Method for cooling a compressor or vacuum pump and a compressor or vacuum pump applying such a method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10731649-B2
Application number	US-201615758916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A compressor or vacuum pump including: —a casing having a cooling gas inlet and a cooling gas outlet for allowing a cooling gas to flow therethrough; —a fan mounted at the cooling gas inlet, including a fan housing and configured to blow said cooling gas into said casing; —a compression or vacuum chamber including a first housing, a process gas inlet and outlet for allowing a process gas to flow therethrough and at least one rotating element; —a driving module including a second housing and at least one bearing for supporting said at least one rotating element; —a silencer including a cover and configured to attenuate noise generated by the compressor or vacuum pump. The silencer includes a recess structure on its cover, configured to deflect the cooling gas flow from the fan towards the driving module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A compressor or vacuum pump comprising:
a casing having a cooling gas inlet and a cooling gas outlet for allowing a cooling gas to flow therethrough;
a fan mounted at the cooling gas inlet, comprising a fan housing and an impeller configured to blow said cooling gas into said casing;
a first housing having a process gas inlet and a process gas outlet for allowing a process gas to flow therethrough, the first housing delimiting a compression chamber or a vacuum chamber and having at least one rotating element located therein;
a driving module comprising a second housing and at least one bearing for supporting said at least one rotating element;
a silencer comprising a cover and being configured to attenuate noise generated by the compressor or vacuum pump;
wherein said silencer comprises a recess structure on the cover, configured to deflect the cooling gas flow from the fan towards the driving module.

2. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein at least one bearing is lubricated with oil.

3. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 2 , wherein each of said at least one bearing has a respective seal for preventing the oil from leaving the driving module.

4. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling gas is able to flow between said first housing and said second housing.

5. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the driving module is positioned between the fan housing and the first housing.

6. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 5 , wherein the impeller and one of the at least one bearing are mounted on a common shaft.

7. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 6 , further comprising a motor positioned outside of the casing and driving the at least one rotating element with the common shaft.

8. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , further comprising a radiator positioned on the first housing.

9. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the silencer is positioned under the compression or vacuum chamber.

10. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein the casing is configured to deflect the cooling gas flow along a first surface of the first housing, to redirect said cooling gas flow along a second surface of the first housing towards the silencer, and to direct the cooling gas flow outside the casing.

11. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein said compressor or vacuum pump is a claw compressor or vacuum pump.

12. The compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 1 , wherein said recess structure has a height H and a length L, wherein said recess structure comprises a straight surface over a distance x and a curved surface over a distance L-x.

13. A method for cooling a compressor or a vacuum pump, said method comprising the following steps:
flowing a volume of cooling gas through a cooling gas inlet of a casing of said compressor or vacuum pump with a fan;
a first housing delimiting a compression chamber or a vacuum chamber and having at least one rotating element located therein;
a driving module comprising a second housing and at least one bearing;
deflecting said volume of cooling gas towards a surface of the second housing of the driving module;
guiding the flow of cooling gas towards a first surface of the first housing;
providing a silencer for attenuating noise generated by the compressor or vacuum pump, said silencer comprising a cover;
wherein the step of deflecting the volume of cooling gas entering through said cooling gas inlet towards a surface of the second housing of the driving module further comprises directing said volume of cooling gas through a recess structure on the cover of the silencer.

14. The method for cooling the compressor or vacuum pump according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of guiding the flow of cooling gas from said first surface along a second surface of the first housing and through a cooling gas outlet of the casing.

15. The method for cooling a compressor or a vacuum pump according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of guiding the deflected flow of cooling gas along the height of the driving module.

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Airpower Nv

Inventors

• Di Sante Alberto
• Jacobs William Maria
• STOOP Koen
• Van Mieghem Luc
• Potters Tom Andre J

Classifications

• F04C29/065 Primary

  Noise dampening volumes, e.g. muffler chambers · CPC title

• F04C29/045 Primary

  of the electric motor in hermetic pumps · CPC title

• F01C21/10 Primary

  Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons; Casings (casings for rotary engines or machines in general F16M) · CPC title

• F04C2220/10

  Vacuum · CPC title

• F04C2240/30

  Casings or housings · CPC title