What Are the Advantages of a Scroll Compressor?

We are surrounded by compressors in our everyday lives, even if we do not realize it. Compressors are some of the most important mechanical devices used for both: heating and cooling systems. The most common examples would be an air conditioner and a refrigerator. And one of the most widely used compressors in these systems is a scroll compressor.?

What is a scroll compressor?

A scroll compressor is a positive-displacement compressor that uses scrolls for compressing the refrigerant. It consists of two scrolls: a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll, which are responsible for compressing the refrigerant.?

What are the parts of a compressor?

A scroll compressor consists of two main sections: mechanical and electrical section. The mechanical section is where the compression takes place and the electrical section, which consists of a motor, is responsible for providing electrical energy to the compression chamber.?

These two can further be divided into smaller subcomponents such as – scroll wrap, fixed scroll, orbiting scroll, motor, bypass valves, etc.?

Scroll compressors also have safety components?such as a thermal protector, internal pressure relief valve, discharge check valve, and overload protector to protect the compressor from damage.?

How does a scroll compressor work?

The lower orbiting scroll combined with the motor’s shaft receives power from the motor. The fixed scroll (on the upper side) and the orbiting scroll (on the lower side) are interlocked and as the motor runs; the scroll wrap moves in the form of a rotating curve to compress the refrigerant flowing into the space inside the wrap.

The refrigerant moves along the spiral shape inside the wrap in a circular motion, increasing its temperature and pressure. The refrigerant compressed in this way is discharged through the top and flows back into the system.?

What is the difference between a scroll and a piston compressor?

A scroll compressor only requires two scrolls to compress the refrigerant, whereas, a piston compressor uses two or more cylinders and multiple valves for compression. In short, a scroll compressor has fewer parts than a piston compressor also commonly known as the reciprocating compressor.

Due to fewer moving parts, a scroll compressor has a smoother and quieter operation compared to a piston compressor. Scroll compressors are known to be more efficient which translates to higher cooling efficiency than a standard reciprocating compressor.?

What are the advantages of a scroll compressor?

As we learned above, a scroll compressor has fewer moving parts meaning lesser wear and tear on the system making them more durable and reliable. Scroll compressors have excellent motor performance, reduced friction, and high cooling and heating performance.

In the case of an LG Gen 3 Scroll compressor, various protection components such as a thermal protector, and internal pressure relief valve prevent the compressor from overheating and malfunctioning.?

In this article, we answered some of the most frequently asked questions about scroll compressors and learned about a scroll compressor's components and operation principles.?

If you enjoyed reading this article, stay tuned because we will return with more Q&A topics!