VALVE FOR A PISTON COMPRESSOR, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SUCH A VALVE

Abstract

A valve for a reciprocating compressor having a valve seat with a plurality of flow channels which open into an end face of the valve seat; a valve plate having a planar sealing surface which is designed to control the flow channels of the valve seat and has passage openings which are spatially offset relative to the flow channels of the valve seat, at least one projection being arranged on the end face of the valve seat, which projection projects into a passage opening of the valve plate at least in a closed valve state.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A valve for a piston compressor, comprising a valve seat with a plurality of flow channels that open into an end face of the valve seat; a valve plate having a planar sealing surface which is designed to control the flow channels of the valve seat; wherein the valve plate extends in a plane parallel to the end face of the valve seat, is arranged concentrically to the valve seat and has passage openings which are spatially offset relative to the flow channels of the valve seat, wherein at least one projection is arranged on the end face of the valve seat which, at least in a closed valve state, projects into a passage opening of the valve plate.

17. The valve according to claim 16, additionally comprising a catcher which is arranged such that the valve plate extends between the valve seat and the catcher.

18. The valve according to claim 17, wherein springs are arranged on the catcher in order to load the valve plate against the end face of the valve seat.

19. The valve according to claim 16, wherein in a closed valve state the planar sealing surface of the valve plate rests in contact areas on the end face of the valve seat, wherein the contact areas extend perpendicularly to the flow channels of the valve seat.

20. The valve according to claim 17, additionally comprising an auxiliary plate, preferably a damper plate, extending between the valve plate and the catcher in a plane parallel to the end face of the valve seat.

21. The valve according to claim 20, wherein springs that are arranged on the catcher in order to load the valve plate against the end face of the valve seat protrude through holes in the auxiliary plate in order to load the valve plate against the end face of the valve seat.

22. The valve according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of projections are arranged on the end face of the valve seat, which at least in the closed valve state each project into a corresponding passage opening of the valve plate.

23. Valve according to claim 20, wherein the passage openings of the valve plate are formed as arcuate slots and the projections on the end face of the valve seat are formed as corresponding arcuate projections.

24. The valve according to claim 16, wherein the at least one projection has a cross-section which tapers towards the valve plate.

25. The valve according to claim 16, wherein the at least one projection is formed as one-piece with the valve seat.

26. The valve according to claim 25, wherein the at least one projection is milled or turned from the valve seat.

27. The valve according to claim 16, wherein the at least one projection is designed as a part that can be inserted into the valve seat and removed from the valve seat.

28. The valve according to claim 27, wherein the at least one projection is made of plastic.

29. A method of operating a valve for a reciprocating compressor, the valve comprising a valve seat and a valve plate, wherein the valve seat has a plurality of flow channels and an end face into which the flow channels open, and the valve plate has passage openings which are spatially offset relative to the flow channels of the valve seat, wherein in a closed valve state the valve plate blocks the flow channels and releases them in an open valve state, and wherein the valve plate assumes the open state when it automatically lifts off the valve seat due to a fluid pressure applied to the valve, so that fluid flows through the flow channels of the valve seat and downstream through the passage openings of the valve plate, wherein fluid is directed via a projection, arranged on the valve plate of the valve seat, into a passage opening of the valve plate.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the fluid is directed via a plurality of projections arranged on the end face of the valve seat into a respective corresponding passage opening of the valve plate.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the fluid is directed into at least one passage opening of the valve plate via at least one projection tapering towards the valve plate.

32. A piston compressor comprising a valve according to claim 16.

Description

[0024] It shows:

[0025] FIG. 1A Cross-section of a known plate valve (state of the art);

[0026] FIG. 1B Perspective exploded view of a known plate valve (state of the art);

[0027] FIG. 1C Cross-section through a known plate valve (state of the art), in detail;

[0028] FIG. 2 Cross-section through a plate valve according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 3 Cross-section through a plate valve according to one embodiment of the invention, in detail;

[0030] FIG. 4 Cross-section through a plate valve according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0031] FIG. 5 Cross-section through a plate valve according to one embodiment of the invention, in detail;

[0032] FIGS. 1A to 1C show a valve for a piston compressor, as it is known in the prior art. The valve 1 has a valve seat 2 with a plurality of flow channels 12 which open into an end face 3 of the valve seat 2. The valve also has a valve plate 4, which has a planar sealing surface 5, which is designed to control the flow channels 12 of the valve seat 2. The valve plate 4 extends in a plane parallel to the end face of the valve seat.

[0033] The valve seat 2 and the valve plate 4 have the shape of annular plates and are arranged concentrically. FIG. 1B shows that the flow channels 12 of the valve seat 2 and the passage openings 14 of the valve plate 4 are spatially offset from each other. Specifically, in the plan view (not shown) it can be seen that the slots are in the form of circular arcs concentric to the central axis. The arcs do not run around the entire circumference of the circle.

[0034] FIG. 1B also shows a catcher 6, which is arranged in such a way that the valve plate 4 extends between the valve seat 2 and the catcher 6. The catcher 6 has a slot pattern of passage channels 16, which corresponds to that of the passage openings 14 of the valve plate 4. The valve comprises a plurality of springs 9,9 arranged on the catcher 6 to move the valve plate 4 against the end face 3 of the valve seat 2. Specifically, the springs 9, 9 are arranged in recesses 8 of the catcher 6, which is visible in FIG. 1C. Finally, FIG. 1B also shows a damper plate 7 extending between the valve plate 4 and the catcher 6 in a plane parallel to the end face 3 of the valve seat 2, with the springs 9, 9 projecting through holes 11 in the damper plate 7 in order to load the valve plate 4 against the end face 3 of the valve seat 2.

[0035] The central axis, with respect to which the ring plates are arranged concentrically, is formed by a central screw 22. The central screw 22 projects as a catcher hub against the valve seat 2. The valve is stabilized by wedge lock washers 20, and the valve and damper plates can be spaced apart from each other by lifting washers 21. A pin 23 can be used to prevent unintentional rotation of the various ring plates.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an axial section through a valve according to the invention in the area of a row of coil springs 9, 9. The upper ends of the coil springs 9, 9 are each fastened in a blind bore of the catcher 6. The other, lower end of the coil spring 9, 9 presses the valve plate 4 against any gas pressure or vacuum in the direction of the valve seat 2. A damper plate 7 with a hole 11 through which the springs 9, 9 protrude is also shown.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a radial section through a valve 1 according to the invention, now in the area of a flow channel 12 of the valve seat 2 and a radially offset passage opening 14 in the valve plate 4 and flow channel 16 of the catcher 6. The damper plate 7 also has the slot pattern of the valve plate 4 and catcher 6. It can be seen that a projection 10 is arranged on the end face 3 of the valve seat. The valve is shown in a closed state. The planar sealing surface 5 of the valve plate 4 rests in some areas on the face 3 of the valve seat 2 so that the contact areas 13 extend perpendicular to the flow channels 12 of the valve seat 2.

[0038] In the embodiment shown, the projection 10 protrudes through the valve plate 4 but not through the damper plate 7 when the valve is closed. However, other embodiments are also conceivable. It is not shown here that the passage openings 14 of the valve plate 4 are designed as circular arc-shaped slots and the projections 10 on the end face 3 of the valve seat 2 are designed as corresponding circular arc-shaped projections. This variant is preferred for an annular valve as shown in FIG. 1B.

[0039] FIG. 3 then shows that the projection 10 tapers in radial cross-section towards the valve plate 4 and specifically tapers over concave side curvatures 15, i.e. the slope of each tapering side becomes steeper towards the valve plate 4. The projection 10 is formed in one piece with the valve seat 2.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows an axial section through a valve according to the invention in the area of a row of coil springs 9. In this embodiment, the projections 10 are designed as parts that can be inserted into the valve seat 2 and removed from the valve seat 2. These are ring-shaped, separate parts which are fitted into corresponding grooves of the valve seat 2 in a friction-locked and replaceable manner.

[0041] In the detailed view of FIG. 5, it can be seen that the projections 10 also taper over concave side curvatures in radial section, at least in the area of a passage opening 14 of the valve plate 4.