Purdue University

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International Compressor Engineering Conference School of Mechanical Engineering

1992

Scroll Compressor Operating Envelope

Considerations
M. J. Maertens
Tecumseh Products Company

H. Richardson
Tecumseh Products Company

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Maertens, M. J. and Richardson, H., "Scroll Compressor Operating Envelope Considerations" (1992). International Compressor
Engineering Conference. Paper 850.
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 Scroll Compressor Operating Envelope Con
siderations
Michael J. Maertens Hubert Richardson
Project Engineer ~anager
Development Engineering Department
Tecumseh Products Company
Tecumseh, Michigan, USA

ABS TRA CT .
The scroll compressor design is unique, it
can truly be optimized for a specific
set of running conditions, however, when
design point, performance can suffer. This operating at conditions other than the
of a scroll compressor designed for the traditstudy will investigate the performance
ional design point and other points. It
also evaluates how each of these desig
ns affects the operating envelope
performance of the compressor.

INTRODUCTION
The scroll compressor concept was origi
however, the technology to mass produ nated in the early part of this century,
ce
approximately twenty years ago. Even then, the scroll wraps did not exist until
to seal the pockets in the scroll wraps and it was necessary to have a mechanism
pockets. Many methods of sealing the leaka prevent leakage between the scroll
scroll designs. The most obvious method ge areas have been used in different
of
perfect scroll wraps and hold them in preventing leakage would be to make
However, this is not a practical solution. perfect alignment during operation.
include; the use of tip seals, intermediat Other methods of sealing leak areas
e pressure, swing links, and differential
pressure force mechanisms. In recent years
been produced by different manufacturers many scroll compressor designs have
methods. For the purpose of this study, using various combinations of these
a high side design has been chosen. A
scroll computer simulation was used to analy
performance. The computer model was used ze this design and predict compressor
ratio, compressor operating envelope, to evaluate the effects of compression
compressor efficiency. and system operating envelope on

HIG H SIDE SCR OLL COM PRE SSO R

The operation of the high side compresso
enters the compressor directly into the sucti r is as follows: The suction gas
compressed by the wraps and discharged on cavity of the scroii set. The gas is
out
The gas proceeds out and around the fixeda port in the cente r of the fixed scroll.
compressor containing the running gear and scroll into the lower cavity of the
gas and drains into the oil sump while the the motor. Oil is separated from the
high pressure gas leaves the housing
through the discharge tube. In this partic
ular
pockets is prevented' by using discharge press design, leakage between the scroll
to force the wraps together and minimize ure on the back of the orbiting scroll
the leak area.

587
 COMPUTER MODEL
effects of
The scroll compressor simulation model was used to evaluate the
g envelop e, and system operatin g envelope
compression ratio, compressor operatin
and takes into
on compressor efficiency. It models the scroll wrap geometry
account the bearing forces, gas dynamics, leakage, and operatin g conditions. The
data from the
computer data from the program was compared to actual test
matched the
compressor and system testing. When the results from the program
ance at other
actual test data, additional runs were made to predict the perform
using the data
operating conditions. The operating conditions were determined
were then made to the compute r model data sets to
from the system test, changes
set geometries
evaluate performance at the conditions, see Table 1. New scroll
ns. The
were created to optimize the compressor at each of the chosen test conditio the
wraps and the radius of the wrap circle were changed while holding
number of scroll
changed the design compres sion ratio of the
wrap height constant. This
wraps to match test conditions.

COMPRESSOR OPERATING ENVELOPE

and
The traditional compressor operating envelope is limited by minimumed by
ing temperat ures. These are often determin
maximum evaporator and condens
sor design as
the application of the motor and overload to the particular compres
shown in Figure 1.
clamping
Scroll compressors use the operating conditions to determine the
e pressure
forces between the wraps. The compression ratio is the absolute discharg together
divided by the absolute suction pressure. The forces pressing the
wraps
for high compres sion ratio conditio ns and decrease for low compression
increase
ratio conditions.
ed by the
The design compression ratio of scroll compressors is determin
wraps. For different operatin g conditio ns, tradition al hermetic
number of e valve to
reciprocating and rotary compressor mechatiisms use the discharg than the
exhaust the compressed gas qnly when the cylinder pressure is greater the gas
of
high side pressure. The scroll set geometry determines the pressure e valve. The
exhausted into the high pressure area instead of the discharg
than at other
compressor has higher compression efficiency at the design point
operating conditio ns.
by the
This characteristic is common to all scroll compressors and is caused ratio
sion
fact that the scroll wraps will compress the gas to the design compres
is at the design
regardless of the operating pressures. If the operating pressure ratio
compression ratio, optimum compres sion efficienc y is achieved . If the operating
gas is over
pressure ratio is lower than the design compression ratio, the y. If the
compres sed, causing extra power consump tion which reduces efficienc
ns are higher than the design compres sion ratio, then the gas will
operating conditio
pressure gas
not have achieved a pressure greater than the discharge pressure. High
the pressures
will flood back into the scroll pockets from the discharge port mtildecreasi ng and
equalize. While this is happening, the volume of the pocket is still is
gas from the pocket will not occur until the pocket pressure
discharge of the the
. This process is less efficient than
greater than the discharge pressure lowering
compression process because some of gas is being compressed twice,
compression efficiency.

588
 SYSTEM OPERA TING ENVEL OPE
In the compressor operating envelope shown in Figure 1, the Air-Con
and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) rating point would .be toward the ditioning
comer and the heat pump operating conditions, would be toward theupper right
comer. Normal operating conditions will occur along a wide diagona lower left ·
l between
these two points. The upper left comer (letter A in Figure 1) has the characte
of having a low evaporator temperature and a high condensing tempera ristics
ture. In a
residential application, these conditions would occur when the compres
operating in heat pump mode and the air flow across the evaporator sor is
restricted. The compressor would see a high load with minimum gas flowbecomes
the components, and in this case, the compressor could experience high to cool
gas temperatures causing the motor overload protector to trip. The discharge
lower right
comer (letter B in Figure 1) is represented by a high evaporat tempera
low condensing temperature. Tlus could occur when the air or ture and a
conditioning unit is
turned on when the home has been warmed on a sunny day but the
ambient temperature is low. In this case the compressor operates with outdoor
and high mass flow. a low load

To investigate the system operating envelope of the scroll

applied to a typical high efficiency air conditioning-heat pumpcompres sor, it was
untt. The system
was tested using the Department of Energy (DOE) test procedur
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (S.E.E.R.) was calculated. Table 1 es and the
the system operating conditions during the (DOE) testing and the summarizes
compressor
operating envelope test conditions.

COMPU TER ANALYSIS

Using the high side compressor design, the computer simulation, compres
operating envelope, and the system operating conditions, a series of compute sor
sets were evaluated using the foltowing sequence: r data

1. Optimize the compressor design for each of the operating conditio

from Table 1. ns

2. Run the other operating conditions from Table 1 with that design
configuration.
3. Repeat the process for each of the conditions.
The results of this analysis are shown in Figure 2.

CONCLUSIONS
The graph in Figure 2 represents the percentage difference between
standard designs and the modified designs. When the design was the
changed for
lower compression ratio conditions, the efficiency improved at those
But the efficiency was lowered for the higher compression ratio conditioconditions.
ns. In a
simil_ar manner, the desip1 for the higher co~pression ratio conditions
e~ctency at those cond1t1ons and lower efficiency at the lower had higher
pomts. compression ratio

To achieve. the best overall compressor efficiency, the application conditio

should be considered when the scroll set geometry is designed. Since ns
different

589
Wiits operate at different conditions, the wrap designs could also change. For this
reason, the compressor manufacturer should work closely with the system designer
during the design phase so that the compressor and system can both achieve
maximwn efficiency.
The scroll compressor represents a new technology for compressor and system
designers. Achievement of the maximwn benefits of this technology requires an
integrated effort between compressor and system manufacturers.

Rating Points and Application Testing Conditions

Test point Discharge Suction Compression
Pressure Pressure Ratio
ARI Rating point 311.5 PSIA 90.72 PSIA 3.43
Cheer point 210.6PSIA 90.72PSIA 2.32
DOE "A" point 274.6PSIA 90.72 PSIA 3.03
DOE "B" point 24l.OPSIA 90.72PSIA 2.66
DOE "C" point 210.6 PSIA 83.21 PSIA 2.53
Heat Pump "A" point 24l.OPSIA 69.59PSIA 3.46
Heat Pump ·s· point 196.5 PSIA 38.66PSIA 5.08

Table 1

590
 Scroll Compressor Operating Envelope

ARI

Heat Pump
B

Evapora tor Temperature

Figure 1

Comparison of Efficiencies of Scroll Designs

106~--------------------------
------------~
104% ··········· ··········· ··········· ··········· ··········· ··········· ··········· ····

PresslllC Ratio

- ARl - - - DOE A --- DOE B

-a- DOE C -M- Cheer ___. Heat A

Figure 2

591