OIL-INJECTED COMPRESSOR DEVICE

Abstract

Oil-injected compressor device (1) provided with at least one oil-injected compressor element (2) with an inlet (5) for gas to be compressed and an outlet (7) for compressed gas, whereby the outlet (7) is connected to an oil separator (9), whereby the oil-injected compressor device (1) is further provided with an oil injection pipe (14) leading from the oil separator (9) to the oil-injected compressor element (2), whereby an oil cooler (15) is incorporated into the oil injection pipe (15), characterized in that a storage (17) for oil is provided in the oil injection pipe (14) downstream of an inlet (16) of the oil cooler (15).

Claims

1. Oil-injected compressor device (1) provided with at least one oil-injected compressor element (2) with an inlet (5) for gas to be compressed and an outlet (7) for compressed gas, whereby the outlet (7) is connected to an oil separator (9), whereby the oil-injected compressor device (1) is also provided with an oil injection pipe (14) which leads from the oil separator (9) to the oil-injected compressor element (2), whereby an oil cooler (15) is incorporated into the oil injection pipe (14), characterized in that a storage (17) for oil is provided in the oil injection pipe (14) downstream of an inlet (16) of the oil cooler (15).

2. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage (17) for oil comprises one or more of the following: an oil vessel (18) incorporated in the oil injection pipe (14) downstream of the oil cooler (15); a section of the oil injection pipe (14) downstream of the oil cooler (15) has a larger diameter than the rest of the oil injection pipe (14).

3. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage (17) for oil is situated downstream of an inlet (16) of the oil cooler inlet (15), whereby the storage (17) for oil is incorporated in the oil cooler (15).

4. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor device (2) is provided with a motor (4) to drive the compressor element (2), whereby the storage (17) for oil is integrated into a shell (19) of the motor (4).

5. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressor device (1) is provided with a bypass line (21) running from a point (A) in the oil injection pipe (14) upstream of the oil cooler (15) to a point (B) in the oil injection pipe (14) downstream of the storage (17) to allow oil to bypass the oil cooler (15) and the storage (17) through the bypass line (21), whereby control means (22) are provided to be able to control the amount of oil going through the bypass line (21).

6. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 5, characterized in that the control means (22) are a three-way valve (23), a thermostat and/or a combination of one or more valves.

7. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 5, characterized in that the control means (22) upstream of the oil cooler (15) or downstream of the storage (17) for oil are incorporated into the oil injection pipe (14).

8. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that an outlet pipe (10) is connected to the oil separator (9), whereby an aftercooler (12) is incorporated into the outlet pipe (10).

9. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 8, characterized in that a second oil separator (11) is incorporated in the outlet pipe (10).

10. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 8, characterized in that the aftercooler (12) and the oil cooler (15) are air-cooled coolers, whereby one common fan (13) or a fan group is provided for the aftercooler (12) and the oil cooler (15).

11. Oil-injected compressor device according to claim 1, characterized in that one or more oil filters (20) are incorporated in the oil injection pipe (14) immediately upstream or downstream of the storage (17) for oil.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] With the insight of better indicating the characteristics of the invention, in the following are described, as an example without any restriction, some of the preferred embodiments of an oil-injected compressor device according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] The FIGURE schematically represents an oil-injected compressor device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] The oil-injected compressor device 1 schematically shown in the FIGURE mainly comprises an oil-injected compressor element 2.

[0044] For example, this compressor element 2 may be a screw compressor element, but other types of compressor elements 2 are not excluded.

[0045] Moreover, it is not excluded that the compressor device 1 is provided with more than one compressor element 2.

[0046] The compressor element 2 is provided with a drive 3. The FIGURE schematically shows the drive 3 in the form of a motor 4.

[0047] The compressor element 2 has an inlet 5 for gas to be compressed.

[0048] In this case, an inlet filter 6 is connected to this inlet 5 in order to purify the gas which has been drawn.

[0049] The compressor element 2 also has an outlet 7 for the compressed gas.

[0050] On this outlet 7, a discharge pipe 8 is connected to link the outlet 7 to an oil separator 9.

[0051] In this case, an outlet pipe 10 is connected to the oil separator 9 for compressed gas, whereby a second oil separator 11 and an aftercooler 12 are incorporated into the outlet pipe 10.

[0052] In this case, the aftercooler 12 is air-cooled by a fan 13.

[0053] The compressor device 1 is also provided with an oil injection pipe 14 which leads from oil separator 9 to the compressor element 2.

[0054] An oil cooler 15 is incorporated into this oil injection pipe 14.

[0055] In this case, this oil cooler 15 is an air-cooled cooler, whereby the aforementioned fan 13 will also cool the oil cooler 15.

[0056] It is not excluded that instead of providing one common fan 13 for the aftercooler 12 and the oil cooler 15, one common fan device is provided, or separate fans or fan assemblies are provided.

[0057] According to the invention, a storage 17 for oil is provided downstream of the inlet 16 of the oil cooler 15.

[0058] This storage 17 for oil can be realized in diverse ways, as mentioned above.

[0059] In the example shown in the FIGURE, the storage 17 for oil comprises an oil vessel 18 which is incorporated into the oil injection pipe 14 downstream of the oil cooler.

[0060] Of course, it is not excluded that the storage 17 for oil is realized in another way: [0061] a section of the oil injection pipe 14 downstream of the oil cooler 15 has a larger diameter than the rest of the oil injection pipe 14; [0062] integrated in the oil cooler 15; [0063] integrated in the shell 19 of the above-mentioned engine 4.

[0064] In the example shown, immediately upstream of the storage 17 for oil, i.e., the oil vessel 18, an oil filter 20 is provided in the oil injection pipe 14.

[0065] It is not excluded that more than one oil filter 20 is provided.

[0066] In addition, these one or more oil filters 20 can also be provided downstream of the storage 17 for oil.

[0067] In this case, but not necessary for the invention, the oil cooler 15 and the storage 17 for oil can be bypassed via a bypass line 21.

[0068] This bypass line 21 runs from a point A in the oil injection pipe 14 upstream of the oil cooler 15 to a point B in the oil injection pipe 14 downstream of the storage 17 for oil.

[0069] Control means 22 are also provided in the form of a three-way valve 23 to be able to control the amount of oil going through the bypass line 21.

[0070] Instead of a three-way valve 23, the control means 22 can also comprise a thermostat and/or a combination of one or more valves.

[0071] In the FIGURE, the control means 22 are provided at a point in the injection pipe 14 downstream of the storage 17 for oil, i.e., in the aforementioned point B, but this could also be upstream of the oil cooler 15, i.e., in the aforementioned point A.

[0072] The operation of the compressor device 1 is quite simple and as follows.

[0073] During the operation of the compressor device 1, gas to be compressed is drawn through the inlet 5. This gas passes through the inlet filter 6 to remove impurities.

[0074] In the compressor element 2, the gas is compressed.

[0075] The motor 4 will drive the compressor element 2, whereby oil will be injected into the compressor element 2 and the motor 4.

[0076] The compressed gas and the injected oil will leave the compressor element 2 through the outlet 7 and pass through the discharge pipe 8 into the oil separator 9.

[0077] During the compression, gas and oil will heat up.

[0078] In the oil separator 9, the compressed gas is separated from the oil; thereafter the gas will pass through the outlet pipe 10 along the second oil separator 11. Herewith the last oil is still separated. In this case, the oil separated in the second oil separator 11 is injected into the compressor element 2.

[0079] Then the compressed gas passes through the aftercooler 12, so that the gas will be cooled before leaving the compressor device 1.

[0080] The oil separated in the oil separator 9 is brought to the oil cooler 15 by the pressure of the compressed gas in the oil separator 9 via the injection pipe 14, or injected directly back into the compressor element 2 via the bypass line 21.

[0081] In the oil cooler 15, the oil is cooled to then enter the storage 17 for oil.

[0082] Hereby the oil will pass through the oil filter 20 first, so that eventually cooled and purified oil will enter the storage 17 for oil.

[0083] The oil remains in the storage 17 for oil until the control means 22 are opened to inject oil from the storage 17 for oil.

[0084] The control means 22 will determine how much of the still hot oil is injected through the bypass line 21 and how much of the cooled oil is injected from the oil vessel 18.

[0085] These control means 22 will allow the temperature of the oil being injected to be controlled.

[0086] A control device or similar can be provided for the management of these control means 22.

[0087] Since in the case of the invention, the oil separator 9 is smaller than in the known devices, it will store less oil and a major part of the oil will be cooled and stored in the oil vessel 18.

[0088] In addition, on start-up, oil from the oil vessel 18 can be immediately injected to bearings and other components of the compressor element 2.

[0089] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as examples and presented in the FIGURE, but an oil-injected compressor device according to the invention can be realized in all kinds of shapes and sizes without leaving the scope of the invention.