ANTI-WEAR COATINGS FOR SCROLL COMPRESSOR WEAR SURFACES

• US 20140023540A1
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Corporation LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Heidecker, Matthew J., Caillat, Jean-Luc M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,605,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 418/55.2
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 17/066 with an intermediate piece sliding along perpendicular axes, e.g. Oldham coupling
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 15/0003 Sealing arrangements in rotary-piston machines or pumps sealing in general F16J
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/0215 where only one member is moving
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2230/91 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/56 Bearing bushings or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/605 Shaft sleeves or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/16 Wear
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/02 Lubrication of machines or engines in general F01M; Lubricant separation separation in general B01D
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2251/14 Self lubricating materials; Solid lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2253/12 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2253/22 Reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2208/20 Thermoplastic resins
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2208/58 Several materials as provided for in F16C2208/30 - F16C2208/54 mentioned as option
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/42 Pumps with cylinders or pistons in general F04B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2360/43 Screw compressors in general F04C
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/201 Composition of the plastic

Abstract

Anti-wear surface coatings and methods for making them are provided. Such anti-wear surface coatings are particularly suitable for use in a compressor, such as a scroll compressor. A precursor powder material can be applied via spraying to a wear surface of a metal component of the scroll compressor. The precursor powder material comprises a powderized thermoplastic polymer (e.g., PEEK), a first lubricant particle (e.g., molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂)) and a second lubricant particle (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)). Then the applied precursor powder material is heated to form a substantially uniform coating covering the underlying metal component. The substantially uniform coating may have a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.005 inches (about 127 μm).

Claims

1. A method of making an anti-wear surface coating for a scroll component for a scroll compressor, the method comprising:

applying a precursor powder material to a wear surface of a metal scroll compressor component, wherein the precursor powder material comprises a powderized thermoplastic polymer, a first lubricant particle, and a second distinct lubricant particle; and

heating the applied precursor powder material on the wear surface to form a substantially uniform coating covering the underlying metal scroll compressor component and having a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.005 inches (about 127 μ

m).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the precursor powder material is combined with a liquid carrier to form a sprayable precursor material, wherein the applying comprises spraying the precursor material onto the wear surface of the metal scroll compressor component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the substantially uniform coating is greater than or equal to about 0.002 inches (about 51 μ

m) to less than or equal to about 0.003 inches (about 76 μ

m).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the applying, the wear surface of the metal scroll compressor component is exposed to a blasting process so as to provide the wear surface with a surface roughness (R_a) of greater than or equal to about 140 μ

m.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the applying, a primer comprising a polyamide imide is applied to the wear surface, followed by applying of the precursor powder material to the wear surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a crystalline melting point or a glass-liquid transition temperature of the powderized thermoplastic polymer is greater than or equal to about 700°

F. (about 371°

C.) to less than or equal to about 775°

F. (about 413°

C.), so that the heating step facilitates crystalline melting or softening of the precursor powder material to form the substantially uniform coating.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating is conducted in an oven having a temperature of greater than or equal to about 700°

F. (about 371°

C.) to less than or equal to about 750°

F. (about 399°

C.).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the heating is conducted in the oven at the temperature for a duration of greater than or equal to about 15 minutes to less than or equal to about 45 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the powderized thermoplastic polymer comprises a polyaryletherketone (PAEK) thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of:

polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetheretheretherketone (PEEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetheretherketoneketone (PEEKK), polyetherketoneetheretherketone (PEKEEK), polyetheretherketonetherketone (PEEKEK), and combinations thereof;

the first lubricant particle and the second distinct lubricant particle are distinct from one another and independently selected from the group consisting of;

polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), tungsten disulfide (WS₂), hexagonal boron nitride, carbon fiber, graphite, graphene, lanthanum fluoride, carbon nanotubes, polyimide particles, polybenzimidazole particles, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the powderized thermoplastic polymer comprises polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the first lubricant particle comprises molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and the second distinct lubricant particle comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the precursor powder material consists essentially of the powderized thermoplastic polymer comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and the second distinct lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the precursor powder material comprises the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) at greater than or equal to about 2.5% to less than or equal to about 25% by mass of the total precursor powder material;

the second lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) at greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 30% by mass of the total precursor powder material; and

the powderized thermoplastic polymer at greater than or equal to about 45% to less than or equal to about 92.5% by mass of the total precursor powder material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying is to the wear surface of the metal scroll compressor component selected from the group consisting of:

a face seal, a drive flat on a crankshaft, a main journal bearing on a crankshaft, a lower journal bearing on a crankshaft, a slider block, a drive flat on a bushing, an outer diameter of a bushing, an Oldham coupling, an upper seal plate of a seal assembly, a thrust plate, an orbiting scroll, a non-orbiting scroll, a thrust bearing surface on a main bearing housing, a lower bearing plate assembly, an Oldham sliding area on a main bearing housing, and combinations thereof.

14. A compressor component comprising:

an anti-wear coating disposed on at least a portion of a metal wear surface of the compressor component having a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.005 inches (about 127 μ

m), wherein the anti-wear coating comprises a thermoplastic polymer, a first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and a second lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

15. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyaryletherketone (PAEK) polymer selected from the group consisting of:

polyetherketone (PEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetheretheretherketone (PEEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetheretherketoneketone (PEEKK), polyetherketoneetheretherketone (PEKEEK), polyetheretherketonetherketone (PEEKEK), and combinations thereof.

16. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the anti-wear coating is greater than or equal to about 0.002 inches (about 51 μ

m) to less than or equal to about 0.003 inches (about 76 μ

m).

17. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the compressor component further comprises a primer layer comprising a polyamide imide polymer disposed between the metal wear surface and the anti-wear coating.

18. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the compressor component further comprises a basecoat layer comprising a polyaryletherketone (PAEK) polymer disposed between the metal wear surface and the anti-wear coating.

19. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the anti-wear coating consists essentially of the thermoplastic polymer comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and the second lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

20. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the anti-wear coating comprises the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) at greater than or equal to about 2.5% to less than or equal to about 25% by mass of the anti-wear coating;

the second lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) at greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 30% by mass of the anti-wear coating; and

the thermoplastic polymer at greater than or equal to about 45% to less than or equal to about 92.5% by mass of the anti-wear coating.

21. The compressor component of claim 14, wherein the compressor component is a scroll compressor component selected from the group consisting of:

a face seal, a drive flat on a crankshaft, a main journal bearing on a crankshaft, a lower journal bearing on a crankshaft, a slider block, a drive flat on a bushing, an outer diameter of a bushing, an Oldham coupling, an upper seal plate of a seal assembly, a thrust plate, an orbiting scroll, a non-orbiting scroll, a thrust bearing surface on a main bearing housing, a lower bearing plate assembly, an Oldham sliding area on a main bearing housing, and combinations thereof.

22. A scroll compressor component comprising:

a metal surface of the scroll compressor component defining a wear surface that comprises an anti-wear coating having a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.005 inches (about 127 μ

m), wherein the anti-wear coating consists essentially of (i) a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of;

a polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), a polyetheretheretherketone (PEEEK), and combinations thereof;

(ii) a first lubricant particle; and

(iii) a second lubricant particle, wherein the first and second lubricant particles are distinct from one another.

23. The scroll compressor component of claim 22, wherein the anti-wear coating consists essentially of the thermoplastic polymer comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and the second distinct lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

24. The scroll compressor component of claim 22, wherein the anti-wear coating comprises the first lubricant particle comprising molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) at greater than or equal to about 2.5% to less than or equal to about 25% by mass of the anti-wear coating;

the second lubricant particle comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) at greater than or equal to about 5% to less than or equal to about 30% by mass of the anti-wear coating; and

the thermoplastic polymer at greater than or equal to about 45% to less than or equal to about 92.5% by mass of the anti-wear coating.

25. The scroll compressor component of claim 22, further comprising a primer layer comprising a polyamide imide polymer disposed between the wear surface and the anti-wear coating.