Variable Displacement Compressor How it Works

Unlike the old Fixed Displacement Compressor (FDC), the Variable Displacement
Compressor (VDC) automatically varies its pumping capacity to meet airconditioning demands. When the cars cabin temperature is high, it increases its
refrigeration capacity until the desired temperature is reached. Once the desired
temperature is reached it automatically reduces its capacity to maintain the
desired temperature.
With a VDC there is no jerking of the engine brought about by the switching on
and off of the compressor clutch (as in FDC). In fact, some VDCs have no clutch at
all. This results to a very smooth operation and improvement in fuel consumption.

Two Types of Variable

Displacement Compressor
(Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b)
There are two commonly used types
of VDCs the Internally Controlled
Variable Displacement Compressor
(ICVDC) and the Externally
Controlled VDC (ECVDC). Fig. 1a
shows an ICVDC and Fig. 1b shows
an ECVDC. They have basically the
same internal structure. They differ
only on the manner the Displacement
Control Valve is actuated. In an
ICVDC the control valve is actuated
by the refrigerant pressure at the
suction chamber of the compressor
by means of a bellows or diaphragm.
In an ECVDC, actuation of the
control valve is done by the engines
ECU or by an external electronic
module by means of a solenoid
actuator. Note the wiring harness of the solenoid actuator (Fig. 1b). The solenoid
is inside the valve.
Externally Controlled Variable Displacement Compressors (ECVDC) have far
better control of the piston displacement, and hence the temperature, compared to
ICVDC. This makes the clutch entirely unnecessary in ECVDC, as shown in Fig.
1b.

The Internal Structure of a Variable Displacement Compressor

(VDC) (Fig. 2)
Fig. 2 shows the internal components of a VDC.

Internally Controlled Variable Displacement Compressor (ICVDC) Uncharged And Not Running (Fig. 3)
When the compressor is not charged with refrigerant, the swash plate is held at
the minimum-angle position by the spring on the shaft (Fig. 3). The bellows of the
Displacement Control Valve (DCV) is at expanded condition, closing the low side
port while opening the high side port.

ICVDC Charged But Not Running (Fig. 4)

When the system is charged and the compressor is not running the pressure in all
chambers of the compressor is the same. This pressure causes the bellows of the
DCV to contract, opening the low side port, while closing the high pressure port.
See Fig. 4.

ICVDC Charged and Running, Reaching Its Maximum

Displacement (Fig. 5)
The swash plates slightly slanted position creates a small displacement at the
compression chamber of the compressor (Fig. 4). When the compressor runs , the
swash plate which rotate with the shaft wobbles a little. This wobbling action
causes the pistons to move back and forth at a short stroke.
On each suction stroke of the pistons, a small volume of refrigerant is sucked into
the compression chamber through the suction reed valve, which is then pumped
out into the discharge chamber through the discharge reed valve on each
compression stroke of the pistons. This increases the pressure at the discharge
chamber of the compressor, while reducing the pressure at the suction chamber.
Since the low-side port of the Displacement Control Valve (DCV) is open at this
stage, the same reduced pressure is present at the control chamber.

The refrigerant pressure at the control chamber and the spring around the shaft
exert a combined force (F2) at the back of each piston. As pumping continues,
there comes a time (and this wont be long) when the force at the back of each
piston (F2) is lesser than the force exerted on the head of each piston (F1) by the
refrigerant in the compression chamber.
By the time F1 is greater that F2, the pistons opposite the pivot are pushed to the
left by the resultant force (F1 minus F2). This Increases the swash plate angle and
of course, the piston displacement. In effect, more refrigerant is sucked from the
suction chamber and pumped out into the discharge chamber. This increases
further the pressure at the discharge chamber and decreases the pressure at the
suction chamber. And since the low-side port of the control valve is still open at
this stage, the pressure at the control chamber is also reduced. This increases the
resultant force on the piston head (F1 minus F2), which in effect increases the
swash plate angle and the piston displacement.
This increase in capacity (displacement) continues until the swash plate is at the
maximum angle position. In this case, the compressor reaches its maximum
capacity.

ICVDC Adjusts To Its Minimum Displacement (Fig. 6)

As the compressor continues to run at maximum capacity (displacement), the
cabin temperature will continue to decrease until the desired temperature is
reached. At this stage the low-side pressure (suction chamber pressure) is low
enough to cause the billows of the DCV to expand, closing the low-side port and

opening the high-side port of the DCV (Fig. 6). This channels the high pressure
refrigerant to the control chamber. At this stage the force at the back of the
pistons (F2) is greater than the force at the head of the pistons (F1). This
decreases the piston displacement.

See all 7 photos

Fuel Efficiency
In actual operation, when the air-conditioning system has stabilized and the
desired temperature is reached, the piston displacement is neither maximum nor
minimum. It is at a dispacement just enough to maintain a stable cabin
temperature. The displacement will increase only when there is a demand for it,
like when the door is opened, but will return to its stable condition once the
temperature is stabilized.
The larger the displacement, the harder it is to turn the compressor shaft and the
more engine power is needed. Correspondingly, the smaller the displacement, the
lesser engine power is needed. Lesser engine power requirement means lesser
fuel consumption. And since the compressor's displacement is not maximum at
normal condition, lesser engine power is needed. Hence, lower fuel consumption.

A Problem Commonly Encountered With Internally Controlled

Variable Displacement Compressors (ICVDC)
A problem we encountered with ICVDCs is the loss of cooling as the engine is
revved up. At idle cooling is just right. Using a manifold gage, you will notice that
as the engine is revved up the pressure at the low side starts to rise and that of

the high side starts to decrease. It is as if the clutch has disengage, but it has not.
It is very likely that the compressor has still enough pumping capacity. It may just
be that the compressor prematurely decreases its displacement (capacity)
resulting in the loss of cooling as the engine is revved up. There may be a number
of reasons why this is so, but one thing is sure the Displacement Control Valve
prematurely closes the low side port, at the same time opening the high side port
as the engine is revved up. Weve successfully implemented a solution to this
problem, and if you would like to know how we did it please see my other hub titled
Adjusting an Internally Controlled Variable Displacement Compressor or
Converting It to Function as a Fixed Displacement Compressor.
See you there.