Calibrating compressor bearing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12188702-B2
Application number	US-202217743317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2022
Priority date	May 12, 2022
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

Re-calibrating a bearing system of a compressor includes analyzing environmental data pertaining to a compressor to detect occurrence of a calibration threshold event, and re-calibrating the bearing system based on the detected calibration threshold event by controlling placement of a shaft relative to the bearing system of the compressor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller comprising:
a receiver to receive environmental data of an environment pertaining to a compressor;
a threshold event detector to:
detect occurrence of a calibration threshold event based on the received environmental data,
wherein the calibration threshold event includes the receiver receiving a temperature data of the environment pertaining to the compressor being at or above a threshold temperature, and

wherein the temperature data include an ambient temperature; and

a calibrator to re-calibrate a bearing system based on the detected calibration threshold event by controlling placement of a shaft relative to the bearing system of the compressor.

2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data includes a temperature corresponding to the compressor.

3. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the calibrator is configured to re-calibrate the bearing system in an axial direction of the shaft based on the detected calibration threshold event.

4. The controller of claim 1 , wherein
the bearing system comprises one or more axial magnetic bearings arranged to levitate the shaft, and
the calibrator is configured to re-calibrate the one or more axial magnetic bearings relative to the shaft.

5. The controller of claim 1 , wherein
the bearing system comprises one or more radial magnetic bearings arranged to levitate the shaft, and
the calibrator is configured to re-calibrate the one or more radial magnetic bearings relative to the shaft.

6. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the bearing system comprises one or more position sensors to measure a levitating position of the shaft.

7. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the threshold event detector is configured to re-calibrate the bearing system to a predetermined position based on the detected calibration threshold event.

8. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the compressor is a centrifugal compressor.

9. A method of calibrating a bearing system of a compressor, the method comprising:
receiving environmental data of an environment pertaining to the compressor;
detecting occurrence of a calibration threshold event based on the received environmental data,
wherein the calibration threshold event includes receiving temperature data of the environment pertaining to the compressor being at or above a threshold temperature, and
wherein the temperature data include an ambient temperature; and

re-calibrating the bearing system based on the detected calibration threshold event by controlling placement of a shaft relative to the bearing system of the compressor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the re-calibrating of the bearing system occurs before the compressor is in operation.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising re-calibrating the bearing system to a predetermined position based on the detected calibration threshold.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising measuring a levitating position of the shaft using one or more position sensors.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for a controller that stores computer-executable instructions that, upon execution, cause one or more processors to execute functions for calibrating a bearing system of a compressor, the instructions comprising:
receiving environmental data of an environment pertaining to the compressor;
detecting occurrence of a calibration threshold event based on the received environmental data,
wherein the calibration threshold event includes receiving temperature data of the environment pertaining to the compressor being at or above a threshold temperature, and
wherein the temperature data include an ambient temperature; and

re-calibrating the bearing system based on the detected calibration threshold event by controlling placement of a shaft relative to the bearing system of the compressor.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instruction for re-calibrating of the bearing system is executed before the compressor is in operation.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
re-calibrating the bearing system to a predetermined position based on the detected calibration threshold event.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
measuring a levitating position of the shaft using one or more position sensors.

Assignees

• Trane Int Inc

Inventors

• Omernik Matthew David
• Heger Joseph M

Classifications

• F04D29/048

  magnetic; electromagnetic · CPC title

• F04D15/0263

  the condition being temperature, ingress of humidity or leakage · CPC title

• F16C32/0444

  Details of devices to control the actuation of the electromagnets · CPC title

• F04D29/058

  magnetic; electromagnetic · CPC title

• F25B31/026

  with compressor of rotary type · CPC title