Experimental and numerical analysis of heat transfer mechanisms for two-phase oil-refrigerant flow process in the cylinder of rotary compressor

Abstract

Investigating the heat transfer mechanisms in rolling piston type rotary compressors is crucial for improving their operational efficiency. A thermal test platform was established and steady-state temperature fields of key components were measured under various conditions, revealing a correlation between these temperatures and crank angles, except near the angle of 54° for the cylinder head-up. It provided important boundary conditions for simulation research. A novel three-dimensional fluid–solid-heat coupled simulation method was proposed, calculating heat transfer coefficients at fluid–solid interfaces. The two-phase heat transfer characteristics post oil–gas miscibility was studied, arising from the injection of lubricating oil into the working chamber. Two-phase oil-refrigerant mixtures, compared to single-phase refrigerant, increased heat transfer coefficients by 2.35 % in the suction channel and 2.99 % in the cylinder head-up, but decreased by 5.85 % in the cylinder head-down, 17.42 % in the piston, and 5.63 % in the cylinder. Oil injection was found to significantly enhance convective heat transfer in the suction chamber, increasing suction superheat in the cylinder by up to 29 K and reducing temperature of the compression chamber by up to 17 K. These results provide novel insights into the complex heat transfer in rotary compressors.