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    Compressors 75: Motor Accessibility-Hermetic Compressors

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    Rohit Shrestha
    The document discusses different types of compressors used in HVAC systems. It describes open compressors which have external shafts that require sealing to prevent refrigerant leakage. It also describes hermetic compressors which are sealed units with internal motors. The main advantages of hermetic compressors are their compact size, lack of external shafts eliminating leakage concerns, and motors cooled by the refrigerant flow. However, they have limited capacity and speed as the compressor runs directly off the motor speed. They also cannot be serviced in the field requiring replacement if issues occur.

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    Compressors 75: Motor Accessibility-Hermetic Compressors

    Uploaded by

    Rohit Shrestha
    13 views2 pages
    The document discusses different types of compressors used in HVAC systems. It describes open compressors which have external shafts that require sealing to prevent refrigerant leakage. It also describes hermetic compressors which are sealed units with internal motors. The main advantages of hermetic compressors are their compact size, lack of external shafts eliminating leakage concerns, and motors cooled by the refrigerant flow. However, they have limited capacity and speed as the compressor runs directly off the motor speed. They also cannot be serviced in the field requiring replacement if issues occur.

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    The document discusses different types of compressors used in HVAC systems. It describes open compressors which have external shafts that require sealing to prevent refrigerant leakage. It also describes hermetic compressors which are sealed units with internal motors. The main advantages of hermetic compressors are their compact size, lack of external shafts eliminating leakage concerns, and motors cooled by the refrigerant flow. However, they have limited capacity and speed as the compressor runs directly off the motor speed. They also cannot be serviced in the field requiring replacement if issues occur.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    13 views2 pages

    Compressors 75: Motor Accessibility-Hermetic Compressors

    Uploaded by

    Rohit Shrestha
    The document discusses different types of compressors used in HVAC systems. It describes open compressors which have external shafts that require sealing to prevent refrigerant leakage. It also describes hermetic compressors which are sealed units with internal motors. The main advantages of hermetic compressors are their compact size, lack of external shafts eliminating leakage concerns, and motors cooled by the refrigerant flow. However, they have limited capacity and speed as the compressor runs directly off the motor speed. They also cannot be serviced in the field requiring replacement if issues occur.

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    Compressors 75

    vantage is that if the open compressor is belt driven, the V-belt


    drive allows the speed ratio between the motor and the compres-
    sor to be easily changed. This means that a single compressor can
    be used on several different units by merely changing the size of
    the motor sheave and compressor valve clearance. The disadvan-
    tage of the open compressor is that the crankshaft must emerge
    from the crankcase for installation of the driven sheaves. This
    means that the shaft must be sealed to separate the refrigerant
    from the atmosphere to prevent loss of refrigerant vapor. Mechani-
    cal seals, similar to the ones in water pumps, are generally used.
    One part of the mechanical seal is attached to the compressor
    housing and the other part is attached to the rotating crankshaft. A
    spring exerts pressure on the assembly to hold parts together. The
    assembly is flooded with oil from the lubrication system which
    forms a vapor-tight seal between the refrigerant and the atmo-
    sphere. Leaking shaft seals are a common source of compressor
    problems. In open systems, the compressor motor is cooled by the
    flow of ambient air across the motor housing.

    Motor Accessibility—Hermetic Compressors


    Generally, hermetic units range from fractional horsepower
    sizes to about 10 tons in a single unit. If more tonnage is needed,
    several compressors may be installed in the same air conditioning
    unit. Above 10 tons, the construction is often the open type or the
    semi-hermetic type. Semi-hermetic compressors are almost com-
    pletely accessible. Semi-hermetics range in capacity from 2 tons to
    about 150 tons and offer the advantage of direct drive and her-
    metic sealing plus serviceability. The hermetic compressor is also
    called a welded hermetic and the semi-hermetic compressor is
    called a bolted hermetic.
    One advantage of the hermetic compressor is that it’s
    smaller, more compact and has less vibration than the open com-
    pressor. However, the main advantage of the hermetic compressor
    is that it has no external shaft. This eliminates mechanical prob-
    lems with shafts, belts, and sheaves, and concern for refrigerant
    leakage. In a hermetic unit, the motor is located within the refrig-
    76 HVAC Fundamentals

    erant atmosphere. Therefore, another advantage is that the motor


    is continuously cooled by the refrigerant vapor flowing to the
    compressor suction valves. Lubrication is also simplified since
    both the motor and the compressor operate in the same closed
    space with the oil.
    The disadvantages of hermetic compressors are that they’re
    limited on capacity, and limited on speed because the compressor
    has to run at the motor speed (direct drive). A third disadvantage
    is that it’s not field serviceable. Therefore, if a motor burns out in
    a hermetic compressor, or any other internal problem occurs, the
    maintenance trend is for a complete replacement of the compres-
    sor. Otherwise, the entire unit must be returned to the shop or
    factory to be dismantled and reconditioned.

    Type of Piston
    The reciprocating compressor is comprised of a group of
    pistons operated by a rotating crankshaft. The pistons are either
    the automotive type or a double-trunk piston. Double-trunk pis-
    tons are used in medium and large compressor applications. Re-
    ciprocating compressors may also be classified as either
    single-acting or double-acting. The double-acting type com-
    presses the refrigerant vapor alternately on both sides of the pis-
    ton so that the compression occurs twice during each revolution
    of the crankshaft. This type of compressor isn’t practical for small
    sizes and is limited to large industrial applications. Therefore,
    most reciprocating compressors for HVAC systems are the single-
    acting type with the automotive type pistons (Figure 5-1).
    Single-acting compressors compress the vapor on the
    upstroke of the piston only once, during each revolution. The
    cycle of operation is this: when the piston moves down refrigerant
    vapor is drawn into the cylinder from the evaporator. As the pis-
    ton moves up, it begins to compress the vapor. The volume of the
    refrigerant vapor is reduced and the pressure of the vapor is in-
    creased. At the top of the piston stroke, the vapor exits through
    the discharge valve and enters the discharge line to the condenser.
    The piston starts its downward stroke and the cycle is repeated.

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