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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320358-B2
Application number	US-202218284198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2022
Priority date	Apr 9, 2021
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

An element for compression of a gas to be compressed having a low temperature of −40° C. or lower, which element ( 1 ) is provided with a housing ( 2 ) containing at least one rotor ( 3 ) which is mounted rotatably with its shaft ( 5 ) with respect to the housing ( 2 ) and with an inlet ( 6 ) for the gas to be compressed and an outlet ( 7 ) for compressed gas, characterized in that the element ( 1 ) is provided with a heating means for an end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ) located closest to the inlet ( 6 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Element for compression of a gas to be compressed having a low temperature of −40° C. or lower,
the element ( 1 ) is provided with a housing ( 2 ) containing at least one rotor ( 3 ) which is mounted rotatably around its shaft ( 5 ) with respect to the housing ( 2 ) and with an inlet ( 6 ) for the gas to be compressed and an outlet ( 7 ) for compressed gas,
characterized in that the element ( 1 ) is provided with a heating means for an end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ) located closest to the inlet ( 6 ),
characterized in that the heating means comprises a first injection circuit ( 8 ) for injecting a heating medium at a temperature higher than the low temperature to said end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ), and
characterized in that the rotor ( 3 ) is mounted rotatably with respect to the housing ( 2 ) by means of bearings ( 4 ) and that the element ( 1 ) is provided with a second injection circuit ( 14 ) for injecting heating medium at a temperature higher than the low temperature to the bearings ( 4 ).

2. The element according to claim 1 , characterized in that the low temperature of the gas to be compressed is −60° C. or lower.

3. The element according to claim 2 , characterized in that the low temperature of the gas to be compressed is −100° C. or lower.

4. The element according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first injection circuit ( 8 ) is provided with a nozzle ( 12 ) located at the aforementioned end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ), the nozzle ( 12 ) sprays the heating medium directly onto the aforementioned end ( 9 a ).

5. The element according to claim 4 , characterized in that the nozzle ( 12 ) is configured to be able to also spray heating medium on the bearings ( 4 ).

6. The element according to claim 5 , characterized in that the nozzle ( 12 ) is provided with at least two nozzle openings ( 13 a , 13 b ).

7. The element according to claim 1 , characterized in that a first duct ( 10 ) of the second injection circuit ( 14 ) with a first feed point ( 11 ) for heating medium into the element ( 1 ) is positioned in a first part of the housing ( 2 ) which, according to an axial direction of the shaft ( 5 ), is located at a side of the housing ( 2 ) where the inlet ( 6 ) is positioned.

8. The element according to claim 7 , characterized in that a second duct ( 16 ) of the second injection circuit ( 14 ) with a second feed point ( 15 ) for heating medium into the element ( 1 ) is positioned in a second part of the housing ( 2 ) which, according to an axial direction of the shaft ( 5 ), is located at a side of the housing ( 2 ) where the outlet ( 7 ) is positioned.

9. The element according to claim 8 characterized in that the first feed point ( 11 ) and the second feed point ( 15 ) are interconnected by means of a connecting duct ( 18 ) for heating medium in the housing ( 2 ).

10. The element according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second injection circuit ( 14 ) is connected to, is part of, is integrated into or forms a single unit with the first injection circuit ( 8 ).

11. The element according to claim 1 , characterized in that the element ( 1 ) is a screw compressor with at least one helical rotor.

12. The element according to claim 11 , characterized in that the element ( 1 ) is an oil-free screw compressor.

13. The element according to claim 11 , characterized in that the screw compressor has two helical rotors.

14. A device for compression of a gas to be compressed having a low temperature of −40° C. or lower, characterized in that the device is provided with at least one element ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

15. A method for compression of a gas to be compressed having a low temperature of −40° C. or lower by means of an element, which element ( 1 ) is provided with a housing ( 2 ) containing at least one rotor ( 3 ) which is mounted rotatably around its shaft ( 5 ) with respect to the housing ( 2 ) and with an inlet ( 6 ) for the gas to be compressed and an outlet ( 7 ) for compressed gas,
characterized in that an end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ) located closest to the inlet ( 6 ) is heated by a first injection circuit ( 8 ) for injecting a heating medium at a temperature higher than the low temperature to said end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ), and
characterized in that the rotor ( 3 ) is mounted rotatably with respect to the housing ( 2 ) by means of bearings ( 4 ) and the bearings ( 4 ) are heated by a second injection circuit ( 14 ) for injecting heating medium at a temperature higher than the low temperature to the bearings ( 4 ).

16. The method according to claim 15 , characterized in that the gas to be compressed at low temperature has a temperature of −60° C. or lower.

17. The method according to claim 15 , characterized in that the heating medium has a temperature higher than the gas to be compressed.

18. The method according to claim 17 , characterized in that the heating medium is a lubricating liquid.

19. The method according to claim 18 , characterized in that the lubricating liquid is oil.

20. The method according to claim 15 , characterized in that the first injection circuit ( 8 ) is provided with a nozzle ( 12 ) located at the aforementioned end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ), and said end ( 9 a ) of the shaft ( 5 ) of the rotor ( 3 ) is heated with a heating medium by spraying the heating medium from the nozzle ( 12 ) directly onto the aforementioned end ( 9 a ).

Assignees

• Atlas Copco Airpower Nv

Inventors

• Lalchandani Mukesh
• Van Troos Tom
• De Bock Simon

Classifications

• F04C2220/12

  Dry running · CPC title

• F04C2240/50

  Bearings · CPC title

• F04C29/02

  Lubrication (of machines or engines in general F01M); Lubricant separation (separation in general B01D) · CPC title

• F04C18/086 Primary

  Carter · CPC title

• F04C29/042 Primary

  by injecting a fluid (injection of fluid for sealing, cooling or lubrication F04C29/0007) · CPC title