Compressor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879827-B2
Application number	US-201514821262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2015
Priority date	Mar 18, 2015
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A compressor system includes a first compressor having a first variable diffuser having a diffuser area; a second compressor having a second variable diffuser having a diffuser area; a third compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the second compressor; a fourth compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the third compressor; a fifth compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the fourth compressor; a first channel configured to connect an outlet of the second compressor to an inlet of the third compressor; a first valve provided to the first channel; a second channel configured to connect the outlet of the second compressor to the inlet of the third compressor; a second valve provided to the second channel; a first intercooler; a second intercooler and a controller configured to control the first valve, the second valve, the first variable diffuser, and the second variable diffuser.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compressor system comprising:
a first compressor comprising a first variable diffuser having a diffuser area which varies in size based on an external signal, and configured to compress boil-off gas;
a second compressor comprising a second variable diffuser having a diffuser area which varies in size based on an external signal and configured to compress fluid discharged by the first compressor;
a third compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the second compressor;
a fourth compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the third compressor;
a fifth compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the fourth compressor;
a first channel configured to connect an outlet of the second compressor to an inlet of the third compressor;
a first valve provided to the first channel and configured to open or close the first channel based on an external signal;
a second channel configured to connect the outlet of the second compressor to the inlet of the third compressor;
a second valve provided to the second channel and configured to open or close the second channel based on an external signal;
a first intercooler provided to the second channel and configured to cool fluid passing through the second channel;
a second intercooler provided between an outlet of the fourth compressor and an inlet of the fifth compressor and configured to cool the fluid discharged by the fourth compressor;
a controller configured to control the first valve, the second valve, the first variable diffuser, and the second variable diffuser;
a first surge channel connecting an outlet of the fifth compressor to the inlet of the third compressor, and
a first surge valve provided to the first surge channel and configured to open or close the first surge channel based on an external signal.

2. The compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising
a second surge channel connecting the inlet of the third compressor and an inlet of the first compressor, and
a second surge valve provided to the second surge channel and configured to open or close the second surge channel based on an external signal.

3. The compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising
an after-cooler connected to the outlet of the fifth compressor and configured to cool fluid discharged by the fifth compressor.

4. The compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising
a sensor configured to detect temperature of the boil-off gas supplied to the first compressor.

5. The compressor system of claim 1 , further comprising
a sixth compressor configured to compress fluid discharged by the fifth compressor.

6. A compressor system comprising:
a first compressing device comprising
a first compressor comprising a first variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress boil-off gas,
a second compressor comprising a second variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress fluid discharged by the first compressor,
a third compressor, a fourth compressor, and a fifth compressor which are sequentially disposed in series at a downstream side of the second compressor,
a first valve configured to open or close a first channel connecting an outlet of the second compressor to an inlet of the third compressor,
a second valve configured to open or close a second channel connecting the outlet of the second compressor to the inlet of the third compressor,
a first intercooler provided to the second channel and configured to cool fluid passing through the second compressor, and
a second intercooler provided between an outlet of the fourth compressor and an inlet of the fifth compressor and configured to cool fluid passing through the fourth compressor;

a second compressing device comprising:
a sixth compressor comprising a third variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress boil-off gas,
a seventh compressor comprising a fourth variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress fluid discharged by the sixth compressor,
an eighth compressor, a ninth compressor, and a tenth compressor which are sequentially disposed in series at a downstream side of the seventh compressor,
a third valve configured to open or close a third channel connecting an outlet of the seventh compressor to an inlet of the eighth compressor,
a fourth valve configured to open or close a fourth channel connecting the outlet of the seventh compressor to the inlet of the eighth compressor,
a third intercooler provided to the fourth channel and configured to cool fluid passing through the seventh compressor, and
a fourth intercooler provided between an outlet of the ninth compressor and an inlet of the tenth compressor and configured to cool fluid passing through the ninth compressor;

a controller configured to control the first valve, the second valve, the third valve, the fourth valve, the first variable diffuser, the second variable diffuser, the third variable diffuser, and the fourth variable diffuser;
a first surge channel connecting an outlet of the fifth compressor to the inlet of the third compressor, and
a first surge valve provided to the second surge channel and configured to open or close the second surge channel based on an external signal.

7. The compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising
a second surge channel connecting the inlet of the third compressor and an inlet of the first compressor, and
a second surge valve provided to the first surge channel and configured to open or close the first surge channel based on an external signal.

8. The compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising
a third surge channel connecting the inlet of the eighth compressor to an inlet of the sixth compressor, and
a third surge valve provided to the third surge channel and configured to open or close the third surge channel based on an external signal.

9. The compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising
a fourth surge channel connecting an outlet of the tenth compressor to the inlet of the eighth compressor, and
a fourth surge valve provided to the fourth surge channel and configured to open or close the fourth surge channel.

10. The compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising
a first after-cooler connected to an outlet of the fifth compressor and configured to cool fluid discharged by the fifth compressor.

11. The compressor system of claim 6 , further comprising
a second after-cooler connected to an outlet of the tenth compressor and configured to cool fluid discharged by the tenth compressor.

12. A compressor system comprising:
a first compressing device comprising
a first compressor comprising a first variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress boil-off gas,
a second compressor comprising a second variable diffuser, of which a metering area is varied based on an external signal, and configured to compress fluid discharged by the first compressor,
a third compressor, a fourth compressor, and a fifth compressor which are sequentially disposed in series at a downstream side of the second compressor,
a first valve configured to open or close a first channel connecting an outlet of the second compressor to an inlet of the third compressor,
a second valve configured to open or close a second channel connecting the outlet of the second compressor to the inlet of the third compressor,
a first intercooler provided to the second channel and configured to cool fluid pas

Assignees

• Hanwha Techwin Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hwang Yeongsoo

Classifications

• F04D29/5833

  flow schemes and regulation thereto · CPC title

• F17C7/04 Primary

  with change of state, e.g. vaporisation · CPC title

• Y02T10/32

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F17C2221/033

  Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG · CPC title

• F17C2227/0185

  comprising several pumps or compressors · CPC title