second surface are oriented mutually in parallel. 
     
     
         24 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the compressor impeller is configured on a first side of the rotor, a further compressor impeller is configured on a second side of the rotor opposite the first side, the further compressor impeller constituting a high pressure stage, and the compressor impeller constituting a low-pressure stage, the further compressor impeller being positioned in a further compressor chamber of the housing, and the sealing channel being formed between the compressor chamber and the further compressor chamber thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the rotor is rotationally mounted on the housing via a contactless bearing, and the sealing channel is configured in the area of the bearing. 
     
     
         26 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein a sealing element is configured on at least one of the rotor and the housing, the sealing element being formed of a softer material than the rotor or the housing, and the sealing element constitutes at least one side of at least one throttling section. 
     
     
         27 . The compressor as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the sealing element is configured on the housing, a radial recess is configured in the sealing element, and a radial web, which engages into the recess, is formed on the rotor. 
     
     
         28 . The compressor as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the compressor is a turbocompressor.