COMPRESSOR DEVICE AND COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SUCH A COMPRESSOR DEVICE

Abstract

A compressor device including a compressor element which is at a fluid duct outlet provided with an adapter of acoustic impedance which includes an adapter inlet duct and an adapter outlet duct interconnected by means of an adapter intermediate duct part which encloses at least one expansion chamber. A maximum opening with an equivalent diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is substantially larger than a minimum opening of the adapter inlet duct with an equivalent diameter.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. A compressor device comprising: a compressor element for compressing a fluid, comprising a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through the compressor element from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, wherein an adapter of acoustic impedance is provided at the fluid duct outlet comprising an adapter inlet duct and an adapter outlet duct which are interconnected by means of an adapter intermediate duct part which encloses at least one expansion chamber, wherein an internal cross-sectional area of the adapter inlet duct forms a minimum opening with a certain minimum equivalent internal diameter and wherein an internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part forms a maximum opening with a certain maximum equivalent internal diameter and wherein the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is substantially larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

20. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the compression of fluid in the compressor element results in a forward or downstream pressure pulsation wave in the compressed fluid and that the adapter modifies the acoustic impedance in such a way that the compressed or partly compressed fluid which is present in the compressor element is influenced and this in such a way that a reflection pressure pulsation wave coming from the adapter in a backward or upstream direction, influences or compensates at least partly the forward or downstream pressure pulsation wave, so that the pressure of the compressed fluid upstream of the adapter has an overall less pulsating character and/or shows a phase shift compared to a compressor device which has no such adapter of acoustic impedance.

21. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the length of the adapter inlet duct between the compressor element and the adapter intermediate duct part is smaller than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

22. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the maximum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter intermediate duct part is larger than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct.

23. The compressor device according to claim 22, wherein an internal cross-sectional area forms an opening with an equivalent internal diameter which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct and that the ratio defined by the distance between this internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part and the far end of the adapter inlet duct divided by the double of the minimum equivalent internal diameter of the adapter inlet duct is less than 1.

24. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part increases monotonically from the adapter inlet duct towards a maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part.

25. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part decreases monotonically from a maximum internal cross-sectional area or opening of the adapter intermediate duct part towards the adapter outlet duct.

26. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the adapter intermediate duct part encloses more than one expansion chamber.

27. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct extend partly into the adapter intermediate duct part.

28. The compressor device according to claim 27, wherein the part of the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct which extend(s) into the adapter intermediate duct part is perforated.

29. The compressor device according to claim 27, wherein the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct extend(s) entirely through the adapter duct part for interconnecting the adapter inlet duct and the adapter outlet duct by means of an internal duct part and that the internal duct part is at least partly perforated

30. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein a damping material for attenuating gas pulsations, such as an acoustic foam, steel wool or the like is provided in an expansion chamber of the adapter intermediate duct part.

31. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the adapter intermediate duct part has one or more of the following characteristics: the adapter intermediate duct part is executed as a quarter wavelength resonator; the adapter intermediate duct part is executed as a Helmholtz resonator; the adapter intermediate duct part comprises an expansion chamber with a mainly spherical shape, hemispherical shape, conical shape, cubical shape, prismatic shape, cylindrical shape, rectangular shape or box shape or which has an S-shaped cross-section; the adapter intermediate duct part comprises a pair of expansion chambers which are spaced from one another by means of an intermediate spacer duct; and/or, the adapter intermediate duct part comprises multiple expansion chambers which are positioned symmetrically with respect to or around the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct or with respect to a plane which is perpendicular to a direction in which the adapter inlet duct and/or the adapter outlet duct or to a direction in which the adapter intermediate duct part or an intermediate spacer duct extend(s).

32. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the adapter inlet duct or the adapter outlet duct is provided with a flexible coupling or a flexible spacer ring.

33. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the compressor element is a tooth compressor.

34. The compressor device according to claim 19, wherein the compressor element is of a type with one or more of the following nominal operational conditions: it has a nominal flow rate which is in the range between 40 and 140 l/s; and/or, it has a rotor with a nominal rotor speed range between 3000 and 9000 rpm.

35. A compressor assembly for compressing a fluid, comprising a housing, a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through a compressor device from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, one or more compressor stages in the fluid duct, at least one of the compressor stages formed by a compressor device according to claim 19, wherein downstream in the fluid stream of each compressor stage a cooler for cooling compressed fluid is provided in the fluid duct.

36. A compressor assembly for compressing a fluid, comprising a housing, a fluid duct for guiding the fluid through a compressor device from a fluid duct inlet to a fluid duct outlet, wherein the compressor assembly comprises a low-pressure stage and a high-pressure stage in the fluid duct, wherein downstream of the low-pressure stage, an air-cooled intercooler is provided in the fluid duct and wherein downstream of the high-pressure stage an air-cooled aftercooler is provided in the fluid duct, wherein the low-pressure stage and/or the high-pressure stage comprises a compressor element and adapter of acoustic impedance according to claim 19, wherein downstream in the fluid stream of each compressor stage a cooler for cooling compressed fluid is provided in the fluid duct.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The invention will further be illustrated with references to the drawings, wherein:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a possible embodiment of a compressor assembly in accordance with the invention;

[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional illustration of a part of a compressor device with an adapter of acoustic impedance in accordance with the invention; and,

[0042] FIGS. 3 to 8 are illustrations similar to FIG. 1 of alternative embodiments of a compressor device with an adapter of acoustic impedance in accordance with the invention;

[0043] FIG. 9 represents a perspective view of a part of a compressor device in accordance with the invention wherein in an adapter outlet duct a flexible coupling is provided;

[0044] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view through the part of the compressor device represented in FIG. 9;

[0045] FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of a combination of an adapter of acoustic impedance which is connected to a heat exchanger or cooler and to a compressor element of a compressor device of the invention, not shown in the figure; and,

[0046] FIGS. 12 to 16 are perspective views similar to the perspective view of FIG. 11 for other embodiments of compressor elements a of compressor device in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates a compressor assembly 100 in accordance with the invention comprising some compressor devices 1 in accordance with the invention for compressing a fluid 2, which is in this case air 2 drawn from the surroundings. The compressor assembly 100 comprises a housing 3 wherein a fluid duct 4 is provided for guiding the fluid 2 through the compressor assembly 100 from a compressor assembly fluid duct inlet 5 to a compressor assembly fluid duct outlet 6.

[0048] Furthermore, the compressor assembly 1 comprises one or more compressor stages, in this case two compressor stages 7 and 8, which are included in the fluid duct 4 and form a part of the fluid duct 4. At least one of the compressor stages 7 and 8 is formed by a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention. In the example of FIG. 1 both stages 7 and 8 are formed by such a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention.

[0049] Such a compressor device 1 of the invention is special in that it comprises a compressor element 9 and it has an adapter of acoustic impedance 10 which is preferably connected to the outlet side 11 of the compressor element 1. However, it is not excluded from the invention to provide an adapter of acoustic impedance 10 which is mounted at an inlet 12 of such a compressor element 9.

[0050] Downstream (in the fluid stream) of each compressor stage 7 and 8 a cooler, respectively a cooler 14 and a cooler 15, for cooling compressed fluid 13 is provided in the fluid duct 4.

[0051] In the example of FIG. 1, the compressor stage 7 is a low-pressure stage, and the compressor stage 8 is a high-pressure stage, which are mounted in series with respect to one another. Downstream of the low-pressure stage 7 an air-cooled intercooler 14 is provided in the fluid duct 4 and downstream of the high-pressure stage 8 an air-cooled aftercooler 15 is provided in the fluid duct 4.

[0052] The coolers 14 and 15 are air-cooled coolers which are provided in an air channel 16 provided in the housing 3 of the compressor device 1. The air channel 16 is separated from a compartment 17 in the housing 3 wherein the compressor devices 1 are provided, by means of an intermediate wall 18.

[0053] Ambient air 19 is drawn from the environment 20 by means of a fan 21 which forces the air 19 through the air channel 16 from an air channel inlet 22 to an air channel outlet 23. During flow through the air channel 16 heat is transferred from the coolers 14 and 15 to the air 19.

[0054] FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a part of a compressor device 1 for compressing a fluid 2 in accordance with the invention. The compressor element 9 of the compressor device 1 is schematically represented as a square and the size is completely not representative.

[0055] The compressor element 9 comprises a compressor element fluid duct 24 for guiding the fluid 2 through the compressor element 9 from a compressor element fluid duct inlet 25 to a compressor element fluid duct outlet 26. According to the invention an adapter of acoustic impedance 10 is provided at the fluid duct outlet 26 of the compressor element 9.

[0056] This adapter of acoustic impedance 10 comprises an adapter inlet duct 27 and an adapter outlet duct 28, part of which is only represented in FIG. 2. This adapter inlet duct 27 and adapter outlet duct 28 are interconnected by means of an adapter intermediate duct part 29 which encloses at least one expansion chamber 30.

[0057] In this case, the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28 are both rectilinear, but this is according to the invention not necessarily the case. The adapter inlet duct 27 extends in a direction YY and the adapter outlet duct 28 extends in a direction ZZ. These directions YY and ZZ can be colinear, but preferably they are parallel to one another at a certain offset distance O from one another, but even that is not necessarily the case.

[0058] An internal cross-sectional area 31 of the adapter inlet duct 27 in a plane which is perpendicular to the direction YY in which it extends between the compressor element 9 and the adapter intermediate duct part 29 forms a minimum opening 31 with a certain minimum equivalent internal diameter B. In this case the adapter inlet duct 27 has an internal cross-sectional area 31 or opening 31 perpendicular to said direction YY which is invariable over its length, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0059] The adapter intermediate duct part 29 extends in a direction AA between the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28. This direction AA can be colinear with both directions YY and ZZ or one of the directions YY and ZZ in which the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28 extend, but this is also not necessarily the case.

[0060] Furthermore, an internal cross-sectional area 32 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 forms a maximum opening 32 with a certain maximum equivalent internal diameter C. This internal cross-sectional area 32 or opening 32 is typically defined in a plane perpendicular to the direction AA in which the adapter intermediate duct part 29 extends between the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28, or which is perpendicular to the afore-mentioned directions YY and/or ZZ in which the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or the adapter outlet duct 28 extend(s).

[0061] According to the invention the maximum equivalent internal diameter C of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is substantially larger than the minimum equivalent internal diameter B of the adapter inlet duct 27 (C>>>B). In that way it is ensured that the expansion chamber 30 is large compared to the minimum opening 31 of the adapter inlet duct 27.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment of a compressor device 1 of the invention the maximum equivalent internal diameter C of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is larger than twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter B of the adapter inlet duct 27.

[0063] Another aspect of the invention is that the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is preferably positioned relatively near to the outlet 11 or 26 of the compressor element 9. In particular, it is preferred according to the invention that the length L of the adapter inlet duct 27 between the compressor element 9 and the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is smaller than four times the minimum equivalent internal diameter B of the adapter inlet duct 27. This measure must ensure that the expansion chamber 30 can have a sufficiently important influence on the fluid present in the compressor chamber of the compressor element 9 upstream of the adapter of acoustic impedance 10.

[0064] An internal cross-sectional area 33 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 forms an opening 33 with an equivalent internal diameter D which is at least twice the minimum equivalent internal diameter B of the adapter inlet duct 28 (D2B). This internal cross-sectional area 33 or opening 33 is again typically defined in a plane perpendicular to the direction AA in which the adapter intermediate duct part 29 extends between the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28, or which is perpendicular to the afore-mentioned directions YY and/or ZZ in which the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or the adapter outlet duct 28 extend(s).

[0065] Still another preferred aspect of the invention prescribes that the ratio R defined by the distance E between this internal cross-sectional area 33 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 and the far end 34 of the adapter inlet duct 27 divided by the double of the minimum equivalent internal diameter 2B of the adapter inlet duct 27 is less than 1.

[00001]$1>R=E/\left(2B\right)$

[0066] This means that the expansion chamber 30 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is rapidly increasing in size in a direction away from the far end 34 of the adapter inlet duct 27, which ensures its effectivity.

[0067] The adapter intermediate duct part 29 encloses in the embodiment of FIG. 2 a single expansion chamber 30 which is essentially of spherical shape formed by a sphere with diameter C.

[0068] In the example of FIG. 2 the internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 increases monotonically from the adapter inlet duct 27 towards the maximum internal cross-sectional area 32 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29. The internal cross-sectional area of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 also decreases monotonically from the maximum internal cross-sectional area 32 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29 towards the adapter outlet duct 28. This is however according to the invention not necessarily the case.

[0069] FIG. 3 illustrates a compressor device 1 according to the invention wherein the adapter intermediate duct part 29 encloses more than one expansion chamber, i.e., in this example two expansion chambers 35 and 36.

[0070] Both expansion chambers 35 and 36 have, in the case of FIG. 3, each a hemispherical shape. The shape is more or less obtained by two halves of a spherical expansion chamber 32, as illustrated in FIG. 1, which are spaced from one another by means of an intermediate spacer duct 37. In the case of FIG. 3 intermediate spacer duct 37 extends in the prolongment of the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28 and all these afore-mentioned ducts 27, 28 and 37 have the same internal diameter B.

[0071] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the adapter intermediate duct part 29 comprises a pair of expansion chambers 35 and 36 which are symmetrically with respect to a plane FF which is perpendicular to the direction YY in which the adapter inlet duct 27 extends and/or to a direction ZZ in which the adapter outlet duct 28 extends and/or to a direction AA in which the intermediate spacer duct 37 extends.

[0072] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention which is similar to the one in FIG. 2 and it has an adapter intermediate duct part 29 which encloses a single expansion chamber 30 which is again essentially of spherical shape.

[0073] However, this time the essentially spherical expansion chamber 30 is somewhat modified in shape. The connection 38 between the adapter outlet duct 28 and the spherical expansion chamber 30 is brought somewhat inwards into the spherical expansion chamber 30 and the outer wall 39 of the spherical expansion chamber 30 is connected to the adapter outlet duct 28 by means of an intermediate wall part 40, which has preferably a cylindrical wall part 41 concentric with the adapter outlet duct 28 and/or one or more flat shaped wall parts 42.

[0074] FIG. 5 illustrates still another embodiment of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention which is similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 in that it comprises again a pair of expansion chambers 35 and 36 of essentially semispherical shape which spaced from one another by means of an intermediate spacer duct 37.

[0075] The intermediate spacer duct 37 extends in the example of FIG. 5 in a direction perpendicular to a direction YY in which the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or to a direction ZZ in which the adapter outlet duct 28 extend(s) and/or a direction AA in which the adapter intermediate part 29 extends between the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28.

[0076] The expansion chambers 35 and 36 are this time also orientated in another way and are positioned symmetrically around the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or the adapter outlet duct 28.

[0077] The embodiment of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention illustrated in FIG. 6 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 wherein the adapter intermediate duct part 29 comprises a single expansion chamber 30 of essentially spherical shape.

[0078] In the example of FIG. 6, the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or the adapter outlet duct 28 extend(s) entirely through the adapter intermediate duct part 29 for interconnecting the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28 by means of an internal duct part 43. The internal duct part 43 of the adapter inlet duct 27 and/or the adapter outlet duct 28 which extends into the adapter intermediate duct part 29 is perforated, so that the compressed fluid 13 can expand into the entire expansion chamber 30. Perforations 44 are provided over the entire length of the internal duct part 43.

[0079] In another embodiment of a compressor device 1 according to the invention the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28 can also extend only partly into the adapter intermediate duct part 29. This is for example the case in the embodiment which is represented in FIG. 12.

[0080] The embodiment of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention represented in FIG. 7 is completely equivalent to the embodiment of FIG. 6. However, in the example of FIG. 7, a damping material 45 for attenuating gas pulsations, such as an acoustic foam, steel wool or the like is provided in the expansion chamber 30 of the adapter intermediate duct part 29.

[0081] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention which is equivalent to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 with two expansion chambers which are spaced from one another by means of an intermediate spacer duct 37 which extends in a direction AA parallel to the directions YY and ZZ of the adapter inlet duct 27 and the adapter outlet duct 28.

[0082] However, in FIG. 8, only one of the expansion chambers 35 has a semi-spherical shape, while the other expansion chamber 46 has a conical shape and is provided at the side which is the most far from the compressor element 9. The dimensions of conical shape decrease in a direction away from the compressor element 9.

[0083] The expansion chamber 46 with conical shape is again filled with damping material 45, while the other expansion chamber 35 of semi-spherical shape is kept empty.

[0084] The adapter outlet duct 28 is entirely incorporated in the expansion chamber 46 and does not extend to the outside of the adapter intermediate duct part 29.

[0085] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment of an adapter of acoustic impedance 10 of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention in which the adapter outlet duct 28 is provided with a flexible coupling 47 or a flexible spacer ring 47.

[0086] As an alternative such a flexible coupling 47 or a flexible spacer ring 47 could as well be provided in the adapter inlet duct 27.

[0087] In that case the adapter inlet duct 27 comprises three parts, i.e., a first part and a second part connected by the concerned flexible coupling 47 or a flexible spacer ring 47. Obviously, the length L of the adapter inlet duct 27 should in this case be considered as being the total length of the adapter inlet duct 27 formed by tis three composing parts.

[0088] FIGS. 11 to 16 illustrate still other different configurations of a combination of an adapter of acoustic impedance 10 of a compressor device 1 in accordance with the invention and a cooler 14 or 15.

[0089] In FIG. 11 the adapter intermediate duct part 29 comprises an expansion chamber with a mainly spherical shape as was the case in FIG. 2 for example, while in FIGS. 12 and 14 the expansion chamber is more of a rectangular shape or box shape or cubical shape.

[0090] In FIG. 13 the adapter intermediate duct part 29 comprises an expansion chamber which has an S-shaped cross-section, while in FIGS. 15 and 16 the expansion chamber is enclosed in a more rounded shape or cylindrical shape. In still other bodies the expansions chamber could form a prismatic shape and even form another more irregular shape.

[0091] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments of a compressor assembly 100 or a compressor device 1 as described before, but such a compressor assembly 1 or a compressor device 1 can be applied and be implemented in many different ways without departure from the scope of the invention.