TH431A - A continuous, curved-surface gas compressor cover? Used to suppress noise. - Google Patents

Abstract

Airtight housings for compressors are constructed from two sheet metal covers that, when joined together, form an elliptical inner surface. The maximum radius of curvature is one order of magnitude greater than the minimum radius of curvature. Deviations from this elliptical shape are necessary for securing the integrated compressor and motor mounting base, and may also be used when assembling the housings together. The housing provides consistent rigidity and reduces noise emissions. Regardless of the size or shape of the housing, the natural audible resonance frequency exceeds 3500 Hz.

Claims (10)

1. In the installation of an airtight compressor for use in a refrigeration system, the motor and compressor are assembled and flexibly enclosed within a double-flap compressor housing. This housing is constructed from sheet metal with an oval inner surface, deviating from this shape where necessary to accommodate the internal compressor and to facilitate the assembly. When assembled, the resulting inner surface exhibits varying curvatures along intersecting planes, maintaining a minimum clearance between the inner surface of the housing and the enclosed motor-compressor assembly, as well as a minimum clearance between the outer surface of the housing and adjacent refrigeration unit components. The continuous curvature of the inner surface of the housing exhibits varying radii of curvature by approximately one order of magnitude. This results in uniform rigidity of the engine housing and reduces noise emission. The inner surface of the engine housing is symmetrical around three mutually perpendicular axes U, V, and W, and the inner surface of the engine housing can be described by the general equation as follows: 528S⁶U² + 19.6S⁴U⁴ + 0.558U⁸ + 1322S⁶V² + 709S⁶W² + 0.990S²W⁶ + 0.463W⁸, where S is the size factor. 2. An improvement to claim 1, where the housing has a total natural audible resonance frequency higher than 350Hz. 3. Improvements to claim 1, where the maximum distance in the U and W directions is approximately 7.62 cm, while the maximum distance in the v direction is approximately 6.99 cm. 4. Improvements to claim 1, where the equivalent values of the radius of curvature of the intersecting axis of the inner surface of the engine housing are approximately 14.99, 19.81, and 20.57 cm, respectively. 5. Improvements to claim 1, where the radius of curvature of the inner surface shall generally not exceed approximately 33 cm. 6. Improvements to claim 1, where the radius of curvature of the inner surface is generally greater than approximately 2.54 cm. 7. The method for reducing the sound emitted from an airtight compressor housing involves the following steps: determining the minimum required distance between the inside of the housing and the compressor unit inside; determining the minimum required distance between the outside of the housing and the environment near the compressor; and shaping the housing according to the above specifications to achieve maximum curvature and prevent discontinuous curvature. The housing is shaped with two covers which, when joined together to enclose the compressor unit, have an inner elliptical surface described by the Cartesian coordinates as follows: 528X2+19.6X4+0.558X8+1322Y2+0.990Z6+0.463Z8=10,000. 8. The method under claim 7, whereby the shaping procedure is performed under the provision that the ratio between the maximum value of the radius of curvature and the minimum value of the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the engine cover is approximately 10. 9. The method under claim 7, which includes additional steps to limit the value of the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the housing to less than approximately 33 cm. 10. The method under claim 7, which includes additional steps to limit the value of the radius of curvature of the inner surface of the garment housing to a value greater than approximately 2.54 cm. (Clause 10, 2 pages, 7 figures)