Theoretical analysis and experimental validation of optimal vapor injection conditions for a low-pressure ratio scroll compressor

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of vapor injection parameters and positions on the performance of a low-pressure ratio scroll compressor in electric vehicle thermal management systems under extremely low temperatures. The research combines experimental and simulation methods to analyze five injection ports designed at different positions. Key performance metrics, including mass flow rate, discharge temperature (Tdis), coefficient of performance (COP), compression work, and heating capacity (Qh) were evaluated under various conditions. A low-pressure ratio (scroll number N = 2) vapor injection scroll compressor was designed with an optimized injection port configuration. This design was rigorously validated through experimental results, confirming its efficacy. Notably, the findings reveal that the enhancement in Qh and COP is more pronounced in extremely low-temperature working conditions compared to non-injection conditions, with improvements of 10.7 % and 4.6 %, respectively. Compressor performance increases with increasing vapor injection pressure, and compressor speed and performance increment are more significant under low-temperature working conditions. Finally, an injection coefficient, denoted as k, is proposed to determine the optimal injection pressure for diverse discharge and suction pressures in cold climates. According to the experimental results, the value of k associated with the best heating COP ranges between 0.65 and 0.85.