Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology
Patented liquid-cooled scroll technology from Air Squared makes the efficient, quiet, and reliable performance of traditional oil-free scroll compressors available for high-pressure operation.
By introducing effective cooling to the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll, liquid-cooled scroll compressors are capable of operating 100% oil-free at higher pressure ratios and managing elevated temperatures over a wide-range of working fluids.
An oil-free scroll compressor requires tight running clearance between the orbiting scroll and fixed scroll to operate efficiently. As temperature increases with pressure throughout the compression process, mitigating thermal expansion with effective cooling is critical in an oil-free scroll design. While air cooling is adequate at lower pressure ratios, there are numerous benefits associated with liquid cooling at higher pressure ratios. Learn More
Features
- 100% Oil-Free
- Maintain the purity of your system with oil-free scroll technology
- Quiet, Smooth Operation
- Dynamically balanced, valve-less, and nearly pulsation-free
- Efficient, High-Pressure Performance
- Liquid cooling for high-pressure operation with volumetric efficiency up to 90%
- Sealed or Semi-Hermetic Design
- Immersion protection and configurable for gases other than air
- Reliable, Durable Solution
- Extended life, long service intervals, and simple field maintenance
- Compact, Lightweight Design
- Space-saving cooling system and fewer moving parts than competing technology
Applications
- Electric and Hybrid Bus
- Air Braking System
- Air Suspension System
- Military Vehicle (Under-the-Hood)
- Medical, Hospital, and Dental Air System
- Industrial Air and Gas Processing
- Natural Gas Booster
- Nitrogen and Oxygen Generation
Spotlight on Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Compressor Products and Projects
Find your oil-free solution through a growing line of liquid-cooled scroll compressors engineered specifically for OEMs and view past projects that supported liquid-cooled scroll technology development.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology Products
Max Pressure: 12.5 barg Max Flow: 425 lpmv
Liquid-cooled scroll compressor for high-pressure, quiet and smooth, oil-free performance - ideal for commercial air brake applications
Max Pressure: 13 barg Max Flow: 430 lpmv
Liquid-cooled scroll compressor for quiet, oil-free, high-pressure performance - ideal for EV applications
Max Pressure: 10.5 barg Max Flow: 475 lpmv
Liquid-cooled scroll compressor for high-pressure, oil-free performance - semi-hermetic configuration available
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology Projects
Scroll Vacuum Pump for the International Space Station
April 13, 2020
The V06H014A-BLDC-SH-LC semi-hermetic, liquid-cooled, scroll vacuum pump is designed to support environmental control and life support systems on board the International Space Station.
Liquid-Cooled, All-Metal Scroll Vacuum Pump
May 1, 2018
The V16H034D-BLDC-H-LC is a liquid-cooled, all-metal, hermetic scroll vacuum pump capable of pumping 15 m3/hr and handling virtually any working fluid - ideal for handling corrosive or toxic gases.
Quiet, High-Pressure Compressor for Commercial EV
April 28, 2018
The P16H030E-BLDC-LC liquid-cooled scroll compressor delivers high-pressure air at low noise levels for electric vehicle air-braking systems.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Compressor for Electric Bus
April 2, 2018
The P16H043A-AC-LC liquid-cooled scroll compressor is designed to quietly deliver high-pressure air for all-electric bus air-auxiliary systems.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Compressor with Integrated Motor for Fuel Cell Vehicles
January 22, 2016
The P32H076A-BLDC-LC liquid-cooled scroll compressor delivers high-flow efficient performance in an oil-free, reliable, and compact design - ideal for mobile fuel cell applications.
Semi-Hermetic Scroll Compressor with Integrated Water-Cooling
January 2, 2015
The semi-hermetic P32H080A-AC-SH-WC scroll compressor uses integrated water-cooling to compress helium without the need for lubrication.
Stainless O2 and H2 Recirculation Pump
March 14, 2010
Stainless steel hydrogen and oxygen recirculation pump developed for Lockheed Martin’s ISIS program.
High-Pressure Water-Cooled Compressor
September 1, 2007
Patented water-cooled scroll compressor for use in US Army vehicles.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology News
Spacesuit Spinning Scroll Boost Compressor Development Continues
June 24, 2020
Air Squared secures Phase II funding from NASA to fabricate and test a novel spinning scroll boost compressor (SSBC) for next-generation spacesuits.
Advanced Clean Transportation Expo 2021
May 28, 2020
The Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo is the largest “all-in-one” showcase of the advanced clean vehicles, fuels and technologies driving the future of the transportation sector.
Comparative Study on Decompression Pumps for Dry Combat Submersible
August 23, 2019
The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded Air Squared Phase I SBIR funding for a dry combat submersible (DCS) depressurization feasibility study.
Liquid-Cooled, All-Metal Scroll Vacuum Pump Awarded Phase II Funding to Support Fusion Project
October 10, 2018
Air Squared will develop a first-of-its-kind large-scale, liquid-cooled, all-metal (LCAM) vacuum pump compatible with virtually any working fluid with Phase II SBIR funding from the Department of Energy (DOE).
All-Metal Scroll Pump Development Continues
August 2, 2017
The DOE has agreed to support the development of a liquid-cooled, all-metal scroll pump, with the ultimate goal of procuring a 150 m3/hr pumping capacity tritium pump.
Custom Scroll Design
Contact Air Squared to learn how a custom liquid-cooled scroll compressor can support your application by providing the most advanced oil-free, high-pressure compressor solution available.
Advanced Custom Design Capability with Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology
For over twenty-five years, Air Squared has continuously challenged the limits of possibility with scroll technology. With the intoduction of patented liquid-cooled scroll technology and an ever-expanding range of custom design capability, put our innovations to work in your application.
Oil-Free Scroll Design
Orbiting scroll technology offers a quiet oil-free alternative to traditional technology like piston, diaphragm, and vain.
High-Pressure
With patented liquid-cooled scroll technology, scroll compressors can now be designed for pressure ratios that were previously unattainable.
Gases other than Air
With several patented sealed and semi-hermetic configurations, liquid-cooled scroll compressors can be designed for compatibility with a wide-range of working fluids.
Elevated Temperatures
With highly effective liquid cooling, scroll compressors can be designed to withstand harsh temperatures and enviormental conditions.
High-Efficiency
When minimal power consumption is critical, leverage the inherent efficiency advantage of scroll technology.
Compact Footprint
Liquid cooling allows for a compact scroll compressor design that can fit in tight envelopes without sacrificing reliability or performance.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Technology Explained
Liquid-cooled scroll technology significantly expands the performance capability of oil-free scroll compressors. This is the best place to start for a basic understanding of the technology behind liquid-cooled scroll designs and how it can support your application.
Performance
Range Capability
100 – 3,000 lpmv
5 – 15 barg
Up to 90%
Fluid Compatibility
By Configuration
While liquid cooling for oil-free and lubricated scroll compressor has been investigated in the past, patented liquid-cooled scroll technology from Air Squared offers the first oil-free scroll compressor design that provides effective cooling to both the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll. The patented technology allows coolant to be transferred between the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll without the use of dynamic seals.
Liquid-Cooled Scroll Compressor Demo
Air-cooled scroll compressor designs are pressure-limited because the heat generated during compression causes the primary working components to thermally expand. The thermal expansion causes interference between the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll, eventually leading to mechanical failure. While the running clearance between the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll can be increased to avoid interference, this approach also decreases volumetric efficiency and pressure capability.
Liquid cooling allows for significantly more control over operating temperatures throughout the compression process. By removing heat generated during the compression process more effectively, thermal expansion is mitigated, allowing for high-pressure operation without sacrificing efficiency or reliability.
Sealed and Semi-Hermetic Configurations
Compared to air-cooled scroll compressor designs, liquid cooling offers superior isolation of working fluid to ambient and drive componentry (i.e., motor). Air-cooled compressors cool the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll with ambient air. While this approach is adequate with an open-housing compressor design, air cooling is far less effective if the compression process is fully enclosed (e.g., sealed or semi-hermetic). Liquid-cooling solves this issue by providing highly effective cooling to the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll, even if the compressor is semi-hermetically sealed.
Liquid cooling also operates independently of ambient conditions. This allows for effective cooling even if the compressor is exposed to elevated ambient temperatures – as in under-the-hood vehicle applications.
For operation with flammable gases, such as O2 and H2, the “independent drive” series of liquid-cooled scroll compressors are easily configured with a magnetic coupling that fully isolates the working fluid from the motor.
Drive Configurations
Air Squared offers two drive configurations for liquid-cooled scroll compressor designs.
Integrated Drive Series
The integrated drive configuration uses a liquid-cooled BLDC motor. With liquid cooling available to the motor, as well as the compressor head, liquid-cooled scroll compressors with an integrated drive configuration are more efficient and compact.
With the cooling system fully integrated with both the motor and compressor head, custom motor requirements are difficult with an integrated drive configuration. Operation with flammable gases is also not recommended, as the motor is not isolated from the working fluid.
Independent Drive Series
The independent drive configuration is ideal for customers with custom motor requirements or operation with flammable gases. The independent drive configuration removes all rotating radial loads on the motor bearings, leaving only the torque radial loads. This allows for flexibility in motor selection, as well use of a magnetic drive coupling that fully isolates the motor from the working fluid.
Cooling Loop Integration
If your application requires an independent cooling loop, Air Squared offers integration of a single-phase liquid cooling loop, which includes all necessary hardware to circulate the coolant and discharge thermal energy.
Liquid-cooled scroll technology from Air Squared has a size, efficiency, reliability, noise, and sealing advantage over air-cooled designs. With axillary components (e.g., cooling fins, fans, ducting) no longer necessary, the size and part-count of the compressor are substantially reduced. By running the coolant in close proximity to the compression process, an order of magnitude more heat can be removed during the compression process, which allows more isothermal compression for increased efficiency. The coolant also provides a thermal barrier between the compression process and bearings. This allows the bearings to run much cooler for vastly improved reliability. Because the compressor does not rely on ambient air to directly cool the fixed scroll and orbiting scroll, the compressor housing is enclosed, which offers protection against dust and debris, as well as reduced noise.
