The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to compressors and compressor technology and, more specifically, to a device that conditions flow of working fluids at an inlet and/or outlet of a compressor.
Compressors are machines that act on a working fluid, for example, to distribute the working fluid under pressure to a process line. Compressors may include rotary compressors, centrifugal compressors, etc. Examples of process lines may be found in various applications including chemical, water-treatment, petro-chemical, resource recovery and delivery, refinery, and like sectors and industries.
Rotary-style compressors include devices that have a housing that forms a chamber with an inlet and an outlet. Inside of the chamber, the devices often have a pair of elements; conventionally these elements embody one or more large lobed-impellers that mesh with one another. In use, the lobed-impellers rotate in opposite directions to displace a known quantity of fluid from the inlet to the outlet. As a pump, the device actively rotates the elements to facilitate movement of the fluid from the inlet to the outlet of the chamber. On the other hand, as a meter, the device is configured for the flow of working fluid to act on the elements. The force of the fluid causes the elements to rotate, which in turn can generate an output (e.g., an electrical signal) that reflects one or more characteristics of the fluid flow.
It is known that use of the lobed-impellers can generate significant pressure and flow pulses during operation of the rotary-style compressor. These flow pulses can resonate downstream and, in turn, induce vibrations of a magnitude that is often significant enough to damage equipment found downstream of the compressor and/or to generate noise at levels that are unsatisfactory even for industrial settings.
Remediation of the problems with flow pulses typically seeks to dissipate energy at the inlet and/or the outlet of the compressor. The solutions often employ noise reduction devices (e.g., silencers) to attenuate sound waves and like perturbations in the working fluid. These devices utilize elements (e.g., baffles) in different arrangements to modify the direction (and other aspects) of the flow of working fluid and, thus, effectively reduce noise and vibrations. Unfortunately, in most conventional implementations, the silencers mount to the exterior of the machinery. This configuration elongates the overall footprint of the machinery, sometimes by as much as 400% or more.
This disclosure describes embodiments of a flow conditioning device that can dampen pulses and improve performance of a compressor. In one approach, a diffuser device includes a housing member having a first end and a second end, the housing member coupled to an outlet of a compressor, and a diffuser member disposed within the housing member. The diffuser member is in fluid communication with a working fluid delivered from the compressor, and includes a core member extending along a longitudinal axis of the diffuser member, and a plurality of flutes extending radially from the core member. In some approaches, the plurality of flutes and an inner surface of the housing define a plurality of fluid channels for delivering the working fluid from the first end to the second end of the housing member. In some approaches, the diffuser member is rotatably coupled to the housing member.
In one approach, an assembly includes a housing member having a first end and a second end, the housing member coupled to a rotary displacement device. The assembly further includes a diffuser member disposed within the housing member, wherein the diffuser member includes a core member extending along a longitudinal axis of the diffuser member, and a plurality of flutes extending radially from the core member.
In another approach, a compressor assembly includes a compressor and a diffuser device coupled to a compressor, the diffuser device including a housing member having a first end and a second end, wherein the housing member is coupled to an outlet of the compressor for receiving a working fluid. The diffuser device further includes a diffuser member disposed within the housing member, the diffuser member including a core member extending along a central longitudinal axis of the diffuser member and a plurality of flutes extending radially from the core member.
In yet another embodiment, a diffuser device includes a housing member having a first end and a second end, the housing member coupled to an outlet of a compressor, and a diffuser member disposed within the housing member. The diffuser member is in fluid communication with a working fluid delivered from the compressor, and includes a core member extending along a longitudinal axis of the diffuser member, and a plurality of flutes extending radially from the core member.
By way of example, specific embodiments of the disclosed device will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Where applicable like reference characters designate identical or corresponding components and units throughout the several views, which are not to scale unless otherwise indicated. Moreover, the embodiments disclosed herein may include elements that appear in one or more of the several views or in combinations of the several views.
The present disclosure will now proceed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various approaches are shown. It will be appreciated, however, that the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the approaches set forth herein. Rather, these approaches are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
As used herein, an element or operation recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural elements or operations, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one approach” or “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional approaches or embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.
Furthermore, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “central,” “above,” “upper,” “on,” “over,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of describing one element's relationship to another element(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms may encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
As stated above, described herein is a compressor assembly including a compressor and a diffuser device coupled to a compressor, the diffuser device including a housing member having a first end and a second end. The housing member is coupled to an outlet of the compressor for receiving a working fluid. The diffuser device further includes a diffuser member disposed within the housing member, the diffuser member having a core member extending along a central longitudinal axis of the diffuser member and a plurality of flutes extending radially from the core member. In some approaches, the diffuser member may rotate relative to the housing member, thereby reducing pressure pulsation and resulting in a flat signal, namely, a discharge pressure with little or no fluctuation.
As will be described in greater detail below, the flutes of the diffuser member define a plurality of fluid channels having a swirl or helical configuration, which has the benefit of improving discharge pressure and decreasing discharge pressure pulsation. By reducing discharge pressure pulsation, the need for a discharge silencer at the compressor outlet may be reduced or eliminated. In some approaches, the diffuser device may be installed on new rotary compressors, or as a retrofit for legacy compressors currently in the field. In the case of existing legacy units, the discharge piping may be modified, for example, by installing a new spool piece containing the diffuser device therein.
Turning now to
In
With reference also to
As configured, the diffuser member 108 is in fluid communication with the working fluid F, which passes through the flow path 120. The swirl/helical profile is configured to condition the flow of the working fluid F from, for example, a first flow pattern at the upstream end 104 to a second flow pattern at the downstream end 106. In one implementation, the profile of the flute body 118 is configured to cause the working fluid F to exit the flow paths 120 as a swirling flow and/or in a swirl pattern due to the helical shape of the flutes 116.
By inducing the working fluid F into a swirl shaped flow pattern, a higher discharge pressure may be achieved. This phenomenon may be evidenced, for example, with centrifugal rolled over volutes, wherein the estimated performed improvement for a 400Hp centrifugal test rig between a standard symmetric volute in which the gas is dumping into the volute collector and a rolled over volute was 1 point of efficiency and approximately 4.5% improvement in pressure coefficient. The improved diffusion through the housing 102 due to the shape/configuration of the flute body 118 will ultimately result in better mixing out of the discharge flow, thus reducing the discharge pressure pulsation.
In some constructions, the diffuser member 108 is fixed within the housing 102 and remains stationary against the flow of the working fluid F. In other implementations, the diffuser member 108 may be rotatably coupled with the housing 102, thus allowing rotation around the core 112 with respect to the housing 102, whether passively and/or actively (e.g., by way of a collateral motor or other motive element). For either stationary or rotatable configurations, the device 100 may include one or more structural components (e.g., bearings, struts, etc.) for coupling the diffuser member 108 to the housing member 102 and or the compressor, while avoid interference with the flow of working fluid F through the device 100.
As shown in
The rotary displacement device 122 may facilitate movement of the working fluid F and/or measure movement of the working fluid F that flows in the inner volume 130, as desired. In one implementation, for example, the rotary displacement device 122 can operate as a pump and/or blower to draw fluid into the inner volume 130 and expel fluid from the inner volume 124 via the inlet and the outlet, respectively. In another implementation, the rotary displacement device 122 can operate as a meter and/or measurement device, which monitors flow characteristics (e.g., flow rate) of fluid that flows from the inlet to the outlet.
Rotating elements 132, 134 are mounted on shafts (not shown) for rotation with the chamber 149. In some embodiments, the rotating elements 132, 134 each have a general “figure 8” shape. As such, the rotating elements 132, 134 are angularly positioned on their respective shafts so that the end portions of each impeller “nest” in the necked down portion of the other impeller, for example as shown.
A plurality of angularly-spaced jet passages, two of which are referred to by the reference numeral 151, are formed in the wall 143 in an radially outwardly-spaced relation to the discharge opening 147. The passages 151 are defined in part by an annular extension, or flange 153 that extends from the wall 143 and is provided with an enlarged, rounded outer portion. The flange 153 functions to direct a portion of the working fluid (e.g., air) through the jet passages 151 and back to the chamber 149.
An inlet plenum 152 extends from the wall 145 and has an inlet opening 154 for receiving the working fluid F, a discharge plenum 158 extending from the wall 143, and a discharge opening 160 for discharging the working fluid F. It is understood that at least one motor (not shown) may be provided in the housing 141 for driving the shafts in an opposite direction. As further shown, the compressor 140 includes a frusto-conical partition 162 (hereinafter partition 162) provided in the discharge plenum 158, the partition 162 defining a discharge chamber 164 in the center of the discharge plenum 158, and an annular recirculation chamber 166 surrounding the discharge chamber 164.
Turning now to
In one embodiment, as shown in
As used herein, an element or function recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or functions, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the claimed invention should not be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural element
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/2016/018934, filed on Feb. 22, 2016 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/119,565, filed Feb. 23, 2015, entitled “Device for Conditioning Flow of Working Fluids”, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180023572 A1 | Jan 2018 | US |
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62119565 | Feb 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/US2016/018934 | Feb 2016 | US |
Child | 15672798 | US |