Abstract:
A noise reduced compressor has a body, an energy dissipation element, and a structural element configured to retain the energy dissipation element relative to the body. A noise reducer for an HVAC system compressor has an energy dissipation element and a structural element connected to the energy dissipation element. A method of reducing compressor noise includes disposing an energy dissipation element between a body of the compressor and a structural element and compressing the energy dissipation element against between the body of the compressor using the structural element.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) sometimes comprise one or more compressors for compressing and/or pumping refrigerants. In some HVAC systems, the one or more compressors may be disposed within a so-called “condensing unit” that may comprise the one or more compressors, a heat exchanger (sometimes referred to as a “condenser coil”), and a fan assembly configured to selectively force air into contact with the heat exchanger. In some installations of HVAC systems, a condensing unit may be located exterior to a building or space to be conditioned by the HVAC system. It is not uncommon for a condensing unit to be located substantially adjacent an exterior wall of such a building and for the exterior wall to generally delimit a living space within the building. Accordingly, noise generated by the condensing unit as a whole may undesirably be perceived by persons within the building, outdoors, and/or in other buildings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0005]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, a noise reduced compressor is provided. The noise reduced compressor may comprise a body, an energy dissipation element, and a structural element configured to retain the energy dissipation element relative to the body. 
         [0006]    In other embodiments of the disclosure, a noise reducer for an HVAC system compressor is provided. The noise reducer may comprise an energy dissipation element and a structural element connected to the energy dissipation element. 
         [0007]    In still other embodiments of the disclosure, a method of reducing compressor noise is provided. The method of reducing compressor noise may comprise disposing an energy dissipation element between a body of the compressor and a structural element and compressing the energy dissipation element against the body of the compressor using the structural element. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an orthogonal side view of a noise reduced compressor according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is another orthogonal side view of the noise reduced compressor of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an orthogonal top view of the noise reduced compressor of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 3 , the portion showing a noise reducer applied near a hermetic joint of the noise reduced compressor of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an orthogonal side view of a noise reducer according to an embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 5 , the portion generally showing an applied fastener of the noise reducer of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a detail view of a portion of  FIG. 5 , the portion generally showing an end portion of the noise reducer of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an orthogonal top view of the noise reducer of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is an orthogonal end view of the noise reducer of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a simplified schematic showing a noise reduced compressor and a field of vibratory vectors; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a simplified schematic showing a noise reduced compressor and another field of vibratory vectors; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a simplified schematic showing a noise reduced compressor and yet another field of vibratory vectors. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    In some HVAC systems, a primary source of noise generated by a condensing unit may be attributable to the one or more compressors of the condensing unit. As such, some condensing units and/or compressors have been outfitted with and/or associated with noise reducing covers and/or encasements. For example, some HVAC systems have been provided with canister-like covers that substantially loosely envelop one or more compressors of a condensing unit. While the covers may provide a reduction in noise transmitted from the compressor and/or condensing unit, the use of covers may introduce other undesirable effects. For example, use of the above-described cover may undesirably require an increased overall volume of the condensing unit to accommodate the cover within the condensing unit. Further, when a cover is disposed about a compressor, the cover may occupy space between the covered compressor and a condenser coil that, but for the presence of the cover, would have been available as a desirable flow path for air to pass as air is selectively caused to contact a condenser coil. As such, use of a cover may impede desirable heat exchange between the condensing coil and the air. Still further, a cover that substantially loosely envelops a compressor may limit and/or complicate service access to the covered compressor. Additionally, the amount of material required to produce a cover that substantially envelops a compressor may be substantial and/or cost prohibitive for some applications. 
         [0022]    There is a need for improved systems and methods of reducing HVAC system noise, and in particular HVAC system noise attributable to operation of a compressor. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for reducing HVAC system noise that is attributable to a compressor. The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide noise reduction by transferring vibratory energy of the compressor into one or more energy dissipation elements of a noise reducer. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the noise reducer may be carried by the compressor from which the vibratory energy emanates. In some embodiments, the noise reducer may be configured to substantially lie within one or more dimensional footprints of a compressor to which the noise reducer is attached. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 1-4  show a noise reduced compressor  100  according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The compressor  100  comprises a hermetically sealed body  102 . The body  102  comprises an upper shell  104  and a lower shell  106 . In this embodiment, the upper shell  104  and the lower shell  106  may be welded together to form a hermetic joint  108  that generally extends substantially circumferentially about an outer periphery of the body  102 . In some embodiments, a lower portion of the upper shell  104  may be received into an upper portion of the lower shell  106  to form the body  102  prior to performing the above-described welding. After the lower portion of the upper shell  104  is received by the upper portion of the lower shell  106 , the lower shell  106  may be welded to the upper shell  104 , in some embodiments, resulting in a substantially circumferential weld bead along the hermetic joint  108 . The hermetic joint  108  may be described as having a thickness  110  that may contribute to a larger outer periphery of the compressor  100  as compared to a substantially similar but alternative embodiment of a body  102  that does not comprise the thick hermetic joint  108 . The compressor  100  further comprises a plurality of refrigerant tubes  112  that may serve to allow ingress and/or egress of refrigerant, oils, and/or other matter relative to an interior of the sealed body  102 . The compressor  100  further comprises a terminal box  114  that generally houses electrical terminals  116  that may provide an electrical connection to an electrical motor housed within the body  102 . 
         [0024]    In this embodiment, the compressor  100  may have a significant vibratory mode related to the upper shell  104  and a different significant vibratory mode related to the lower shell  106 . The vibratory modes of the upper shell  104  and the lower shell  106  may increase in amplitude as mechanical oscillation of the body  102  occurs at and/or near one or more resonant natural frequencies (and/or one or more harmonics thereof) of the body  102  as a whole, the upper shell  104 , and/or the lower shell  106 . In some embodiments, the various vibratory modes of the compressor  100  may result in the walls of the body  102  elastically deforming inward and outward in an alternating manner at various frequencies. It will be appreciated that during operation of the compressor  100 , a plurality of vibratory modes may occur simultaneously and may be distinguished from each other by the frequency at which the vibration of the modes occur. In some embodiments, the above-described vibratory modes may be identified experimentally or analytically, such as through finite element analysis and/or other systems analysis, as having one or more fields of relatively higher amplitude vibratory vectors along the body  102 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments of the compressor  100 , vibratory vectors of the upper shell  104  may have concentrations of greater amplitude along the length of a vertical distance above the hermetic joint  108 . The higher amplitude vibratory vectors of the upper shell  104  may be identified as primarily comprising alternating directionality that alternates between being directed generally radially inward and being directed generally radially outward with respect to a hypothetical central lengthwise axis  118  of the body  102 . 
         [0026]    Similarly, in some embodiments of the compressor  100 , vibratory vectors of the lower shell  106  may have concentrations of greater amplitude along the length of a vertical distance below the hermetic joint  108 . The higher amplitude vibratory vectors of the lower shell  106  may be identified as primarily comprising alternating directionality that alternates between being directed generally radially inward and being directed generally radially outward with respect to the hypothetical central lengthwise axis  118  of the body  102 . 
         [0027]    In some embodiments of the compressor  100  where the higher amplitude vibratory vectors primarily comprise vibrations with a significant component oriented substantially normal to the surfaces of the generally vertical cylindrical portions of the upper shell  104  and the lower shell  106 , noise reducers  200  may be utilized to reduce noise that results from the above-described vibration at resonant natural frequencies. In particular, noise reducers  200  may be used to provide constrained layer damping effects and/or other mechanisms of dissipating energy transferred to the noise reducers  200  in response to the above-described vibratory oscillations of the body  102 . Accordingly, as power and energy are transferred into the noise reducers  200  (and in some embodiments used to perform mechanical work), the power and energy may ultimately be transferred to the environment as heat energy. In some embodiments, the noise reducers  200  serve to divert energy away from processes that would contribute to production of undesirable noise. In some embodiments, the noise reducers  200  convert energy to mechanical work that generates heat rather than allow the above-described production of noise. The structure and functionality of the noise reducers  200  are described below in greater detail along with the methods of applying the noise reducers  200  to the body  102 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5-9 , an embodiment of a noise reducer  200  is shown in greater detail. The noise reducer  200  generally comprises an energy dissipation element (hereinafter referred to as an “EDE”)  202  and a structural element  204 . In some embodiments, the EDE  202  comprises a generally flexible rectangular sheet of rubber. The EDE  202  may comprise an inner side  206 , an outer side  208 , an upper side  210 , a lower side  212 , and ends  214 . In some embodiments, the rubber of the EDE  202  may comprise a hardness of about 30 durometer to about 120 durometer, alternatively about 45 durometer to about 90 durometer, alternatively about 60 durometer. In some embodiments, the rubber may be an ethylene propylene diene Monomer (M-class) rubber. Of course, in other embodiments other compressible and/or incompressible materials may be used and those materials may have other hardnesses and/or substantially variable hardnesses. In some embodiments, a thickness of the EDE  202  as generally measured from the inner side  206  to the outer side  208  may be about 0.05 inches to about 0.5 inches, alternatively about 0.1 inches to about 0.2 inches, alternatively about 0.11 inches to about 0.14 inches. In some embodiments a length of the EDE  202  may be such that the EDE  202  may be substantially wrapped around an exterior circumference of the body  102 . Of course, in other embodiments, a length of the EDE  202  may be significantly shorter than or longer than a circumference of the body  102 . In an embodiment where the EDE  202  is significantly longer than a circumference of the body  102 , the EDE  202  may be folded over itself into multiple layers. In embodiments where the EDE  202  is significantly shorter than a circumference of the body  102 , one or more EDEs  202  may be utilized in a single noise reducer  200 . 
         [0029]    In some embodiments, the structural element  204  may comprise a non-galvanized 24-gauge substantially rectangular steel sheet. The structural element  204  may generally comprise an inner side  216 , an outer side  218 , an upper side  220 , a lower side  222 , and end tabs  224 . The tabs  224  may extend away from the outer side  218  in a generally orthogonal manner. Alternatively, the tabs  224  may extend away from the outer side  218  at an angle of about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees each. Still alternatively, the tabs  224  may be angled away from a remainder of the structural element  204  by about 94 degrees, at different angles, and/or at any other suitable angles and/or combination of angles that allow application of the structural element  204  to the body  102  as described below. Further, in some embodiments, the overall length of the structural element  204  may be substantially similar to the length of the EDE  202 , the overall length of the structural element  204  may be longer than the length of the EDE  202 , and/or the overall length of the structural element  204  may be shorter than the length of the EDE  202 . Further, in some embodiments, the structural element  204  may be surface treated to comprise an iron phosphate weight of between about 20 milligrams per square foot to about 60 milligrams per square foot and may thereafter be painted to comprise a high gloss powder baked finish. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, assembly of a noise reducer  200  may comprise joining the EDE  202  to the structural element  204 . In some embodiments, each of the EDE  202  and the structural element  204  may comprise apertures  226  that accept fasteners  228  therethrough to connect the EDE  202  to the structural element  204 . In some embodiments, two apertures  226  may be provided substantially centered along a width of the EDE  202  and the structural element  204  and substantially evenly distributed along the lengths of the EDE  202  and the structural element  204 . In some embodiments, the fasteners  228  may each comprise a nylon split rivet. As such, assembly of the noise reducer  200  may be accomplished by coaxially aligning the two sets of apertures  226  of the EDE  202  and the structural element  204 , bringing the inner side  216  of the structural element  204  into abutment with the outer side  208  of the EDE  202 , and inserting fasteners  228  through the apertures  226  to keep the above-described orientation. In alternative embodiments, the EDE  202  may be spatially retained relative to the structural element  204  in any other suitable manner, including, but not limited to the use of adhesives that may be disposed between the EDE  202  and the structural element  204 . 
         [0031]    An assembled noise reducer  200  may be applied to a body  102  to produce a noise reduced compressor  100 . In some embodiments, a noise reducer  200  may naturally resiliently hold a substantially flat shape prior to being applied to a body  102 . As such, installing a substantially flat noise reducer  200  that is flexible along a length of the noise reducer  200  may comprise first having constructed a noise reducer  200  that is suitably configured to wrap around a substantial portion of an exterior of the body  102 . Once the noise reducer  200  is wrapped around the body  102 , in some embodiments, the tabs  224  may be offset from each other by a tab offset distance  230 . Subsequently, a connector  232  may be used to draw the offset tabs  224  nearer to each other and/or to otherwise tighten the noise reducer  200  circumferentially around the body  102 . In some embodiments, the tabs  224  may comprise tab connector features  234  that may cooperate with one or more connectors  232  to cause the structural element  204  to press the EDE  202  against the body  102  with an increased force. In some embodiments, the connector  232  may comprise a system of threaded bolts, washers, and/or nuts for progressively reducing the tab offset distance  230 . In some embodiments the tab connector features  234  may comprise apertures formed in the tabs  224  to allow passage of a bolt therethrough. Alternatively, connectors  232  may comprise any other suitable combination of compression and/or tension devices and the tab connector features  234  may comprise any other feature suitable for allowing a connector  232  to draw tabs  224  closer to each other. In alternative embodiments, the EDE  202  may be pressed against the body  102  using any other suitable system and/or device. Further, in some embodiments, one or more additional components may be at least partially received between the EDE  202  and the body  102 . 
         [0032]    It is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  that multiple noise reducers  200  may be applied to a single body  102 . As shown, an upper noise reducer  200  is configured as described in detail above. However, a lower noise reducer  200  is configured to be shorter than the upper noise reducer  200 . Further, instead of passing a single bolt through the tab connector features  234  of each tab  224 , each tab  224  of the lower noise reducer  200  is associated with separate connectors  232 , the connectors  232  being offset from each other and, in some embodiments, associated with the terminal box  114 . As such, the lower noise reducer  200  may be applied in a manner similar to the upper noise reducer  200 , but instead of using a single connector  232  to draw the tabs  224  toward each other, multiple connectors  232  that are anchored to a portion of the compressor  100  are used to provide the desired application of force. 
         [0033]    Further,  FIG. 3  shows that the noise reducers  200  may be applied to the body  102  without increasing a dimensional footprint of the compressor  100 . For example, a dimensional footprint  236  of the compressor  100  may be described generally as an envelope defining the overall dimension of the compressor  100  as viewed from above. The footprint  236  may comprise a portion of the circumference of the hermetic joint  108 , two lines extending substantially tangentially from the circumference of the hermetic joint  108  to opposing sides of the outmost surfaces of the terminal box  114 . As such, application of the noise reducers  200  in no way extend beyond the dimensional footprint  236  of the compressor  100 , thereby providing the noise reduction benefits of the noise reducers without requiring a larger compressor footprint. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to provide a noise reduced compressor  100  with a minimal footprint. For example, minimizing a noise reduced compressor  100  footprint may minimize instances of a compressor  100  and/or associated noise reduction components from impeding airflow and similarly impeding resultant heat exchange with a condenser coil and/or other heat exchangers of a condensing unit. Further, in some embodiments, an overall volume and/or dimensional footprint of a condensing unit may be minimized by minimizing the footprint of a noise reduced compressor  100 . 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, an overall length of the structural element  204  may be shorter than an outer circumferential path of the body  102  along which the noise reducer  200  is to be wrapped. In some embodiments, application of the noise reducer  200  to a body  102  may be complete when a sufficient force is applied and maintained which causes the tabs  224  to bend from a preinstallation orientation relative to the remainder of the structural element  204  and into an installation orientation where the tabs  224  are deformed and/or bent toward each other to become increasingly parallel and/or to increase contact with each other. In other embodiments, a bolt and/or other torque device may be applied in accordance with a predefined range of acceptable torque values known to resultantly press the EDE  202  against the body  102  with a desired force. With a noise reducer  200  connected to the body  102  as described above, vibratory energy produced by the compressor  100  may be transferred into the relatively viscoelastic EDE  202  where the energy performs mechanical work on the EDE  202  and ultimately transfers the vibratory energy to heat rather than noise. In other embodiments, the structural element  204  may comprise no tabs but may alternatively comprise features for interaction with features of the compressor  100  that, in combination, would similarly constrain the EDE  202  against the body  102  and result in a reduction in noise. In some embodiments, the above-described noise reducers  200  may provide a noise reduction of about 0.25 decibels to about 6 decibels, alternatively about 2 decibels to about 4 decibels, alternatively at least about 0.5 decibels. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 10-12 , simplified schematic views of an applied noise reducer  200  to a compressor  100  are shown. Further, each of  FIGS. 10-12  shows different embodiments of vibratory vectors  238  and demonstrates that the noise reducer  200  may be selectively applied to reduce noise by considering the spatial orientation and magnitude of the vibratory vectors  238 . With reference to  FIG. 10 , the vibratory vectors  238  each substantially alternate between being directed substantially outward and normal to the outer surface of the body  102  and being directed substantially inward toward axis  118 .  FIG. 10  also shows that a field of vibratory vectors  238  may comprise substantially constant directional orientation but may also comprise varying magnitudes. In this embodiment, the noise reducer  200  may be vertically centered and/or aligned with a maximum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ′, and the noise reducer  200  may not counteract all of the vibratory vectors  238 , such as the lower amplitude vibratory vectors  238  of  FIG. 10  disposed further from the maximum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ′. In this embodiment, magnitudes of the vibratory vectors  238  decrease as vertical distance between the individual vibratory vectors  238  and the maximum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ′ increases. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 11 , the vibratory vectors  238  each substantially alternate between being directed substantially at least partially outward from the outer surface of the body  102  and being directed at least partially inward toward axis  118 .  FIG. 11  shows that a field of vibratory vectors  238  may comprise substantially various directional orientations as well as comprising varying magnitudes. In this embodiment, the noise reducer  200  may be vertically centered and/or aligned with a maximum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ″. In this embodiment, magnitudes of the vibratory vectors  238  decrease and a variance from being oriented substantially normal to the body  102  increases as vertical distance between the individual vibratory vectors  238  and the maximum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ″ increases. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 12 , the vibratory vectors  238  each substantially alternate between being directed substantially at least partially outward from the outer surface of the body  102  and being directed at least partially inward toward axis  118 .  FIG. 12  also shows that a field of vibratory vectors  238  may comprise substantially various directional orientations as well as comprising varying magnitudes. In this embodiment, the noise reducer  200  may be vertically centered and/or aligned with a minimum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ′″ and extend to counteract the maximum amplitude vectors  238  disposed furthest from the minimum amplitude vectors  238 ′″. In this embodiment, magnitudes of the vibratory vectors  238  increase and a variance from being oriented substantially normal to the body  102  increases as vertical distance between the individual vibratory vectors  238  and the minimum amplitude vibratory vector  238 ′″ increases. This embodiment demonstrates that, in some embodiments, a noise reducer  200  may be vertically centered and/or aligned with a vibratory vector  238  other than a vibratory vector  238  having a maximum amplitude amongst a group of vibratory vectors  238  of a field of vibratory vectors  238 . Collectively,  FIGS. 10-12  illustrate that a noise reducer  200  may be applied to a compressor  100  in various orientations relative to a variety of fields of vibratory vectors  238  while still yielding a reduction in noise. Of course, in some embodiments, analysis of a field of vibratory vectors  238  may be performed prior to determining and/or applying a noise reducer  200  to a body  102 . However, it will nonetheless be appreciated that noise reducers  200  may be applied to a body  102  so that noise reduction obtained is maximized, less than maximized, and/or is substantially less than maximized. 
         [0038]    At least one embodiment is disclosed and variations, combinations, and/or modifications of the embodiment(s) and/or features of the embodiment(s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). For example, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, RI, and an upper limit, Ru, is disclosed, any number falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers within the range are specifically disclosed: R=RI+k*(Ru−RI), wherein k is a variable ranging from 1 percent to 100 percent with a 1 percent increment, i.e., k is 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, . . . 50 percent, 51 percent, 52 percent, . . . 95 percent, 96 percent, 97 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent, or 100 percent. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two R numbers as defined in the above is also specifically disclosed. Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claim means that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is not required, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is defined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claims are embodiment(s) of the present invention.