Transient multibody tribo-dynamics analysis of the orbiting scroll in a three-bearing scroll compressor

The lubrication and dynamic behavior of the orbiting scroll (OS) is crucial to understanding and controlling the leakage between working chambers and the contact between scrolls in the compressor. In this study, a novel comprehensive model consisting of the OS, bearings, rotor, and frames is developed and validated by experiments. This paper demonstrates, for the first time through the tribo-dynamics analysis method, that the rotor dynamics have a significant impact on the flank gap size between scrolls via the interaction of the sliding bearings. The reduction of actual orbiting radii of OS is found to be caused by the bending and tilting of the rotor. However, though increased rotational speeds can narrow the flank gaps, the impact between scrolls should be addressed in these cases. The tribo-dynamic analysis illuminates the direction of the optimal design of compression components in the scroll compressor.