Element, device and method for compressing gas to be compressed having a low temperature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209587-B2
Application number	US-202218286293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2022
Priority date	Apr 9, 2021
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

An element for compressing a gas to be compressed at a low temperature of −40° C. or lower, which element ( 1 ) is provided with a housing ( 2 ) containing at least one rotor ( 3 ) that is rotatably arranged with respect to the housing ( 2 ) and having an inlet ( 6 ) for the gas to be compressed and an outlet ( 7 ) for compressed gas, characterized in that the element ( 1 ) is configured for compressing the gas to be compressed having the low temperature by providing the element ( 1 ) with a heating duct ( 8 ) that runs through the housing ( 2 ), the heating duct ( 8 ) being provided with an inlet ( 9 ) where a first heat medium is introduced into the housing ( 2 ) at a higher temperature than the aforementioned low temperature and an outlet ( 10 ) where the first heat medium is evacuated from the housing ( 2 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An element for compressing a gas to be compressed at a low temperature of −40° C. or lower, the element comprising:
a housing comprising:
at least one rotor that is rotatably arranged with respect to the housing;
an inlet for the gas to be compressed; and
an outlet for compressed gas; and

a heating duct that extends through the housing, the heating duct comprising:
an inlet where a first heat medium is introduced into the housing at a higher temperature than the low temperature; and
an outlet where the first heat medium is evacuated from the housing,

wherein the heating duct is configured such that the first heat medium flows, within the heating duct, from an inlet portion of the housing to an outlet portion of the housing, and
the inlet portion is located according to an axial direction of a shaft of the at least one rotor on a first side of the housing where the inlet of the housing is located, and the outlet portion is located according to the axial direction of the shaft on a second side of the housing where the outlet of the housing is located.

2. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the low temperature of the gas to be compressed is equal to or less than −60° C.

3. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the first heat medium is a mixture of water and glycol having at least 40% glycol.

4. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the heating duct is positioned in such a way that heat is exchanged between the inlet of the housing and the inlet of the heating duct.

5. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the heating duct is positioned in such a way that heat is exchanged between the outlet of the housing and the outlet of the heating duct.

6. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the heating duct is provided with branches that are positioned in such a way that heat is exchanged between the branches and the inlet of the housing.

7. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the heating duct has a number of bends and/or curves that are positioned in such a way that heat is exchanged between the bends and/or curves and the inlet of the housing.

8. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotor is rotatably arranged with respect to the housing ( 2 ) by bearings ( 4 ), and
the element further comprises an injection circuit that is configured to inject a second heat medium to the bearings at a higher temperature than the low temperature.

9. The element according to claim 8 , wherein the injection circuit comprises:
a first duct comprising a first feed point for receiving the second heat medium, the first duct located in a first portion of the housing that is on the first side of the housing.

10. The element according to claim 9 , wherein the injection circuit further comprises:
a second duct comprising a second feed point for receiving the second heat medium, the second duct located in a second portion of the housing that is on the second side of the housing.

11. The element according to claim 10 , wherein the injection circuit further comprises a connection duct for the second heat medium in the housing, the connection duct interconnecting the first feed point and the second feed point.

12. The element according to claim 11 , wherein at least one portion of the heating duct is positioned in such a way that heat is exchanged between the heating duct and the first duct, the second duct, and/or the connection duct.

13. The element according to claim 1 , wherein the element is a screw compressor element, and the at least one rotor is at least one helical rotor.

14. The element according to claim 13 , wherein the element is an oil-free screw compressor element.

15. A method performed by an element, the method comprising:
receiving a gas at an inlet of a housing of the element, the gas having a low temperature of −40° C. or lower, and the housing including at least one rotor that is rotatably arranged with respect to the housing;
compressing the gas in the housing;
evacuating the gas at an outlet of the housing;
receiving a first heat medium at an inlet of a heating duct of the housing, the heating duct extending through the housing, and the first heat medium being received at a temperature higher than the low temperature; and
evacuating the first heat medium at an outlet of the heating duct,
wherein the heating duct is configured such that the first heat medium flows, within the heating duct, from an inlet portion of the housing to an outlet portion of the housing, and
the inlet portion is located according to an axial direction of a shaft of the at least one rotor on a first side of the housing where the inlet of the housing is located, and the outlet portion is located according to the axial direction of the shaft on a second side of the housing where the outlet of the housing is located.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the low temperature of the gas is equal to or less than −60° C.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first heat medium is a mixture of water and glycol having at least 40% glycol.

18. The method according claim 15 , wherein the temperature of the first heat medium is at least 60° C. at the inlet of the heating duct.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one rotor is rotatably arranged with respect to the housing by bearings, and
the method further comprises injecting a second heat medium to the bearings.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the second heat medium is a lubricating fluid.

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Airpower Nv

Inventors

• Lalchandani Mukesh
• De Bock Simon
• Van Troos Tom

Classifications

• F25B1/047

  of screw type · CPC title

• F04C2240/50

  Bearings · CPC title

• F04C2240/30

  Casings or housings · CPC title

• F04C2240/20

  Rotors · CPC title

• F04C2220/22

  for very low temperatures, i.e. cryogenic · CPC title