Screw compressor

Abstract

In a screw compressor, a pair of rotors are located in a housing to be rotatable around their rotary axes to form in the housing a compression chamber in which gas sucked from a suction port of the housing is compressed thereby discharging the compressed gas from a discharge port of the housing. The suction port is provided in the housing at a position radial outside of the rotors, and the housing is provided with a communication passage through which the suction port communicates with the compression chamber before being communicated with the suction port. Furthermore, the communication passage is provided such that the gas sucked from the suction port flows into the communication passage in a direction approximately parallel with an axial direction of the rotors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken together with the accompanying drawings. In which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a screw compressor taken along the line I-I in FIG. 3;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw compressor taken along the line II-II in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the screw compressor taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a screw compressor according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional screw compressor; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the conventional screw compressor, adjacent to a suction port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of the present invention will be now described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

A screw compressor of this embodiment includes a pair of screw-shaped male rotor 1 and female rotor 2 shown in FIG. 3, a casing 3 for housing the pair of rotors 1, 2, an input shaft 4 for receiving a rotational force of a driving source, rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10 for rotating and driving the rotors 1, 2 by the rotational force of the driving source, and the like. In FIG. 1, the pair of rotors 1, 2 are arranged side by side on the back side of the paper and on the front side thereof.

The male rotor 1 and the female rotor 2 are formed respectively in the shape of a screw so as to engage with each other, such that spiral projections are formed on outer peripheral surfaces of the rotors 1, 2. A shown in FIG. 3, the male rotor 1 and the female rotor 2 are constructed in such a way that a tooth tip of the male rotor 1 is engaged with a tooth root (groove) of the female rotor 2 and that a tooth root (groove) of the male rotor 1 is engaged with a tooth tip of the female rotor 2. When the respective rotors 1, 2 are rotated, a groove space is formed between the tooth tip of the male rotor 1 and the tooth root (groove) of the female rotor 2 and a groove space is formed between the tooth root (groove) of the male rotor 1 and the tooth tip of the female rotor 2. A compression chamber 16a, in which gas is compressed, is constructed by these groove spaces.

As shown in FIG. 1, the male rotor 1 and the female rotor 2 are rotated and driven by the rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10 provided with the rotational force from the driving source of an electric motor 50 or the like. In this embodiment, the male rotor 1 is positioned on a driving side, and the female rotor 2 is positioned on a driven side. The male rotor 1 and the female rotor 2 are rotated around rotary shafts 1a, 2a, respectively.

The casing 3 includes a driving transmission part 5, a rotor housing 6, and a lubrication box 7 in the order from a position closer to the motor 50. The driving transmission part 5, the rotor housing 6, and the lubrication box 7 are strongly assembled with each other with fastening means such as bolts or the like (not shown). The pair of rotors 1, 2 and the rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10 are housed in the casing 3 in such a way as to be separated from each other. The pair of rotors 1, 2 is housed in the rotor housing 6. Specifically, the rotation transmission mechanism 8 is housed in the driving transmission part 5. The rotation transmission mechanisms 9, 10 are housed in the lubrication box 7 to be separated from the rotation transmission mechanism 8.

The lubrication box 7 is provided with a lubrication oil space 12 in which the rotation transmission mechanisms 9, 10 and lubrication oil to be supplied to the rotation transmission mechanisms 9, 10 are housed. Oil having the same viscosity as an engine oil, for example, can be used as the lubrication oil. The gears constructing the rotation transmission mechanisms 9, 10 are sprayed with the lubrication oil in the lubrication oil space 12, thereby being lubricated with the lubrication oil.

The driving transmission part 5 is provided with the input shaft 4 for receiving the rotational force from the motor 50. The driving transmission part 5 has a first bearing 13 disposed on the motor 50 side and has a second bearing 14 disposed on the driving transmission space 11 side. The input shaft 4 is supported by the driving transmission part 5 via these bearings 13, 14. A first oil seal 15 for preventing grease sealed in the first and second bearings 13, 14 from flowing outside of a compression chamber 16a is fitted in an insertion hole which is formed in the driving transmission part 5 and into which the input shaft 4 is inserted.

A rotor chamber 16 in which the pair of rotors 1, 2 are housed is formed in the rotor housing 6. The rotor housing 6 has a suction port 6a for sucking air into the rotor chamber 16 and a discharge port 6b for discharging air outside of the rotor chamber 16. The suction port 6a and the discharge port 6b are formed in such a way that the gas flows in the radial direction of the rotors 1, 2.

The suction port 6a is formed in the rotor housing 6 at an end portion in the axial direction, on a side of the driving transmission part 5. The discharge port 6b is formed in the rotor housing 6 at an end portion in the axial direction, on a side of the lubrication box 7. Further, the rotor housing 6 has communication passages 6c, 6d, and 6e formed therein. These communication passages 6c, 6d, and 6e will be described later.

A seal structure having a small clearance formed therein is formed between the outer peripheral tips of the rotors 1, 2 and the inner wall of the rotor chamber 16. The compression chamber 16a for compressing air sucked from the suction port 6a is formed between the rotors 1, 2 and the inner wall of the rotor chamber 16.

The rotors 1, 2 are rotated and driven by the rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10. The rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10 are constructed in such a way as to transmit the rotation force of the input shaft 4 to the male rotor rotary shaft 1a and the female rotor rotary shaft 2a and to rotate the pair of rotors 1, 2 synchronously at a constant ratio. The rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10 are constructed of a coupling 8, first and second gears 9, 10, and the like. The coupling 8 transmits the rotation of the input shaft 4 driven by the motor 50 to the male rotor rotary shaft 1a in a coaxial manner, the first and second gears 9, 10 transmits the rotation transmitted from the coupling 8 to the male rotor rotary shaft 1a and to the female rotor rotary shaft 2a. The first and second gears 9, 10 are timing gears for rotating the pair of rotors 1, 2 synchronously at the constant ratio. The coupling 8 is disposed in the driving transmission space 11, and the first and second gears 9, 10 are disposed in the lubrication oil space 12.

The male rotor rotary shaft 1a and the female rotor rotary shaft 2a have their one ends rotatably supported by the driving transmission part 5 side of the rotor housing 6 via third and fourth bearings 17, 18. The male rotor rotary shaft 1a and the female rotor rotary shaft 2a have their other ends rotatably supported by the lubrication box 7 side of the rotor housing 6 via fifth and sixth bearings 19, 20. Moreover, second and third oil seals 21, 22 for preventing grease sealed in the third and fourth bearings 17, 18 from leaking into the rotor chamber 16 are fitted into insertion holes which are formed on the driving transmission part 5 side of the rotor housing 6 and in which the rotor rotary shafts 1a, 2a are inserted. Furthermore, fourth and fifth oil seals 23, 24 for preventing the grease sealed in the third and fourth bearings 17, 18 from leaking into the driving transmission space 11 are fitted into the insertion holes of the rotor housing 6. Furthermore, sixth and seventh oil seals 25, 26 for preventing the grease sealed in the fifth and sixth bearings 19, 20 and the lubrication oil in the lubrication oil space 12 from leaking into the rotor chamber 16 are fitted also into insertion holes which are formed in the rotor housing 6 on a side of the lubrication box 7 and in which the rotor rotary shafts 1a, 2a are inserted.

Next, the communication passages 6c, 6d, and 6e formed in the rotor housing 6 of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the rotor housing 6 is provided with a first communication passage 6c through which the suction port 6a communicates with the driving transmission space 11, and a second communication passage 6d through which the driving transmission space 11 communicates with the rotor chamber 16. The first communication passage 6c communicates with the suction port 6a, and the second communication passage 6d communicates with the compression chamber 16a. The first and second communication passages 6c and 6d are formed at separate positions of the rotor housing 6 in such a way as to be separated from each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the second communication passage 6d is formed in parallel to the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. For this reason, the gas sucked into the compression chamber 16a from the second communication passage 6d flows in the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first communication passage 6c is formed at a position corresponding to the suction port 6a, and the second communication passage 6d is formed at a position corresponding to the end surfaces of the rotors 1, 2. These communication passages 6c, 6d are formed in dead spaces in which the bearings 17, 18 are not disposed in the rotor housing 6. That is, the communication passages 6c, 6d are provided at positions different from the bearings 17, 18.

The second communication passage 6d is formed at a position corresponding to the compression chamber 16a near the suction port 6a in the rotor chamber 16. The tooth tip and the tooth root (groove) of the rotors 1, 2, which are engaged with each with no clearance between them, are moved to the suction port 6a with the rotation of the rotors 1, 2 to produce a volume between the rotors 1, 2, thereby starting to form the compression chamber 16a. The compression chamber 16a near the suction port 6a in the rotor chamber 16 is a chamber 16a as a volume producing space which starts to be formed between the rotors 1, 2 and does not yet reach and communicate with the suction port 6a.

The volume producing space is formed in an area in which the tooth tip and the tooth root (groove) of the two rotors 1, 2 engaged with each other start to be separated from each other. In other words, in an area in which two imaginary circles having diameters of lengths from the central axes 1a, 2a of the two rotors 1, 2 to their tooth tips overlap each other, the vicinity near a straight line connecting the central axes 1a, 2a of the rotors 1, 2 becomes the volume producing space. The volume producing space communicates with the suction port 6a via the first communication passage 6c, the driving transmission space 11, and the second communication passage 6d. In this manner, in this embodiment, the first communication passage 6c, the driving transmission space 11, and the second communication passage 6d construct a pressure introducing communication passage for making the suction port 6a communicate with the compression chamber 16a which does not yet communicate with the suction port 6a.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the rotor housing 6 has the third communication passage 6e formed therein, and the third communication passage 6e makes the driving transmission space 11 communicate with the rotor chamber 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the third communication passage 6e is formed at a position corresponding to the end surfaces of the rotors 1, 2. The third communication passage 6e is formed in a dead space in which the bearings 17, 18 are not disposed in the rotor housing 6. Specifically, the third communication passage 6e is formed in an area which is located between the suction port 6a and the discharge port 6b in the rotor chamber 16 and which does not communicate with the suction port 6a and the discharge port 6b.

Next, the operation of the screw compressor of this embodiment will be described. When the pair of rotors 1, 2 are synchronously rotated at a constant ratio by the rotation transmission mechanisms 8 to 10, air is sucked into the compression chamber 16a from the suction port 6a formed on the rotor housing 6 on the side of the driving transmission space 11.

With the rotation of the pair of rotors 1, 2, the compression chamber 16a sucking air from the suction port 6a is moved from the driving transmission space 11 to the lubrication oil space 12 and is reduced in volume. Thus, the air in the compression chamber 16a is gradually compressed, pressurized, and moved toward the lubrication oil space 12.

When the rotational angles of the pair of rotors 1, 2 reach specified angles, the compression chamber 16a reaches the discharge port 6b formed in the rotor housing 6 on the side of the lubrication oil space 12. Then, the compression chamber 16a having been tightly closed until that time is brought to a state opened at the discharge port 6b, so the compressed air in the compression chamber 16a is discharged from the discharge port 6b.

With the foregoing construction, before the compression chamber 16a formed between the rotors 1, 2 reaches the suction port 6a, the compression chamber 16a communicates with the suction port 6a via the second communication passage 6d, the driving transmission space 11, and the first communication passage 6c. For this reason, pressure in the compression chamber 16a which does not yet communicate with the suction port 6a becomes equal to pressure at the suction port 6a (atmospheric pressure). With this, it is possible to prevent a negative pressure from being produced in the compression chamber 16a before being communicated with the suction port 6a and to prevent power loss from being generated in the rotors 1, 2.

Moreover, because the compression chamber 16a, which does not yet communicate with the suction port 6a, communicates with a comparatively large space of the driving transmission space 11 via the second transmission passage 6d, it is possible to secure a sufficient quantity of gas to flow into the compression chamber 16a. Further, according to the first embodiment, the driving transmission space 11 can be used as a part of a communication passage for making the compression chamber 16a, which does not yet communicate with the suction port 6a, communicate with the suction port 6a.

Moreover, in the construction of this embodiment, the second transmission passage 6d is formed in parallel to the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. Therefore, gas sucked into the volume producing space in the compression chamber 16a from the second communication passage 6d is sucked from the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the flow of gas flowing into the volume producing space in the compression chamber 16a from the suction port 6a, from being blocked by flow produced by gas pushed out to the suction port 6a by the rotation of the rotors 1, 2. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent a negative pressure from being produced in the compression chamber 16a which does not yet communicate with the suction port 6a.

Moreover, when the rotors 1, 2 are rotated at high speeds, air is sucked from the suction port 6a, whereby the compression chamber 16a is brought to the atmospheric pressure on one end side thereof and is brought to a low pressure on the other end side away from the suction port 6a. When a pressure difference occurs in the compression chamber 16a in this manner, compression efficiency becomes low. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the end surfaces of the rotors 1, 2 communicate with the driving transmission space 11 through the third communication passage 6e. Thus, in the compression chamber 16a, air can be sucked on the one end side thereof from the suction port 6a and can be sucked on the other end side thereof from the driving transmission space 11. With this, it is possible to prevent a pressure difference from being produced in the compression chamber 16 and hence to prevent compression efficiency from being decreased.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The same functional parts as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference symbols and their descriptions will be omitted and only different parts will be described.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a screw compressor of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, a coupling 8, and first and second gears 9, 10 constructing the rotation transmission mechanisms are arranged in the same lubrication oil space 28. A housing cover 27 is disposed on the opposite side of the driving transmission part 5 in the rotor housing 6. The housing cover 27 constructs a part of the housing 6 and is provided with the fifth and sixth bearings 19, 20 and the sixth and seventh oil seals 25, 26.

Moreover, the suction port 6a is formed in the rotor housing 6 on a side of the cover 27, and the discharge port 6b is formed in the rotor housing 6 on a side of the lubrication oil space 28. A communication passage 27a for making the suction portion 6a communicate with the compression chamber 16a, before being communicated with the suction port 6a, is formed near the suction port 6a in the housing cover 27. A portion communicating with the suction port 6a in the communication passage 27a and a portion communicating with the compression chamber 16a in the communication passage 27a are formed so as to be parallel to the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. Moreover, the communication passage 27a is formed in a dead space in which the bearings 19, 20 are not disposed in the rotor housing 6. The communication passage 27a is a pressure introducing communication passage through which the pressure can be introduced from the suction port 6a to the compression chamber 16a.

In the screw compressor of the second embodiment, the portion communicating with the suction port 6a in the communication passage 27a is provided in parallel to the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. Thus, like the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent the flow of gas flowing into the volume producing space in the compression chamber 16a from the suction port 6a, from being blocked due to flow produced by gas that is pushed out to the suction port 6a by the rotation of the rotors 1, 2. With this, it is possible to effectively prevent a negative pressure from being produced in the compression chamber 16a before being communicated with the suction port 6a.

Other Embodiments

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, in the foregoing embodiments, the pressure introducing communication passage (6c, 6d, 11, 27a) is made to communicate with the suction port 6a formed in the rotor housing 6. However, when, for example, a duct is connected to the suction port 6a of the rotor housing 6 and the suction port 6a is extended, a pressure introducing communication passage may be provided so as to be made to communicate with the duct.

Moreover, in the foregoing embodiments, the portion communicating with the suction port 6a in the pressure introducing communication passage (6c, 6d, 11, 27a) and the portion communicating with the compression chamber 16a in the pressure introducing communication passage (6c, 6d, 11, 27a) are formed in such a way as to be separated from each other. However, it suffices to make gas sucked from the suction port 6a into the pressure introducing communication passage (6c, 6d, 11, 27a) to flow in the axial direction of the rotors 1, 2. The portion communicating with the suction port 6a in the pressure introducing communication passage (6c, 6d, 11, 27a) does not need to be separated from the portion communicating with the compression chamber 16a.

Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A screw compressor comprising: a housing for defining therein an internal space, the housing having a suction port and a discharge port; anda pair of rotors having spiral teeth which are provided to be engaged with each other,wherein the rotors are located in the housing to be rotatable around their rotary axes to form in the internal space a compression chamber in which gas sucked from the suction port is compressed thereby discharging the compressed gas from the discharge port,wherein the suction port is provided in the housing at a position radial outside of the rotors,wherein the housing is provided with a communication passage through which the suction port communicates with the compression chamber before being communicated with the suction port, andwherein the communication passage is provided such that the gas sucked from the suction port flows into the communication passage in a direction approximately parallel with an axial direction of the rotors.

2. The screw compressor according to claim 1, wherein the communication passage has a passage portion directly communicating with the suction port, the passage portion extending in parallel with the axial direction of the rotors.

3. The screw compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing portion disposed in the housing to rotatably support the rotors,wherein the communication passage is provided in the housing at a position different from the bearing portion.

4. The screw compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation transmission mechanism for rotating the rotors,wherein the housing has therein a space in which the rotation transmission mechanism is received, andwherein the space is a part of the communication passage.

5. The screw compressor according to claim 1, further comprising a first rotation transmission mechanism located at one end side of the rotors in the axial direction; anda second rotation transmission mechanism located at the other end side of the rotors in the axial direction,wherein the first and second rotation transmission mechanisms are located to synchronously rotate the rotors at a constant ratio,wherein the housing has therein a driving transmission space in which the first rotation transmission mechanism is received, andwherein the driving transmission space is a part of the communication passage.

6. The screw compressor according to claim 5, wherein the housing has a wall portion which partitions the driving transmission space and the compression chamber from each other;wherein the communication passage includes a first passage portion through which the gas is introduced from the suction port to the driving transmission space, and a second passage portion through which the gas is introduced from the driving transmission space to the compression chamber; andwherein the first passage portion is provided in parallel with the axial direction.

7. The screw compressor according to claim 6, wherein the second passage portion is provided radial inside of the first passage portion in parallel with the axial direction.

8. The screw compressor according to claim 1, further comprising: first and second rotation transmission mechanisms located at one end side of the rotors in the axial direction, to synchronously rotate the rotors at a constant ratio,wherein the housing has therein a space in which the first and second rotation transmission mechanisms are received,wherein the housing includes a cover member located at a side opposite to the first and second rotation transmission mechanisms with respect to the rotors in the axial direction, andwherein the communication passage is provided in the cover member such that the suction port communicates with the compression chamber through the communication passage.

9. The screw compressor according to claim 8, wherein the suction port is provided in the housing adjacent to the suction port in the axial direction.

10. A screw compressor comprising: a housing for defining therein an internal space, the housing having a suction port and a discharge port;a pair of rotors having spiral teeth which are provided to be engaged with each other, wherein the rotors are located in the housing to be rotatable around their rotary axes to form in the internal space a compression chamber in which gas sucked from the suction port is compressed thereby discharging the compressed gas from the discharge port; anda communication passage portion through which the suction port communicates with the compression chamber before being communicated with the suction port,wherein the suction port is provided in the housing at a position radial outside of the rotors, andwherein the communication passage portion has a gas introducing portion directly communicating with the suction port, the gas introducing portion extending approximately in parallel with an axial direction of the rotors such that gas in the suction port is introduced into the communication passage portion from the gas introducing portion.