In automotive air conditioning systems, compressor is used to convert low pressure low temperature refrigerant into high pressure high temperature refrigerant. Various types of compressors like swash plate, rotary vane, scroll etc. are widely used in the automotive industry for air conditioning applications.
In rotary vane compressors, thermal protector is used as a safety device, designed to prevent the compressor from overheating during refrigerant compression process. When the discharge temperature exceeds the preset limit of thermal protector, the thermal protector will activate and stop the electrical supply to compressor clutch to stop the compressor operation thereby preventing potential damage to air conditioning system, engine, and other nearby parts of the vehicle.
This technical paper explores the various real-world scenarios for a hot country like India, which may result into higher discharge temperatures of compressor resulting into activation of thermal protector. The research encompasses vehicle level evaluations, replicating real world operating scenarios or misuse scenarios that may be evaluated for a vehicle with different load conditions of the air conditioning system and environmental conditions to consider the deletion of thermal protector from the system. The results of this analysis will be imperative in identifying the conditions that must be evaluated to justify the elimination of thermal protector in a particular compressor, assuring that the system's reliability and safety remains intact.