Reliability Design of The Newly Designed Reciprocating Compressor for a Refrigerator

摘要

To ensure the reliability of the newly designed reciprocating compressor for a refrigerator, new methodologies were investigated, including the accelerated life test (ALT) using the new definitions of failure rates and B_1 life figures. Applying conservation of mass and energy, loads such as the pressure difference between the condensing and evaporator pressure were determined in the Mollier diagram. An accelerated life test setup-a simplified vapor-compression cycle-was fabricated. The failure mode of the ALT results was the compressor locking due to the fracture of the suction reed valve, which was identical to that of the suction reed valve in the marketplace. The failure rate and B_1 life of the compressor were 3.63 percent per year and 1.5 years, respectively. The root cause of the fracture was the impact of the valve plate in the suction port. A corrective action plan included the redesign of the suction reed valve and the valve plate modified by rounding the corners and introducing a brushing process. The failure rate and B_1 life of the compressor now can be guaranteed as 0.06 percent per year and 12.9 years, respectively. These methodologies are effective in the reliability design of the product.