US 12,065,934 B2
Aerostatic thrust bearing and method of aerostatically supporting a thrust load in a scroll compressor
Jay H. Johnson, Houston, MN (US); Michael G. Benco, Onalaska, WI (US); Sung Hwa Jeung, Chatsworth, CA (US); Scott J. Smerud, La Crosse, WI (US); and James Joseph Wiltzius, Forest Lake, MN (US)
Assigned to TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC., Davidson, NC (US)
Filed by TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC., Davidson, NC (US)
Filed on Aug. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/819,688.
Application 17/819,688 is a continuation of application No. 16/009,940, filed on Jun. 15, 2018, granted, now 11,415,135.
Application 16/009,940 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/889,838, filed on Feb. 6, 2018, granted, now 10,865,792, issued on Dec. 15, 2020.
Application 15/889,838 is a continuation of application No. 15/624,821, filed on Jun. 16, 2017, granted, now 10,718,333, issued on Jul. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0037942 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. F01C 21/02 (2006.01); F04C 18/02 (2006.01); F04C 23/00 (2006.01); F04C 27/00 (2006.01); F04C 28/26 (2006.01); F04C 29/02 (2006.01); F16N 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC F01C 21/02 (2013.01) [F04C 18/0215 (2013.01); F04C 18/0246 (2013.01); F04C 18/0253 (2013.01); F04C 23/008 (2013.01); F04C 27/001 (2013.01); F04C 29/023 (2013.01); F04C 29/028 (2013.01); F16N 15/00 (2013.01); F04C 28/26 (2013.01); F04C 2240/50 (2013.01); F04C 2240/54 (2013.01); F16N 2210/14 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An oil-free scroll compressor, comprising:
a first scroll member having a baseplate and a spiral wrap that projects from a surface of the baseplate;
a second scroll member having a baseplate and a spiral wrap that projects from a surface of the baseplate, the first scroll member and the second scroll member are intermeshed to compress working fluid into pressurized gas;
an aerostatic thrust bearing that supports the second scroll member in an axial direction and includes: a surface of the second scroll member, a surface of a fixed supporting member, and a gas distributing structure comprising a porous material;
a crankshaft that rotates or orbits the second scroll member; and
a radial bearing to support the crankshaft while the crankshaft rotates, wherein
a portion of the pressurized gas is supplied to the gas distributing structure such that the pressurized gas flows through the porous material of the gas distributing structure and is distributed from the porous material so that a layer of the pressurized gas is formed between the surface of the fixed supporting member and the surface of the second scroll member.