Oil Circulation System For A Compressor

Abstract

An oil circulation system for a compressor comprises a control valve body integrated therein with a pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. The control valve body is further integrated therein with a temperature control valve connected to an external cooler for lowering a temperature of a hydraulic oil, an oil filter for filtering the cooled hydraulic oil into a clean hydraulic oil, and a pressure relief valve for relieving a pressure of the clean hydraulic oil, which is then circulated back into the compressor for use. The integration of the aforementioned components effectively downsizes an entire set of machinery comprising the compressor and the oil circulation system and increases an efficiency of the compressor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an oil circulation system and, more particularly, to an oil circulation system for a compressor.

2. Description of Related Art

In a conventional oil circulation system for a compressor, as shown in FIG. 1, a hydraulic oil is pumped from an oil tank 10 through a temperature control valve 12 to an external oil filter 14. A cooler 16 is usually provided upstream the temperature control valve 12 for controlling a temperature of the hydraulic oil at a level most appropriate for operation of the compressor. The hydraulic oil is then circulated from the external oil filter 14 to the compressor 18 for use. In addition, it is necessary to provide a temperature sensor 20 between the temperature control valve 12 and the oil filter 14 for sensing the temperature of the hydraulic oil, and a pressure relief valve 22 between the oil filter 14 and the oil tank 10 for releasing an excess of the hydraulic oil back into the oil tank 10.

In the aforementioned oil circulation system for the compressor 18, a plurality of components are required, including the oil tank 10, the oil filter 14, the cooler 16, the temperature control valve 12, the temperature sensor 20, etc. As a result, an overall volume of an entire set of machinery comprising the compressor 18 and the oil circulation system cannot be reduced. Besides, an efficiency of the compressor 18 decreases because the more components there are, the more power tends to be wasted. Therefore, impracticality is one of the major drawbacks of conventional oil circulation systems for compressors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention provides an oil circulation system for a compressor to overcome the drawbacks associated with prior art oil circulation systems for compressors.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an oil circulation system for a compressor, wherein a temperature control valve, a temperature sensor, a differential pressure sensor, a pressure sensor, an oil filter, a cooler and a pressure relief valve are all integrated together and installed in the hydraulic oil circulation system to save space and increase an efficiency of the compressor.

To achieve this end, the present invention provides an oil circulation system for a compressor, comprising a control valve body which is integrated therein with a pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. The control valve body is further integrated therein with a temperature control valve connected to an external cooler for lowering a temperature of a hydraulic oil, an oil filter for filtering the cooled hydraulic oil into a clean hydraulic oil, and a pressure relief valve for relieving a pressure of the clean hydraulic oil, which is then circulated back into the compressor for use. The integration of the aforementioned components effectively downsizes an entire set of machinery comprising the compressor and the oil circulation system and increases an efficiency of the compressor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a prior art oil circulation system for a compressor; and

FIG. 2 is an oil circulation system for a compressor according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 2, an oil circulation system for a compressor according to the present invention comprises a control valve body 24, which is integrated therein with a temperature control valve 241, a pressure sensor 246, a differential pressure sensor 244, a temperature sensor 243, a temperature control valve 241, an oil filter 242 and a pressure relief valve 245. The temperature control valve 241 is connected to an external cooler 25 and further connected to a first end of the oil filter 242, while the temperature sensor 243 is provided between the oil filter 242 and the temperature control valve 241. The differential pressure sensor 244 is connected to the first end and a second end of the oil filter 242 for sensing a pressure difference across the oil filter 242. The second end of the oil filter 242 is further connected to the pressure relief valve 245, which has an outlet end connected to the pressure sensor 246 for sensing an outlet pressure of a hydraulic oil. Thus, the hydraulic oil pumped from an oil tank 26 will go through a series of control processes in the control valve body 24 before flowing into a compressor 27, where the hydraulic oil is actuated by a motor 28 to compress air. Therefore, the present invention not only reduces an overall volume of an entire set of machinery comprising a compressor and a conventional oil circulation system, but also increases an efficiency of the compressor. Moreover, the control valve body according to the present invention is connected to external oil pipes by a plurality of square flanges (not shown).

Hence, the present invention achieves the desired effects by providing a breakthrough in the technical structure of prior art. Further, the present invention is not easily conceivable by people skilled in the art and has never been disclosed prior to this application. In addition, the usefulness and non-obviousness of the present invention apparently meet the requirements for patent application. Therefore, an application for patent of the present invention is now filed for examination.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the present invention described above is not intended to limit the scope of the present, but to illustrate the technical content and features of the present invention, so that the present invention can be understood and carried out by those skilled in the art. Therefore, all equivalent changes or modifications made to the described embodiment are encompassed by the appended claims provided such changes or modifications do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil circulation system for a compressor, comprising: a control valve body integrated therein with a pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor and a temperature sensor, wherein the control valve body is further integrated therein with a temperature control valve connected to an external cooler for lowering a temperature of a hydraulic oil, an oil filter for filtering the hydraulic oil into a clean hydraulic oil, and a pressure relief valve for relieving a pressure of the filtered hydraulic oil, which is then circulated back into the compressor for use.

2. The oil circulation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control valve body is connected to external oil pipes by a plurality of square flanges.