3rd International Conference on Materials and Reliability

Jeju, Korea, Nov. 23-25, 2015

Study on Reliability Evaluation of Scroll Compressor for System Air Conditioner

1* 1 2 1 1 2
J. W. Park , M. S. Chang , Y. M. Choi , T. K. Park , B. O. Choi and C. J. Shin
1
Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, Daejeon, Korea
2
Samsung Electronics, Suwon, Korea

*
Corresponding author: jwpark@kimm.re.kr

1. Introduction Fixed Scroll

Orbit Scroll
The scroll compressor has the advantages of
fewer leaks between compression spaces than the Oldham ring

reciprocating type or rotary type, no heat transfer Main Frame

between inlet and outlet, and no loss due to valve Shaft

and re-expansion volume [1]. As one of the rotary

compressors, the scroll compressor is a positive Sub Frame

displacement compressor compressed by two Motor

interlocking scroll parts (involute tooth type) while

making a turning movement. Fig. 1 shows the basic
structure of the scroll compressor.
This paper evaluates the reliability of the scroll
compressor in the system air-conditioner. The
significance between wear loss (main failure mode)
and related stress factors was evaluated using
design of experiments regarding the main failure
mode obtained by conducting failure mode and
effects analysis (FMEA) on the scroll compressor.
Wear loss can be estimated under various test
conditions if a relational expression between the
wear loss and stress factors is used. The lifetime of
the scroll compressor can be calculated using the
data of zero-failure accelerated life test performed
under various test conditions.
2. Reliability assessment of scroll compressor
FMEA is one of the first systematic techniques
for failure analysis. It involves reviewing as many
components, assemblies, and subsystems as
possible to identify failure modes, and their causes
and effects. For each component, the failure modes
and their resulting effects on the rest of the system
are recorded in a specific FMEA worksheet. This
paper found potential failure modes in the scroll
compressor's sub-parts and analyzed the failure of
these parts and proposed countermeasures. Fig. 2
shows the items with high risk priority number
among the FMEA results of the scroll compressor.
The analysis result shows that scroll wear can be
deemed a major failure cause or failure mode.
The experiment was conducted to figure out
Y=f(Xs). Here, Y refers to the wear loss that is
closely related to lifetime; whereas Xs pertains to
the stress factors that affect wear loss, such as
compression ratio, discharge temperature, and
frequency. We can understand how each stress
factor affects wear loss significantly and which
stress factor affects wear loss the most by doing
experimental work.
Fig.1 Basic structure of the scroll compressor
Fig. 2 FMEA of the scroll compressor
A full factorial design that uses two levels at three
3
factors (2 ) was considered. Experiments were
conducted for 1,000 hours respectively for 8
compressors. In particular, the coefficient of
2
determination (R =94%) at the fixed scroll part was
high. Therefore, if we assign the wear loss at the
fixed scroll part to Y and assign compression ratio
(CR), frequency (F), and discharge temperature
(DT) to Xs, Y=f(Xs) can be described as in Eq. (1).
Y=1.36892CR+0.0121214F+0.0289585DT (1)
Compression ratio is the stress factor that is
statistically significant to the wear loss at the fixed
scroll part among three stress factors. Wear loss at
the fixed scroll part under various test conditions
can be predicted by using Eq. (1).
The reliability qualification test determines
whether the reliability requirement (mostly warranty
life) in an agreement or a standard can be satisfied
or not [2]. In this paper, the lifetime of the scroll
compressor was estimated by using the reliability
qualification test result (zero-failure accelerated life
test) that has already performed. Generally, we can
assert that the warranty life can be guaranteed at a
particular confidence level if n samples do not fail

Proceedings of ICMR 2015 109 ICMR2015_145

 3rd International Conference on Materials and Reliability
Jeju, Korea, Nov. 23-25, 2015

for a zero-failure test period under normal use Table 1 presents the test results conducted under
condition. Zero-failure test time is calculated as Eq. several accelerated conditions. Specific test
(2) [3]. conditions are not included in this paper for security
1 reasons. The current reliability level (lifetime) of the
ln(1 - CL) b scroll compressor can be evaluated using the result
t = B100 p (2)
n ln(1 - p ) of various test conditions. As shown in Table 5,
there are differences in the acceleration test time,
B100p can be understood to be the warranty life as number of samples (n), and AF depending on each
a percentile, whereas p, CL, n, and denote test condition. Therefore, the number of samples
unreliability, confidence level, sample size, and was fixed at 22, with a conservative minimum value
shape parameter of Weibull distribution. The test set for the AF and accelerated test time. In other
time under accelerated conditions (ta) can be words, 22 samples were tested for at least 1,000
calculated by dividing the zero-failure test time (t) hours, and AF of 32.31 was applied. The shape
by the acceleration factor (AF). parameter of 1.95 and confidence level of 90%
If there is no failure for ta time period under the were assumed based on past experience.
accelerated condition, warranty life B100p can be The scroll compressor can be guaranteed B10 life
guaranteed at confidence level CL. In this paper, of 32,420 hours at 90% confidence level using this
time ta is set in advance, and warranty life B100p is information. Therefore, the current reliability is
calculated reversely as in Eq. (3). The AF of each higher than the scroll compressor's warranty life.
stress factors such as compression ratio, discharge The warranty life of the scroll compressor can be
temperature, and frequency can be expressed as in sufficiently satisfied.
Eqs. (4)-(6) [4]. Eq. (7) presents the total AF.
t a AF 3. Conclusion
B100 p = 1
(3)
ln(1 - CL) b This paper evaluated the reliability of the scroll

compressor, which is a core part of the system
n ln(1 - p )
l
air-conditioner. First, the hierarchical structure of
CR the scroll compressor was drawn, and failure
AFCR = accelerated (4)
analysis was conducted on the scroll compressor
CRuse
using FMEA. The FMEA result showed that scroll
E 1 1 wear was a major failure mode. The significance of
AFDT = exp a - (5)
three stress factors (compression ratio, discharge
k T
use Tacceleratred
m
temperature, and frequency) was checked using
3
F the 2 full factorial designs. The significance
AFF = accelerated (6) analysis result showed that the compression ratio
Fuse
affected wear loss most. The linear regression
AF = AFCR AFDT AFF (7) equation was derived between the wear loss and
The CR, T, and F represent the value of those stress factors. Lastly, the reliability (lifetime)
compression ratio, absolute discharge temperature, of the scroll compressor was evaluated using the
and frequency at the certain stress level. The k is a zero-failure test data conducted under various
5
Boltzmans constant (k=8.617110 eV/K). The accelerated test conditions. The result showed that
activation energy (Ea)=0.56, acceleration index of the scroll compressor could guarantee B10 life of
compression ratio (l)=2.1, and frequency (m)=1, 32,420 hours at 90% confidence level, which is
which are needed to calculate the acceleration higher than the warranty life.
factor, were assumed based on past experience.
Table 1 Several accelerated test results References
[1] H. H. Cho, Y. C. Kim, and H. H. Park,
Test Accelerated test Sample Performance Characteristics of an
AF
Condition time(hours) size Inverter-Driven Scroll Compressor, Proc. of the
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
A 1,000 42.8 2
Conference, (1999) 1139-1143.
[2] H. S. Jeong, Y. I. Kwon, and D. H. Park,
B 1,000 62.23 2
Reliability Test Analysis Assessment, Youngchi
C 1,000 237.64 2
Publishers, (2005).
[3] ISO No. 19973-1, Pneumatic fluid power -
D 1,000 32.31 1 Assessment of component reliability by test -
part 1: general procedures, (2007).
E 1,000 237.64 10 [4] G. B. Yang, Life Cycle Reliability Engineering,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (2007).
F 2,000 237.64 5

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