Systems and methods for integrally geared centrifugal compressor to maintain rotor concentricity with differing pinion gear tooth counts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12584500-B2
Application number	US-202519075156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2025
Priority date	Dec 29, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Integrally geared centrifugal compressor systems are described that include eccentric cartridges that house bearings and seals to maintain rotor concentricity for a variety of pinons integrated in a fixed gearbox design to provide multiple impeller speeds with a single gearbox design. In an aspect, a system includes, but is not limited to, a pinion configured to be rotated by a bull gear about a rotational axis; a rotor coupled to the pinion; and an eccentric cartridge configured to house a bearing assembly through which the rotor extends to support rotation of the rotor, the eccentric cartridge having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface is eccentric relative to the outer surface to align the rotational axis with a center axis of the bearing assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An integrally geared centrifugal compressor system for compressing a fluid, the system comprising:
a pinion configured to be rotated by a bull gear about a rotational axis; a rotor coupled to the pinion and configured to be rotated about the rotational axis; an eccentric cartridge configured to house a bearing assembly through which the rotor extends to support rotation of the rotor about the rotational axis, the eccentric cartridge configured to seat against an interior surface of a gearbox having a center axis configured to house at least a portion of the pinion and the rotor, the eccentric cartridge configured to eccentrically arrange the rotational axis relative to the center axis of the gearbox; an impeller coupled to the rotor and configured to draw fluid into the impeller upon rotation of the impeller, the impeller configured to be rotated about the rotational axis to eject the fluid; and a volute, wherein at least a portion of the impeller is positioned within the volute to direct the ejected fluid from the impeller into the volute, wherein the impeller is eccentrically arranged relative to the volute.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an oil seal, wherein the eccentric cartridge is configured to house the oil seal.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an air seal, wherein the eccentric cartridge is configured to house the air seal.

4 . An integrally geared centrifugal compressor system for compressing a fluid, the system comprising:
a gearbox defining an interior longitudinal cavity having a center axis; a pinion configured to be rotated by a bull gear about a rotational axis; a rotor coupled to the pinion and configured to be rotated about the rotational axis; an eccentric cartridge configured to house a bearing assembly through which the rotor extends to support rotation of the rotor, the eccentric cartridge configured to seat against an interior surface of the gearbox, the eccentric cartridge configured to eccentrically arrange the rotational axis relative to the center axis of the gearbox; an impeller coupled to the rotor and configured to draw fluid into the impeller upon rotation of the impeller, the impeller configured to be rotated about the rotational axis to eject the fluid; and a volute, wherein at least a portion of the impeller is positioned within the volute to direct the ejected fluid from the impeller into the volute, wherein the impeller is eccentrically arranged relative to the volute.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising an oil seal, wherein the eccentric cartridge is configured to house the oil seal.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising an air seal, wherein the eccentric cartridge is configured to house the air seal.

Assignees

• Ingersoll Rand Industrial Us Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Dhruv
• Gerber Thomas
• Austin Andrew
• Swiatek Chester
• Ackerman Scott

Classifications

• F04D29/4206

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D27/02

  Surge control {(surge detection F04D27/001)} · CPC title

• F04D29/056

  Bearings · CPC title

• H02K7/08

  Structural association with bearings · CPC title

• H02K7/14

  Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06) · CPC title