Theoretical analysis of the effect of oil atomization in the cylinder of a reciprocating compressor

摘要

An analysis of the influence of oil atomization in the cylinder of a reciprocating compressor is presented. During compression, oil atomization enhances heat removal from the refrigerant vapour. This cooling effect, which eventually results in a global temperature decrease in the compressor, aims primarily at reducing refrigerant superheating during compression which is largely responsible for overall energy losses. A calculation methodology using an integral control volume formulation for mass and energy conservation in the cylinder and in other compressor components is proposed. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using commercial software were performed to support the theoretical analysis. The effect of oil atomization on compressor performance is presented and discussed based on oil injection parameters, such as nozzle positioning, oil temperature and flow rate.