Compressor and seal
An example centrifugal compressor includes a first stage and a second stage, a flow path within the centrifugal compressor between the first and second stages, an impeller, and a labyrinth seal. The labyrinth seal comprises a plurality of teeth, a lumen through a thickness of the labyrinth seal, and a lumen inlet disposed between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth.
1. A centrifugal compressor comprising:
a first stage and a second stage;
a flow path within the centrifugal compressor between the first and second stages;
an impeller; and
a seal comprising:
a labyrinth seal comprising a plurality of teeth; and
a lumen through a thickness of the labyrinth seal having a lumen inlet disposed between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth.
2. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured to reduce flow of a fluid outside of the flow path along the impeller and between the first and second stages.
3. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the lumen inlet is centrally located along a length of the seal.
4. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the lumen is configured to reduce a fluid pressure between the adjacent teeth via flow of a fluid through the lumen.
5. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the labyrinth seal comprises a non-contacting labyrinth seal configured to be disposed on the impeller without contacting a stationary portion of the centrifugal compressor.
6. The centrifugal compressor of claim 5 , wherein the non-contacting labyrinth seal is configured to define a gap between a vertex of each of the plurality of teeth and the stationary portion of the centrifugal compressor, wherein the gap is less than about 500 micrometers and greater than about 5 micrometers.
7. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal compressor further comprises a cooling intake hole, wherein the lumen is configured to be fluidically coupled to the cooling intake hole.
8. The centrifugal compressor of claim 7 , wherein the cooling intake hole is configured to transport fluid to cool a bearing of the centrifugal compressor.
9. The centrifugal compressor of claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal compressor is configured to compress a fluid to a pressure that is higher in the second stage than a pressure of the fluid in the first stage.
10. A vapor-cooling system comprising:
a condenser;
an evaporator; and
a centrifugal compressor comprising:
an impeller; and
a seal comprising:
a labyrinth seal comprising a plurality of teeth; and
a lumen through a thickness of the labyrinth seal having a lumen inlet disposed between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth.
11. The vapor-cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the centrifugal compressor comprises:
a first stage and a second stage; and
a flow path within the centrifugal compressor between the first and second stages.
12. The vapor-cooling system of claim 11 , wherein the seal is configured to reduce flow of a fluid outside of the flow path along the impeller and between the first and second stages.
13. The vapor-cooling system of claim 11 , wherein the centrifugal compressor is configured to compress a fluid to a pressure that is higher in the second stage than a pressure of the fluid in the first stage.
14. The vapor-cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the lumen inlet is centrally located along a length of the seal.
15. The vapor-cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the lumen is configured to reduce a fluid pressure between the adjacent teeth via flow of a fluid through the lumen.
16. The vapor-cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the labyrinth seal comprises a non-contacting labyrinth seal configured to be disposed on the impeller without contacting a stationary portion of the centrifugal compressor.
17. The vapor-cooling system of claim 16 , wherein the non-contacting labyrinth seal is configured to define a gap between a vertex of each of the plurality of teeth and the stationary portion of the centrifugal compressor, wherein the gap is less than about 500 micrometers and greater than about 5 micrometers.
18. The vapor-cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the centrifugal compressor further comprises a cooling intake hole, wherein the lumen is configured to be fluidically coupled to the cooling intake hole.
19. The vapor-cooling system of claim 18 , wherein the cooling intake hole is configured to transport fluid to cool a bearing of the centrifugal compressor.
20. A centrifugal compressor comprising:
an impeller; and
a seal comprising:
a labyrinth seal comprising a plurality of teeth; and
a lumen through a thickness of the labyrinth seal having a lumen inlet disposed between adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth.