Refrigerant compressor having an oil separator

Abstract

A refrigerant compressor includes a compression mechanism, a discharge passage, and an oil separator. The compression mechanism compresses a refrigerant gas containing a lubricant oil. The refrigerant gas that has been compressed by the compression mechanism flows through the discharge passage. The oil separator is arranged in the discharge passage and separates the lubricant oil from the refrigerant gas flowing in the discharge passage. The oil separator has a rotator that causes the refrigerant gas to flow around the axis of the rotator and a circumferential wall that encompasses the rotator and extends along the axis of the rotator. The rotator and the circumferential wall define a separation zone in between. The lubricant oil is separated from the refrigerant gas by the flow of the refrigerant gas around the rotator in the separation zone. The circumferential wall has an oil outlet that allows the separated lubricant oil to flow to the exterior of the oil separator. The oil separator has an inlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow into the separation zone and an outlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow out of the separation zone. The rotator is arranged between the inlet port and the outlet port. The inlet port and the outlet port are arranged so that an inlet direction of the refrigerant gas flowing through the inlet port is substantially parallel with an outlet direction of the refrigerant gas flowing through the outlet port.

1 . A refrigerant compressor comprising: 
 a compression mechanism that compresses a refrigerant gas containing a lubricant oil;    a discharge passage through which the refrigerant gas that has been compressed by the compression mechanism flows, the compressed refrigerant gas being discharged to the exterior of the compressor through the discharge passage; and    an oil separator that is arranged in the discharge passage and separates the lubricant oil from the refrigerant gas flowing in the discharge passage,    wherein the oil separator has a rotator that causes the refrigerant gas to flow around the axis of the rotator and a circumferential wall that encompasses the rotator and extends along the axis of the rotator, the rotator and the circumferential wall defining a separation zone in between, the lubricant oil being separated from the refrigerant gas by the flow of the refrigerant gas around the rotator in the separation zone, the circumferential wall having an oil outlet that allows the separated lubricant oil to flow to the exterior of the oil separator, and    wherein the oil separator has an inlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow into the separation zone and an outlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow out of the separation zone, the rotator being arranged between the inlet port and the outlet port, the inlet port and the outlet port being arranged so that an inlet direction of the refrigerant gas flowing through the inlet port is substantially parallel with an outlet direction of the refrigerant gas flowing through the outlet port.    
   
   
       2 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are arranged substantially coaxially.  
   
   
       3 . The compressor according to  claim 2 , wherein the inlet port, the outlet port, and the rotator are arranged so that the inlet direction of the refrigerant gas and the outlet direction of the refrigerant gas substantially coincide with the axial direction of the rotator.  
   
   
       4 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flow guide that guides the refrigerant gas to flow spirally around the rotator and along the axial direction of the rotator.  
   
   
       5 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the flow guide has a spiral groove that is defined in a surface of the rotator and spirally extends from an axial end of the rotator to an opposing axial end of the rotator.  
   
   
       6 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the flow guide includes a spiral passage that is arranged in the separation zone and spirally extends from an axial end of the rotator to an opposing axial end of the rotator.  
   
   
       7 . The compressor according to  claim 4 , wherein the flow guide has a guide bore that extends from the inlet port to the separation zone diagonally with respect to the axis of the rotator.  
   
   
       8 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the oil separator further includes: 
 a restrictor that is arranged at a downstream side of the inlet port; and    a check valve that is arranged at a downstream side of the rotator.    
   
   
       9 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the axis of the rotator extends along the inlet direction and the outlet direction of the refrigerant gas.  
   
   
       10 . The compressor according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are arranged coaxially with the rotator.  
   
   
       11 . A refrigerant compressor comprising: 
 a compression mechanism that compresses a refrigerant gas containing a lubricant oil;    a discharge passage through which the refrigerant gas that has been compressed by the compression mechanism flows, the compressed refrigerant gas being discharged to the exterior of the compressor through the discharge passage; and    an oil separator that is arranged in the discharge passage and separates the lubricant oil from the refrigerant gas flowing in the discharge passage,    wherein the oil separator has a rotator that causes the refrigerant gas to flow around the axis of the rotator and a circumferential wall that encompasses the rotator and extends along the axis of the rotator, the rotator and the circumferential wall defining a separation zone in between, the lubricant oil being separated from the refrigerant gas by the flow of the refrigerant gas around the rotator in the separation zone, the circumferential wall having an oil outlet that allows the separated lubricant oil to flow to the exterior of the oil separator, and    wherein the oil separator has an inlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow into the separation zone and an outlet port that allows the refrigerant gas to flow out of the separation zone, the rotator being arranged between the inlet port and the outlet port, the inlet port and the outlet port being arranged so that the axis of the inlet port and the axis of the outlet port substantially parallel with each other.    
   
   
       12 . The compressor according to  claim 11 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are arranged substantially coaxially.  
   
   
       13 . The compressor according to  claim 12 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are arranged coaxially with the rotator.