Study on the contact and size of radial and flank leakage gaps of scrolls in a scroll compressor with CFD/CSM simulations

Abstract

The leakage gaps in scroll compressors are crucial to the performance and the correction of scrolls to reduce these gaps needs a better understanding of the deformation and contact of scrolls under actual operating conditions. In this study, the Computational Fluid Dynamics model of the scroll compressor is established to obtain the temperature and pressure loads on scrolls. The comprehensive deformation of scrolls under loads and contact behaviors with given orbiting radii are calculated by Computational Structural Mechanics. Results show the significant space-time inhomogeneity of both flank and radial leakage gaps. Although the average flank leakage gap size can be reduced to a certain value if orbiting scroll operated under the ideal orbiting radius at the cost of the large radial contact force. The deformation unevenness and the contact of the scrolls retards the further decrease of flank leakage gaps. The radial leakage gap in specific scroll tips fluctuates during one cycle, but the more stable downward trend along the scroll wrap makes it easier to compensate the gap by gradually reducing the scroll height from outer to inner.