SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATION OF VARIABLE GEOMETRY DIFFUSER AS CHECK VALVE

• Main Authors: STEINER, Jordan, Quinn, SNELL, Paul, William, CRANE, Curtis, Christian, SHEAFFER, Bryson, Lee
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 04.01.2023
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; WEAPONS

A compressor includes a diffuser passage configured to receive refrigerant flow from an impeller of the compressor, where the diffuser passage is at least partially defined by a compressor discharge plate of the compressor. The compressor also includes a variable geometry diffuser positioned within the diffuser passage and configured to adjust a dimension of a refrigerant flow path through the diffuser passage, an actuator coupled to the variable geometry diffuser and configured to adjust a position of the variable geometry diffuser within the diffuser passage, and a controller configured to regulate operation of the actuator. The controller is configured to instruct the actuator to adjust the position of the variable geometry diffuser from a first position to a second position using a first force and to adjust the position of the variable geometry diffuser from the second position to a third position using a second force less than the first force, where the variable geometry diffuser abuts the compressor discharge plate in the third position.