Performance Study of a Novel Refrigeration Compressor

Due to the widespread use of refrigeration compressors and the significant amounts of energy they consume, improvements to their performance are greatly desired. This paper presents the theoretical study of a new rotary type compressor, named ‘Revolving Vane (RV) compressor’, in which frictional and internal leakage losses are significantly reduced through the radical design approach of using a rotating cylinder. The mathematical formulations and analyses of the friction and leakage flows at various regions of the new compressor are presented. In comparisons with existing compressors, it has been found that the RV compressor exhibits both superior mechanical and volumetric efficiencies. Besides having a better performance, the new compressor also consists of lesser parts with simple component geometries, hence indicating the ease of fabrication. Considering all its advantages, the RV compressor is expected to contribute significantly to high-efficiency refrigeration and air conditioning systems.