Patent attributes
A compressor having a dual slide valve assembly is disclosed. The slide valve assembly includes: i) a volume slide valve mechanism that is slidably movable to control compressor volume ratio and power input to the compressor; and ii) a capacity and volume slide valve mechanism that is in operational association with the volume slide valve mechanism, and the capacity and volume slide valve mechanism is slidably movable to control compressor capacity and to control volume ratio and power input to the compressor. In at least some embodiments, the compressor is a rotary gas compressor for a compression (e.g., refrigeration) system. A method of increasing compressor efficiency using the dual slide valve assembly is also disclosed. Compressor volume load and/or volume ratio and/or compressor power input can be simultaneously controlled by both the volume slide mechanism and the capacity and volume slide mechanism. Advantageously, compressor efficiency is increased.
