Compressor comprising a first drive part, a second drive part, and a high-pressure part configured to move in a coupled manner by a piston rod arrangement wherein a first control unit and a second control unit are configured to control a drive fluid to the first and second drive parts

Abstract

A compressor and a method for conveying and compressing a fluid into a target system. The compressor has a first drive part having a first drive piston, a second drive part having a second drive piston and at least a first high-pressure part having a high-pressure piston. The first drive piston and the second drive piston are each able to be subjected to a drive fluid piston on alternate sides controlled via a first control unit. The first drive, the second drive piston and the high-pressure piston are jointly movable axially coupled via a piston rod arrangement. The second drive part is assigned a second control unit, which is arranged after the first control unit and via which the subjecting of the second drive piston to drive fluid is able to be activated.

Claims

1. A compressor comprising: a first drive part, wherein the first drive part comprises a first drive piston movable in a first drive chamber; a second drive part, wherein the second drive part comprises a second drive piston movable in a second drive chamber; a first high-pressure part, wherein the first high-pressure part comprises a high-pressure piston movable in a first pressure cylinder; a first control unit configured to control a drive fluid for operating each of the first drive piston and the second drive piston; a piston rod arrangement configured to move the first drive piston, the second drive piston and the high-pressure piston in a coupled manner; a second control unit downstream of the first control unit, wherein the second control unit is configured to activate the drive fluid for the second drive part based on an actual pressure in a target system on a high-pressure side of the high-pressure part.

2. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit comprises two three-way valves.

3. The compressor according to claim 2, wherein each of the two three-way valves comprises an outlet and a sound damper downstream of the outlet.

4. The compressor according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit is actuatable manually, pneumatically or electrically.

5. A method of conveying and compressing a fluid for conveyance into a target system using a compressor, the compressor comprising: a first drive part, wherein the first drive part comprises a first drive piston movable in a first drive chamber; a second drive part, wherein the second drive part comprises a second drive piston movable in a second drive chamber; a first high-pressure part, wherein the first high-pressure part comprises a high-pressure piston movable in a first pressure cylinder; a first control unit configured to control a drive fluid for operating each of the first drive piston and the second drive piston; a piston rod arrangement configured to move the first drive piston, the second drive piston and the high-pressure piston in a coupled manner; and a second control unit downstream of the first control unit, wherein the second control unit is configured to activate the drive fluid for the second drive part based on an actual pressure in a target system on a high-pressure side of the high-pressure part; the method comprising: in a first compression stage, subjecting the first drive piston of the first drive part to the drive fluid, and conveying fluid for conveyance into the target system until an occurrence of force equilibrium on a drive side and the high-pressure side, and in a second compression stage, activating the second drive part and, in addition to the first drive piston, subjecting the second drive piston to drive fluid and conveying the fluid for conveyance into the target system until attainment of a target pressure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure is described in more detail below on the basis of drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows, in technically schematic form, a compressor according to the disclosure and the functional illustration for conveying and compressing a fluid for conveyance into a target system according to at least one embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows at least one embodiment of a double-acting compressor, and the connection diagram thereof, and

(4) FIGS. 3 to 6 show the compressor arrangement as per the illustration in FIG. 2 with the illustration of four switching states and drive modes.

(5) The figures use the same reference numerals for identical or similar components, even when there is no repeated description on grounds of simplification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates, in technically schematic form, the principle of a compressor arrangement, with a compressor 1, for conveying and compressing a fluid for conveyance (arrow FF) into a target system 2. The target system 2 is a target container. The fluid for conveyance FF is provided in a source system 3 in the form of a source container. The drive of the compressor 1 is realized via a drive fluid (arrow AF). This is compressed air in this case. The drive fluid AF is provided with a drive pressure pL and is fed to the compressor 1. The compressor 1 compresses the fluid for conveyance FF to an operating pressure pB and transfers the fluid for conveyance FF into the target system 2. A shut-off element 4 and a check valve 5 are integrated into the compressor arrangement.

(7) The compressor 1 has a first drive part 6 and a second drive part 7 and also a high-pressure part 8.

(8) The compressor 1 works according to the principle of a pressure transmitter. Further details of a compressor 1 are explained on the basis of FIG. 2. The compressor 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 corresponds, in terms of basic construction, to the compressor 1 explained below on the basis of FIG. 2, albeit having only one first high-pressure part 8.

(9) The compressor 1 as per FIG. 2 has a first drive part 6 and a second drive part 7 and also a first high-pressure part 8 and a second high-pressure part 9. The first drive part 6 has a first drive chamber 10 having a first drive piston 11 which is movable longitudinally therein. The second drive part 7 has a second drive chamber 12 having a second drive piston 13 which is movable longitudinally therein. The first high-pressure part 8 has a first pressure cylinder 14 having a first high-pressure piston 15 which is movable therein. The second high-pressure part 9 has a second pressure cylinder 16 having a second high-pressure piston 17 which is movable therein.

(10) The first drive piston 11 and the second drive piston 13 and also the two high-pressure pistons 15 and 17 are jointly movable in an axial direction in a manner coupled via a piston rod arrangement 18. The piston rod arrangement 18 comprises piston rods 19, 20 and 21. The piston rod 19 is incorporated between the first drive piston 11 and the second drive piston 13. The piston rod 20 connects the first drive piston 11 and the first high-pressure piston 15. The piston rod 21 connects the second drive piston 13 and the second high-pressure piston 17. The piston rods 19, 20, 21 of the piston rod arrangement 18 extend in alignment along a common longitudinal axis LA.

(11) The first drive chamber 10 and the second drive chamber 12 are separated by a central wall 22. The two high-pressure parts 8 and 9 are respectively flange-mounted onto the end walls 23 and 24 of the first drive part 6 and second drive part 7. The piston rod 19 passes through an opening 25 in the central wall 22 and is guided there. The piston rods 20, 21 respectively pass through openings 26 and 27 in the end walls 23 and 24.

(12) The high-pressure parts 8 and 9 or the pressure cylinders 14, 16 thereof have, respectively at an end side, a compressor head 28, 29, which is merely indicated in the illustration in FIG. 2. A compressor head 28, 29 closes off the compression space situated in the pressure cylinders 14, 16 and separates the compression space spatially from the ambient pressure. Each compressor head 28, 29 contains an inlet valve 30 and an outlet valve 31.

(13) The first drive piston 11 and the second drive piston 13 are each able to be subjected to drive fluid AF on alternate sides in a manner controlled via a first control unit 32. The control unit 32 comprises a control slide in the form of a four/two-way valve 33. The feeding of drive fluid AF at an operating pressure pL is realized via a connection 34. The discharge of expanded working fluid AF is realized via an outlet 35 and a sound damper 36 arranged thereafter.

(14) A second control unit 37 is assigned to the second drive part 7. The second control unit 37 is arranged after the first control unit 32. The subjecting of the second drive chamber 12 and the second drive piston 13 to drive fluid AF is able to be activated or deactivated via the second control unit 37. The second control unit 37 is designed to interrupt or to activate the supply of drive fluid AF to the second drive chamber 12 separately in a controlled manner. In this way, the compressor 1 can be operated with only the first drive chamber 10. The second drive chamber 12 is additionally activated according to requirement. The subjecting of the second drive piston 13 to drive fluid AF is activatable in a manner dependent on an actual pressure pB.sub.actual in the target system 2 on the high-pressure side HS of the high-pressure part(s) 8, 9.

(15) The second control unit 37 has two three-way valves 38, 39. The three-way valves 38, 39 each have an outlet 40 with a sound damper 41 integrated or arranged thereafter.

(16) The control slide or the four/two-way valve 33 of the first control unit 32 is, via a line path 42, connected to that part of the first drive chamber 10 which is at the top side 43, facing the first high-pressure piston 15, of the first drive piston 11. A line path 44 connects the four/two-way valve 33 to that part of the first drive chamber 10 which is at the bottom side 45 of the first drive piston 11. The first three-way valve 38 is connected to the line path 42 via a line path 46, and, via a line path 47, is connected to that part of the second drive chamber 12 which is at the bottom side 48 of the second drive piston 13. The second three-way valve 39 is connected to the line path 44 via a line path 49, and, via a line path 50, is connected to that part of the second drive chamber 12 which is at the top side 51 of the second drive piston 13.

(17) In a first compression stage, the compressor 1 is run in one-piston mode. This means that the first drive chamber 10 and the first drive piston 11 of the first drive part 6 are subjected to drive fluid AF.

(18) The control slide or the four/two-way valve 33 guides the drive fluid AF to the top side 43 and to the bottom side 45 of the first drive piston 11 in an alternating manner. The drive fluid AF flows from the connection 34 at the drive pressure pL through the four/two-way valve 33 and to the top side 43 of the first drive piston 11 according to the arrows P1, P2. The four/two-way valve 33 is in the switching position illustrated in FIG. 3. The first drive piston 11 moves to the right in the plane of the figure in the first drive part 6. The piston rod arrangement 18 and the second drive piston 13 and also the first high-pressure piston 15 and the second high-pressure piston 17 are moved together therewith. The first high-pressure piston 15 of the first high-pressure part 8 performs a suction stroke, the inlet valve 30 opens and the fluid for conveyance FF to be conveyed and compressed flows into the first pressure cylinder 14. A pressure stroke is performed on the other side in the second high-pressure part 9. During the pressure stroke, the inlet valve 30 in the compressor head 29 is in a closed state. The fluid for conveyance FF situated in the second pressure cylinder 16 is compressed by way of the movement of the second high-pressure piston 17, the outlet valve 31 is opened and the compressed fluid for conveyance FF flows into the target system 2 on the high-pressure side HS.

(19) The feeding of fluid for conveyance FF via the inlet valves 30 is respectively indicated by the arrows IN in FIGS. 2 to 6. The discharge of the compressed fluid for conveyance FF on the high-pressure side HS and the transfer into a target system 2 are indicated by the arrows OUT.

(20) Via the line path 44, air can be discharged from the first drive chamber 10 via the four/two-way valve 33 and the outlet 35 with sound damper 36 arranged thereafter according to the arrows P3. The two three-way valves 38, 39 are open toward the outlet 40, and so, during the movement of the first drive piston 11 and the second drive piston 13, air can be discharged from the second drive chamber 12 and the three-way valves 38, 39 according to the arrows P4.

(21) If the first drive piston 11 has moved to the right to an end position of the first drive piston 11 in the first drive chamber 10, a pilot valve (not illustrated here) opens. The pilot valve belongs to the first control unit 32. Drive fluid AF passes to the control slide of the control unit 32, and the four/two-way valve 33 is switched into the opposite switching position (FIG. 4).

(22) Drive fluid AF then flows to the bottom side 45 of the first drive piston 11 according to the arrows P5, P6. The drive piston 11, as well as the second drive piston 13 and the first high-pressure piston 15 and the second high-pressure piston 17, moves to the left in the plane of the figure in FIG. 4 toward the opposite side. The pressure stroke is then performed in the first high-pressure part 8. A suction stroke is in turn performed on the other side in the second high-pressure part 9.

(23) During the movement of the first drive piston 11 to the left, air situated in the first drive chamber 10 can escape via the four/two-way valve 33 and the outlet 35 and the sound damper 36 according to the arrows P7. The second drive chamber 12 is aerated via the three-way valves 38, 39, with the result that air can escape according to the arrows P8.

(24) In this way, fluid for conveyance FF is conveyed from the source system 3 until the occurrence of force equilibrium on the drive side and the high-pressure side HS. The compressor 1 is consequently operated via the first drive part 6 and the first drive piston 11 over two thirds of the filling process. Only in the last third of the conveyance and compression process is the total force of the two drive pistons 11 and 13 required. The second drive part 7 is activated, and the second drive piston 13 is additionally subjected to drive fluid AF, in a manner dependent on the actual pressure pB.sub.actual resulting from force equilibrium on the drive side and on the high-pressure side HS. The compressor 1 then runs in two-piston mode and conveys and compresses fluid for conveyance FF into the target system 2 until attainment of the target pressure pZ.

(25) As can be seen in FIG. 5, in this second compression stage, drive fluid AF is guided to the top side 43 of the first drive piston 11 according to the arrows P1, P2 and, via the line paths 46, 47 and the three-way valve 38, to the bottom side 48 of the second drive piston 13 according to the arrows P9, P10. Displaced air on the opposite sides of the drive pistons 11 and 13 is discharged from the system via the line path 44 and the line path 50 and the second three-way valve 39, respectively (arrows P11, P12). A pressure stroke is performed in the second high-pressure part 9. A suction stroke is performed in the first high-pressure part 8.

(26) After the end position is reached, the system in turn effects a reversal. Both the first control unit 32 and the second control unit 37 perform a switchover, and working fluid AF can, as illustrated in FIG. 6, flow to the bottom side 45 of the first drive piston 11 and to the top side 51 of the second drive piston 13 according to the arrows P13, P14 and P15, P16, respectively, and move the arrangement composed of first drive piston 11 and second drive piston 13 and also first high-pressure piston 15 and second high-pressure piston 17 to the left in the plane of the figure in FIG. 6. Air can escape from the system via the arrows P17 and P18.

(27) In the first compression stage, the compressor 1 is operated only via the first drive part 6. In this way, the consumption of drive fluid AF can be reduced. Only in the second compression stage is the second drive part 7 activated, in order to obtain the desired end pressure or target pressure pZ during the compression process. The switchover is realized in a manner dependent on an actual pressure pB.sub.actual on the high-pressure side HS. A very high potential for reduction of the consumption costs for drive fluid AF and also in the filling time is possible, such as in the case of a large container volume and low entry pressures. By changing the activation pressure, that is to say the pressure at which the second drive part 7 is activated, with conditions otherwise the same, priority can be given, in a range, to the filling time or the consumption costs for drive fluid AF.

(28) The foregoing description of some embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.