Reciprocating Compressor With Integral Engine and With Linear Cylinders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017167478-A1
Application number	US-201514964820-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 10, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A reciprocating compressor. A hollow cylinder tube contains a piston assembly having two pistons connected by a piston rod. At each end of the cylinder tube is an outer chamber between an end plate and an outer end of the proximate piston. These two outer chambers and the outer ends of the pistons define a power cylinder at each end of the cylinder tube. In the mid-portion of the cylinder tube, a center divider is situated between the pistons and has an aperture that allows the piston rod to reciprocate through it. The two inner chambers formed thereby and the inner ends of the pistons define two compression cylinders in the mid-portion of the cylinder tube. The two compression chambers share a suction manifold and a discharge manifold, but have independently operating suction and discharge valves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reciprocating compressor, comprising:
a hollow cylinder tube having a central bore; a piston assembly operable to reciprocate within the central bore, the piston assembly having two pistons and a piston rod, each piston having an outer end and an inner end, with the inner ends being connected with the piston rod; a pair of end plates, one end plate at each end of the cylinder tube, each end plate configured to provide a sealed outer chamber between that end plate and an outer end of the proximate piston; wherein each outer chamber and the outer end of the proximate piston form a power cylinder; each power cylinder further comprising an igniter, an air intake valve, and an exhaust valve; a center divider in the central bore between the inner ends of the pistons, the center divider having an aperture operable to allow the piston rod to reciprocate through the center divider; wherein the inner end of each piston defines an inner chamber between that inner end and the center divider; wherein each inner chamber and the inner end of the proximate piston form a compression cylinder; each compression cylinder further comprising a discharge valve and a suction valve; a suction manifold common to the suction valves of the compression cylinders; and a discharge manifold common to the discharge valves of the compression cylinders.

2 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein each piston is a single piece.

3 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein each piston is two pieces connected by a short rod.

4 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the suction valves are active or semi-active valves.

5 . The compressor of claim 1 , wherein the discharge valves are active or semi-active valves.

6 . The compressor of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit operable to deliver synchronization signals to the valves of the power cylinders and the valves of the compression cylinders.

Assignees

• Southwest Res Inst

Inventors

• Deffenbaugh Danny M

Classifications

• F04B35/002 Primary

  driven by internal combustion engines · CPC title

• F04B39/0022

  piston rods · CPC title

• F02B25/26

  Multi-cylinder engines other than those provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F02B25/02 - F02B25/24 (internal-combustion aspects of rotary engines F02B57/00) · CPC title

• F02B23/08

  with positive ignition · CPC title

• F04B27/12

  having plural sets of cylinders or pistons · CPC title