INLET SILENCER FOR A VOLUMETRIC COMPRESSOR AND VOLUMETRIC COMPRESSOR EQUIPPED WITH IT

Abstract

Inlet silencer for a volumetric compressor, characterized in that the inlet silencer (1) comprises a housing (2) having at least one inlet (3) and at least one outlet (4), wherein at least one partition wall (6) dividing the housing (2) into at least a first chamber (7) and a second chamber (8) is provided in the housing (2), wherein one chamber (7, 8) connects to the inlet (3) and one chamber (7, 8) connects to the outlet (4), wherein at least one opening (9) connecting both chambers (7, 8) is arranged in the partition wall (6).

Claims

18. An inlet silencer for a volumetric compressor, comprising: a housing (2) having at least one inlet (3) and at least one outlet (4), wherein at least one partition wall (6) dividing the housing (2) into at least a first chamber (7) and a second chamber (8) is provided in the housing (2), wherein one chamber (7, 8) connects to the inlet (3) and one chamber (7, 8) connects to the outlet (4), wherein at least one opening (9) connecting both chambers (7, 8) is arranged in the partition wall (6), wherein in the first chamber (7), at least one reversing plate (12) or baffle is arranged (7) crossing the geometrical line (13) between the inlet (3) and said opening (9), wherein the reversing plate (12) or the baffle partially divides the first chamber (7) into several sub-chambers (7a, 7b, 7c) such that an airflow flowing from the inlet (3) to one of the at least one openings (9) must flow around the reversing plate (12) or the baffle, and wherein the first chamber (7) has a tortuosity of maximally 2.5.

19. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein the first chamber (7) connects to the inlet (3) and the second chamber (8) connects to the outlet (4).

20. The inlet silencer according to claim 19, wherein an inlet filter (20) is arranged in the second chamber (8) such that the gas entering the second chamber (8) must pass through the inlet filter (20) before it can leave the second chamber (8).

21. The inlet silencer according to claim 20, wherein the housing (2) is provided with a closable access (21) for removing or replacing said inlet filter (20).

22. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein sound-absorbing material (14) is arranged at least in the first chamber (7) or at least in the second chamber (8).

23. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein sound-absorbing material (14) is arranged on said reversing plate (12) or said plate.

24. The inlet silencer according to claim 22, wherein the sound-absorbing material (14) is arranged on at least one side (17) of the partition wall (6), wherein a passage (18) is provided in the sound-absorbing material (14) at the location of said opening (9) to form a channel (19).

25. The inlet silencer according to claim 22, wherein the sound-absorbing material (14) is a permeable material and preferably polyurethane foam, melamine foam, viscoelastic foam, rock wool, glass wool or an acoustic cloth.

26. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein said at least one opening (9) is arranged near a corner (10) of the partition wall (6) such that the distance (A) between the at least one opening (9) and said corner (10) is smaller than the distance (B) between the at least one opening (9) and a centre (11) of the partition wall (6).

27. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein a volume of the second chamber (8) is at least 50% of a volume of the first chamber (7).

28. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein a total surface area of the at least one opening (9) is larger than a particular value, such that a velocity of the gas through the at least one opening (9) is at most 30 meters per second.

29. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein the housing (2) is beam-shaped.

30. The inlet silencer according to claim 18, wherein the at least one opening (9) in the partition wall (6) is created by at least one pipe or conduit extending through the partition wall (6) or that in this at least one opening (9) at least one pipe or conduit is arranged, wherein open ends of said pipe or conduit are situated in the first chamber (7) and second chamber (8).

31. A volumetric compressor provided with a gas inlet, wherein the volumetric compressor further comprises the inlet silencer (1) according to claim 18, which is arranged on the said gas inlet.

32. The volumetric compressor according to claim 31, wherein the compressor is a tooth compressor, screw compressor or piston compressor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] With the intention of better demonstrating the features of the invention, some preferred embodiments of an inlet silencer according to the invention for a volumetric compressor and of a volumetric compressor equipped therewith are described below, by way of example without any limiting character, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 schematically and in perspective represents an inlet silencer according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 represents the inlet silencer of FIG. 1, with the housing partially cut away;

[0047] FIG. 3 represents another view of FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 4 represents a cross-section according to line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

[0049] FIG. 5 represents the cross-section according to line V-V in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] The inlet silencer 1, schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, mainly comprises a housing 2 with an inlet 3 and an outlet 4. The outlet 4 of the housing 1 can be connected to or attached to a gas inlet 5 of a volumetric compressor.

[0051] As can be seen in FIG. 1, in this case, the housing 2 is beam-shaped. Such shape allows for easy or better integration in a compressor canopy.

[0052] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a partition wall 6 is arranged in the housing 2.

[0053] This partition wall 6 is impermeable to gas and divides the housing 1 into a first chamber 7 and a second chamber 8.

[0054] The division will be done such that one chamber 7, 8 connects to said inlet 3 and one chamber 7, 8 to said outlet 4.

[0055] In this case, the first chamber 7 will connect to the inlet 3 and the second chamber 8 to the outlet 4.

[0056] In this case, the volume of the second chamber 8 is equal to, or approximately equal to, the volume of the first chamber 7. Of course, the invention is not limited thereto. Preferably, the volume of the second chamber 8 is always at least equal to 50% of the volume of the first chamber 7.

[0057] At least one opening 9, which connects both chambers 7, 8, is arranged in the partition wall 6. In this case, one opening 9 is provided. However, it is possible that several openings 9 are provided in the partition wall 6.

[0058] The foregoing implies that the gas will flow through the inlet silencer 1 from the inlet 3, to the first chamber 7, through the opening 9, to the second chamber 8 and then to the outlet 4 to exit the inlet silencer 1.

[0059] It is also possible that the first chamber 7 connects to the outlet 4 and the second chamber 8 to the inlet 3. In this case, the gas will first flow through the second chamber 8 before entering the first chamber 7.

[0060] In this case, said at least one opening 9 is arranged near a corner 10 of the partition wall 6. This is clearly visible in FIG. 4.

[0061] The distance A between the at least one opening 9 and said corner 10 is smaller than the distance B between the at least one opening 9 and a centre 1 of the partition wall 6.

[0062] Or, in other words, the opening 9 is not centrally located in the partition wall 6.

[0063] The total surface area of the at least one opening 9 is larger than a particular value, such that the velocity of the gas through the at least one opening 9 is at most 30 meters per second.

[0064] Said particular value is determined on the basis of the (operating) parameters of the compressor to which the inlet silencer 1 will be connected.

[0065] Additional facilities are arranged in both the first chamber 7 and the second chamber 8.

[0066] In the first chamber 8, a reversing plate 12 or baffle is arranged. In this case, two reversing plates 12 or baffles are arranged.

[0067] The reversing plates 12 cross the geometrical line 13 between the inlet 3 and said opening 9, wherein the reversing plates 12 or the baffles partially divide the first chamber 7 into three sub-chambers 7a, 7b, 7c such that an airflow flowing from the inlet 3 to the opening 9 must flow around the reversing plates 12 or baffles.

[0068] This is schematically shown in FIG. 3 by means of arrows.

[0069] Sound-absorbing material 14 is arranged in the first chamber 7. In this case, sound-absorbing material 14 is also arranged in the second chamber 8.

[0070] In this case, the sound-absorbing material 14 is a permeable material, such as preferably polyurethane foam, melamine foam, viscoelastic foam, rock wool, glass wool or an acoustic cloth.

[0071] The sound-absorbing material 14 is arranged on all inner sides 15 of the housing 2, as shown in FIG. 5, in both the first chamber 7 and the second chamber 8. It is also possible that the sound-absorbing material 14 is only arranged in the first chamber 7.

[0072] The sound-absorbing material 14 is also arranged on said two reversing plates 12 or baffles, and this on both sides 16. It is also possible that it is arranged to only one of the reversing plates 12 or baffles, or not on both sides 16 but only on one side 16.

[0073] The sound-absorbing material 14 is also arranged on at least one side 17 of the partition wall 6, and in this case on both sides 17 of the partition wall 6.

[0074] A passage 18 is provided in the sound-absorbing material 14 at the location of said opening 9, as it were, to form a channel 19.

[0075] The length C of this channel 19 corresponds to twice the thickness of the sound-absorbing material 14 and the thickness of the partition wall 9, as can be seen in FIG. 5.

[0076] This thus created channel 19 will provide additional dampening.

[0077] Such a channel 19 between the first chamber 7 and the second chamber 8 can also be realized in a different way.

[0078] The opening 9 in the partition wall 6 can, for example, be created by a pipe or conduit extending through the partition wall 6 or by a pipe or conduit being arranged in this opening 6, wherein the open ends of said pipe or conduit extend into the first chamber 7 and second chamber 8.

[0079] In this way, the length of the channel 19 can be chosen freely.

[0080] Of course, it is not excluded that more than one pipe or conduit is provided. Preferably, the at least one opening 9 in the partition wall 6 is created by at least one pipe or conduit extending through the partition wall 6 or that at least one pipe or conduit is arranged in this at least one opening 9, wherein the open ends of said pipe or conduit are situated in the first chamber 7 and second chamber 8.

[0081] Thus, for example, if several openings 9 are arranged in the partition wall 6, a pipe or conduit can be arranged for each of these openings 9.

[0082] In the second chamber 8, in addition to the sound-absorbing material 14, in this case, an inlet filter 20 is also arranged, such that the gas entering the second chamber 8 must pass through the inlet filter 20 before leaving the second chamber 8 via the outlet 4.

[0083] Because the second chamber 8 has a particular minimum size, there is room to arrange the inlet filter 20 in this second chamber 8. This integration allows to create additional space in the compressor canopy, such that the inlet silencer 1 can be designed larger.

[0084] Finally, in this case, the housing 2 is provided with a closable access 21 for removing or replacing said inlet filter 20.

[0085] In this case, this closable access 21 is realized by providing a removable wall 22 in the housing 2, or, in other words: portion of a wall 22 of the housing 1 is removable.

[0086] It is also possible, for example, to provide a flap or door in housing 1.

[0087] The operation of the inlet silencer 1 is very simple and as follows.

[0088] The outlet 4 of the inlet silencer 1 is connected to the gas inlet 5 of a volumetric compressor.

[0089] During the operation of the volumetric compressor, gas to be compressed, for example ambient air, will be drawn in by the compressor.

[0090] This will happen in a non-continuous or nonuniform manner, i.e. the flow rate or speed of the ambient air drawn in is not constant.

[0091] Ambient air will be drawn in through the inlet 3 of the inlet silencer 1.

[0092] The ambient air enters the first chamber 7, where the air flow along the reversing plates 12 is bent twice. This is shown schematically in FIG. 3 with arrows.

[0093] The ambient air will then make contact with the sound-absorbing material 14, which is arranged on all inner walls 15 of the housing 2 and on both sides 16 of the reversing plates 12. This will dampen the unwanted pulsations, in particular at the higher frequencies, and the sound that these pulsations cause.

[0094] When the ambient air reaches the partition 6, it will flow through the opening 9 to the second chamber 8. Due to the size of the opening 9, the ambient air will only have a speed of at most 30 meters per second. Due to the location of the opening 9 near a corner 10 of the partition wall 6, the higher order acoustic modes will be dampened.

[0095] In the second chamber 8, the lower frequencies will be dampened and the ambient air will flow through the air filter 20 before flowing via the outlet 4 of the inlet silencer 1 to the gas inlet 5 of the compressor.

[0096] For the sake of completeness, it is also mentioned here that the inlet silencer 1 will also have a dampening effect for sound waves that are sent from the gas inlet 5 of the compressor through the inlet silencer 1.

[0097] Although in the embodiment described above and shown in the figures there is always one inlet and one outlet, a first chamber and a second chamber, it is not excluded that there is more than one inlet and outlet and/or more than two chambers.

[0098] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the figures, but an inlet silencer according to the invention for a volumetric compressor and volumetric compressor equipped therewith can be realized in all kinds of shapes and sizes without departing from the scope of the invention. [0099] 1-17. (canceled)