Thermally compensated scroll machine
View Patent ↗The scroll machine has a first and a second scroll member each having intermeshed scroll wraps. A compensation member is attached to one of the scrolls. As the scroll machine warms to operating temperature, the compensation member exerts a force on the one scroll member causing it to deflect. The deflection of the scroll member compensates for the unequal growth of the scroll wrap which is caused by a temperature difference between the radially inner section and the radially outer section of the scroll wrap.
1. A scroll machine comprising:
a first scroll member including a first end plate having a first spiral wrap extending therefrom;
a second scroll member including a second end plate having a second spiral wrap extending therefrom, said second spiral wrap being intermeshed with said first spiral wrap such that a distal end of said first spiral wrap engages said second end plate and a distal end of said second spiral wrap engages said first end plate;
a drive member for causing said scroll members to orbit relative to one another whereby said spiral wraps create pockets of progressively changing volume between a suction pressure zone and a discharge pressure zone; and
a compensation member attached to one of said first and second scroll members and having a first reaction to a temperature change, said first reaction to said temperature change causing said one scroll member to maintain a sealed relationship between said distal end of said first spiral wrap and said second end plate and between said distal end of said second spiral wrap and said first end plate at said suction pressure zone and said discharge pressure zone.
2. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member is an axial compliant scroll member.
3. The scroll machine according to claim 2 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-orbiting scroll member.
4. The scroll machine according to claim 2 , wherein said one scroll member is an orbiting scroll member.
5. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-axial compliant scroll member.
6. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said compensation member is an annular ring.
7. The scroll machine according to claim 6 , wherein said one scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is greater than said second reaction to temperature change.
8. The scroll machine according to claim 7 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-orbiting scroll member.
9. The scroll machine according to claim 8 , wherein said one scroll member is pressure biased against the other scroll member.
10. The scroll machine according to claim 7 , wherein said one scroll member is an orbiting scroll member.
11. The scroll machine according to claim 10 , wherein said one scroll member is pressure biased against the other scroll member.
12. The scroll machine according to claim 6 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is less than said second reaction to temperature change.
13. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-orbiting scroll.
14. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member is an orbiting scroll member.
15. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is greater than said second reaction to temperature change.
16. The scroll machine according to claim 15 , wherein said compensation member is a copper based material.
17. The scroll machine according to claim 15 , wherein said compensation member is a ferrous based material with an austenitic structure.
18. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is less than said second reaction to temperature change.
19. The scroll machine according to claim 18 , wherein said compensation member is a high nickel alloy material.
20. The scroll machine according to claim 18 , wherein said compensation member is a filament wound carbon fiber based composite material.
21. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member defines an internal diameter and said compensation member is an annular ring secured within said internal diameter.
22. The scroll machine according to claim 21 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is greater than said second reaction to temperature change.
23. The scroll machine according to claim 21 , wherein said one scroll member is an axial compliant scroll member.
24. The scroll machine according to claim 21 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-axial compliant scroll member.
25. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said one scroll member includes an end plate having a planar surface, said deflection of said one scroll member causing said planar surface of said end plate to form a concave surface.
26. The scroll machine according to claim 25 , wherein said compensation member is an annular ring.
27. The scroll machine according to claim 26 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is greater than said second reaction to temperature change.
28. The scroll machine according to claim 26 , wherein said scroll member is formed from a material having a second reaction to temperature change and said first reaction to temperature change is less than said second reaction to temperature change.
29. The scroll machine according to claim 1 , wherein said compensation member is a plurality of thermal actuators.
30. The scroll machine according to claim 29 , wherein said plurality of thermal actuators are circumferentially spaced around said one scroll member.
31. The scroll machine according to claim 29 , wherein at least one of said plurality of thermal actuators utilizes a material phase change.
32. The scroll machine according to claim 29 , wherein at least one of said plurality of thermal actuators is a memory material.
33. A scroll machine comprising:
a non-orbiting scroll member having a first spiral wrap projecting outward from a first end plate;
an orbiting scroll member having a second spiral wrap projecting outward from a second end plate, said second spiral wrap being intermeshed with said first spiral wrap such that a distal end of said first spiral wrap engages said second end plate and a distal end of said second spiral wrap engages said first end plate;
a drive member for causing said orbiting scroll member to orbit relative to said non-orbiting scroll member whereby said spiral wraps create pockets of progressively changing volume between a suction pressure zone and a discharge pressure zone; and
a compensation member attached to one of said orbiting and non-orbiting scroll members and formed from a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, said one scroll member being formed from a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different than said first coefficient of thermal expansion, said compensation member will cause said one scroll member to maintain a sealed relationship between said distal end of said first spiral wrap and said second end plate and between said distal end of said second spiral wrap and said first end plate at said suction pressure zone and said discharge pressure zone upon heating of said compensation member.
34. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said one scroll member is an axial compliant scroll member.
35. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said one scroll member is a non-axial compliant scroll member.
36. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said compensation member causes said one scroll member to deflect through tensile stress.
37. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said compensation member causes said one scroll member to deflect through compressive stress.
38. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said compensation member is an annular ring.
39. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said non-orbiting scroll member and said orbiting scroll member are made from grey iron and the compensation member is a ring.
40. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than said second coefficient of thermal expansion.
41. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said first coefficient of thermal expansion is less than said second coefficient of thermal expansion.
42. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said one scroll member defines an internal diameter and said compensation member is an annular ring secured within said internal diameter.
43. The scroll machine according to claim 33 , wherein said end plate of said one scroll member includes a planar surface, said deflection of said one scroll member causing said planar surface to form a concave surface.