The rolling piston type rotary compressor has been widely used for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems due to its compactness and high-speed operation. The present analysis is a part of research program directed toward maximizing these advantages of refrigerant compressors. The study of lubrication characteristics in the critical sliding component is essential for the design of refrigerant compressors. Therefore, theoretical investigation of the lubrication characteristics of a rotary compressor used for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems is studied. Newton-Raphson method is used for the partial elastohydrodynamic lubrication analysis between vane and rolling piston in the rotary compressor. The results show that the rotational speed of a shaft and the discharge pressure influence significantly the friction force and the energy loss between vane and rolling piston.