TW202436807A - Electrical and liquid feedthrough system for a compressor - Google Patents

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a motor housing of a compressor and a feedthrough connector coupled to the motor housing. The feedthrough connector includes a first passage and a second passage formed therethrough. The first passage is configured to receive a fluid conduit, and the second passage is configured to receive an electrical wire. The HVAC&R system also includes a bearing disposed within the motor housing. The bearing is configured to receive a pressurized fluid via the fluid conduit. Additionally, the HVAC&R system includes a sensor disposed within the motor housing. The electrical wire is configured to transmit electrical signals from the sensor and through the feedthrough connector.

Description

Electrical and hydraulic feed systems for compressors

The present invention relates to an electrical and liquid feed system for a compressor.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various technical fields that may be related to the various fields of the present invention described below. It is believed that this discussion is helpful to provide the reader with background information to promote a better understanding of the various fields of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be read in this light and not as an admission of prior art.

Chiller systems or vapor compression systems utilize a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) that changes phase between vapor, liquid, or a combination thereof in response to exposure to different temperatures and pressures within components of the chiller system. The chiller system may place the working fluid in heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid (e.g., water) and may deliver the conditioning fluid to the conditioning equipment and/or a conditioned environment served by the chiller system. In such applications, the conditioning fluid may be directed through downstream equipment, such as an air handler, to condition other fluids, such as the air in a building. A chiller system may include a compressor configured to pressurize a working fluid and circulate the working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the chiller system. In some applications, a shaft of the compressor may be driven to rotate by a motor to drive the rotation of an impeller of the compressor that pressurizes the working fluid. Traditionally, the compressor includes bearings that are configured to facilitate the rotation of the shaft. Unfortunately, existing bearings utilized with compressors may be complex, expensive, and/or may result in inefficiencies in the operation of the chiller system.

An overview of certain embodiments disclosed herein is described below. It should be understood that these categories are presented only to provide the reader with a brief overview of these certain embodiments, and these categories are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In fact, the present invention may cover a variety of categories that may not be described below.

In one embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a motor housing of a compressor and a feed-through connector coupled to the motor housing. The feed-through connector includes a first channel and a second channel formed therethrough. The first channel is configured to receive a fluid conduit, and the second channel is configured to receive an electrical wire. The HVAC&R system also includes a bearing disposed within the motor housing. The bearing is configured to receive a pressurized fluid through the fluid conduit. Additionally, the HVAC&R system includes a sensor disposed within the motor housing. The electrical wire is configured to transmit an electrical signal from the sensor and through the feed-through connector.

In another embodiment, a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system includes a compressor having a rotor shaft disposed within an airtight enclosure. The HVAC&R system also includes a feed-through connector coupled to the airtight enclosure. The feed-through connector includes a first passage and a second passage formed therethrough. The HVAC&R system further includes a fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the first passage and an electrical wire extending through the second passage. Additionally, the HVAC&R system includes a bearing disposed about the rotor shaft. The bearing is configured to receive a pressurized fluid through the fluid conduit. Furthermore, the HVAC&R system includes a sensor disposed within the airtight enclosure. The wire is configured to transmit electrical signals between the sensor and an exterior of the airtight enclosure via the feed-through connector.

In another embodiment, a feed system for a gas-tight compressor includes a feed body having a first channel and a second channel formed therethrough. The feed system also includes a fluid conduit fluidically coupled to the first channel and configured to direct a pressurized fluid toward a bearing of the gas-tight compressor. Additionally, the feed system includes one or more wires extending through the second channel and configured to transmit one or more electrical currents through the feed body. Furthermore, the feed system includes a potting compound disposed within the second channel and configured to block fluid flow through the second channel.

Cross-reference to related applications

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/451,852, filed on March 13, 2023, entitled “ELECTRICAL AND LIQUID FEEDTHROUGH FOR COMPRESSOR,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/443,921, filed on February 7, 2023, entitled “BEARING SYSTEM FOR HVAC&R SYSTEM,” each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

One or more specific embodiments are described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as complying with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary between implementations. Moreover, it should be understood that such a development effort may be complex and time-consuming, but may nevertheless be a routine task of design, fabrication, and manufacture for one of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements in addition to the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

As used herein, as will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the terms "substantially," "substantially," and the like are intended to convey that the described attribute value may be within a relatively small range of attribute values. For example, when an attribute value is described as being "substantially" equal to (or, for example, "substantially similar to") a given value, this is intended to mean that the attribute value may be within +/-5%, within +/-4%, within +/-3%, within +/-2%, within +/-1%, or even closer to the given value. Similarly, when a given feature is described as being "substantially parallel" to another feature, "substantially perpendicular" to another feature, etc., this is intended to mean that the given feature is within +/-5%, within +/-4%, within +/-3%, within +/-2%, within +/-1%, or even closer to having the described property (e.g., parallel to another feature, perpendicular to another feature, etc.). In addition, it should be understood that mathematical terms such as "flat," "inclined," "perpendicular," "parallel," etc. are intended to encompass features of surfaces or components as generally understood by those skilled in the art, and should not be rigidly interpreted as being mathematically understandable. For example, a "flat" surface is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be substantially flat or smooth (within relevant tolerances) using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, a surface having a "slope" is intended to encompass a surface that is machined, molded, or otherwise formed to be oriented at an angle (e.g., tilted) relative to a reference point using techniques and tools available to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system (e.g., a chiller) including a vapor compression system (e.g., a vapor compression loop) having a compressor. In operation, the compressor can pressurize a working fluid in the vapor compression system and direct the working fluid to a condenser (e.g., a first heat exchanger), which can cool and condense the working fluid via heat exchange with a cooling fluid. The condensed working fluid can be directed to an expansion device, which can reduce the pressure of the working fluid, thereby further cooling the working fluid. The cooled working fluid may be directed from the expansion device to an evaporator (e.g., a second heat exchanger), where the working fluid may be in heat exchange relationship with a conditioning fluid to cool the conditioning fluid. The conditioning fluid may be circulated between the evaporator and a structure such as a building, where the conditioning fluid is used to cool a flow of air delivered to a conditioned space of the structure. In some embodiments, an air handling unit (AHU) of an HVAC&R system may receive the conditioning fluid from the chiller and utilize the conditioning fluid to cool a flow of air delivered to the conditioned space. The conditioning fluid may then be returned to the evaporator to be cooled again.

In some embodiments, the compressor may include an impeller configured to rotate to achieve pressurization of the working fluid and guide the working fluid through the vapor compression system. For example, the impeller may be coupled to a shaft, and the shaft may be configured to rotate relative to the outer casing of the compressor to drive the impeller to rotate relative to the outer casing. Typically, the compressor includes one or more bearings configured to facilitate the rotation of the shaft relative to the outer casing of the compressor. In particular, the bearing systems described herein are configured to utilize a pressurized fluid, such as a portion of a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) circulating through a vapor compression system, to support a load (e.g., radial load) on a shaft of a compressor and to lubricate the rotation of the shaft within the compressor housing. To this end, the pressurized fluid may be supplied from components external to the compressor housing to the bearing system within the compressor housing. In addition, the bearing system may be configured to transmit electrical signals (e.g., sensor signals) to and/or receive electrical signals from electrical systems (e.g., control systems) external to the compressor housing. In some embodiments, the compressor may be an airtight compressor. That is, the components within the compressor housing may be hermetically sealed from the environment outside the housing. Therefore, a feedthrough system is required to deliver pressurized fluid to the bearing system within the housing and to enable electrical signals to be transmitted into and out of the compressor housing while maintaining the airtightness of the compressor (e.g., a sealed configuration).

Thus, embodiments of the present invention relate to a feed connector (e.g., a feed system, a feed attachment, a feed adapter feed coupling, a feed assembly, a hermetic feed) that includes a fluid channel and an electrical channel configured to enable the delivery of fluid and electrical signals through an enclosure (e.g., a hermetic enclosure) of a compressor. In particular, the feed connector is configured to deliver a fluid flow and an electrical flow (e.g., an electrical signal) between an environment external to the enclosure and a bearing system disposed within the enclosure. For example, the feed connector can be coupled to an opening of the housing (e.g., disposed within the opening), and the feed connector can enable fluid flow and electrical signals to pass through the opening through the feed connector. A feed body of the feed connector can be fixed to the housing within the opening to hermetically seal the opening while providing channels (e.g., a first channel and a second channel) through which the fluid flow and electrical signals can pass through the opening. In some embodiments, the channels can be through-holes machined through the feed body, and fluid conduits and electrical conduits (e.g., wires, cables, etc.) can extend through the opening through a corresponding one of the channels (e.g., through-holes). The respective interfaces between each of the conduits and their corresponding channels or through-holes may be sealed (e.g., hermetically, fluidically sealed) to maintain an airtight seal of the compressor at the feed connector and the opening of the housing. For example, one or more O-rings may be positioned around the fluid conduits within the first channel of the feed body. As another example, an electrical conduit may be potted (e.g., encapsulated, wedged, constrained) within the second channel of the feed body using a potting compound such as a resin, thermoplastic, silicone, or other suitable material. In this manner, fluid flow and electrical signal flow may be transmitted into and out of the housing through the feed connector while maintaining an airtight seal of the compressor.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system 10 in a building 12 in a typical commercial setting. The HVAC&R system may include a boiler 16 for supplying a warm liquid to heat the building 12 and a vapor compression system 14 for supplying a cooling liquid to cool the building 12. The vapor compression system 14 (sometimes referred to as a chiller) may circulate a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that is cooled in a condenser of the vapor compression system 14 by a cooling fluid (e.g., a liquid such as water) and heated in an evaporator of the vapor compression system 14 by a conditioning fluid (e.g., a liquid such as water). The cooling fluid may be provided by a cooling tower that cools the cooling fluid by, for example, ambient air. The conditioning fluid cooled by the working fluid as mentioned above may be used to cool the air flow provided to the conditioned space of the building 12.

The HVAC&R system 10 may also include an air distribution system that circulates air through the building 12. The air distribution system may also include an air return duct 18, an air supply duct 20, and/or an air handler 22. In some embodiments, the air handler 22 may include a heat exchanger connected to the boiler 16 and the vapor compression system 14 by a conduit 24. Depending on the operating mode of the HVAC&R system 10, the heat exchanger in the air handler 22 may receive a heated liquid from the boiler 16 or a conditioning fluid (e.g., a cooling liquid such as water) from the vapor compression system 14. The HVAC&R system 10 is shown having a separate air handler on each floor of the building 12, but in other embodiments, the HVAC&R system 10 may include air handlers 22 and/or other components that may be shared between or among floors.

2 and 3 illustrate an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 or chiller that may be used in the HVAC&R system 10. The vapor compression system 14 may circulate a working fluid through a loop (e.g., a working fluid loop, a refrigerant loop) beginning with a compressor 32 (e.g., a centrifugal compressor). The loop may also include a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and an evaporator 38. The vapor compression system 14 may further include a control panel 40 having an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 42, a microprocessor 44, a non-volatile memory 46, and/or an interface panel 48.

Some examples of fluids that can be used as the working fluid in the vapor compression system 14 are hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-based working fluids (e.g., refrigerants), such as R-410A, R-407, R-134a, hydrofluoroolefins (HFO); "natural" refrigerants, such as ammonia ( _NH3 ), R-717, carbon dioxide ( _CO2 ), R-744; or hydrocarbon working fluids; water vapor or any other suitable working fluid. Other possible refrigerants include R-123, R-514A, R-1224yd, R-1233zd, R-134a, R-1228ze, R-1228yf, R-1311, R-32, and R-410A. In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 can be configured to efficiently utilize a working fluid having a normal boiling point of about 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) at one atmospheric pressure, which is also referred to as a low-pressure working fluid as opposed to a medium-pressure working fluid such as R-134a. As used herein, "normal boiling point" can refer to a boiling point temperature measured at one atmospheric pressure.

In some embodiments, the vapor compression system 14 may use one or more of a variable speed drive (VSD) 52, a motor 50, a compressor 32, a condenser 34, an expansion valve or device 36, and/or an evaporator 38. The motor 50 may drive the compressor 32 during a normal operating mode and may be powered by the variable speed drive (VSD) 52. The VSD 52 receives alternating current (AC) power during a normal operating mode, wherein the AC power includes a specific fixed line voltage and a fixed line frequency from an AC power source, and provides power having a variable voltage and frequency to the motor 50. In other embodiments, the motor 50 may be powered directly by an AC or direct current (DC) power source. Motor 50 may include any type of electric motor that may be powered by a VSD or directly by an AC or DC power source, such as a switched reluctance motor, an induction motor, an electronically commutated permanent magnet motor, or another suitable motor.

The compressor 32 compresses the working fluid vapor and delivers the vapor to the condenser 34 through the exhaust passage. In some embodiments, the compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor. The working fluid vapor delivered to the condenser 34 by the compressor 32 may transfer heat to the cooling fluid (e.g., water or air) in the condenser 34. Due to the heat transfer with the cooling fluid, the working fluid vapor may be condensed into working fluid liquid in the condenser 34. The liquid working fluid from the condenser 34 may flow through the expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3 , the condenser 34 is water-cooled and includes a tube bundle 54 connected to a cooling tower 56 that supplies cooling fluid to the condenser 34 .

The liquid working fluid delivered to the evaporator 38 can absorb heat from the conditioning fluid, which is then delivered to the load 62 (e.g., the building 12 of FIG. 1 ). For example, the conditioning fluid can be cooled by the working fluid in the evaporator 38 and then used in the building 12 of FIG. 1 to condition the air flow provided to condition the space in the building 12. The liquid working fluid in the evaporator 38 can undergo a phase change from liquid working fluid to working fluid vapor. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3 , the evaporator 38 can include a tube bundle 58 having a supply line 60S and a return line 60R connected to the cooling load 62. The conditioning fluid of the evaporator 38 (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, calcium chloride brine, sodium chloride brine, or any other suitable fluid) enters the evaporator 38 through the return line 60R and leaves the evaporator 38 through the supply line 60S. The evaporator 38 can reduce the temperature of the conditioning fluid in the tube bundle 58 through heat transfer with the working fluid. The tube bundle 58 in the evaporator 38 can include a plurality of tubes and/or a plurality of tube bundles. In any case, the vapor working fluid leaves the evaporator 38 and returns to the compressor 32 through the suction line to complete the cycle.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 in which an intermediate loop 64 is incorporated between the condenser 34 and the expansion device 36. The intermediate loop 64 may have an inlet line 68 that is directly fluidly connected to the condenser 34. In other embodiments, the inlet line 68 may be indirectly fluidly coupled to the condenser 34. As shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4, the inlet line 68 includes a first expansion device 66 positioned upstream of an intermediate container 70. In some embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be a flash evaporation tank (e.g., a flash evaporation intercooler). In other embodiments, the intermediate container 70 may be configured as a heat exchanger or a "surface economizer." In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4 , the intermediate container 70 is used as a flash evaporation tank, and the first expansion device 66 is configured to reduce the pressure of the liquid working fluid received from the condenser 34 (e.g., expand it). During the expansion process, a portion of the liquid working fluid may vaporize, and therefore, the intermediate container 70 may be used to separate the vapor working fluid from the liquid working fluid received from the first expansion device 66. In addition, the intermediate container 70 may provide further expansion of the liquid working fluid due to the pressure drop experienced by the liquid working fluid when entering the intermediate container 70 (e.g., due to the rapid increase in volume experienced when entering the intermediate container 70). The vapor working fluid in the intermediate container 70 may be drawn by the compressor 32 via the suction line 74 of the compressor 32. In other embodiments, the vapor working fluid in the intermediate container 70 may be drawn into the intermediate section (e.g., rather than the suction section) of the compressor 32. Due to the expansion of the working fluid at the expansion device 66 and/or in the intermediate container 70, the liquid working fluid collected in the intermediate container 70 may have a lower enthalpy than the liquid working fluid leaving the condenser 34. The liquid working fluid from the intermediate container 70 may then flow through the line 72 and through the second expansion device 36 to the evaporator 38.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the compressor 32 may be a centrifugal compressor (e.g., a gas-tight compressor) having a suspended rotor or shaft. To this end, the vapor compression system 14 includes a bearing system having one or more bearings configured to support the load of the shaft of the compressor 32. The bearing system is configured to guide a pressurized fluid (e.g., liquid) through the bearings, and the bearings are configured to discharge the fluid toward and against the shaft to achieve suspension of the shaft within the compressor 32. Specifically, the bearing includes one or more porous bearing elements configured to receive the pressurized fluid and guide the pressurized fluid toward the shaft within the housing (e.g., a gas-tight housing) of the compressor 32. For example, the bearing can cause the pressurized fluid to contact (e.g., impact) the shaft with sufficient force to suspend the shaft on or in the pressurized fluid. In addition, the pressurized fluid can vaporize (e.g., evaporate instantaneously) and/or expand when discharged from the bearing due to the change in pressure. Thus, the pressurized fluid can separate the shaft from other surfaces (e.g., bearings) of the compressor 32, and thus provide a low friction environment in which the shaft can rotate. For example, the shaft can be suspended in and/or by the pressurized fluid. In this way, the bearing system can support the load on the shaft and enable the shaft to rotate within the outer housing of the compressor 32 during operation of the vapor compression system 14. As discussed herein, the pressurized fluid can be a working fluid (e.g., a refrigerant) that circulates through the vapor compression system 14. Therefore, the steam compression system 14 may not utilize a dedicated lubricant such as oil to support the shaft of the compressor 32 and achieve rotation of the shaft of the compressor 32. In addition, the bearing system can be combined with the steam compression system 14 at a reduced cost compared to other existing bearing system designs.

With the foregoing in mind, FIG5 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a compressor 32 including a bearing system 100 in accordance with the scope of the present invention. The compressor 32 may include a housing 102 (e.g., a gas-tight housing, a motor housing, a compressor housing) and a shaft 104 extending through the housing 102. The compressor 32 may also include an impeller 106 coupled to the shaft 104, such as via fasteners 108. During operation of the compressor 32, the shaft 104 may rotate (e.g., via operation of the motor 50) and cause rotation of the impeller 106. The rotation of the impeller 106 can drive a working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) to flow through the working fluid flow path 110 (e.g., from the evaporator 38, from the intermediate container 70) to draw the working fluid into the housing 102 through the suction inlet 112 and toward the impeller 106. The impeller 106 can impart mechanical energy to the working fluid and discharge the working fluid to the diffuser passage 114 of the compressor 32. The working fluid can be directed from the diffuser passage 114 to the spiral chamber 116 of the compressor 32 and from the spiral chamber 116 to the condenser (e.g., condenser 34) for heat exchange with a fluid such as a cooling fluid.

In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor 32 (e.g., the bearing system 100) includes a first bearing 118 (e.g., a radial bearing, a bearing assembly, a porous bearing) and a second bearing 120 (e.g., a radial bearing, a bearing assembly, a porous bearing) configured to control and/or adjust the position (e.g., radial position) of the shaft 104 relative to an axis 122 (e.g., a rotational axis, a center axis) of the shaft 104. For example, the first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120 may be configured to support a load (e.g., a radial load) of the shaft 104 such that the shaft 104 is suspended within the first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120. The first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120 may also be configured to block movement (e.g., bending, radial movement, eccentric rotation) of the shaft 104 transverse to the axis 122. The compressor 32 (e.g., the bearing system 100) further includes a third bearing 124 (e.g., a thrust bearing, an axial bearing, a bearing assembly, a porous bearing) configured to control and/or adjust the position (e.g., axial position) of the shaft 104 along the axis 122. For example, the third bearing 124 can be configured to block or limit the movement (e.g., translation) of the shaft 104 along the axis 122.

As mentioned above, the bearing system 100 is configured to direct a pressurized fluid to the bearings of the bearing system 100, such as the first bearing 118, the second bearing 120, and/or the third bearing 124. The pressurized fluid may be the same working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) that circulates through the vapor compression system 14 (e.g., the working fluid loop) having the compressor 32. However, it should be understood that the pressurized fluid may be any suitable fluid, such as a refrigerant, a condensable vapor, or other fluid. In some embodiments, the first bearing 118, the second bearing 120, and/or the third bearing 124 each include one or more porous elements 126 configured to direct the pressurized fluid through it. For example, one or more porous elements 126 of the first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120 may be configured to receive a pressurized fluid and direct the pressurized fluid toward the shaft 104 to establish a high-pressure fluid film (e.g., a vapor film) around the shaft 104 between the first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120 and the shaft 104. In this way, the pressurized fluid may cause the shaft 104 to suspend from the first bearing 118 and the second bearing 120, thereby achieving the desired rotation of the shaft 104 about the axis 122. One or more porous elements 126 of the third bearing 124 can receive the pressurized fluid and direct the pressurized fluid toward a collar 128 (e.g., a thrust collar) of the third bearing 124. In this way, the pressurized fluid can apply force to the collar 128 and enable adjustable positioning of the shaft 104 along the axis 122.

The bearing system 100 includes a fluid supply system 130 configured to supply pressurized fluid to the bearings (e.g., the first bearing 118, the second bearing 120, and/or the third bearing 124) of the bearing system 100. For example, the fluid supply system 130 can direct the pressurized fluid through the housing 102 of the compressor 32 via one or more fluid conduits 132 (e.g., pipes, tubes, etc.). In some embodiments, the fluid conduits 132 can fluidly couple the fluid supply system 130 to one or more bearing housings 134 (e.g., housings) of the first bearing 118, the second bearing 120, and the third bearing 124. Each fluid conduit 132 may extend through a feed connector 136 (e.g., a gas-tight feed, a feed system) coupled to the housing 102. For example, the housing 102 may include a plurality of feed connectors 136 coupled thereto, and each fluid conduit 132 may extend through one of the feed connectors 136. In some embodiments, a plurality of fluid conduits 132 may extend through one feed connector 136.

The feed-through connector 136 provides a passage for the fluid conduits 132 to extend into the housing 102. In some embodiments, the housing 102 includes an opening for one or more of the fluid conduits 132, and the feed-through connector 136 is positioned within the opening and/or coupled to the housing 102 to seal the opening of the housing 102. In this manner, pressurized fluid can flow from the fluid supply system 130, through the fluid conduits 132, through the feed-through connector 136, into the housing 102, and to the bearing housing 134 of the first bearing 118, the second bearing 120, and/or the third bearing 124. The illustrated embodiment of the housing 102 includes two feed-through connectors 136. One feed-through connector 136 receives a fluid conduit 132 extending therethrough or therein that supplies pressurized fluid to the first bearing 118, and the other feed-through connector 136 receives another fluid conduit 132 that supplies pressurized fluid to the second bearing 120 and the third bearing 124. That is, the compressor 32 includes one feed-through connector 136 for one or more bearings at a first end of the shaft 104 and another feed-through connector 136 for one or more bearings at a second end of the shaft 104 opposite the first end. In some embodiments, a single feed-through connector 136 may house some or all of the fluid conduits 132 and/or electrical wiring used in the bearings of the bearing system 100. In other embodiments, one fluid conduit 132 may extend from the fluid supply system 130 to the feed-through connector 136, another fluid conduit 132 may extend from the feed-through connector 136 to one of the bearings within the housing 102, and the feed-through connector 136 may fluidly couple the two fluid conduits 132 (e.g., via a channel formed within the feed-through connector 136).

In some embodiments, the fluid conduit 132 may include a fluid supply conduit and a fluid drain conduit. The pressurized fluid may enter the housing 102 through the fluid supply conduit, flow through the bearing housing 134, and leave the housing 102 through the fluid drain conduit. In other words, the feed-through connector 136 may accommodate one fluid conduit 132 (e.g., a first fluid conduit, a fluid supply conduit) to direct the pressurized fluid into the housing 102 (e.g., to the bearings), and the feed-through connector 136 may also accommodate another fluid conduit 132 (e.g., a second fluid conduit, a fluid drain conduit) to direct the fluid out of the housing 102. Alternatively, a separate feed-through connector 136 may be incorporated for use with separate fluid conduits 132 (e.g., a fluid supply conduit and a fluid drain conduit). In any case, the fluid drain conduit may direct the pressurized or depressurized fluid to a liquid conduit portion, a vapor conduit portion, or other conduit of a working fluid loop (e.g., of the vapor compression system 14). In this way, the fluid used by the bearing system 100 to lubricate the bearings may also be used as the working fluid in the working fluid loop.

In the illustrated embodiment, one bearing housing 134 is associated with the first bearing 118 and another bearing housing 134 is associated with the second bearing 120. Additional bearing housings 134 may be utilized with the third bearing 124. In other embodiments, the second bearing 120 and the third bearing 124 may be packaged together in a common bearing housing 134. A pressurized fluid may be directed through the bearing housings 134 to a corresponding porous element 126 (e.g., a bearing element) retained within each bearing housing 134. The fluid supply system 130 is described in more detail below. It should be appreciated that the compressor 32 may include any suitable number or type (e.g., radial, axial) of bearings incorporating the present teachings, and that the bearings may be positioned at any suitable location within the housing 102 of the compressor 32.

The bearing system 100 also includes a monitoring system 138 (e.g., a controller, a control system, a control device) configured to monitor operating parameters of the bearing system 100. For example, the monitoring system 138 may include a controller, a processing circuit system, and/or a memory, as described in more detail below. The monitoring system 138 may receive sensor data or feedback from one or more sensors 140 (e.g., a bearing sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor) disposed within the housing 102. The one or more sensors 140 may monitor one or more operating parameters of the bearing system 100 and/or the compressor 32, such as bearing temperature, fluid temperature, fluid pressure, fluid flow rate, speed of the shaft 104, fluid force, position of the shaft 104, position of the bearings, and/or any other suitable operating parameter of the bearing system 100 and/or the compressor 32. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 138 may be integrated with a component of the control panel 40 or another controller of the bearing system 100 or the vapor compression system 14.

As shown, the monitoring system 138 can be located outside the housing 102. To this end, the bearing system 100 includes wires 142 (e.g., electrical conduits, wires, cables, etc.) configured to carry (e.g., transmit) electrical signals (e.g., sensor data, control signals, power, etc.) between the monitoring system 138 and the sensor 140. Thus, the wires 142 extend from the monitoring system 138, through the housing 102, and to the sensor 140. According to the present invention, the wires 142 can extend into the housing 102 via one or more feed-through connectors 136. For example, one of the wires 142 may be a cable, a wire, or a collection of wires that extends through a passage (e.g., a through hole, an aperture) formed in the body of the feed-through connector 136. In some embodiments, the feed-through connector 136 may include one or more terminals configured to electrically couple an external segment (e.g., a first segment) of the wire 142 (e.g., outside the housing 102) to an internal segment (e.g., a second segment) of the wire 142 (e.g., within the housing 102). For example, the outer segment of wire 142 may be a first cable, wire, or set of wires connected to monitoring system 138 and terminated at a terminal of feed-through connector 136, and the inner segment of wire 142 may be a second cable, wire, or set of wires extending from one or more of sensors 140 and terminated at a terminal of feed-through connector 136. In any case, feed-through connector 136 may include multiple (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 10) channels through which one or more wires 142 and fluid conduits 132 may extend.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a feed connector 136 illustrating the fluid conduit 132 and the wire 142 extending through the feed connector 136. The feed connector 136 (e.g., a feed system) includes a feed body 150 (e.g., a disc, cylindrical body) configured to be coupled to the housing 102 of the compressor 32. For example, the feed body 150 can be inserted into the opening of the housing 102 in the axial direction 154. As mentioned above, the feed connector 136 can be positioned within the opening and mounted or fixed to the housing 102 to provide a sealed interface between the interior of the housing 102 and the external environment surrounding the housing 102. For example, the housing 102 may extend in radial directions 156 and lateral directions 158 , and the feed body 150 may extend into the housing 102 in the axial direction 154 (eg, through an opening in the housing 102 ) to align with the housing 102 along the radial direction 156 and/or the lateral direction 158 .

The feed body 150 can include a plurality of channels 152 (e.g., ports, holes, passages, apertures), such as extending through the feed body 150 in an axial direction 154. In the illustrated embodiment, the channels 152 include a first channel 160 configured to receive a fluid conduit 132 and a second channel 162 configured to receive one or more electrical wires 142. In some embodiments, the first channel 160 can be configured to fluidically couple a plurality of fluid conduits 132, such as one fluid conduit 132 extending into the housing 102 and another fluid conduit 132 extending outside the housing 102. The first channel 160 and the second channel 162 can be fluidically and/or electrically isolated from each other. In other embodiments, the feed-through connector 136 may include more channels (e.g., 3, 4, 10) to accommodate additional fluid conduits 132 (e.g., a second fluid conduit, a third fluid conduit, etc.) and/or additional wires 142 (e.g., a third wire). The feed-through connector 136 may include a separate channel 152 for a separate wire 142. In some embodiments, multiple wires 142 may extend through the same channel 152 (e.g., a second channel 162).

As discussed above, the compressor 32 can be a hermetic compressor (e.g., a centrifugal compressor). For example, the housing 102 can maintain a high pressure within the interior 164 of the housing 102 (e.g., a first side of the feed body 150) relative to a lower pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure) at the exterior 166 of the housing 102 (e.g., a second side of the feed body 150). Thus, the feed connector 136 is configured to create a seal (e.g., a hermetic seal, a fluid seal) on the channel 152 and around the fluid conduit 132 and the wires 142.

In some embodiments, the fluid conduit 132 may have a rigid portion 168 and a flexible portion 170. The rigid portion 168 may be a pipe, tube, or other component configured to deliver a pressurized fluid 172 from the fluid supply system 130 to the feed body 150. The rigid portion 168 may enter and/or fluidly couple to the first passage 160 at a first end 174 (e.g., an exterior-facing end, exterior side) of the feed body 150. In other words, the rigid portion 168 may be securely coupled to the first passage 160 at the first end 174. In this way, the pressurized fluid may flow through the rigid portion 168 and into the first passage 160. The flexible portion 170 may be a tube or other flexible conduit configured to convey a pressurized fluid 172 flow from the feed body 150 to one or more of the bearing housings 134. Thus, the flexible portion 170 may be coupled to the first passage 160 at a second end 176 (e.g., an interior facing end, an interior side) of the feed body 150. In this manner, the pressurized fluid 172 may flow from the first passage 160 into the flexible portion 170 and out of the first passage 160. Alternatively, the flexible portion 170 may be coupled (e.g., directly coupled) to the rigid portion 168 such that the pressurized fluid 172 may flow directly between the rigid portion 168 and the flexible portion 170. In any event, the feed-through connector 136 may join (eg, fluidly couple) two portions of the fluid conduit 132 to convey the pressurized fluid 172 between the exterior 166 of the housing 102 and the interior 164 of the housing 102 .

In some embodiments, the flexible portion 170 can include multiple tubes configured to separate (e.g., divide, split) the flow of the pressurized fluid 172 in different flow directions when the pressurized fluid 172 leaves the feed-through connector 136. In this way, the flexible portion 170 can direct the pressurized fluid 172 to different locations (e.g., different bearings) within the housing 102.

The wire 142 may extend through the feed body 150 through the second passage 162. The second passage 162 may be a through hole formed through the feed body 150. In some embodiments, the wire 142 may extend continuously through the feed body 150 from the exterior 166 of the housing 102 to the interior 164 of the housing 102 through the second passage 162. A potting compound 178 (e.g., a filler material, a sealing material, an epoxy, a resin, a silicone, a cork, a thermoplastic material, another suitable polymer) may be disposed within the second passage 162 to hermetically seal the space within the second passage 162 between the wire 142 and a wall (e.g., an interior wall) of the feed body 150 defining the second passage 162. That is, the wires 142 can be securely encapsulated within the potting compound 178 and within the second channel 162. In this way, the potting compound 178 can block any undesirable flow of fluid or material (e.g., air or working fluid) through the second channel 162. In fact, the potting compound 178 can define a pressure barrier between the exterior 166 of the housing 102 and the interior 164 of the housing 102. In some embodiments, the potting compound 178 can electrically isolate the multiple wires 142 extending through the second channel 162 from each other.

In some embodiments, each wire 142 may include an external segment 180 connected to the monitoring system 138 and an internal segment 182 connected to one or more of the sensors 140. The second channel 162 may include an electrical terminal (e.g., electrical terminal 194 shown in FIG. 7 ) to which one end of the external segment 180 is electrically coupled (e.g., plugged, crimped, welded, etc.) and one end of the internal segment 182 is electrically coupled. The electrical terminal may be inserted (e.g., electrically coupled) between the external segment 180 and the internal segment 182, and thereby conduct electrical current (e.g., a signal) therebetween. In this manner, the electrical terminal may removably couple the external segment 180 and the internal segment 182. The electrical connection between the monitoring system 138 and the sensor 140 may be connected and disconnected by connecting and disconnecting the external segment 180 and/or the internal segment 182 to the electrical terminal. However, in other embodiments, the outer segment 180 may directly electrically contact the inner segment 182 (eg, as a single wire) without the need for a terminal disposed therebetween.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the feed connector 136. As discussed above, the feed connector 136 includes a feed body 150 through which a first channel 160 and a second channel 162 may extend in an axial direction 154. The fluid conduit 132 (which may include a rigid portion 168 and a flexible portion 170) extends through the first channel 160, as shown. The wires 142 extend through the second channel 162. In the illustrated embodiment, each wire 142 includes a corresponding outer segment 180 and a corresponding inner segment 182. The first end 174 of the feed-through body 150 may include one or more screw holes 190 (e.g., mounting points, mounting features, mounting recesses) to enable the feed-through connector 136 to be coupled to the housing 102. For example, screws may secure a plate to the feed-through connector 136 via the screw holes 190, and the plate may be secured to the housing 102.

To block the flow of fluid (e.g., air or refrigerant) through the feed connector 136, one or more O-rings 191 (e.g., gaskets) may be disposed between one or more walls (e.g., inner walls) of the feed body 150 defining the first passage 160 and one or more walls (e.g., outer surfaces) of the fluid conduit 132. In some embodiments, the O-rings 191 may be positioned in grooves formed in the feed body 150 along the first passage 160. In this way, the flow of fluid through the first passage 160 between the feed body 150 and the fluid conduit 132 (e.g., outside the fluid conduit 132) may be blocked. Additionally, the feed body 150 may include a groove 192 formed in an outer surface of the feed body 150 adjacent a flange 194 that extends outwardly (e.g., along the lateral direction 158) from the feed body 150. An O-ring 191 or other gasket may be positioned in the groove 192 to serve as a contact interface and/or sealing interface between the feed connector 136 and the housing 102 in the mounted configuration of the feed connector 136. That is, the O-ring 191 may be captured between the flange 194 and the housing 102 , which may block the flow of fluid between the feed-through connector 136 and the housing 102 (eg, between the exterior 166 of the housing 102 and the interior 164 of the housing 102 ).

In the illustrated embodiment, the feed-through connector 136 also includes one or more electrical terminals 194 positioned within the second channel 162. Each electrical terminal 194 is configured to electrically couple a respective outer segment 180 and a respective inner segment 182 of one of the wires 142. As shown, each outer segment 180 and each inner segment 182 terminate at one of the electrical terminals 194. Thus, the electrical terminals 194 can conduct current and/or signals between the segments 180, 182 of the corresponding wire 142. The electrical terminals 194 can include ports (e.g., connectors) configured to receive corresponding ends of the segments 180, 182. In some embodiments, the segments 180, 182 can be crimped or spliced at the electrical terminals 194. In any case, the electrical terminals 194 provide continuity in the respective segments 180, 182 of the wire 142 when connected, and break continuity when disconnected. The potting compound 178 may partially or fully encapsulate (e.g., encapsulate) any or all of the electrical terminals 194, the outer segments 180, and/or the inner segments 182.

8 is a schematic diagram of a portion of an embodiment of a compressor 32 and a bearing system 100 illustrating the flow of a pressurized fluid 172 within a housing 102 (e.g., from a fluid supply system 130) and the flow of electrical signals within the housing 102. In the illustrated embodiment, a bearing assembly 196 (e.g., a first bearing 118, a second bearing 120) is disposed within the housing 102 about a shaft 104 and includes a porous element 126 configured to direct the pressurized fluid through the porous element 126 and toward the shaft 104. However, in other embodiments, the bearing assembly 196 may additionally or alternatively include a thrust bearing assembly. The fluid conduit 132 is configured to direct the pressurized fluid 172 into the housing 102 through the feedthrough connector 136 and toward a manifold 198 (e.g., a chamber) of the bearing system 100. The manifold 198 is configured to receive a flow of pressurized fluid 172 from the fluid conduit 132 (e.g., the flexible portion 170) and distribute the pressurized fluid 172 to a plurality of locations, components and/or elements of the bearing assembly 196, such as the plurality of porous elements 126, to enable support and lubrication of the shaft 104. For example, the manifold 198 can define a chamber configured to receive a flow of pressurized fluid 172 and distribute the pressurized fluid 172 to the porous elements 126 via distribution conduits 199 extending from the manifold 198 to corresponding porous elements 126 .

Additionally, the bearing assembly 196 includes one or more of the sensors 140, which may be coupled to the porous element 126, the manifold 198, the feed 136, the fluid conduit 132, the wire 142, and/or any other suitable component of the bearing system 100. The sensor 140 may be configured to detect an operating parameter (e.g., temperature, pressure, contact, position, flow rate, etc.) of the bearing system 100, such as a detection indicating whether the bearing assembly 196 is in contact (e.g., physical contact) with the shaft 104. As discussed above, the sensor 140 is communicatively connected to the monitoring system 138 (e.g., controller, control system) via the wire 142. Wires 142 extend through the feed-through connector 136, into the housing 102, and to the sensors 140. In this manner, each of the sensors 140 can receive current (e.g., power) from a power source external to the housing 102 and/or the sensors 140 can transmit current (e.g., sensor data, electrical signals, feedback) from the interior 164 of the housing 102 to the monitoring system 138.

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a vapor compression system 14 (e.g., an HVAC&R system) including a bearing system 100 for a compressor 32. The vapor compression system 14 includes elements similar to those discussed above, including a compressor 32, a condenser 34, and an evaporator 38 (e.g., a falling film evaporator) arranged along a working fluid loop 200 (e.g., a refrigerant loop). In accordance with the present invention, the bearing system 100 also includes a fluid supply system 130 configured to direct pressurized fluid to bearings (e.g., bearing assembly 196) of the bearing system 100. In particular, the fluid supply system 130 is configured to direct a portion of the working fluid (e.g., refrigerant) circulating through the working fluid loop 200 to the bearing assembly 196. To this end, the fluid supply system 130 includes a lubricant loop 202 (e.g., a fluid supply loop) extending from the working fluid loop 200 to the bearing assembly 196. The bearing system 100 may also include one or more feed-through connectors 136 discussed above to enable pressurized fluid to be supplied to the bearings of the bearing system 100. Specifically, the feed-through connector 136 may be configured to receive pressurized fluid from the lubricant loop 202 and enable the pressurized fluid to be supplied to the bearing assembly 196 within the housing 102 of the compressor 32 .

In the illustrated embodiment, the lubricant loop 202 extends from the liquid line portion 204 of the working fluid loop 200 to the bearing assembly 196. The liquid line portion 204 extends from the condenser 34 to the evaporator 38. Therefore, the working fluid in the liquid line portion 204 can be in a liquid phase. Various components are disposed along the lubricant loop 202 and are configured to enable the working fluid to be supplied to the bearing assembly 196 as desired, thereby enabling the bearing assembly 196 to support the load of the shaft 104 of the compressor 32. For example, the fluid supply system 130 includes a pump 206 (e.g., a liquid pump) disposed along the lubricant loop 202 and configured to direct a working fluid (e.g., a liquid working fluid) flow along the lubricant loop 202 from a liquid line portion 204 of the working fluid loop 200 to a bearing assembly 196 of a motor 50 (e.g., a compressor 32). In some embodiments, the pump 206 may be a linear piston pump, and the pump 206 may be driven electrically, pneumatically, mechanically, electromechanically, and/or by another suitable technology. In some embodiments, the pump 206 may operate without utilizing oil or other specialized lubricants.

The fluid supply system 130 also includes an accumulator 208 fluidly coupled to the lubricant loop 202. The accumulator 208 is fluidly coupled to the lubricant loop 202 downstream of the pump 206 relative to the flow of working fluid along the lubricant loop 202. Therefore, the accumulator 208 can receive a flow of pressurized working fluid (e.g., liquid working fluid, vapor working fluid, or both) from the pump 206 and the lubricant loop 202. As will be appreciated, the accumulator 208 is configured to store pressurized working fluid therein. For example, the accumulator 208 may include a container 210 and a separator 212 (e.g., a bladder, a diaphragm, a piston, etc.) disposed therein. In some embodiments, the separator 212 can divide the internal volume of the container 210 into a bias chamber 214 (e.g., a gas chamber) on a first side of the separator 212 and a fluid chamber 216 (e.g., a liquid chamber, a refrigerant chamber) on a second side of the separator 212. The fluid chamber 216 of the accumulator 208 is configured to receive a pressurized working fluid from the lubricant loop 202. The separator 212 can be a balloon or other flexible container pre-filled with a gas (e.g., nitrogen) so that the pressure of the working fluid in the fluid chamber 216 can be maintained. In other embodiments, the bias chamber 214 can be pre-filled with a gas. In still other embodiments, the bias chamber 214 may alternatively include a spring or other mechanical biasing assembly. In any case, the accumulator 208 may operate as a mechanical battery that is configured to enable pressurized working fluid to be supplied (e.g., temporarily) from the fluid chamber 216 to the bearing assembly 196 via the lubricant circuit 202, such as during periods of inactivity of the pump 206. For example, during periods of interruption in the operation of the pump 206, the accumulator 208 may discharge pressurized working fluid to the lubricant circuit 202 to supply to the bearing assembly 196. In this way, the bearing assembly 196 can continue to operate to support the load on the shaft 104 when the operation of the pump 206 is restarted and/or when the operation of the compressor 32 (e.g., the motor 50) is suspended in a controlled manner. In some embodiments, the accumulator 208 can also operate to dampen oscillations in the flow of pressurized working fluid directed to the bearing assembly 196. In addition, the accumulator 208 can be configured to supply pressurized working fluid to the bearing assembly 196 when the vapor compression system 14 is started (e.g., before the operation of the pump 206 and/or the compressor 32).

The fluid supply system 130 may also include other components disposed along the lubricant loop 202, such as a check valve 218 disposed between the pump 206 and the accumulator 208. The check valve 218 may be configured to close and block the flow of the liquid working fluid from the pump 206 and along toward the bearing assembly 196 based on the pressure of the liquid working fluid discharged by the pump 206. For example, in response to the pressure of the liquid working fluid dropping below a threshold value (e.g., corresponding to a threshold value of the liquid working fluid pressure desired to be supplied to the bearing assembly 196), the check valve 218 may close. In such circumstances, pressurized liquid working fluid stored in the accumulator 208 may be supplied to the bearing assembly 196 (e.g., where closing the check valve 218 blocks the flow of refrigerant back to the pump 206) to enable the bearing assembly 196 to at least temporarily continue to operate to support the shaft 104.

As mentioned above, the bearing assembly 196 is configured to receive the pressurized working fluid and discharge the working fluid toward the shaft 104 or the shaft ring 128. In particular, the bearing assembly 196 each includes one or more porous elements 126, which are configured to guide the pressurized working fluid therethrough and cause the pressurized working fluid to evaporate instantaneously and discharge the pressurized vapor working fluid toward the shaft 104 or the shaft ring 128. Thereafter, the working fluid can flow through the outer housing 102 of the compressor 32 (e.g., the motor 50) to one or more drain lines 220 of the bearing system 100. For example, the bearing system 100 may include a first drain line 222 extending from the housing 102 to the liquid line portion 204 of the working fluid loop 200. The first drain line 222 may include a valve 224 (e.g., an electronic expansion valve) and/or may be configured to direct vapor working fluid from the housing 102 to the liquid line portion 204 of the working fluid loop 200. Additionally or alternatively, the bearing system 100 may include a second drain line 226 extending from the housing 102 to the evaporator 38 and/or a third drain line 228 extending from the housing 102 to the evaporator 38. In some embodiments, the second drain line 226 is configured to direct vapor working fluid from the housing 102 to the evaporator 38 , and the third drain line 228 is configured to direct liquid working fluid from the housing 102 to the evaporator 38 .

The vapor compression system 14 may also include a controller 230 (e.g., a control system, a control panel, a control panel) communicatively coupled to one or more components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. The controller 230 is configured to monitor, adjust, and/or otherwise control the operation of the components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. For example, one or more control transmission devices (such as wires, cables, wireless communication devices, and the like) may communicatively couple the compressor 32, the motor 50, the pump 206, and/or other components described herein. Such components may include a network interface that enables components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100 to communicate via various protocols such as Ethernet/IP, ControlNet, DeviceNet, or any other communication network protocol. Alternatively, the communication components may enable components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100 to communicate via cellular telecommunications technology, Bluetooth®, near field communication technology, and the like.

In some embodiments, the controller 230 may include part or all of the control panel 40, or may be another suitable controller included in the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. In some embodiments, the controller 230 may be an embodiment and/or component of the monitoring system 138, or the monitoring system 138 may be a component of the controller 230. In any case, the controller 230 may be configured to control the components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100 according to the techniques discussed herein. The controller 230 includes a processing circuit system 232, such as one or more microprocessors, that can execute software for controlling the components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. Processing circuit system 232 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more "general purpose" microprocessors, one or more special purpose microprocessors and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or some combination thereof. For example, processing circuit system 232 may include one or more reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors.

The controller 230 may also include a memory device 234 (e.g., memory) that can store information such as instructions, control software, lookup tables, configuration data, etc. The memory device 234 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM). The memory device 234 can store a variety of information and can be used for a variety of purposes. For example, the memory device 234 may store processor executable instructions including firmware or software for execution by the processing circuit system 232, such as instructions for controlling components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. In some embodiments, the memory device 234 is a tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium that can store machine-readable instructions for execution by the processing circuit system 232. The memory device 234 may include ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof. The memory device 234 may store data, instructions, and any other suitable data.

The controller 230 may be configured to control the operation of components of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100 based on detected operating parameters of the vapor compression system 14 and/or the bearing system 100. To this end, the vapor compression system 14 includes one or more sensors 236, including the bearing sensor 140, configured to detect operating parameters associated with or indicative of operating conditions of the vapor compression system 14 and the bearing system 100. For example, one or more of the sensors 236 may be disposed along the lubricant loop 202 and may be configured to detect operating parameters of the working fluid directed through the lubricant loop 202, such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, etc. In some embodiments, one or more of the sensors 236 may be configured to detect operating parameters associated with the motor 50, such as the speed of the shaft 104, the torque on the shaft 104, the temperature of the motor 50, etc. One or more sensors 236 may be configured to detect operating parameters of the bearing assembly 196, such as detection of whether one or more bearing assemblies 196 are in contact (e.g., physical contact) with the shaft 104. As similarly discussed above, one or more of the sensors 236 disposed within the housing 102 of the compressor 32 may be communicatively coupled to the controller 230 via wires 142 extending through one or more feed-through connectors 136 secured to the housing 102.

Although only certain features and embodiments have been illustrated and described, a variety of modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in the art, such as variations in size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of various components, values of parameters such as temperature and pressure, mounting configurations, material usage, color, orientation, etc., without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in the claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described, such as those that are not relevant to the best mode presently contemplated or those that are not relevant to implementation. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort may be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to physical objects and specific examples of a practical nature that clearly improve the field of the present invention and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any of the claims appended to the end of this specification include one or more elements designated as "a member for [performing] a [function] ..." or "a step for [performing] a [function] ...", it is intended that such elements be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is not intended that such elements be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

10: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems 12: Buildings 14: Steam Compression Systems 16: Boilers 18: Air Return Pipes 20: Air Supply Pipes 22: Air Handlers 24: Pipes 32: Compressors 34: Condensers 36: Expansion Valve or Device/Secondary Expansion Device 38: Evaporators 40: Control Panels 42: Analog to Digital Converters 44: Microprocessors 46: Non-Volatile Memory 48: Interface Panels 50: Motors 52: Variable Speed Drives 54: Tube Bundles 56: Cooling Towers 58: Tube Bundles 60R: Return Pipes 60S: Supply pipeline 62: Load 64: Intermediate loop 66: First expansion device 68: Inlet pipeline 70: Intermediate container 72: Pipeline 74: Suction pipeline 100: Bearing system 102: Housing 104: Shaft 106: Impeller 108: Fastener 110: Working fluid flow path 112: Suction inlet 114: Diffuser channel 116: Spiral chamber 118: First bearing 120: Second bearing 122: Axis 124: Third bearing 126: Porous element 128: Shaft ring 130: Fluid supply system 132: Fluid channel 134: Bearing housing 136: Feed connector 138: Monitoring system 140: Sensor 142: Wire 150: Feed body 152: Channel 154: Axial direction 156: Radial direction 158: Lateral direction 160: First channel 162: Second channel 164: Inner part 166: Outer part 168: Rigid part 170: Flexible part 172: Pressurized fluid 174: First end 176: Second end 178: Potting compound 180: Outer section 182: Inner section 190: Screw hole 191: O-ring 192: groove 194: electrical terminal/flange 196: bearing assembly 198: manifold 199: distribution pipeline 200: working fluid circuit 202: lubricant circuit 204: liquid pipeline section 206: pump 208: accumulator 210: container 212: separator 214: bias chamber 216: fluid chamber 218: check valve 220: drain line 222: first drain line 224: valve 226: second drain line 228: third drain line 230: controller 232: processing circuit system 234: Memory device 236: Sensor

Various aspects of the present invention may be better understood after reading the following detailed description and referring to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a building that may utilize a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling (HVAC&R) system in a commercial setting in accordance with the scope of the present invention;

FIG2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a steam compression system according to the scope of the present invention;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a steam compression system according to the scope of the present invention;

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a steam compression system according to the scope of the present invention;

FIG5 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a compressor of a steam compression system according to the scope of the present invention, illustrating a bearing system of the compressor;

FIG6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a feed-through connector for a bearing system of a compressor according to the scope of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a feed-through connector for a bearing system of a compressor according to the scope of the present invention;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a compressor including a bearing system according to the scope of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a steam compression system including a bearing system of a compressor according to the scope of the present invention.

102: Shell

100: Bearing system

104: Shaft

126:Porous element

132: Fluid pipeline

136: Feedback connector

140:Sensor

142: Wires

170:Flexibility section

196: Bearing assembly

198: Manifold

199: Distribution pipeline

Claims (20)

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system comprising: a motor housing of a compressor; a feed-through connector coupled to the motor housing, wherein the feed-through connector includes a first channel and a second channel formed therethrough, the first channel being configured to receive a fluid conduit, and the second channel being configured to receive an electrical wire; a bearing disposed within the motor housing, wherein the bearing is configured to receive a pressurized fluid through the fluid conduit; and a sensor disposed within the motor housing, wherein the electrical wire is configured to transmit an electrical signal from the sensor and through the feed-through connector. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 1, comprising the fluid duct and a manifold disposed within the motor housing, wherein the fluid duct is configured to direct the pressurized fluid to the manifold, and the manifold is configured to direct the pressurized fluid to the bearing. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fluid conduit is a first fluid conduit, the HVAC&R system includes a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the first channel of the feed-through connector, and the second fluid conduit is configured to direct the pressurized fluid to the feed-through connector. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first fluid duct is formed from a flexible material and the second fluid duct is formed from a rigid material. The HVAC&R system of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid comprises a working fluid of the HVAC&R system. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a potting compound disposed within the second passage and configured to hermetically seal the second passage. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 6, comprising a plurality of wires extending through the second channel, wherein the plurality of wires include the wire, each of the plurality of wires extending from the feed-through connector to a corresponding sensor of a plurality of sensors disposed in the motor housing, and the plurality of sensors include the sensor. An HVAC&R system as in claim 7, wherein the potting compound is configured to electrically isolate the plurality of wires from each other. The HVAC&R system of claim 6, comprising an electrical terminal disposed within the second channel, wherein: the electrical wire comprises an external segment extending from an external environment of the motor housing to the electrical terminal, the electrical wire comprises an internal segment extending from the electrical terminal to the sensor, the electrical terminal is configured to electrically couple the external segment and the internal segment, and the electrical terminal is at least partially encapsulated in the potting compound. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 1, comprising the fluid duct and at least one gasket disposed within the first passage and around the fluid duct, wherein the at least one gasket is configured to block fluid flow through the first passage outside the fluid duct. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling (HVAC&R) system comprising: a compressor including a rotor shaft disposed within an airtight enclosure; a feed-through connector coupled to the airtight enclosure, wherein the feed-through connector includes a first passage and a second passage formed therethrough; a fluid conduit having a fluid coupled to the first passage; an electrical wire extending through the second passage; a bearing disposed about the rotor shaft, wherein the bearing is configured to receive a pressurized fluid through the fluid conduit; and A sensor disposed within the airtight enclosure, wherein the wire is configured to transmit electrical signals between the sensor and an exterior of the airtight enclosure via the feed-through connector. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 11, comprising a controller disposed outside the airtight enclosure, wherein the wire is configured to transmit the electrical signals from the sensor to the controller, and the sensor comprises a temperature sensor or a position sensor. An HVAC&R system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the compressor is configured to circulate a working fluid through a working fluid circuit of the HVAC&R system, the pressurized fluid comprises a portion of the working fluid, and the bearing is configured to discharge the pressurized fluid toward the rotor shaft. An HVAC&R system as in claim 11, wherein the feed-through connector includes a potting compound disposed within the second passage and configured to hermetically seal the second passage. An HVAC&R system as in claim 14, wherein the feed-through connector includes an O-ring disposed within the first passage and around the fluid conduit, wherein the O-ring is configured to create a fluid seal within the first passage outside the fluid conduit. A feed system for a gas-tight compressor, comprising: a feed body including a first channel and a second channel formed therethrough; a fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the first channel and configured to direct a pressurized fluid toward a bearing of the gas-tight compressor; one or more wires extending through the second channel and configured to transmit one or more electrical currents through the feed body; and a potting compound disposed within the second channel and configured to block the flow of fluid through the second channel. A feed system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the feed body is configured to be mounted to a housing of the airtight compressor, the one or more wires are configured to be electrically coupled to one or more sensors disposed in the housing, and the fluid conduit is configured to extend from the feed body within the housing. A feed-through system as in claim 16, wherein the one or more wires include a plurality of wires, and the potting compound is configured to electrically isolate the plurality of wires from each other. A feed-through system as in claim 16, comprising at least one O-ring or gasket disposed within the first passage and configured to block fluid flow through the first passage outside the fluid conduit. A feed system as claimed in claim 16, comprising an electrical terminal disposed in the second channel, wherein: one of the one or more electrical wires comprises an external segment configured to extend from the feed body and outside the airtight compressor and an internal segment configured to extend from the feed body and inside the airtight compressor, the electrical terminal is configured to electrically couple the external segment and the internal segment of the electrical wire, and the electrical terminal is at least partially encapsulated in the potting compound.