Compressor bearing cooling via purge unit
Abstract:
A compressor (22) has a housing assembly (40) with a suction port (24), a discharge port (26), and a motor compartment (60). An electric motor (42) has a stator (62) within the motor compartment and a rotor (64) within the stator. The rotor is mounted for rotation about a rotor axis (500). One or more working impellers (44) are coupled to the rotor to be driven by the rotor in at least a first condition so as to draw fluid in through the suction port and discharge the fluid from the discharge port. An inlet guide vane (IGV) array (174) is between the suction port (24) and the one or more impellers (44). One or more bearings (66, 68) support the rotor (64) and/or the one or more impellers (44). A purge unit (400) has a vapor inlet line (410) for receiving a refrigerant flow and a return line (414, 417A, 417B) for returning a contaminant-depleted refrigerant flow. A supply flowpath (407A, 407B) for supplying refrigerant to the bearings extends from the purge unit.
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