Patent ID: 7181926

Claim:
An oil separator-muffler for a compressor, comprising: a wall defining an inner chamber with an oil accumulation region; a second wall positioned in the inner chamber, the second wall defining a separator region and having an impingement surface, the arrangement of the second wall in the inner chamber defining flow channels of varying cross-sectional areas; a mixture inlet that provides a passageway for an oil gaseous refrigerant mixture to flow from the exterior of the separator-muffler into the separator region, the mixture inlet being oriented with respect to the second wall to cause the oil gaseous refrigerant mixture to impinge against the impingement surface separating the oil therefrom, the separated oil flowing into the oil accumulation region, the separated gaseous refrigerant flowing from the separator region and through the flow channels of varying cross-sectional areas; a channel in fluid communication with the oil accumulation region, the channel defining a passageway for the separated oil from the accumulation region to the exterior of the separator-muffler; and a gas outlet defining a passageway for the separated gaseous refrigerant to exit the separator-muffler.