Hydrodynamic lubricating characteristics of water flooded single screw compressors based on two types of meshing pair profile

Abstract

Reliability of the traditional single screw compressor (SSC) is poor since its discharge capacity decreases sharply. This is because that the lubrication between the screw and the gate-rotor meshing pair is poor, which leads to a rapid abrasion of the meshing pair. In this paper, a simulation model is established to analyze the lubrication problem of the meshing pair in the SSC. Based on the traditional single straight line enveloped meshing pair profile and the new proposed multi-columns-enveloped meshing pair profile, the hydrodynamic lubricating characteristics of the water-flooded single screw compressor are investigated. Results show that the water film can keep the gate-rotor tooth from contacting the screw thread flank during the meshing process in the optimized multi-columns-enveloped meshing pair, but the water film cannot keep the gate-rotor tooth from contacting the screw thread flank during the meshing process in the single straight line enveloped meshing pair. A prototype of the water flooded SSC with the optimized multi-columns-enveloped meshing pair was developed and has passed a 2000-h endurance test without discharge capacity reduction.

Keywords

Hydrodynamic lubrication meshing pair profile water film pressure distribution single screw compressor

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