Piston-Ring Lubrication Problems for Refrigeration Compressors Considering Combined Effects of Supply Oil Quantity and Surface Roughness

Reciprocating-type compressors are widely used for refrigeration systems, and an understanding of piston-ring lubrication in the compressor is vital for designers in reducing the energy losses due to friction because a substantial portion of friction in the compressors is attributable to the piston-ring assembly. This study aimed at developing a one-dimensional analysis for lubrication between the piston-ring and cylinder of refrigeration compressors considering the combined effects of supply oil quantity and surface roughness on piston-ring face and cylinder wall. In the theoretical model, the piston-ring is treated as a one-dimensional dynamically loaded bearing with combined sliding and squeezing motion. The one-dimensional modified Reynolds equation based on the average flow model by Patir and Cheng is used as a governing equation. In the analysis of the modified Reynolds equation, two-types of inlet boundary conditions, flooded condition and starvation condition, are applied at the leading edge according to the supply oil quantity, and the Reynolds boundary condition is applied at the trailing edge. A numerical procedure is then developed to estimate the cyclic variation of minimum film thickness, inlet and outlet positions of lubrication film and friction force, and the combined effects of supply oil quantity and surface roughness height are examined for a typical refrigeration compressor. It is clarified from the numerical results that the supply oil quantity and surface roughness affect significantly the friction force of the piston-ring for refrigeration compressors.