Aerostatic thrust bearing and method of aerostatically supporting a thrust load in a scroll compressor

• Main Authors: Smerud, Scott J, Jeung, Sung Hwa, Benco, Michael G, Wiltzius, James Joseph, Johnson, Jay H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.08.2024
• Subjects: BLASTING; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LUBRICATING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENTMACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENTPUMPS; STEAM ENGINES; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A scroll compressor includes a first scroll member, a second scroll member, and an aerostatic thrust bearing. The aerostatic thrust bearing forms a layer of gas between the second scroll member and a fixed supporting member to support the second scroll member as the second scroll member rotates and/or orbits. Also disclosed is a method of supporting a rotating/orbiting scroll member in a scroll compressor. The method including supplying pressurized gas to an aerostatic thrust bearing such that a layer of gas is formed between the rotating/orbiting scroll member and a fixed supporting member.