Lubrication system for a compressor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209002-B2
Application number	US-201816123487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2018
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An oil flooded screw compressor includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet, and a rotor supported within the housing by a bearing. The rotor is rotatable to compress air from the inlet to the outlet when the compressor is in an operating state, and the rotor is rotatable without compressing air when the compressor is in an idle state. The compressor also includes a pump configured to supply oil to the bearing only when the compressor is in the idle state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system comprising:
a separator tank;
a housing including an inlet and an outlet;
a rotor of the oil flooded screw compressor supported within the housing by a bearing;
a prime mover that drives the rotor;
wherein the rotor is driven by the prime mover to compress air from the inlet to the outlet while the oil flooded screw compressor is in an operating state such that the outlet and the separator tank are pressurized with the compressed aft during the operating state of the oil flooded screw compressor;
wherein the separator tank is configured to separate oil from the air compressed by the rotor;
wherein the oil flooded screw compressor is operable in an idle state in which the outlet and the separator tank are depressurized, and wherein the rotor is driven by the prime mover while the oil flooded screw compressor is in the idle state;
a pump that supplies oil from the pump to the bearing only while the oil flooded screw compressor is in the idle state; and
a controller that controls flow of the oil between the separator tank and the bearing such that the oil is continuously supplied to the bearing when the separator tank is depressurized and the oil flooded screw compressor is in the idle state.

2. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is fluidly coupled to the separator tank to draw the oil from the separator tank.

3. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising a valve assembly configured to direct the oil from the pump to the bearing while the compressor is in the idle state.

4. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 3 , wherein the valve assembly is configured to direct the oil from the pump to the separator tank while the compressor is in the operating state, bypassing the bearing.

5. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 3 , wherein the valve assembly includes a solenoid-actuated diverter valve.

6. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising
a motor coupled to the pump,
wherein the controller is configured to energize the motor while the compressor is in the idle state, and to de-energize the motor while the compressor is in the operating state.

7. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is coupled to the prime mover such that the prime mover drives the pump while the compressor is in the idle state and while the compressor is in the operating state.

8. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the rotor is one of a plurality of rotors, wherein the bearing is one of a plurality of bearings supporting the plurality of rotors, and wherein the oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system further comprises a manifold disposed fluidly between the pump and the plurality of bearings.

9. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the oil is supplied into the housing and to the rotor to form a seal with the rotor while the compressor is in the operating state, and wherein the oil is not supplied to the rotor while the compressor is in the idle state.

10. An oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system comprising:
a housing;
a rotor supported within the housing by a bearing;
a separator tank configured to separate oil from air compressed by the rotor;
a pump fluidly coupled to the separator tank and configured to pump the oil out of the separator tank; and
a valve assembly configured to selectively direct oil from the pump to the bearing,
wherein the separator tank is configured to supply the oil to the bearing along a first fluid path while the separator tank is pressurized,
wherein the pump is configured to supply the oil from the pump to the bearing along a second fluid path different than the first path while the separator tank is depressurized,
wherein the oil supplied to the bearing along the first fluid path bypasses the pump, and
wherein the valve assembly is configured to direct the oil from the pump to the separator tank, bypassing the bearing, while the separator tank is pressurized.

11. The oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system of claim 10 , wherein the rotor is one of a plurality of rotors, wherein the bearing is one of a plurality of bearings supporting the plurality of rotors, and wherein the oil flooded screw compressor and lubrication system further comprises a manifold disposed fluidly between the pump and the plurality of bearings.

12. A lubrication system for an oil flooded screw compressor having a housing and a rotor supported within the housing by a bearing, the lubrication system comprising:
a separator tank;
a pump;
a first line configured to supply oil from the separator tank to the bearing while bypassing the pump while the separator tank is pressurized;
a second line configured to supply oil from the pump to the bearing while the separator tank is depressurized;
a third line extending between the pump and the separator tank; and
a controller in communication with a valve assembly;
wherein the controller is configured to actuate the valve assembly to direct the oil from the pump into the third line while the separator tank is pressurized.

13. The lubrication system of claim 12 , further comprising
a manifold fluidly coupled to the separator tank, the pump, the first line, the second line, and the third line;
wherein the valve assembly is disposed within the manifold.

14. The lubrication system of claim 12 , wherein the valve assembly includes a plurality of solenoid-actuated diverter valves.

Assignees

• Joy Global Surface Mining Inc

Inventors

• Lanum Michael D
• Mcmahon Scott

Classifications

• F04C29/021 Primary

  Control systems for the circulation of the lubricant · CPC title

• F04C29/026 Primary

  Lubricant separation · CPC title

• F04C2240/52

  for assemblies with supports on both sides · CPC title

• F04C18/16

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

• F05B2260/98

  Lubrication · CPC title