Ejector arrangement

Abstract

An ejector arrangement (1) is provided comprising a housing (5), at least two ejectors (2) arranged in said housing (5), each ejector (2) having a motive inlet (3), a suction inlet (29), an outlet (11) and a longitudinal axis (17). Such an arrangement should have a simple construction. To this end said suction inlet (29) of said ejectors (2) are connected by means of fluid paths to a common suction line (8).

Claims

1. An ejector arrangement comprising a housing, at least two ejectors arranged in said housing, each ejector having a motive inlet, a suction inlet, an outlet, and a longitudinal axis, the motive inlets of said ejectors being connected to a common motive line, wherein said suction inlets of said ejectors are connected by means of fluid paths to a common suction line, wherein each ejector is placed within a cartridge, each cartridge being arranged in said housing, and wherein each cartridge comprises a control valve controlling said motive inlet of each ejector within each cartridge.

2. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said motive line and said suction line are arranged parallel to each other.

3. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said outlets of said ejectors are connected to a common outlet line, said outlet line being arranged in parallel to at least one of said motive line and said suction line.

4. The ejector arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said longitudinal axis is arranged perpendicular to at least one of said suction line and said outlet line.

5. The ejector arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said suction line is placed between said motive line and said outlet line.

6. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, said control valve preferably having a valve seat which is aligned with a motive nozzle of each ejector in each cartridge.

7. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge comprises an outlet channel, said outlet channel crossing said suction line.

8. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge comprises a non-return valve placed in a fluid path of said fluid paths.

9. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a fluid path of said fluid paths from said suction line to said suction inlet comprises a 90? turn leaving said suction line and a 180? turn entering each ejector within each cartridge.

10. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said common suction line and an outlet line are connected to each other by means of a bypass-valve.

11. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one ejector is replaced by a dummy unit having the same interface to said housing as said at least one ejector.

12. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said suction line comprises a gas suction inlet and a separate liquid suction inlet.

13. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a monolithic structure.

14. The ejector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least two ejectors of said at least two ejectors have different capacities.

15. The ejector arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said outlets of said ejectors are connected to a common outlet line, said outlet line being arranged in parallel to at least one of said motive line and said suction line.

16. The ejector arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said suction line is placed between said motive line and said outlet line.

17. The ejector arrangement according to claim 9, wherein a non-return valve is placed between said 90? turn and said 180? turn.

18. The ejector arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said non-return valve is placed symmetrically around said longitudinal axis.

19. The ejector arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said bypass-valve has the same interface to said housing as an ejector.

20. The ejector arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said suction line is divided in a gas section and a liquid section.

21. An ejector arrangement comprising: a housing; a first ejector and a second ejector arranged in the housing; wherein the first ejector includes a first motive inlet, a first suction inlet, a first outlet and a first longitudinal axis; wherein the second ejector includes a second motive inlet, a second suction inlet, a second outlet and a second longitudinal axis; wherein the first ejector and the second ejector are connected to a common motive line; where the first suction inlet is connected to a common suction line by a first fluid path; wherein the second suction inlet is connected to the common suction line by a second fluid path; wherein the first ejector is arranged within a first cartridge; wherein the second ejector is arranged within a second cartridge; wherein the first cartridge and the second cartridge are arranged in the housing; wherein the first cartridge comprises a first control valve configured to control the first motive inlet; and wherein the second cartridge comprises a second control valve configured to control the second motive inlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred example of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an ejector arrangement,

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of the ejector arrangement,

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of the ejector arrangement,

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the ejector arrangement,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a cartridge of a single ejector,

(7) FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a cartridge according to FIG. 5, and

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional view according to FIG. 6 showing a closed non-return valve,

(9) FIG. 8 is a side view of a dummy unit,

(10) FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the dummy unit according to FIG. 8, and

(11) FIG. 10 is a top view of the dummy unit according to FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) An ejector arrangement 1 comprises a plurality of ejectors 2, in the present example the ejector arrangement comprises six ejectors 2. Each ejector 2 has a motive inlet 3 which is connected to a motive line 4. The motive line 4 is formed by a channel drilled in a housing 5 which accommodates all ejectors 2. A flow path 6 for a motive fluid is shown. The motive fluid is supplied via a motive fluid supply port 7 provided at the housing 5.

(13) A suction line 8 common to all ejectors 2 is provided in the housing 5 as well and opens into an ejector via a suction inlet 29. Suction fluid is supplied via a suction fluid supply port 9. A flow path 10 for a suction fluid is shown with a line. The suction line 8 is a channel or duct drilled into the housing 5. The suction line 8 runs parallel to the motive line 4 within the housing 5. The motive line 4 and the suction line 8 are arranged in a common plane, at least the center axis of the two lines 4, 8 are arranged in a common plane.

(14) Each ejector 2 has an outlet 11. The outlets 11 of all ejectors 2 are connected to a common outlet line 12. In a preferred embodiment this outlet line 12 is arranged in parallel to the motive line 4 and the suction line 8. The central axis of the motive line 4, of the suction line 8 and of the outlet line 12 are arranged in a common plane.

(15) The outlet line 12 is connected to an outlet port 13 arranged at the housing.

(16) The flow path 10 has a 90? turn 14 when the suction fluid leaves the suction line 8 and a 180? turn 15 when the flow path enters the ejector 2, i.e. at the suction inlet 29.

(17) A valve element 16 of a non-return valve is arranged in the flow path 10 of the suction fluid. The valve element 16 is placed symmetrically around a longitudinal axis 17 of the ejector 2. The valve element is lifted off a valve seat 18 by a pressure differential caused by the suction fluid flowing along the flow path 10. It is closed, e.g. the valve element 16 is pressed against the valve seat 18, when the pressure downstream the valve element 16 is greater than the pressure in the suction line 8.

(18) Each ejector 2 is controlled by a control valve 19. The control valve 19 is driven by a solenoid 20. The control valve 19 can be an on/off-valve operated in a pulse modulated manner. The control valve 19 opens and closes the motive inlet 3. The control valve 19 comprises a valve seat 30 which is aligned with a motive nozzle 31 of the ejector 2 (FIG. 6). Such an alignment reduces the pressure difference across the ejector 2.

(19) Each ejector 2 is assembled in a cartridge 21. The cartridge 21 comprises all elements of the ejector 2, e.g. the valve element 16 and the valve seat 18 of the non-return valve and the control valve 19 and the solenoid 20 controlling the motive inlet 3.

(20) FIG. 6 shows a non-return valve 16, 18 in an open condition and FIG. 7 shows the non-return valve 16, 18 in a closed condition in which the valve element 16 rests against the valve seat 18.

(21) As can be seen in FIG. 5-7, the outlet 11 is arranged within a pipe 22. The pipe 22 crosses the suction line 8 (FIG. 1) so that it is possible to arrange the suction line 8 and the outlet line 12 in a common plane.

(22) In FIG. 1 it can be seen that the suction line 8 is divided into sections 8a, 8b which are separated by a part 23 of the housing 5 forming a wall between sections 8a, 8b. Separation into sections 8a, 8b makes it possible to reserve one section 8a for the suction of a gaseous fluid and to use the other section 8b for a liquid fluid. The liquid fluid can be supplied via a liquid suction port 27. Furthermore, several auxiliary ports can be provided, i.e. a motive auxiliary port 25, a suction gas auxiliary port 26, a suction liquid auxiliary port 24 and a discharge auxiliary port 28. The auxiliary ports can, for example, be used as measuring ports or as service ports.

(23) An ejector 2 handling liquid fluid can also handle gaseous fluid. Therefore, it is possible to introduce gaseous fluid not only in the section 8a but also into section 8b.

(24) All cartridges 21 have the same outer dimensions so that the interface of all cartridges to the valve block is the same. However, the capacity of the ejectors 2 of different cartridges 21 can be different.

(25) In a way not shown in the drawing, the suction line 8 and the outlet line 12 can be connected by means of a bypass-valve. Such a bypass-valve can be a gas-bypass valve with variable or fixed differential pressure. The bypass-valve and the cartridges 21 have the same interface to the housing 2.

(26) At least one of the ejectors 2 shown in FIG. 1 can be replaced by a dummy unit 32 shown in FIG. 8-10. The dummy unit 32 shows a bore 33 so that said dummy unit 32 does not interrupt the motive line 4 when inserted into the housing 5. However, as it comes out from FIG. 9, the dummy unit 32 does not have any further channels so that there is no connection between the motive line 4, the section line 8 and the outlet line 12 via the dummy unit 32. However, the dummy unit 32 has the same interface as the cartridge 21 so that an ejector 2 can be replaced by a dummy unit 32 without any problem. The dummy unit 32 can be used to replace a defect cartridge 21 if no other spare part is available. The dummy unit 32 can be used as well to adapt the capacity of the ejector arrangement 1 to the needs of a user.

(27) As can be seen in FIG. 6, for example, the cartridge 21 has three axial seals 33, 34, 35. These axial seals come to rest against corresponding sealing faces within the housing 5. However, when the cartridge 21 is inserted into the housing 5, there is no frictional movement between the axial seals 33-35 and the housing 5.

(28) The housing 5 is formed as a monolithic structure. The housing 5 can be made, for example, of a block of material, like steel or brass, in which the channels forming the lines 4, 8, 12 are drilled and in which further openings are drilled to accommodate the cartridges 21, said dummy unit 32 or any other element like the bypass-valve mentioned above.

(29) In the present embodiment there have been shown two different ports for gas suction and liquid suction. However, gas and liquid suction can be combined in one piping before the connection to the housing and then enter through a two-phase suction.

(30) Ejectors 2 connected to said two-phase suction can as options be equipped with raisers for transportation separated liquid to the liquid chamber of an injector 2.

(31) The ejector 2 is not described in detail. Basically the ejector 2 has the motive fluid inlet 3 connected to a motive fluid nozzle. The suction inlet 29 of the ejector opens into a region in which the opening of the motive fluid nozzle opens as well. The combined flow of motive fluid and suction fluid enters a converging inlet nozzle which continues in a diverging outlet diffuser. The inlet nozzle and the outlet diffuser are connected by means of a diffuser throat. The converging-diverging nozzle accelerates the motive fluid which creates a low pressure zone that draws in and entrains the suction fluid. After passing through the diffuser throat of the ejector the mixed fluid expands and the velocity is reduced which results in recompressing the mixed fluids.

(32) While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.