Screw compressor

Abstract

A screw compressor 2 includes a compressor main body 4, a motor 8, and a gearbox 10. The compressor main body 4 includes screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d, rotor casings 5e and 6e accommodating therein the screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d, and main body casings 5a and 6a accommodating therein the rotor casings 5e and 6e, the main body casings being provided with first flanges 5b and 6b on respective ends thereof. The motor 8 drives the screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d via gears 10f and 10g. The gearbox 10 has an attachment surface Son which the first flange 6b to the main body casings 5a and 6a is attached, accommodates therein the gears 10f and 10g, and has a substantially rectangular shape. In a state where the compressor main body 4 is attached to the gearbox 10, a part of the first flange 6b extends to an outside of the attachment surface S, and projection regions of the rotor casings 5e and 6e onto the attachment surface S exist within the attachment surface S. In this way, vibrations of the screw compressor 2 can be reduced.

Claims

1. A screw compressor, comprising: a compressor main body being of a two stage type including a low-pressure stage compressor main body which includes screw rotors, a rotor casing accommodating therein the screw rotors, and a main body casing accommodating therein the rotor casing, the main body casing having a first flange provided on an end thereof; an electric motor for driving the screw rotors via a gear; and a gearbox, which has a rectangle shape, accommodating therein the gear, having an attachment surface on which the first flange of the main body casing is attached, wherein in a state where the main body casing of the low-pressure stage compressor main body is attached to the gearbox, a part of the first flange extends to an outside of the attachment surface, and a projection region of the rotor casing in its entirety exists within the attachment surface where the projection region of the rotor casing is a region projected in a direction vertical to the attachment surface, and wherein the compressor main body is disposed at the gearbox such that a strong axis direction of the main body casing against vibration is within a range from −45 degrees to +45 degrees with respect to a weak axis direction of the gearbox against the vibration.

2. The screw compressor according to claim 1, wherein the compressor main body includes the low-pressure stage compressor main body and a high-pressure stage compressor main body for further compressing gas compressed by the low-pressure stage compressor main body, and wherein a part of a projection region of a side wall of the main body casing of the low-pressure stage compressor main body onto the attachment surface exists outside the attachment surface.

3. The screw compressor according to claim 2, wherein the gearbox is provided with a stiffening rib extended in a longitudinal direction thereof within the attachment surface.

4. The screw compressor according to claim 2, wherein the gearbox is provided with an embedded oil pipe extended in a longitudinal direction thereof within the attachment surface.

5. The screw compressor according to claim 2, wherein the gearbox has upper side corners to which the compressor main body is connected so as to be within the attachment surface, and lower side corners with second flanges.

6. The screw compressor according to claim 5, wherein the gearbox is connected to a separate structure at the second flanges.

7. The screw compressor according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox is provided with a stiffening rib extended in a longitudinal direction thereof within the attachment surface.

8. The screw compressor according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox is provided with an embedded oil pipe extended in a longitudinal direction thereof within the attachment surface.

9. The screw compressor according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox has upper side corners to which the compressor main body is connected so as to be within the attachment surface, and lower side corners with second flanges.

10. The screw compressor according to claim 9, wherein the gearbox is connected to a separate structure at the second flanges.

11. A screw compressor, comprising: a compressor main body including screw rotors, a rotor casing accommodating therein the screw rotors, and a main body casing accommodating therein the rotor casing, the main body casing having a first flange provided on an end thereof; an electric motor for driving the screw rotors via a gear; and a gearbox, which has a rectangle shape, accommodating therein the gear, having an attachment surface on which the first flange of the main body casing is attached, wherein in a state where the main body casing is attached to the gearbox, a part of the first flange extends to an outside of the attachment surface, and a projection region of the rotor casing in its entirety exists within the attachment surface where the projection region of the rotor casing is a region projected in a direction vertical to the attachment surface, and wherein the compressor main body is disposed at the gearbox such that a strong axis direction of the main body casing against vibration is within a range from −45 degrees to +45 degrees with respect to a weak axis direction of the gearbox against the vibration.

12. A screw compressor, comprising: a compressor main body including screw rotors, a rotor casing accommodating therein the screw rotors, and a main body casing accommodating therein the rotor casing, the main body casing having a first flange provided on an end thereof; an electric motor for driving the screw rotors via a gear; and a gearbox, which has a rectangle shape, accommodating therein the gear, having an attachment surface on which the first flange of the main body casing is attached, wherein in a state where the main body casing is attached to the gearbox, a part of the first flange extends to an outside of the attachment surface, and a projection region of the rotor casing in its entirety exists within the attachment surface where the projection region of the rotor casing is a region projected in a direction vertical to the attachment surface, wherein the compressor main body includes a low-pressure stage compressor main body and a high-pressure stage compressor main body for further compressing gas compressed by the low-pressure stage compressor main body; wherein a part of a projection region of a side wall of a main body casing of the low-pressure stage compressor main body onto the attachment surface exists outside the attachment surface; and wherein the compressor main body is disposed at the gearbox such that a strong axis direction of the main body casing of the low-pressure stage compressor main body against vibration is within a range from −45 degrees to +45 degrees with respect to a weak axis direction of the gearbox against the vibration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a screw compressor according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the screw compressor shown in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the screw compressor shown in FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main body casing and a rotor casing of a low-pressure stage compressor main body shown in FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main body casing and a rotor casing of a high-pressure stage compressor main body shown in FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the positional relationship between the compressor main body and a gearbox.

(7) FIG. 7 is a side view showing a conventional positional relationship between a compressor main body and a gearbox.

(8) FIG. 8 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the compressor main body and the gearbox in the present invention.

(9) FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the positional relationship between the strong axes and the weak axes of the compressor main body and gearbox.

(10) FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an inner surface of a front plate in the gearbox shown in FIG. 1.

(11) FIG. 11 is a front view of a screw compressor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

(12) FIG. 12 is a side view of the screw compressor shown in FIG. 11.

(13) FIG. 13 is a front view showing a modified example of the screw compressor shown in FIG. 11.

(14) FIG. 14 is a side view of the screw compressor shown in FIG. 13.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(15) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

(16) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a screw compressor 2 of the present embodiment includes a compressor main body 4, a motor (electric motor) 8, and a gearbox 10. The gearbox 10 is installed on a floor surface and disposed between the motor 8 and the compressor main body 4. The motor 8 and the compressor main body 4 are attached to the gearbox 10. The motor 8 is installed at the floor surface via a support member 12. The compressor main body 4 is supported by the gearbox 10.

(17) As also shown in FIG. 3, the compressor main body 4 is of a two-stage type and includes a low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and a high-pressure stage compressor main body 6. The low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 include main body casings 5a and 6a, respectively. First flanges 5b and 6b are provided as parts of the main body casings 5a and 6a at the ends of the main body casings 5a and 6a, respectively. The compressor main body 4 is connected to the gearbox 10 by bolting via the first flanges 5b and 6b.

(18) A pair of male and female screw rotors 5c and 5d and a pair of male and female screw rotors 6c and 6d are disposed within the main body casings 5a and 6a, respectively, in a state of being accommodated in the rotor casings 5e and 6e. The screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d are integrated with rotating shafts 5f, 5g, 6f, and 6g that extend through the centers of the screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d, respectively. The rotating shafts 5f, 5g, 6f and 6g are pivotally supported rotatably on bearings 5h to 5k and 6h to 6k, respectively. A timing gear 5l is attached to one end of each of the rotating shafts 5f and 5g, and a timing gear 6l is attached to one end of each of the rotating shafts 6f and 6g. Through the timing gears 5l and 6l, the male rotors 5c and 6c and the female rotors 5d and 6d are rotatable without coming into direct contact with each other. The other ends of the rotating shafts 5g and 6g of the female rotors 5d and 6d extend into the gearbox 10 through holes provided in the front plate 10a of the gearbox 10. Pinion gears 10g and 10h are attached to the other ends of the rotating shafts 5f and 6f of the male rotors 5c and 6c, respectively.

(19) The gearbox 10 is a box closed by the front plate 10a, a rear plate 10b, two side plates 10c and 10c, a bottom plate 10d, and a top plate 10e. The front plate 10a and the rear plate 10b are substantially rectangular, that is, the gearbox 10 has a substantially rectangular shape in the front view. By forming the gearbox 10 in the substantially rectangular shape, the size and cost of the gearbox 10 can be reduced, compared to a case where the gearbox 10 having a circular shape is connected to the compressor main body 4. A bull gear 10f and the pinion gears 10g and 10h are accommodated in the gearbox 10. In the gearbox 10, the pinion gears 10g and 10h are meshed with the bull gear 10f attached to an end of a motor rotary shaft 8a. The motor rotary shaft 8a extends into the gearbox 10 through a hole formed in the rear plate 10b of the gearbox 10. The motor rotary shaft 8a is pivotally supported rotatably. In the present embodiment, the outer surface of the front plate 10a serves as an attachment surface S of the compressor main body 4.

(20) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 include the main body casings 5a and 6a that accommodate therein rotor casings 5e and 6e, respectively. The first flanges 5b and 6b for attachment to the gearbox 10 are provided at the ends of the main body casings 5a and 6a. The first flanges 5b and 6b have substantially the same thickness as side walls 5m and 6m, and extend outward in the radial direction from the respective side walls 5m and 6m of the main body casings 5a and 6a. The low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 draws gas from an intake port 5n into the rotor casing 5e, compresses the gas by the screw rotors 5c and 5d (see FIG. 3), and then discharges the compressed gas from a discharge port 5o to the outside of the main body casing 5a. The high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 draws gas from an intake port 6n into the rotor casing 6e, compresses the gas by the screw rotors 6c and 6d (see FIG. 3), and then discharges the compressed gas from a discharge port 6o to the outside of the main body casing 6a. The discharge port 5o of the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and the intake port 6n of the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 are fluidly connected together by piping (not shown). The gas drawn and compressed in the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 is supplied to the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 and further compressed therein to be then discharged therefrom.

(21) Referring to FIG. 6, an attachment arrangement of the compressor main body 4 onto the gearbox 10 will be described below. The compressor main body 4 (the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6) is attached in the vicinity of both corners on the upper side of the gearbox 10 in the front view. In a state where the compressor main body 4 is attached to the gearbox 10, parts of the first flanges 5b and 6b are extended upward to the outside of the attachment surface S (hatched region A1). A projection region of each of the rotor casings 5e and 6e onto the attachment surface S exists within the attachment surface S (hatched region A2). Here, the term projection region means a region projected in the direction vertical to the attachment surface S (including an extended surface).

(22) Vibration of the compressor main body 4 occurs at a frequency corresponding to the rotational speeds of the screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c, and 6d. In a case where the rotational speeds of the screw rotors are inverter controlled for energy saving, when the rotational speed changes depending on a load, the compressor main body 4 and the gearbox 10 resonate with each other if the natural frequency of the compressor main body is identical to the natural frequency of the gearbox 10, leading to increased vibrations in some cases. In the attachment arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an attachment portion of the compressor main body 4 tends to excite the vibration mode in which vibrations propagate in the thickness direction of the gearbox 10. Thus, the resonance in the vibration mode needs to be suppressed to reduce the vibration. To suppress the resonance in the vibration mode, the natural frequency of the gearbox 10 should be made higher than the rotational speed of the compressor main body 4.

(23) With the configuration shown in FIG. 6, the natural frequency of the gearbox with the compressor main body attached in the vibration mode can be made higher than the rotational speed of the compressor main body 4 in the vibration mode of generating vibrations in the thickness direction of the gearbox 10. Thus, the resonance between the compressor main body 4 and the gearbox 10 can be suppressed without any additional component to reduce vibrations of the screw compressor. To explain this in detail, a difference between the present invention and the conventional invention will be confirmed below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIGS. 7 and 8 omit the illustration of the motor 8.

(24) The difference between both cases shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is the attachment position of the compressor main body 4 onto the gearbox 10. In the conventional screw compressor 2 shown in FIG. 7, the first flange 5b is located within the attachment surface S of the gearbox 10. However, in the screw compressor 2 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the tip end part (dashed hatched part) of the gearbox 10 is removed, whereby a part of the first flange 5b extends to the outside of the attachment surface S.

(25) Regarding the arrangement shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, assuming that the gearbox 10 to which the compressor main body 4 is attached is approximated as a cantilever beam having a mass body at the tip, the natural frequency ω in the vibration mode can be expressed by the following equation (1).

(26) $\begin{array}{cc}\left[\mathrm{Formula}1\right]& \\ \omega =\sqrt{\frac{3\mathrm{EI}}{\left(m+\frac{33}{140}M\right)L^3}}& \left(1\right)\end{array}$
where
ω: natural frequency
m: mass of the compressor main body (mass body)
M: mass of the gearbox (beam)
E: Young's modulus of the gearbox (beam)
L: length of the gearbox (beam)
I: area moment of inertia of gearbox (beam)

(27) In the case of a cantilever beam, the contribution to the stiffness is significant at the fixed end part and becomes smaller as being farther away from the fixed end. That is, the contribution to the rigidity is the lowest at the tip end side of the cantilever beam. In contrast, the contribution to the mass is the highest at the tip end side, while being lower at the fixed end side. For this reason, in order to increase the natural frequency ω by decreasing the mass without reducing the rigidity, it is effective to reduce the mass of the tip end side, which contributes little to the rigidity. Although the length of the beam is preferably short, the positions of drive systems, such as the motor 8 and the gears 10f to 10h, are restricted in the screw compressor 2 in many cases, and further the installation position of the compressor main body 4 cannot be changed. Consequently, the length L of the beam (gearbox 10) cannot be changed significantly. Therefore, it is effective to remove the tip end of the gearbox 10, thereby reducing the mass M of the gearbox 10 from the mass M1 to the mass M2. This makes it possible to effectively reduce the mass on the tip end side of the cantilever beam with little reduction in its rigidity. When applying to the formula (1), the mass M of the gearbox 10 can be reduced without significantly changing the Young's modulus E and the area moment of inertia, thereby making it possible to increase the natural frequency ω.

(28) In the specific configuration of the present embodiment, the tip end (upper) part of the gearbox 10 is removed to extend a part of the first flange 5b to the outside of the attachment surface S, thereby decreasing the mass of the tip end part of the gearbox 10, thus increasing the natural frequency in the vibration mode. However, in the configuration in which a part of the first flange 5b is extended to the outside of the attachment surface S of the gearbox 10, if an extension amount of the part is set extremely large in order to decrease the mass of the tip end part of the gearbox 10, the rigidity of a connection portion between the compressor main body 4 and the gearbox 10 is reduced, which would result in an increase of vibrations of the screw compressor. Thus, in the present embodiment, the extension amount is limited so that the projection regions of the rotor casings 5e and 6e on the attachment surface S exist in the attachment surface S, whereby the rigidity of the connection portion between the compressor main body 4 and the gearbox 10 is maintained at a certain level or more. In particular, since the first flange 5b in the main body casings 5a and 6a of the compressor main body 4 is integrated with the gearbox 10 in the above-mentioned range of the extension amount, the effect of enhancing the rigidity of the connection portion can be obtained as if the thickness of the first flange 6b were increased. Therefore, the rigidity of the connection portion does not need to be enhanced only by the main body casings 5a and 6a.

(29) As shown in FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, a part of a projection region, onto the attachment surface S, of the side wall 5m (see FIG. 4) of the main body casing 5a in the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 exists outside the attachment surface S (hatched region A3).

(30) The low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 has a larger mass than the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6, so that in the gearbox 10, the natural frequency of the attachment portion of the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 is lower than the natural frequency of the attachment portion of the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6. Because of this, the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 is more likely to resonate than the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6. Therefore, in the attachment portion of the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5, increasing the natural frequency by decreasing the mass of the tip end part of the gearbox 10 is effective for suppressing the resonance between the compressor main body and the gearbox to reduce vibrations. The part of the projection region of the side wall 5m of the main body casing 5a onto the attachment surface S exists outside the attachment surface (hatched region A3), so that the mass of the tip end part of the gearbox 10 can be further decreased to increase the natural frequency in the vibration mode.

(31) Referring to FIG. 9, an attachment angle at which the compressor main body 4 is attached to the gearbox 10 will be described below. FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the compressor main body 4 separated from the gearbox 10 in a state where the attachment angle is maintained in the front view. The compressor main body 4 is preferably disposed at the gearbox 10 such that the strong axis direction ds of each of the main body casings 5a and 6a falls within a range of −45 degrees to +45 degrees relative to the weak axis direction Dw of the gearbox 10 against the vibration. More preferably, as shown in FIG. 9, the compressor main body may be fixed to the gearbox 10 with the positional relationship in which the strong axis direction ds of each of the main body casings 5a and 6a completely coincides with the weak axis direction Dw of the gearbox 10. Here, the strong axes Ds and ds and the weak axes Dw and ds are defined as directions perpendicular to the thickness direction of the gearbox 10 at which vibrations should be considered. The strong axes Ds and ds are the main axes on which the area moment of inertia is at the maximum, and the weak axes Dw and dw are the main axes on which the area moment of inertia is at the minimum. At this time, the directions of the strong axes Ds and ds correspond to the directions in which vibration is more likely to occur, and the directions of the weak axes Dw and dw correspond to the directions in which vibrations are less likely to occur.

(32) By arranging the main body casings 5a and 6a with respect to the gearbox 10 such that the strong axis direction ds of each of the main body casings 5a and 6a overlaps with the weak axis direction Dw of the gearbox 10 within the range of −45 degrees to +45 degrees, the rigidity of the main body casings 5a and 6a and the gearbox 10 as an integrated structure can be effectively increased. That is, the main body casings 5a and 6a are disposed with respect to the gearbox 10 such that the direction in which the main body casings 5a and 6a are less likely to vibrate overlaps with the direction in which the gearbox 10 is more likely to vibrate, thereby making it possible to reduce vibrations of the integrated structure.

(33) Referring to FIG. 10, the inner surface shape of the front plate 10a of the gearbox 10 will be described below. The front plate 10a of the gearbox 10 is substantially rectangular and is provided with two circular attachment holes 10j and 10k for attaching the low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and the high-pressure stage compressor main body 6 in the vicinity of both corners on the upper side of the front plate, respectively. A stiffening rib 101 is provided at the inner surface of the gearbox 10 in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) within the attachment surface S. The stiffening rib 101 has a convex shape on the inner surface of the front plate 10a, and is provided to extend from a lower end of the front plate 10a in the gearbox 10 to the attachment hole 10j in the vertical direction and to be within the range of the attachment hole 10j in the horizontal direction. In particular, when the gearbox 10 is rectangular, the rigidity of the gearbox 10 in the longitudinal direction is relatively low. Because of this, reinforcement of the gearbox 10 by providing the stiffening ribs 101 in the longitudinal direction is effective for increasing the rigidity of the gearbox 10. Thus, the rigidity of the gearbox 10 in the vibration mode can be effectively enhanced. To further enhance the rigidity, the stiffening rib 101 may connect the front plate 10a and the rear plate 10b together.

(34) The front plate 10a of the gearbox 10 is provided with an embedded oil pipe 10m in the longitudinal direction within the attachment surface S. In the gearbox 10, lubricating oil needs to be supplied to meshing parts between a bull gear 10f and pinion gears 10g and 10h, the bearings 5h to 5k and 6h to 6k that support the rotating shafts 5f, 5g, 6f and 6g of the screw rotors 5c, 5d, 6c and 6d and the motor rotary shaft 8a.

(35) With this configuration, like the above-mentioned stiffening rib 101, the embedded oil pipe 10m can be utilized for stiffening. Further, the oil pipe 10m can be used to supply the lubricating oil to each site required in the compressor main body 4. Especially, the embedded oil pipe eliminates the need to perform a piping operation at the time of assembly, and makes it possible to suppress oil leakage at connection locations of the piping.

Second Embodiment

(36) In a screw compressor 2 of the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, second flanges 10n are provided at the attachment surface S of the gearbox 10. The present embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 except for this point. Therefore, the description of the same parts as those mentioned in the first embodiment will be omitted.

(37) The compressor main body 4 (low-pressure stage compressor main body 5 and high-pressure stage compressor main body 6) is connected to both corners on the upper side of the gearbox 10 within the attachment surface S, and further the gearbox 10 has the second flanges 10n on both corners on the lower side thereof. Each second flange 10n is rectangular in the front view and has a thickness that is substantially the same as the thickness of the front plate 10a. The second flanges 10n extend outward away from the gearbox 10 in the horizontal direction on the attachment surface S of the front plate 10a. By providing the second flanges 10n on the attachment surface S of the gearbox 10, the thickness of the front plate 10a is increased, so that the rigidity of the gearbox 10 against the vibration mode can be further improved.

(38) A modified example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. In the present modified example, the gearbox 10 is connected to a separate cooler (structure) 14 at the second flange 10n. This configuration eliminates the need to separately support the gearbox 10 and the cooler 14, and can further improve the rigidity of the gearbox 10 in the vibration mode. In addition, the cooler 14 is a pressure vessel and hence has a high rigidity. Owing to this, when the cooler 14 is attached to the gearbox 10, the rigidity of the gearbox in the vicinity of the attachment position of the cooler 14 becomes relatively high, compared to the rigidity of the gearbox in the vicinity of the attachment position of the compressor main body 4 other than the cooler 4. As a result, the attachment part of the cooler 14 acts as a fixed end, thereby making it possible to obtain the effect of increasing the natural frequency as if the axial length of the cantilever beam were shortened.