IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,670,030
Granted Patent B2
US 10,670,030 · App. 15/139,204 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Turbo machine and refrigerating cycle apparatus

Inventors: Akira Hiwata (Shiga, JP); Kazuyuki Kouda (Osaka, JP); Mamoru Nishibu (Shiga, JP); Tadayoshi Shoyama (Osaka, JP); Takeshi Ogata (Osaka, JP); Hidetoshi Taguchi (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
F04D29/063F02C7/06F04D29/046F04D29/047F04D29/057F04D29/061F16C33/1055F25B1/053F05D2240/61F05D2240/63F16C2360/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,670,030
App. No.
15/139,204
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a rotation shaft, a first bearing, a casing, an impeller, a first space, a second space, a storage tank, a first outlet passage, a supply passage, a pump, a main passage, and a sub-passage. The second space is in communication with a space formed between a bearing surface of the first bearing and an outer surface of the rotation shaft. The main passage is in communication with the second space and extends in the rotation shaft from an end of the rotation shaft in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The sub-passage is formed in the rotation shaft and allows communication between the space between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft and the main passage.

Claims (58)

1. A refrigerating cycle apparatus comprising:

a turbo machine; and

a condenser, wherein

the turbo machine includes:

a rotation shaft;

a first bearing that supports the rotation shaft at least in a radial direction of the rotation shaft;

a casing that forms a suction space into which a working fluid flows;

an impeller that is fixed to the rotation shaft in the casing and that compresses the working fluid flowed into the suction space to discharge the working fluid outside the casing by rotation of the rotation shaft;

a first space that is formed around the rotation shaft at a position between the impeller and the first bearing in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, that is in communication with a space formed between a bearing surface of the first bearing and an outer surface of the rotation shaft, and that stores a lubricating liquid;

a second space that is formed on an opposite side of the first bearing from the impeller in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, that is in communication with the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft, and that stores the lubricating liquid;

a storage tank that stores the lubricating liquid;

a first output passage that allows communication between an inner space of the storage tank and the first space and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the first space to the storage tank;

a supply passage that allows communication between the inner space of the storage tank and the second space and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the storage tank to the second space;

a pump that pumps the lubricating liquid to the second space;

a main passage that is in communication with the second space, that extends in the rotation shaft in the axial direction of the rotation shaft from one end of the rotation shaft, and through which the lubricating liquid stored in the second space flows in the axial direction of the rotation shaft; and

a sub-passage that is formed in the rotation shaft, that allows communication between the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft and the main passage, and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the main passage to the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft,

the second space is configured so as to be in communication with the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft via a first path and a second path, the first path including the main passage and the sub-passage,

the condenser condenses the working fluid compressed by the turbo machine and stores the working fluid as a refrigerant liquid;

the storage tank stores the refrigerant liquid as the lubricating liquid,

the refrigerant liquid flows through the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft, and

the first bearing has a ring-shaped groove formed in the bearing surface of the first bearing at a position around an outlet of the sub-passage in the outer surface of the rotation shaft.

2. A refrigerating cycle apparatus comprising:

a turbo machine; and

a condenser, wherein

the turbo machine includes:

a rotation shaft;

a first bearing that supports the rotation shaft at least in a radial direction of the rotation shaft;

a casing that forms a suction space into which a working fluid flows;

an impeller that is fixed to the rotation shaft in the casing and that compresses the working fluid flowed into the suction space to discharge the working fluid outside the casing by rotation of the rotation shaft;

a first space that is formed around the rotation shaft at a position between the impeller and the first bearing in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, that is in communication with a space formed between a bearing surface of the first bearing and an outer surface of the rotation shaft, and that stores a lubricating liquid;

a second space that is formed on an opposite side of the first bearing from the impeller in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, that is in communication with the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft, and that stores the lubricating liquid;

a storage tank that stores the lubricating liquid;

a first outlet passage that allows communication between an inner space of the storage tank and the first space and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the first space to the storage tank;

a supply passage that allows communication between the inner space of the storage tank and the second space and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the storage tank to the second space;

a pump that pumps the lubricating liquid to the second space;

a main passage that is in communication with the second space, that extends in the rotation shaft in the axial direction of the rotation shaft from one end of the rotation shaft, and through which the lubricating liquid stored in the second space flows in the axial direction of the rotation shaft; and

a sub-passage that is formed in the rotation shaft, that allows communication between the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft and the main passage, and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the main passage to the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft,

the second space is configured so as to be in communication with the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft via a first path and a second path, the first path including the main passage and the sub-passage,

the condenser condenses the working fluid compressed by the turbo machine and stores the working fluid as a refrigerant liquid,

the storage tank stores the refrigerant liquid as the lubricating liquid,

the refrigerant liquid flows through the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft, and

the turbo machine further comprising:

a second bearing that is disposed on an opposite side of the first space from the impeller in the axial direction of the rotation shaft at a position closer than the first space to an end of the rotation shaft, and that supports the rotation shaft in at least the axial direction of the rotation shaft,

wherein the rotation shaft includes a tapered surface that has an outer diameter gradually decreasing toward the end of the rotation shaft, and

the second bearing forms a tapered hole having an inner diameter that gradually decreases toward the end of the rotation shaft, and that is a tapered bearing having a bearing surface facing the tapered surface.

3. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the pump is disposed on the supply passage.

4. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second paths are separate paths extending from the second space.

5. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second path extends to the outer surface of the rotation shaft from the second space.

6. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second path directly connects the second space to the space formed between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft.

7. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a gas-liquid separator that is disposed on the first outlet passage and that separates gas contained in the lubricating liquid from the lubricating liquid.

8. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a communication passage that allows communication between an inner space of the condenser and the inner space of the storage tank and through which the refrigerant liquid flows from the condenser to the storage tank, wherein

the storage tank stores the refrigerant liquid as the lubricating liquid and serves as an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant liquid so as to be supplied to the suction space.

9. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a second outlet passage that allows communication between the inner space of the storage tank and the second space, and through which the lubricating liquid flows from the second space to the storage tank.

10. The refrigerating cycle apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a pressure reducing device that is disposed on the second outlet passage, and that reduces a pressure of the lubricating liquid, wherein

the working fluid is selected from a fluid including water, alcohol, or ether as a main component and

the first space is in communication with the suction space.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2016
From: HIWATA, AKIRA; KOUDA, KAZUYUKI; NISHIBU, MAMORU; SHOYAMA, TADAYOSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 038609/0637 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2016
From: OGATA, TAKESHI; TAGUCHI, HIDETOSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 038609/0661 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-133115 · Jul 1, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170002824A1 · Jan 5, 2017