Versatile housing of compressor motors

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for a compressor assembly configured to operatively couple to motor stators having different dimensions in a reciprocating compressor. The compressor includes a cylinder, crankshaft housing, crankshaft, rod assembly, motor, and motor housing. The motor housing may operatively couple to an outer or inner surface of the crankshaft housing. The motor housing may include a pair of generally cylindrical shells, each with inner and outer sidewalls. The pair of shells may include a portion interposed there-between. The generally cylindrical shells may have different thicknesses, axial lengths, and/or radial lengths.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor assembly configured to operatively couple to differently dimensioned motor stators in a reciprocating compressor, the compressor assembly comprising:
 a cylinder forming a space for compressing a fluid;   a crankshaft housing operatively coupled to the cylinder;   a crankshaft housed within the crankshaft housing;   a rod assembly configured to reciprocate within the cylinder so as to compress the fluid within the space, the rod assembly being driven by the crankshaft;   a motor housing operatively coupled to the crankshaft housing and configured to be operatively coupled to another crankshaft housing, the motor housing comprising a first inner sidewall, a first outer sidewall, a second inner sidewall, a second outer sidewall, and an intermediate portion interposed between the first outer sidewall and the second inner sidewall, wherein:   the first inner and first outer sidewalls form at least part of a first cylindrical shell,   the second inner and second outer sidewalls form at least part of a second cylindrical shell,   at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell is configured such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different axial lengths, and   at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell is configured such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different radial lengths; and   
       a motor housed within the motor housing, the motor being configured to drive the crankshaft. 
     
     
         2 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of openings that increase a surface area of the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein radial lengths of the first inner sidewall, the first outer sidewall, the second inner sidewall, and the second outer sidewall are all different from one another, and wherein a portion of either the first inner sidewall or the second inner sidewall is operatively coupled to an outer surface of the crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein, when the portion of the first inner sidewall is operatively coupled to the outer surface of the crankshaft housing, the second cylindrical shell is machined to an axial length shorter than the axial length of the first cylindrical shell. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of either the first outer sidewall or the second outer sidewall is configured to be operatively coupled to an inner surface of the other crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an axial length of the intermediate portion is different than the axial lengths of the first and second cylindrical shells. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first inner sidewall is configured to be operatively coupled to a stator of the motor, the configuration including machining out some or all of the first cylindrical shell prior to coupling the motor housing to an outer surface of the first crankshaft housing or to an inner surface of the other crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         8 . A motor housing operatively coupled to a crankshaft housing and configured to be operatively coupled to another crankshaft housing, the motor housing comprising a first inner sidewall, a first outer sidewall, a second inner sidewall, a second outer sidewall, and an intermediate portion interposed between the first outer sidewall and the second inner sidewall, wherein:
 the first inner and first outer sidewalls form at least part of a first cylindrical shell,   the second inner and second outer sidewalls form at least part of a second cylindrical shell, and   at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell is configured such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different axial lengths or different radial lengths.   
     
     
         9 . A method to operatively couple a compressor assembly to differently dimensioned motor stators in a reciprocating compressor, the compressor comprising a cylinder, a crankshaft housing, a crankshaft, a rod assembly, a motor housing, and a motor, the motor housing comprising a first inner sidewall, a first outer sidewall, a second inner sidewall, a second outer sidewall, and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion being interposed between the first outer sidewall and the second inner sidewall, the first inner and first outer sidewalls forming at least part of a first cylindrical shell, the second inner and second outer sidewalls forming at least part of a second cylindrical shell, the method comprising:
 forming, with the cylinder, a space for compressing a fluid;   operatively coupling the crankshaft housing to the cylinder;   housing the crankshaft within the crankshaft housing;   operatively coupling the motor housing to the crankshaft housing;   housing the motor within the motor housing, the motor being configured to drive the crankshaft;   reciprocating the rod assembly within the cylinder so as to compress the fluid within the space, the rod assembly being driven by the crankshaft;   operatively coupling the motor housing to the crankshaft housing, the motor housing being configured to be operatively coupled to another crankshaft housing; configuring at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different axial lengths; and   
       configuring at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different radial lengths. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the intermediate portion comprises a plurality of openings that increase a surface area of the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein radial lengths of the first inner sidewall, the first outer sidewall, the second inner sidewall, and the second outer sidewall are all different from one another, and wherein a portion of either the first inner sidewall or the second inner sidewall is operatively coupled to an outer surface of the crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first inner sidewall is configured to be operatively coupled to a stator of the motor, the configuration including machining out some or all of the first cylindrical shell prior to coupling the motor housing to an outer surface of the first crankshaft housing or to an inner surface of the other crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of either the first outer sidewall or the second outer sidewall is configured to be operatively coupled to an inner surface of the other crankshaft housing. 
     
     
         14 . A system to operatively couple a compressor assembly to differently dimensioned motor stators, the system comprising:
 means for forming a space for compressing a fluid;   means for housing a crankshaft operatively coupled to the means for forming the space;   means for reciprocating within the means for forming the space so as to compress the fluid within the space, the means for reciprocating being driven by the crankshaft;   means for housing a motor that drives the crankshaft, the means for housing the motor being operatively coupled to the means for housing the crankshaft and being configured to be operatively coupled to another means for housing a crankshaft, the means for housing the motor comprising:   first means for forming an inner sidewall, first means for forming an outer sidewall, second means for forming an inner sidewall, second means for forming an outer sidewall, and means for interposing between the first means for forming the outer sidewall and the second means for forming the inner sidewall, wherein:   the first means for forming the inner sidewall and the first means for forming the outer sidewall form at least part of a first cylindrical shell,   the second means for forming the inner sidewall and the second means for forming the outer sidewall form at least part of a second cylindrical shell,   at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell is configured such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different axial lengths, and   at least one of the first or second cylindrical shell is configured such that the first and second cylindrical shells have different radial lengths.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the means for interposing comprises a plurality of openings that increase a surface area of the means for interposing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein radial lengths of the first means for forming the inner sidewall, the first means for forming the outer sidewall, the second means for forming the inner sidewall, and the second means for forming the outer sidewall are all different from one another, and wherein a portion of either the first means for forming the inner sidewall or the second means for forming the inner sidewall is operatively coupled to an outer surface of the means for housing the crankshaft. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first means for forming the inner sidewall is configured to be operatively coupled to a stator of the motor, the configuration including machining out some or all of the first cylindrical shell.