Hermetic and semi-hermetic

A hermetic or sealed compressor is one in which both compressor and motor are
confined in a single outer welded steel shell. The motor and compressor are directly
coupled on the same shaft, with the motor inside the refrigeration circuit.
Semi-hermetic compressors are made in such a way as to avoid air or dust from
entering the mechanisms. Reciprocating compressors are called hermetic when the
casing is welded and sealed and the cylinder heads cannot be accessed for inspection
or maintenance.

There are basically 5 types of air conditioner compressor that are commonly used
in the HVAC industry:

Reciprocating

Reciprocating compressors, or piston compressors, divided into hermetic, semi-hermetic and

open, are used above all for applications with very high cooling capacity requirements. In the
past these were also used in applications with very low cooling capacities due to their low costs,
however they've progressively been replaced by rotary compressors.
These types of compressors adopt a volumetric compression system using pistons and work
much like an internal combustion engine. The pistons run up and down inside cylinders,
producing suction and compression of the refrigerant gas. Each cylinder has a suction valve for
the gas refrigerant and a discharge valve to deliver the gas to the condenser after having been
compressed.
Obviously in this case there's no combustion stage as in the case of vehicle engines.
In general these are noisy compressors and create considerable vibrations that are felt around
the entire circuit.
Their construction technology is however quite simple and well established, making these
compressors the best choice in the past for low cost and low capacity home or commercial
applications. They've now been replaced by rotary compressors, which offer better performance
and lower costs.
They can however reach very high capacities, and for applications exceeding one megawatt
they're currently the only solution available.
Reciprocating compressors are defined as open when one end of the crankshaft protrudes
outside of the sump (the casing that houses the pistons and mechanisms inside the compressor)
and can be opened. Semi-hermetic means the compressor itself and the motor are housed in
the same casing, which is designed to be opened for inspection and servicing. In this case, the
motor shaft and crankshaft are one single piece. Semi-hermetic compressors are made in such
a way as to avoid air or dust from entering the mechanisms.

Reciprocating compressors are called hermetic when the casing is welded and sealed and the
cylinder heads cannot be accessed for inspection or maintenance.

Scroll

Scroll compressors use two scrolls, one fixed and the other moving and coupled to the motor.
The scrolls are interleaved so as to be in contact with one another in various places and thus
form a series of gradually thinner pockets of air towards the centre. The fluid is compressed by
rotation of the orbiting scroll around the fixed scroll until being discharged in the centre.
Scroll compressors are widely used in home and commercial air-conditioning systems, in heat
pumps and in air-conditioning systems for telephone applications (shelter, close control units).
Capacity ranges from 3 to 120 kW, and consequently they have limited use in refrigeration
applications with low cooling capacity, where piston and rotary compressors are preferred, and
high capacity air-conditioning applications, where screw or centrifugal compressors are
preferred.
Advantages of scroll compressors include relative small dimensions and much lower weight than
medium capacity reciprocating compressors, albeit higher than rotary compressors. They also
feature excellent efficiency at a defined compression ratio, which nonetheless decreases with
variations in operating conditions.
Other benefits are low noise and reduced vibrations. High efficiency versions of these
compressors are also available fitted with inverters and brushless DC motors (see "EFFICIENCY
IN REFRIGERANT CIRCUITS").

Screw

Screw compressors are based on a mechanism made up of two intermeshing screws, called
rotors. As the rotors revolve, the fluid is drawn in through the inlet port, filling the volume
between two lobes.
When the spaces between the lobes are full of fluid, suction ceases, the fluid between the lobes
is then forced due to rotation into an increasingly small space, causing compression. When the
lobes reach a certain position, the compressed fluid is completely discharged through the outlet
port. These compressors require abundant lubrication due to the meshing of the two rotors.
Abundant lubrication and subsequent cooling of the oil using a special heat exchanger
guarantees higher compression ratios than reciprocating compressors, meaning wide use in
both refrigeration and air-conditioning (large chillers operating on R410A).

Finally, a sliding valve mechanism that opens a passageway between the inlet and the
compressor casing in a position where the rotors have already partially compressed the fluid
allows a continuous reduction in refrigerant flow, down to 25% of the maximum, thus
guaranteeing greater compressor efficiency in part load conditions.

Rotary.

Rotary compressors, which include rotary vane, scroll, screw and centrifugal compressors, are
hermetic compressors used in many applications and over different operating ranges.
Rotary vane compressors consist of a cylindrical casing, two openings - one suction and one
discharge - and a rotor positioned eccentrically with respect to the casing.
Compression occurs by refrigerant flowing into the chamber where, due to eccentric rotation,
there is a reduction in the desired volume.
The advantages of rotary vane compressors are low cost and compact dimensions, making
these the best choice for low capacity home applications (fridges, freezers, air-conditioners).
A more advanced version is the "twin" compressor, featuring two rotors revolving in counter
rotating directions; these have even lower noise and generate less vibrations, making these
compressors often a preferable alternative to scroll compressors, which tend to be more
expensive and bulky.
Twin rotary compressors also have increased energy efficiency and the same low cost as the
traditional version. This makes them suitable for higher cooling capacity applications (up to 50
kW), moreover with good results in industrial contexts.
The top in rotary technology involves compressors fitted with inverters and brushless DC motors
(see "EFFICIENCY IN REFRIGERANT CIRCUITS").
Currently, these are the compressors with the best capacity/dimensions ratio, being able to reach
7800 rpm against the 5400-6600 typically achieved by scroll compressors.

Centrifugal.

Centrifugal compressors feature a cast iron casing, a steel shaft and a cast aluminium alloy
impeller.
The fluid is drawn in by the impeller near its axis and due to centrifugal force is pushed to the
edge of the compressor casing. The fluid leaves the impeller with significant kinetic energy,
which is then converted into pressure energy in the diffuser.

Use is limited to high cooling capacities and low compression ratios (usually large chillers
running on R134A)
Cooling capacity can be varied using fins that change the angle at which fluid enters the impeller.