ROTARY PISTON COMPRESSOR AND SYSTEM FOR TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING WITH ROTARY PISTON COMPRESSOR

Abstract

A rotary piston compressor (1) for a system for temperature conditioning comprises a rotor (19) mounted in a housing (21), wherein the rotary piston compressor (1) is designed in such a way that the rotor (19) rotates in a first direction in a first operating state and rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction in a second operating state, and wherein, in the first operating state, a first compressor connection (3) is designed to supply a heat transfer medium (17), and a second compressor connection (5) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17), and wherein, in the second operating state, the second compressor connection (5) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and the first compressor connection (3) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17).

Claims

1. Rotary piston compressor (1) for a system for temperature conditioning having a rotor (19) mounted in a housing (21), wherein the rotary piston compressor (1) is designed in such a way that the rotor (19) rotates in a first direction in a first operating state and rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction in a second operating state, and wherein, in the first operating state, a first compressor connection (3) is designed to supply a heat transfer medium (17), and a second compressor connection (5) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17), and wherein, in the second operating state, the second compressor connection (5) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and the first compressor connection (3) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17).

2. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1, designed in such a way that, in the first operating state, with rotation of the rotor (19), a chamber (31, 33, 35) defined by the housing (21) and the rotor (19) and adjacent to the first compressor connection (3) is deformed with rotation of the rotor (19) in such a way that its volume is reduced and it is adjacent to the second compressor connection (5), and in that in the second operating state, with rotation of the rotor (19), the chamber (31, 33, 35) defined by the housing (21) and the rotor (19) and adjacent to the second compressor connection (5), is deformed with rotation of the rotor (19) in such a way that its volume is reduced and it is adjacent to the first compressor connection (3).

3. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1, wherein a profile of the rotor (19) is determined by a trochoid, in particular an epitrochoid, and a housing interior (23) has a contour (29) which corresponds to the outer envelope of the trochoid.

4. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1, designed as a Wankel compressor, in which the rotor (19) has an arcuate-triangular profile.

5. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1, in which a valve (41, 43) is provided at the first compressor connection (3) and/or at the second compressor connection (5).

6. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1, having a third compressor connection (37) and a fourth compressor connection (39), wherein, in the first operating state, the fourth compressor connection (39) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and the third compressor connection (37) is designed to discharge the expanded heat transfer medium (17), and wherein, in the second operating state, the third compressor connection (37) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and the fourth compressor connection (39) is designed to discharge the expanded heat transfer medium (17).

7. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 6, designed in such a way that, in the first operating state, with rotation of the rotor (19), a further chamber (31, 33, 35) defined by the housing (21) and the rotor (19) and adjacent to the fourth compressor connection (39) is deformed with rotation of the rotor in such a way that its volume increases and it is adjacent to the third compressor connection (37), and that, in the second operating state, with rotation of the rotor (19), the further chamber (31, 33, 35) defined by the housing (21) and the rotor (19) and adjacent to the third compressor connection (37) is deformed with rotation of the rotor (19) in such a way that its volume increases and it is adjacent to the fourth compressor connection (39).

8. Rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 6, where a valve (45, 47) is provided at the third compressor connection (37) and/or at the fourth compressor connection (39).

9. System for temperature conditioning having the rotary piston compressor (1) according to claim 1 and a pressure reducer (7, 1) having a first pressure reducer connection (9, 37) and a second pressure reducer connection (11, 39), wherein the pressure reducer (7, 1) is designed to reduce a pressure of the heat transfer medium (17) flowing through it and to cause it to expand, and a first heat exchanger (13) coupled between the first compressor connection (3) and the first pressure reducer connection (9, 37), and a second heat exchanger (15) coupled between the second compressor connection (5) and the second pressure reducer connection (11, 39).

10. System according to claim 9, which is designed in such a way that, in the first operating state, the first heat exchanger (13) is operated as an evaporator and the second heat exchanger (15) is operated as a condenser, and in the second operating state, the first heat exchanger (13) is operated as a condenser and the second heat exchanger (15) is operated as an evaporator.

11. System according to claim 9, wherein the pressure reducer (7, 1) is designed to reduce the pressure of the heat transfer medium (17) flowing from the first to the second pressure reducer connection (9, 37; 11, 39) and to cause its expansion, and to reduce the pressure of the heat transfer medium (17) flowing from the second to the first pressure reducer connection (11, 39; 9, 37) and to cause its expansion.

12. System according to claim 9, wherein the pressure reducer (7) is designed as an expansion valve.

13. System according to claim 9, wherein the pressure reducer is comprised by a rotary piston compressor (1) for a system for temperature conditioning having a rotor (19) mounted in a housing (21), wherein the rotary piston compressor (1) is designed in such a way that the rotor (19) rotates in a first direction in a first operating state and rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction in a second operating state, and wherein, in the first operating state, a first compressor connection (3) is designed to supply a heat transfer medium (17), a second compressor connection (5) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17), a third compressor connection (37) is designed to discharge the expanded heat transfer medium (17), and a fourth compressor connection (39) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and wherein, in the second operating state, the second compressor connection (5) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), the first compressor connection (3) is designed to discharge the compressed heat transfer medium (17), the third compressor connection (37) is designed to supply the heat transfer medium (17), and the fourth compressor connection (39) is designed to discharge the expanded heat transfer medium (17), and, wherein the first pressure reducer connection (9) is the third compressor connection (37) and the second pressure reducer connection (11) is the fourth compressor connection (39).

14. Use of the system for temperature conditioning according to claim 9 in a vehicle, where the first heat exchanger (13) is positioned in such a way that it gives off heat to a passenger compartment or cools it, and where the second heat exchanger (15) is positioned in such a way that it gives off heat to the surroundings beyond the passenger compartment or receives heat from it.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the following, some exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail on the basis of the drawing.

[0031] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a system for temperature conditioning in a first operating state.

[0032] FIG. 2 schematically shows the exemplary embodiment of the system for temperature conditioning in a second operating state.

[0033] FIGS. 3 to 6 schematically show an exemplary embodiment of a rotary piston compressor having different rotor positions.

[0034] FIG. 7 schematically shows a further exemplary embodiment of a system for temperature conditioning.

[0035] FIGS. 8 and 9 show rotor profiles and contours of housing interiors of further exemplary embodiments of rotary piston compressors.

[0036] FIG. 10 schematically shows a further exemplary embodiment of a rotary piston compressor.

[0037] FIG. 11 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a pressure reducer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In the figures, identical or functionally identical features are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0039] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a system for temperature conditioning, in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle. The system for temperature conditioning is operated in a first operating state for cooling a passenger compartment.

[0040] The system comprises a rotary piston compressor 1 having a first compressor connection 3 and a second compressor connection 3, and a pressure reducer 7 having a first pressure reducer connection 9 and a second pressure reducer connection 11. A first heat exchanger 13 is coupled between the first compressor connection 3 and the first pressure reducer connection 9. A second heat exchanger 15 is coupled between the second compressor connection 5 and the second pressure reducer connection 11. The coupling can occur through hoses. A heat transfer medium 17, which is a fluid, circulates in this circuit. The heat transfer medium 17 transports thermal energy, that is, both heat and cold, through the system for temperature conditioning. One exemplary embodiment of a heat transfer medium 17 vaporises when heated and re-liquifies when cooled.

[0041] The rotary piston compressor 1 is a machine designed to compress the fluid heat transfer medium 17 by means of mechanical work, such that it has a higher pressure and a higher temperature on the output side. The heat transfer medium 17 is preferably gaseous. The rotary piston compressor 1 can be operated bidirectionally. In a first operating state, the heat transfer medium 17 supplied at the first compressor connection 3 is provided at the second compressor connection 5 with higher pressure and higher temperature. In the second operating state, the heat transfer medium 17 supplied at the second compressor connection 5 is provided at the first compressor connection 3 with higher pressure and higher temperature.

[0042] The bidirectional pressure reducer 7 is an expansion component for a fluid. The bidirectional pressure reducer 7 is suitable for reducing a pressure of the heat transfer medium 17 flowing though, which is in particular fluid. Due to the expansion, the heat transfer medium 17 expands and cools both when it flows from the first to the second pressure reducing connection 9, 11, and when it flows from the second to the first pressure reducing connection 11, 9.

[0043] One exemplary embodiment of a bidirectional pressure reducer 17 is an expansion valve as a separate component from the rotary piston compressor 1. The expansion valve is a component which can have a throttle on the pressure side, such as a cross-section reduction, to expand the heat transfer medium 17 flowing through it.

[0044] The first and second heat exchangers 13, 15 are suitable for transferring the thermal energy of the heat transfer medium 17 flowing therethrough to another material flow. During cooling, the inflowing liquid heat transfer medium 17 can evaporate in the heat exchangers 13, 15. During heating, the inflowing gaseous heat transfer medium 17 can liquefy.

[0045] The first heat exchanger 13 serves to cool and heat the passenger compartment and is suitably positioned in the vehicle. The second heat exchanger 15 gives off heat into the surroundings when cooling the passenger compartment, and absorbs heat from the surroundings when heating the passenger compartment. In this context, the surroundings are understood to be the vehicle surroundings beyond the passenger compartment. The second heat exchanger 15 is suitably positioned in the vehicle, for example in a radiator region.

[0046] In the first operating state, also illustrated in FIG. 1, the passenger compartment is cooled by the system for temperature conditioning. In the first operating state, the rotary piston compressor 1 compresses the heat transfer medium 17 drawn in at the first compressor connection 3 and provides it in compressed form at the second compressor connection 5. After compression, the heat transfer medium 17, which is still in gaseous form, has a higher pressure and a higher temperature. The compressed heat transfer medium 17 flows through the second heat exchanger 15, wherein it is cooled by the ambient temperature and liquefies again in the process. It should be noted that the heat transfer medium 17 has a higher temperature than the ambient temperature on the outlet side of the rotary piston compressor 1. Then, the heat transfer medium 2 flows from the second to the first pressure reducer connection 11, 9 through the pressure reducer 7, wherein it expands and cools down. The cooled heat transfer medium 17 then flows through the first heat exchanger 13 to cool the passenger compartment. In doing so, it evaporates and is then returned to the first compressor connection 3. The rotary piston compressor 1 compresses the heat transfer medium 17, and the circuit described for cooling the passenger compartment has closed.

[0047] FIG. 2 schematically shows the system for temperature conditioning described above, which is operated in a second operating state in which the passenger compartment is heated.

[0048] In the second operating state, the rotary piston compressor 1 compresses the gaseous heat transfer medium 17 drawn in at the second compressor connection 5 and makes it available at the first compressor connection 3 at a higher pressure and temperature. The heat transfer medium 17 flows through the first heat exchanger 13 to heat the passenger compartment. In doing so, it cools down and liquefies. In the pressure reducer 7 through which the heat transfer medium 17 flows from the first to the second pressure reducer connection 9, 11, the heat transfer medium 17 expands and cools. As it flows through the second heat exchanger 15, the cooled heat transfer medium 17 is heated by the ambient pressure and evaporates. It then flows to the second compressor connection 5 of the rotary piston compressor 1, which compresses the heat transfer medium 17, and the circuit described closes.

[0049] FIGS. 3 to 6 illustrate the operating principle of the rotary piston compressor 1, in which the fluid heat transfer medium 17 is drawn in at a low pressure and compressed to a higher pressure and thereby heated. Compression takes place by means of a rotating rotor 19, also referred to as a rotary piston. In this exemplary embodiment, the rotary piston compressor 1 is designed as a Wankel compressor. The Wankel compressor is a power-heating machine whose structure is similar to a Wankel engine.

[0050] The rotary piston compressor 1 comprises a housing 21, in the housing interior 23 of which the rotor 19 is eccentrically mounted. The movement of the rotor 19 corresponds to the rotary motion of an internal gear 27 in the rotor 19, which rolls around a stationary gear 25.

[0051] The rotor 19 has a profile in the form of an equilateral triangle with convex sides. The contour 29 of the double-arched housing interior 23 is an oval curve constricted around the short axis. The contour 29 is an epitrochoid. The rotating triangular rotor 19 is always in contact with the contour 29, such that three chambers 31, 33, 35 are defined, whose volume and position change with rotation of the rotor 19.

[0052] This exemplary embodiment of the rotary piston compressor 1 also has a third compressor connection 37 and a fourth compressor connection 39. Valves 41, 43, 45, 47, designed as check valves, are provided in each of the compressor connections 3, 5, 37, 39.

[0053] FIG. 3 illustrates the start of the compression process in the first operating condition, when the heat transfer medium 17 flows into one of the chambers 31 defined by the housing 21 and the rotor 19 via the first compressor connection 3. With increasing rotation of the rotor 19—clockwise in this exemplary embodiment—the rotor 19 moves in front of the first compressor connection 3, closes it and reduces the volume of the chamber 31. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the decreasing chamber volume as the rotation of the rotor 19 increases. In FIG. 6, the chamber 31 is almost completely compressed and the compressed heat transfer medium 17 is forced out at the second compressor connection 5. This process is repeated with further rotation of the rotor 19 for the next chamber 33 and the following chamber 35.

[0054] Due to the symmetry of the rotary piston compressor 1, reversing the direction of rotation in the second operating state causes the heat transfer medium 17 drawn in at the second compressor connection 5 to be emitted at the first compressor connection 3 at a higher pressure and higher temperature. In this case, the heat transfer medium 17 flows into the chamber via the second compressor connection 5, is compressed and heated there by the reduction in volume of the chamber caused by the rotation of the rotor 19, and is then forced out again at the first compressor connection 3.

[0055] By rotating the rotor 19 in both directions, the system for temperature conditioning having a rotary piston compressor 1, as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, can cool and heat. In other words, the system can be operated as a refrigerating machine or a heating machine. The operating state is changed by switching the direction of rotation of the rotary piston compressor 1.

[0056] The Wankel compressor shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 enables a second functionality in addition to the compression described above: it can simultaneously be used as a pressure reducer 7.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a state in which the rotor 19 initially blocks the fourth compressor connection 39. With increasing clockwise rotation, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the volume of the chamber 35 adjacent to the fourth compressor connection 39 is increased. This effect increases with further rotation until the rotor 19 in the chamber 35 releases the third compressor connection 37, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The expanded and thus cooled heat transfer medium 17 can flow out via the third compressor connection 37. By enlarging the chamber 35, the heat transfer medium 17 therein can expand and its pressure is reduced. In other words, the enlarging chamber 17 causes a reduction in pressure and consequently a cooling in the heat transfer medium 17, which is further pushed from the fourth to the third compressor connection 39, 37 by the rotation of the rotor 19. Above described operation can be supported by the valves 43, 45, 47, 49, for example, to stop further inflow into the chamber 35 during expansion. The valves 43, 45, 47, 49 can be controlled electronically.

[0058] Above described expansion also operates in a corresponding manner when the rotor 19 rotates in the opposite direction, such that the heat transfer medium 17 flows from the third to the fourth compressor connection 37, 39, thereby expanding. Here, too, the enlarging chamber causes a pressure reduction and, consequently, a cooling of the heat transfer medium 17.

[0059] FIG. 7 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a system for temperature conditioning in which the rotary piston compressor 1 is used both for compression and pressure reduction. In other words, the rotary piston compressor 1 also comprises the pressure reducer 7. The operation of the system for temperature conditioning during heating and cooling of the passenger compartment corresponds to the operation in the two operating states already described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0060] However, the bidirectional pressure reducer designed as a separate component is absent, since its function is taken over by the rotary piston compressor 1, as has already been described in connection with FIGS. 3 to 6. The first heat exchanger 13 is coupled between the first and third compressor connections 3, 37. The second heat exchanger 15 is coupled between the second and fourth compressor connections 5, 39. The third and fourth compressor connections 37, 39 correspond to the first or second pressure reducing connections 9, 11.

[0061] It should be noted that exemplary embodiments of the rotary piston compressor 1 are not limited to the Wankel compressor described in FIGS. 3 to 6. Further exemplary embodiments for rotor profiles which are determined by a trochoid, in particular an epitrochoid, and their corresponding housing contours 29 are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows an oval rotor profile and a contour 29 of a three-armed housing 21. FIG. 9 shows a star-shaped rotor profile having five arms and a contour 29 of a five-armed housing 21. These exemplary embodiments illustrate that the rotary piston compressor 1 can have a wide range of shapes of rotor profiles and housing contours 29 for compression and optionally also for expansion.

[0063] FIG. 10 schematically shows another exemplary embodiment of a rotary piston compressor 1.

[0064] The rotary piston compressor 1 has a first and second compressor connection 3, 5. A rotor 19 having a circular profile is eccentrically rotatably mounted in a housing with a circular contour 29 of the housing interior 23. Furthermore, a spring-mounted separating slide 49 is provided, which is always pressed against the rotor 19 to form two chambers in the housing interior 23. A fluid flows into the housing interior 23 through a connection 3. By means of its rotation, the rotor 19 forces the compressed fluid to the connection 5 on the outlet side. The separating slide 49 always seals off the suction side from the discharge side. This rotary piston compressor 1 can also be operated in two operating states depending on the direction of rotation of the rotor 19.

[0065] FIG. 11 shows an exemplary embodiment of a bidirectional pressure reducer 7 designed as a bidirectional expansion valve.

[0066] The expansion valve has a first tubular region 51, on the left-hand side in FIG. 11, and a second tubular region 53, on the right-hand side in FIG. 11. The regions 51, 53 are mechanically fixed at the end faces. The cross-section of the second region 53 is reduced at its end face facing the first region 51 by an inwardly projecting projection 55.

[0067] A first closing plate 57 in the first region has holes 63. The first closing plate 57 is pressed against the projection 55 serving as a stop by a spring 59, the first spring force of which acts in the direction of the second region 53. The first spring force can be adjusted by an optional bimetal 61, which further pretensions the first spring 49. A second closing plate 65 is pressed onto the holes 63 of the first closing plate 57 by a second spring 67, the second spring force of which acts in the direction of the first region 51 in the opposite direction of the first spring force. The diameter of the second closing plate 65 is smaller than that of the projection 55, but such that the second closing plate 65 spans the holes 63. The second spring force is less than the first spring force. In a rest state, the first closing plate 57 closes the projection 55. The second closing plate 65 closes the holes 63 in the first closing plate 57, but without pushing the first closing plate 57 away from the projection 55.

[0068] At a pressure in the first region greater than a first limit, e.g. 3 bar, the second closing plate 65 opens by being pushed against the second spring force and releases the flow through the holes 63 in the first closing plate 57. They have a throttling effect and cause the fluid flowing through them to expand. At a pressure in the second region 53 greater than a second limit, e.g. 15 bar, the first closing plate 57 opens by being pushed against the second first spring force, and releases the flow. The reduction in cross-section caused by the projection 55 has a throttling effect and causes the fluid flowing through to expand.

[0069] Instead of the above-described exemplary embodiment of an expansion valve, an expansion valve of a different design, whether mechanical or electronic, can also be used.

[0070] The above-mentioned features and the features indicated in the claims, as well as those which can be taken from the figures, can be advantageously implemented both individually and in various combinations. The invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the expertise of a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0071] 1 rotary piston compressor [0072] 3 first compressor connection [0073] 5 second compressor connection [0074] 7 pressure reducer [0075] 9 first pressure reducer connection [0076] 11 second pressure reducer connection [0077] 13 first heat exchanger [0078] 15 second heat exchanger [0079] 17 heat transfer medium [0080] 19 rotor [0081] 21 housing [0082] 23 housing interior [0083] 25 gear [0084] 27 internal gear [0085] 29 contour [0086] 31 chamber [0087] 33 chamber [0088] 35 chamber [0089] 37 third compressor connection [0090] 39 fourth compressor connection [0091] 41 valve [0092] 43 valve [0093] 45 valve [0094] 47 valve [0095] 49 separating slide [0096] 51 first region [0097] 53 second region [0098] 55 projection [0099] 57 first closing plate [0100] 59 first spring [0101] 61 bimetal [0102] 63 hole [0103] 65 second closing plate [0104] 67 second spring