Compressor device and a cooler thereby used

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458411-B2
Application number	US-201515311361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2015
Priority date	May 16, 2014
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A compressor device with at least two compressor elements connected in series and at least two coolers of which there at least two split coolers that are split in separate successive stages, respectively a hot stage and a cold stage, that are connected together in one or more separate cooling circuits such that the compressed gas is cooled sufficiently between the compressor elements with a minimum coolant flow rate to keep the temperature of the cooled gas at the outlet of each cooler below a maximum permissible value and thereby to realize a desired temperature increase of the coolant in at least one of the aforementioned cooling circuits.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compressor device for compressing gas in two or more stages, wherein the compressor device comprises:
at least two compressor elements connected in series; and
at least two coolers for cooling the compressed gas,
wherein each cooler is provided with a primary section through which the compressed gas to be cooled is guided and a secondary section that is in heat-exchanging contact with the primary section and through which coolant is guided,
wherein at least two of the coolers are split coolers whose secondary section is split into at least two separate stages to cool the gas that is guided through the primary section in successive stages, respectively at least a hot stage for a first cooling of the compressed gas that flows into the primary section of the coolers and a cold stage for the further cooling of the compressed gas,
wherein the stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in one or more separate cooling circuits such that the compressed gas between the compressor elements is cooled, with a minimum coolant flow rate through the cooling circuits, to keep the temperature of the compressed gas at the outlet of each cooler below a maximum permissible value and thereby having a predetermined temperature increase of the coolant in at least one of the cooling circuits,
wherein at least two of the cold stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series in a cooling circuit through which a coolant is guided,
wherein the coolant in the cooling circuit is first guided through the cold stages and then through the hot stages.

2. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature increase is about 30° C.

3. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the hot stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series in a cooling circuit through which a coolant is guided.

4. The compressor device according to claim 3 , wherein the coolant is lastly guided through the hot stage of the cooler immediately following the compressor element which has a highest outlet temperature.

5. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the cold stages of the secondary sections of the coolers and at least two of the hot stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series in a cooling circuit through which a coolant is guided, whereby the coolant in this cooling circuit is first guided through the cold stages and then through the hot stages.

6. The compressor device according to claim 5 , wherein all stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series in one single cooling circuit with one single coolant, whereby the coolant in this cooling circuit is first guided through the cold stages and then through the hot stages.

7. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein all stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in one single cooling circuit with one single coolant, whereby at least two cold stages are connected together in parallel.

8. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two cold stages, that are connected together in series, are incorporated in a first cooling circuit, and that any additional cold stages are connected in series or in parallel and are incorporated in a second cooling circuit that is separated from the first cooling circuit.

9. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the cold stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in parallel in a first cooling circuit, and any additional cold stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series or in parallel in a second cooling circuit that is separated from the first cooling circuit.

10. The compressor device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the cold stages are connected together in parallel and at least one cold stage is connected in series in a first cooling circuit, and any additional cold stages of the secondary sections of the coolers are connected together in series or in parallel in a second cooling circuit that is separated from the first cooling circuit.

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Airpower Nv

Inventors

• De Kerpel Stefan Paul M

Classifications

• F04D29/5826

  Cooling at least part of the working fluid in a heat exchanger · CPC title

• F04C29/04 Primary

  Heating; Cooling (of machines or engines in general F01P); Heat insulation (heat insulation in general F16L59/00) · CPC title

• F28F9/0202

  Header boxes having their inner space divided by partitions · CPC title

• F28D7/1607

  with particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. change of flow direction (F28D7/1623, F28D7/1638, F28D7/1661, F28D7/1676, F28D7/1692 take precedence) · CPC title

• F04C18/16

  with helical teeth, e.g. chevron-shaped, screw type {(for non-parallel axes of movement F04C18/48)} · CPC title