Lubrication System For Piston Machines

Abstract

An invention refers to a lubricant injector, a lubrication system and a method for providing lubricant for a piston machine. The lubricant injector is provided with a lubricant inlet conduit and an outlet opening, through which a lubricant is supplied to an inner space to be lubricated of a piston machine. The outlet opening may be selectively opened and closed by means of a needle valve, which is actuated by a magnet coil. The lubricant injector has a flow sensor suitable for determining the quantity of lubricant delivered through the outlet opening.

Claims

1. A lubricant injector with a lubricant inlet conduit and an outlet opening, through which a lubricant is delivered into the inner space to be lubricated of a piston machine, wherein the outlet opening may be selectively opened and closed by means of a needle valve, which is actuated by a magnetic coil, wherein the lubricant injector has a flow sensor suitable for determining the quantity of lubricant delivered through the outlet opening, wherein the flow sensor has a permanent magnet, which is positioned in the flow path and which is movable along the flow direction, and which is subject to a restoring force, which acts against the flow direction, wherein at least one measuring coil, which is connected to an electronic unit, is positioned outside the flow path, in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet.

2. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is a flow sensor, which is suitable for determining the quantity of lubricant intermittently flowing through the flow path.

3. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein the electronic unit has an analog/digital converter, which converts measurement data determined by the flow sensor into a digital bit pattern, which may be transmitted during the passive phases of the magnet coil through a power supply line, preferably of the two-wire type, provided for the magnet coil, to a central control unit of a lubrication system.

4. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein the needle valve is subjected to a closing force acting in the closing direction.

5. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein a check valve is positioned between the flow sensor and the needle valve.

6. The lubricant injector of claim 5, wherein a valve spring of the check valve simultaneously engages the needle valve for generating the closing force.

7. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein the needle valve is provided with an armature, which is positioned inside an electromagnetic field of a magnet coil, wherein the magnet coil is positioned in a coil body, which is sealed with respect to the lubricant.

8. The lubricant injector of claim 7, wherein the coil body has a yoke, which opens towards the armature, wherein a coil support is inserted into the opening of the yoke.

9. The lubricant injector of claim 8, wherein at least one inner sealing element and one outer sealing element are provided between the coil support and the yoke, wherein the sealing elements are preferably O-rings.

10. The lubricant injector of claim 7, wherein the coil body has an annular shape, wherein the flow path extends through the center of the annular coil body.

11. The lubricant injector of claim 7, characterized in that heating elements for heating the lubricant are provided inside the coil body.

12. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the lubricant is provided inside the lubricant injector.

13. The lubricant injector of claim 1, wherein the outlet opening forms a flow screen.

14. A lubrication system for a piston machine with a plurality of lubricant injectors of claim 1, wherein the lubrication system has a central pressure supply for a lubricant and a pressure conduit system for the lubricant, which is connected to the lubricant inlet conduits of the lubricant injectors, and wherein each lubricant injector is connected through at least one power supply line to a central control unit.

15. The lubrication system of claim 14, wherein the electronic units have an analog/digital converter, which converts the determined measurement data into a digital bit pattern for transmission to the central control unit.

16. The lubrication system of claim 15, wherein the electronic units of the lubricant injectors use the preferably two-wire power supply line of the lubricant injectors as a communication line during passive phases of the respective lubricant injector.

17. A method for providing lubricant to a plurality of lubrication points of a piston machine with a lubrication system of claim 14, wherein the central control unit selectively activates and deactivates, in a time-controlled way, the plurality of lubricant injectors, based on the measurement data obtained from the flow sensors-46), for delivering a defined quantity of lubricant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, in case of detection of a malfunction or of an incorrect quantity delivered by one of the lubricant injectors, the central control unit compensates said malfunction or incorrect quantity by increasing or reducing the quantity of lubricant delivered by at least another one of the lubricant injectors.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the central control unit individually adjusts the quantity of lubricant delivered by each lubricant injector depending on the current load condition and/or run-in processes.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the central control unit actively heats the lubricant contained in the lubricant injectors during the inactive phases.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the heating is provided by heating elements, which are provided in the lubricant injectors.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein, for heating, a magnet coil provided in the lubricant injector for actuating the needle valve is supplied with a current, which lies below the activation threshold.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the movements of valves inside the lubricant injectors are detected and monitored by the central control unit through evaluation of the armature current reaction.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the central control unit evaluates, in combination, the valve movement of each lubricant injector and/or measurement data provided by the flow sensors and/or the temporal variation of pressure peaks in the pressure conduit system and/or further sensor data of the lubrication system and/or of the piston machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The present invention is described in the following in further detail, by referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, which schematically illustrate advantageous exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the invention. In particular

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of a lubrication system for a piston machine;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an injector;

[0038] FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematic representations of a flow sensor in a plurality of embodiments;

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of an injector; and

[0040] FIGS. 6 to 10 show schematic sectional views of the coil body for actuating the needle valve of a lubricant injector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a lubrication system 23 according to the invention, as a schematic circuit diagram. The lubrication system 23 comprises a plurality of lubricant injectors 1, which are positioned at different positions of a piston machine 2, and which may deliver, through an outlet opening 4, a lubricant into an inner space 6, to be lubricated, of the piston machine 2. The inner space may be the cylinder chamber of the piston machine 2 or the region of a sealing package in a sliding or radial bearing of the piston machine 2. The regions around the outlet openings 4 are also generally called lubrication points.

[0042] A central pressure supply 27 supplies a pressure conduit system 28 with lubricant from a lubricant reservoir 31, generates through a feeding pump 33 a desired and required pressure in the pressure conduit system 28 and maintains the same pressure. Each lubricant injector 1 has a lubricant inlet conduit 3, which is connected to the pressure conduit system 28.

[0043] The pressure in the pressure conduit system 28 is measured and monitored by a central control unit 26 through a pressure measuring unit 32, wherein the adjustment of the feeding pump 33 is also performed by the central control unit 26. Through the pressure measuring unit 32, the central control unit 26 may also detect and evaluate pressure fluctuations in the pressure conduit system 28, for example, for a timely detection of malfunctions.

[0044] The central control unit 26 is also connected through a respective power supply line 25 with each lubricant injector 1. In order to activate a lubricant injector 1, a supply current for opening one needle valve 5 provided in the lubricant injector 1 is applied to the corresponding power supply line 25 by the central control unit 26. Since at each activation only a small quantity of lubricant has to be delivered through the outlet opening 4, the activation is performed as a current pulse, whose duration determines the respective quantity emitted. The instant and the duration of the supply current pulse may be defined by the central control unit 26 for each lubricant injector 1 independently from each other.

[0045] The structure of the lubricant injector 1 is schematically shown in FIG. 2. The lubricant injector 1 comprises an injector housing 34, which is essentially cylindrical, in which, between the lubricant inlet conduit 3, which is connected to the pressure conduit system 28, and the output opening 4, a flow path 7 for lubricant is defined. In the flow path 7 a flow sensor 8, a check valve 12 and the needle valve 5 are disposed. Moreover, the temperature of the lubricant may be measured at a suitable position in the lubricant injector 1 by means of a temperature sensor 29. An electronic unit 10, which is connected to the power supply line 25, is connected to the flow sensor 8, the needle valve 5 and the temperature sensor 29.

[0046] Supply current pulses which are supplied by the central control unit 26 to the power supply line 25, for actuating the needle valve 5, are directly forwarded by the electronic unit 10 to the electromagnetic actuation element of the needle valve 5, wherein the electromagnetic actuation element preferably is a magnet coil 14, which activates the armature 15 of the needle valve 5 (a detailed embodiment is explained in the following in relation with the description of FIG. 5).

[0047] While the needle valve 5 is activated or open, lubricant flows from the pressure conduit system via the flow path 7 and through the outlet opening 4 into the inner space 6 of the piston machine 2, wherein FIG. 2 only schematically shows an outer wall of piston machine 2. The quantity of lubricant delivered for each activation is detected by the flow sensor 8 and processed by the electronic unit 10. The electronic unit 10 has an analog/digital converter 30, which converts measurement data for each activation into a digital bit pattern 24. The digital bit pattern 24 is temporarily stored in the electronic unit 10 during the active phase (in which the power supply line 25 is used for supplying power to the magnet coil 14) and is transferred in the following deactivated phase through the power supply line 25 to the central control unit 26. The central control unit 26 is therefore provided with a feedback about the actual quantity of lubricant delivered during a supply current pulse for each lubricant injector 1. The values measured by the temperature sensor 29 may also be transmitted by the electronic unit 10 in a binary or analog form to the central control unit 26. Similarly, also data, for example, instructions, calibration data, and/or control commands may be transmitted from the central control unit 26 to the individual lubricant injectors 1.

[0048] The use of the power supply line 25 represents, due to the simple cabling, a particularly preferred embodiment, wherein the communication between the central control unit 26 and the electronic units 10 may be performed through own communications lines or wireless connections. Such communication solutions are known to the skilled in the art in similar technical fields, in particular in the field of the compressor and motor technology.

[0049] The central control unit 26 (FIG. 1) is therefore provided with detailed, precise and updated information regarding the quantity of lubricant delivered by each lubricant injector 1, the temperature conditions inside the individual lubricant injectors 1 and the pressure profile 35, measured by the pressure measuring unit 32, inside the pressure conduit system 27.

[0050] The pressure in the pressure conduit system 27 has, for each individual lubrication process of a lubricant injector 1, a characteristic pressure profile 35, which is generally characterized by a pressure drop caused by the opening of the needle valve 5, followed by a brief pressure increase caused by the closing of the needle valve.

[0051] The temperature measurement in the lubricant injector 1 allows, besides an increased explosion protection, also the taking into account of viscosity variations, for example, by compensating such viscosity fluctuations or by targeted measures for influencing the viscosity of the lubricant, such as a preheating of the lubricant in the flow path 7 of lubricant injector 1, for example by means of heating elements positioned in the lubricant injector 1 or by supplying a small current to the magnet coil 11 during the inactive phase, so that the coil is warmed up without the needle valve 5 opening yet.

[0052] During the active phase, the central control unit 26 may also evaluate the armature current reaction of the armature, which is moved inside the magnetic field of the magnet coil 11, whereby precise data regarding the movement of the needle valve 5 in each lubricant injector 1 may be generated.

[0053] By means of a logical connection of data regarding the delivered quantity of lubricant at each lubrication point, the movement of the injector needle of each lubricant injector 1, the lubricant temperature in each lubricant injector 1 and/or the pressure peaks in the pressure conduit system, various failure modes may be deduced, such as, for example, an obstructed oil supply conduit, the failure of individual lubricant injectors 1, etc.

[0054] This failure detection also allows an automatic adaptive control, which causes an increase of the reliability and safety of the entire system. Thus, for example, in case of detection of a failure in a lubricant injector 1 on a cylinder with a plurality of lubrication points, the function of the faulty lubricant injector 1 may be compensated by the other lubricant injectors 1 by adaptive adjustment of the injected lubricant quantity of remaining lubricant injectors 1.

[0055] A suitable flow sensor 8, which may be used in the lubricant injector 1, is illustratively shown in various embodiments in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0056] In an expanded region 37 of the flow path 7, a permanent magnet 9 is positioned so that it may be moved along the flow direction. The permanent magnet 9 is biased by a return spring 36 towards an end position defined by an abutment 38, in which the permanent magnet 9 closes the flow path 7. In case of a fault, the permanent magnet 9 is pressed against the return force of the return spring 36 away from the abutment 38, so that lubricant may flow laterally along the permanent magnet 9. As soon as no lubricant flows through flow path 7, the permanent magnet 9 is pressed again by the return spring 36 into the end position.

[0057] The movement of the permanent magnet 9 may be detected by means of one or more measuring coils 11, which are connected to the electronic unit 10, based on the voltage induced by the one or more measuring coils 11. FIGS. 3 and 4 show various different possible solutions for positioning the measuring coils 11 (wherein the individual positions are indicated by reference numerals 11a-11f in FIGS. 3 and 4), in order to measure the movement, wherein in each figure on the right and left side two different embodiments are shown, respectively. Thus, FIGS. 3 and 4 show four different embodiments.

[0058] The representation on the left side of FIG. 3 shows two measuring coils 11a and 11b, wherein the first measuring coil 11a is positioned in the region of the end position of the permanent magnet 9 around the expanded region 37 and the second measuring coil 11b is positioned underneath the permanent magnet in a region, into which the permanent magnet 9 moves only when a flow of lubricant occurs.

[0059] The representation on the right side of FIG. 3 shows only a single coil 11c, which is in a slightly overlapping position with respect to the permanent magnet 9, and which comprises a region, in which the permanent magnet 9 is pressed in case of flow.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows, on the left side, an arrangement with two measuring coils 11d and 11e, which, however, in contrast to the left side of FIG. 3, are both positioned in an overlapping arrangement with respect to the permanent magnet, and on the right side of FIG. 4 an arrangement of a single magnet coil 11f in the region of the end position of the permanent magnet is shown, wherein the permanent magnet 9, in case of flow, is moved away from the region comprised by the measuring coil 11f.

[0061] In each case, the movement of the permanent magnet 9 may be precisely measured by means of the one or more measuring coils 11 and may be evaluated for determining the quantity of lubricant flowing at each flow pulse.

[0062] The flow measurement described above is suitable, in this form, for dynamic flow profiles only, therefore in particular for intermittent liquid streams, such as those occurring in the present case, at each opening of the needle valve 5. Since during an active phase, always only a small quantity of lubricant is delivered through the lubricant injector 1, the permanent magnet 9 cannot maintain a stable position except for the end position, since this would only be possible in case of steady flows.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an inventive embodiment of the lubricant injector 1, wherein a detailed explanation of already described characteristics is omitted. The characteristics described in the following are independent from the embodiment of the flow sensor and may also be used in lubricant injectors, which do not have a flow sensor, or whose flow sensor is different from above said embodiment.

[0064] The flow path 7 essentially extends along the main axis of the cylindrical injector housing 34, wherein, in a downstream position with respect to the flow sensor 8, a check valve 12 is provided. The check valve 12 is formed, in a known manner, by a spherical body, which is biased by a valve spring 13 against the flow direction against a valve seat.

[0065] Approximately in the region of the check valve 12, a coil body 16 is positioned around the flow path 7, wherein, in the coil body, the magnet coil 14 for the needle valve 5 is housed. Beneath the coil body an armature space 39 is provided, in which an armature 15 connected to the needle valve 5, shaped as a disc or plate, is positioned. The armature 15, and thus the needle valve 5, is biased by the valve spring 13 away from the coil body 16 and to the closing position. The valve spring 13 is the same spring used for providing the opposing restoring force for the check valve 12. The valve spring 13 thus engages in both directions both the check valve 12 and the needle valve 5.

[0066] If a sufficiently high supply current flows through the magnet coil 14, then the armature 15 is drawn against the elastic force of the valve spring 13 by the magnet coil 14, and the needle valve 5 connected to the armature 15 is lifted from the valve seat, which is positioned in the region of the outlet opening 4, clearing the outlet opening 4, so that lubricant may flow from the flow path 7 into the inner space 6 of the piston machine 2.

[0067] The valve seat of the needle valve is provided in the form of a flow screen 22, wherein the flow diameter is reduced stepwise from a relatively large diameter in the region around the needle valve 5 to a relatively small diameter in the region of the outlet opening 4. The pressure drops thus generated in the region of the flow screen 22 generate a screen flow, which only slightly depends on the viscosity. The viscosity independence is thus improved.

[0068] The coil body 16 and the needle valve 5 with the armature 15 are positioned in a portion of the injector housing 34, which is formed by an inlet connector 40, and by which the lubricant injector 1 is installed into a mounting opening provided to this end on the piston machine 2. The coil body 16 is sealed against the inlet connector 40, so that the lubricant flowing underneath the coil body 16 around the armature 15 cannot penetrate into the region above the coil body 16. This region inside the injector housing 34 above the coil body 16 is thus free from lubricant and provides a space for a protected positioning of the electronic unit 10 inside the injector housing 34.

[0069] FIGS. 6 to 10 show preferred embodiments of the coil body 16. This is generally provided with an essentially annular yoke 17, which is positioned around the flow path 7. The yoke is preferably composed of a solid material, such as steel, and is mounted in a sealed relationship with respect to adjacent components (such as the outer wall of the flow path 7 on the inner side and the inlet connector 40 or the injector housing 34 on the outer sidesee FIG. 5). The yoke 17 may optionally be integrally formed with the conduit defining the flow path 7, or with the housing.

[0070] On the lower side of yoke 17 facing the armature 15 a receiving groove 41 is provided, in which a coil support 18 is inserted. The coil support 18 is preferably made of a suitable plastic material, such as PEEK. The magnet coil 14 is positioned on the coil support 18, wherein the open side of the coil winding of magnet coil 14 is protected by a protection ring, preferably made of the same or a different plastic material.

[0071] In order to protect the magnet coil 14 against penetration of lubricant, at least one inner sealing element 19 and one outer sealing element 20 are positioned between the coil support 18 and the yoke 17, wherein simple O-rings may be advantageously used, which are inserted into corresponding sealing grooves.

[0072] Due to this simple structure, the penetration of lubricant into the coil support 18 may be reliably avoided, whereby a certification according to specific explosion safety standards may be obtained, without the need for a complex casting of the magnet coil 14 into a plastic enclosure, as conventionally foreseen.

[0073] The sealing elements 19, 20 may be positioned in different ways. FIG. 6 shows two O-ring-shaped sealing elements 19, 20, which are inserted into sealing grooves, which are provided on the outer and inner side on the coil support 16. The sealing grooves may also be provided in the yoke 17, as shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment with four O-ring-shaped sealing elements, wherein two sealing grooves are respectively provided on the outer and inner side of the coil support 18. FIG. 9 shows an embodiment with a stepped receiving groove 41.

[0074] FIG. 10 shows a coil body 16 according to FIG. 6, wherein the supply lines 43 for the magnet coil 14 are shown. The supply lines 43 extend through a hole in the yoke 17 to the electronic unit 10.

[0075] FIG. 10 also shows a temperature sensor 29 and a heating element 21 provided in the region of the inner side of yoke 17, near the flow path 7.