Compressor Unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a compressor unit, in particular for underwater operations, comprising a compressor with a rotational axis and an electric motor. Said compressor unit has a housing with an automation unit for control and regulation tasks. The aim of the invention is to improve the co-operation of the automation unit and the compressor unit and in particular to reduce the complexity of the cooling of the automation unit and signal and energy transmission. To achieve this, an additional housing, which contains the automation unit, is attached to the housing.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT / EP2007 / 051474, filed Feb. 15, 2007 and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefits of European application No. 06006059.7 filed Mar. 24, 2006, both of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a compressor unit, in particular for underwater operation, comprising a compressor with a rotation axis and an electric motor, which compressor unit has a housing which has an inlet and an outlet for a pumping medium, having an automation unit which is designed such that it carries out open-loop and closed-loop control tasks for the compressor unit.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Recent developments in the field of compressor design have also been concentrated on undersea arrangements of large compressors which are intended to be used for the pumping of natura...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]Against the background of the problems of the prior art, the object of the invention is to provide a better interaction between the automation unit and the compressor unit and, in particular, to reduce the complexity for cooling the automation unit and of the signal and power transmission.

[0011]The arrangement of an additional housing, in which the automation unit is arranged, on the housing of the compressor unit has, in particular, the advantage that appropriate power supply lines and signal lines between the automation unit and the compressor unit need no longer be designed to comply with a standard which is suitable for direct contact with the environmental conditions. In fact, these lines can be designed such that they merely satisfy the always reproducible and exactly predictable operating conditions in the interior of the additional housing and of the housing of the compressor unit. Furthermore, no special plug connections are required for disconnection of lines between the automation unit and the compressor unit. Surprisingly, it was also found that some areas on the housing of the compressor unit satisfy the thermal constraints required for operation of the automation unit, without any additional modification. This major advantage means that there is no longer any need for a separate cooling system for the automation unit. This advantage is particularly evident when the additional housing for the automation unit is thermally conductively fitted to the housing in the area of an intake connecting stub of the inlet such that the power lost from the automation unit is dissipated by means of thermal conduction to the housing. Although this advantage is fundamentally relevant for compressor units, it is additionally important in the field of underwater operation since, in this case, the accessibility to the compressor unit is very greatly restricted and, for this reason, additional cooling media are available only with difficulty, if at all. It is virtually impossible to use seawater as a cooling medium, because of the aggressive chemical characteristics. When pumping natural gas, the lost power can be absorbed without any problems by the cold pumping medium. However, one problem in this case is the introduction of the heat into the pumped flow.

[0015]One advantageous development of the invention provides for the additional housing to be connected to the housing of the compressor unit by means of welding, which on the one hand ensures good thermal conduction between the housings and on the other hand provides the required gas-tightness, in particular for underwater operation. In order to ensure that the components in the additional housing are nevertheless accessible for maintenance tasks, it is advantageous for the additional housing to have an opening which can be closed. This opening which can be closed can be sealed by means of a conventional seal. For relatively long underwater operation phases, it is also feasible for this additional opening to be sealed by means of a weld seam, which in any case withstands the adverse operating conditions.

Problems solved by technology

It is virtually impossible to use seawater as a cooling medium, because of the aggressive chemical characteristics.

However, one problem in this case is the introduction of the heat into the pumped flow.

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