SIDE CHANNEL COMPRESSOR FOR COMPRESSING A GAS

Abstract

A side channel compressor for compressing a gas includes a housing, in which a side channel is arranged, which can be supplied with gas via a feed channel formed within the housing for feeding gas to the side channel and a discharge channel formed within the housing for discharging gas out of the side channel, wherein in the housing an impeller drive is arranged, wherein the side channel compressor includes a drive control for regulating and/or controlling the impeller drive. The impeller drive includes an impeller which on the output side engages in the side channel of the housing in order to drivingly interact with a gas. The side channel is designed for redirecting the gas flowing through the side channel by at least 270°. The drive control includes an integrated pressure sensor for measuring a gas pressure of the gas flowing within the side channel.

Claims

1. A side channel compressor for compressing gas, the side channel compressor comprising: a housing, in which an annular side channel is formed, which is fluidically connected to a feed channel formed within the housing for feeding gas to the side channel and to a discharge channel formed within the housing for discharging gas out of the side channel; an impeller drive arranged in the housing, which on the output side engages with an impeller in the side channel in order to drive gas located therein; a drive control arranged on the housing for regulating and/or controlling the impeller drive, and wherein the drive control comprises an integrated pressure sensor for measuring a gas pressure of the gas flowing within the side channel.

2. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein the drive control forms an assembly unit with the pressure sensor which is attached to the housing.

3. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein the side channel compressor comprises a riser channel which penetrates the housing at least in sections, which fluidically connects the pressure sensor with the side channel.

4. The side channel compressor according to claim 3, wherein the riser channel, forming a channel mouth, opens in the feed channel or in the discharge channel or in the side channel.

5. The side channel compressor according to claim 3, wherein the riser channel defines a pressure sensor mouth, on which the pressure sensor is fluidically communicate arranged in order to fluidically connect the pressure sensor with the discharge channel or the feed channel or the side channel.

6. The side channel compressor according to claim 5, wherein between the pressure sensor mouth of the riser channel and the pressure sensor a pressure riser line which with respect to the pressure sensor and the housing is separate and integral, in order to fluidically connect the pressure sensor with the riser channel.

7. The side channel compressor according to claim 6, wherein the pressure rise line is fixed to the pressure sensor in an integrally bonded manner and touchingly plugged into the pressure sensor mouth.

8. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein the drive control comprises a circuit board holder, a control circuit board held thereon and a housing cover, wherein the circuit board holder is arranged on the housing, wherein the housing cover, subject to interposing a housing sealing means, sealingly lies against the circuit board holder and completely covers the control circuit board all round.

9. The side channel compressor according to claim 8, wherein the pressure sensor is directly soldered to the control circuit board.

10. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged, sandwich-like, on the one hand between the control circuit board and the circuit board holder on the other hand, and wherein the pressure sensor touchingly supports itself on the circuit board holder.

11. The side channel compressor according to claim 8, wherein the housing cover is fixed to the housing with fastening screws, wherein the fastening screws each engage through a centering tab protrudingly arranged on the circuit board holder, in order to align the circuit board holder, the control circuit board and the pressure sensor with respect to the housing cover, the housing and the riser channel.

12. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein on the pressure sensor an ambient reference pressure is provided via a diaphragm arranged in the drive control.

13. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged suspended in the housing of the side channel compressor, such that liquid precipitating on the pressure sensor can drain by the force of gravity.

14. The side channel compressor according to claim 1, wherein: the side channel is designed for redirecting the gas flowing through the side channel by at least 270°, the feed channel branches into two separate channel arms each extending along a channel arm center axis, the discharge channel is passed through between the two channel arms, and the riser channel, forming a channel mouth, opens out on one or on both channel arms of the feed channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a side channel compressor according to the disclosure and

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the side channel compressor from FIG. 1 according to a section plane drawn in there in viewing direction of an arrow II.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The two FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred exemplary embodiment of a side channel compressor altogether marked with 1 which serves for compressing gas, for example air or blow-by gas of an internal combustion engine. In FIG. 1, a perspective view of the side channel compressor 1 is noticeable, which comprises a housing marked with the reference number 2. The housing 2 for its part has an internal installation chamber in which exemplarily at least one impeller drive 4 for driving gas through a side channel 5 formed by the housing 2 is arranged.

[0030] The side channel 5 is exemplarily designed for redirecting the flowing gas by 270° and fluidically connected to a feed channel 8 formed with the housing 2 and a discharge channel 13 likewise formed within the housing 2. Here, the feed channel 8 serves for feeding gas to the side channel 5 and the discharge channel 13 for discharging gas out of the side channel 5. According to FIG. 1, the feed channel 8 branches into two separate channel arms 9′, 9″ each extending along a channel arm center axis 10. The channel arms 9′, 9″ open out on the housing 2 in order to each form a gas inlet for gas there. The channel arms 9′, 9″ are spaced apart from one another in the direction of a transverse axis connecting the two channel arm center axes 10, so that the discharge channel 13 can be guided within the housing 2 so that it passes through between the two channel arm 9′, 9″. The discharge channel 13, opens out on the housing 2 forming a gas outlet for gas. According to this type, the side channel compressor 1 can be embodied in a relatively compact manner.

[0031] In order to drive gas through the side channel 5, the mentioned impeller drive 4 has an impeller 7 on the output side. The impeller 7 for its part has at least multiple impeller blades which are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which engage in the side channel 5 of the housing 2 in order to drivingly interact with the gas.

[0032] In order to control the impeller drive 4 in a regulated manner, the side channel compressor 1, furthermore, comprises a drive control 6 touchingly attached to the housing 2, which is exemplarily designed for regulating the impeller drive 4.

[0033] It is substantial that the drive control 6 comprises an integrated pressure sensor 14 for measuring a gas pressure of the gas flowing within the side channel 5 of the feed channel 8 and/or of the discharge channel 13, see FIGS. 1 and 2. By way of this, the drive control 6 and the pressure sensor 14 practically form an integral assembly unit 3 which in particular as part of the manufacture of the side channel compressor 1, can be handled relatively easily. In order to measure the gas pressure of the gas in the side channel 5, it is necessary that the pressure sensor 14 is impinged on by gas or gas pressure. For this purpose, gas from the side channel 5 has to reach the pressure sensor 14. For this purpose, the side channel compressor 1 has an internal riser channel 15 penetrating the housing 2 in sections, which, forming a channel mouth 17, exemplarily opens out at one end in the channel arm 9″ of the feed channel 8 and on the other hand defines a pressure sensor mouth 18, on which the pressure sensor 14 is touchingly arranged. In this way, the pressure sensor 14 can communicate with the gas through the riser channel or be impinged with gas pressure, i.e., exemplarily fluidically communicate with the gas in the channel arm 9″ of the feed channel 8. In summary, the riser channel 15 makes it possible to arrange the pressure sensor 14 spaced apart from the side channel 5, from the feed channel 8 and from the discharge channel 13, which favors the integratability of the pressure sensor 14. In order to avoid leakages between the riser channel 15 and the pressure sensor 14 in practice, a riser channel sealing means 16 can be arranged between the riser channel 15 and the pressure sensor 14, see FIG. 2.

[0034] According to FIG. 2, a sectional view of the side channel compressor 1 from FIG. 1 is illustrated according to a section plane in the viewing direction of an arrow II drawn in there. It is noticeable, among other things, that the drive control 6 of the side channel compressor 1 comprises a circuit board holder 20, a control circuit board 21 held thereon and a housing cover 22. The pressure sensor 14 is directly soldered to the control circuit board 21, for example by way of pressure sensor housing lugs, wherein the control circuit board 21 for its part is fixed to the circuit board holder 20. The circuit board holder 20 for its part is touchingly attached to the housing 2, namely exemplarily from outside above, on a housing side of the housing 2 opposite the side channel 5. Interposing a housing sealing means 23, the housing cover 22 is sealingly placed against the circuit board holder 20. Thus, the control circuit board 21 is completely covered by the housing cover 22 so that it is held all round protected from interference influences and fixed to the housing 2 of the side channel compressor 1. In order for the housing cover 22 and the circuit board holder 20 to be firmly and captively seated on the housing 2 during the operation of the side channel compressor 1, the housing cover 22 is exemplarily fixed to the housing 2 with four fastening screws 24, see FIG. 1. Here, the circuit board holder 20 is tightly clamped between the housing cover 22 and the housing 2. The four fastening screws 24 each engage through a centering tab 25 arranged on the circuit board holder 20, in order to center the circuit board holder 20. By way of this, a perfect operation of the side channel compressor 1 can be ensured.

[0035] In FIG. 2 it is also noticeable that in the pressure sensor mouth 18 of the riser channel 15 and the pressure sensor 14 a pressure riser line 19 penetrating the riser channel sealing means 16 which, with respect to the pressure sensor 14, the housing 2 and the riser channel sealing means 16, is configured separately, integrally and hollow-cylindrically, is arranged, which fluidically connects the pressure sensor 14 with the riser channel 15. Exemplarily, the pressure riser line 19 is fixed to the pressure sensor 14 in an integrally bonded manner and touchingly plugged in on the pressure sensor mouth 18, so that it projects some distance into the riser channel 15. By way of this, the pressure rise line 19 bridges a distance between the pressure sensor 14 and the riser channel 15 that is conditional on the design.

[0036] In FIG. 2, the pressure sensor 14 is exemplarily embodied as relative pressure sensor, for the purpose of which the same is impinged on with an ambient reference pressure. The ambient reference pressure is tapped off from the surroundings (atmospheric pressure) of the side channel compressor 1 and provided on the pressure sensor 14 with a diaphragm 26 arranged in the drive control 6. Furthermore, the pressure sensor 14 according to FIG. 2 is arranged suspended in the housing 2 so that liquid precipitating on the pressure sensor 14 can drain downwards by the force of gravity.

[0037] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.