Expansion chamber for compressor device and compressor device

Abstract

The invention relates to an expansion chamber for a compressor apparatus and a compressor apparatus. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1), characterized in that the expansion chamber (8) comprises a cylindrical tube (9) having a closed first end (10a) and an open second end (10b), the cylindrical tube (9) having a fixed constant diameter (D) over its entire length (L), the second end (10b) being provided with coupling means (11) for coupling the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1), such that the open second end (10b) of the cylindrical tube (9) is adjacent to an airflow in the compressor device (1).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an expansion chamber for a compressor device.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention is directed to reducing noise and vibration caused by pulsation or generated by compressor equipment.

[0003] The invention also relates to a compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber. Background Art

[0004] The compressor device comprises one or more compressor elements defining one or more compressor stages. One or more intercoolers may be provided between the compressor elements. An aftercooler may be provided after the last compressor stage. After the aftercooler, the compressor device may be equipped with a dryer to dry the compressed gas.

[0005] It is well known that most, if not all, compressor equipment generates undesirable noise during operation.

[0006] The one or more compressor elements draw in a gas (eg, ambient air) and compress it to a desired pressure.

[0007] During the compression process, noise and vibration are generated due to the pulsation of the rotating compressor elements.

[0008] To reduce this noise, several solutions are available.

[0009] One specific solution is a compressor silencer or muffler, which dampens the noise due to gas pulsations by allowing the gas to expand within the muffler chamber. The internal baffles of the muffler will smooth out both low and high frequency compressor gas sound waves.

[0010] The disadvantage of this solution is that the gas must flow through the silencer. This means that the silencer must be built into the compressor unit, in the path of the gas flow.

[0011] This places restrictions on the design and installation of the compressor installation, and it is not always possible to include such a silencer at a desired location in the compressor installation.

[0012] Furthermore, silencers are not cheap and easy to manufacture components, so typically only one or two silencers are included in a compressor installation.

[0013] Furthermore, the damping characteristics of the silencer cannot be easily adjusted for use in compressor equipment. Summary of the invention

[0014] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

[0015] To this end, the present invention provides an expansion chamber for a compressor device, the expansion chamber comprising a cylindrical tube having a closed first end and an open second end, the cylindrical tube having a fixed constant diameter over its entire length, and the second end being provided with a connecting device for connecting the expansion chamber to the compressor device so that the open second end of the cylindrical tube is adjacent to the airflow in the compressor device.

[0016] The expansion chamber has the effect of reducing vibrations and associated noise because it changes the wavelength of the pulsations so that it does not coincide with an undesired resonant frequency.

[0017] The volume of the cylindrical tube determines the damping characteristics, ie the resulting frequency change.

[0018] It is not just the resonant frequencies of the pulsations caused by the compression element that are damped.

[0019] For example, if the pulsation frequency of the compression element is the same as the vibration frequency of the motor, for example, this will generate vibrations and noise. To avoid this, the cylindrical tube can be changed by making it longer or shorter so that the pulsation wavelength of the compressor element changes and the same frequency as the motor can be avoided.

[0020] Thus, by varying the volume or length of the cylindrical tube, the damping characteristics can be adapted to the resonant frequency of the compressor unit. This is an important feature and advantage of the expansion chamber.

[0021] An advantage is that the expansion chamber does not have to be integrated into the air flow path through the compressor device.

[0022] Thus, the expansion chamber can be arranged at different locations in the compressor device.

[0023] A further advantage is that the expansion chamber is very cost-effective and technically simple to produce since it comprises only a cylindrical tube.

[0024] Preferably, the cylindrical tube has a fixed volume.

[0025] Preferably, the coupling means for coupling the expansion chamber to the compressor device comprises screws and / or a flange provided at the second end of the cylindrical tube.

[0026] However, the coupling device can also be realized by using glue in the low-pressure area of ​​the compressor device.

[0027] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the coupling means for coupling the expansion chamber to the compressor device may be achieved in many different ways.

[0028] Since the expansion chamber is not located in the path of the gas flow but adjacent to the path of the gas flow, the expansion chamber will be a modular element of the compressor device, making it easier and cheaper to provide a compressor device with such an expansion chamber.

[0029] More specifically, a coupling arrangement coupling the expansion chamber to the compressor device provides a modular interface.

[0030] The invention also relates to a compressor device comprising at least one compressor element defining one or more compressor stages, the compressor device being provided with an expansion chamber according to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to better illustrate the features of the invention, preferred forms of embodiment of an expansion chamber for a compressor device and a compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber will be described hereinafter as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 A compressor device according to the invention is schematically shown;

[0033] Figure 2 Schematically shown on an enlarged scale Figure 1 A detailed view of the portion within the middle rectangle F2;

[0034] Figure 3 A further embodiment of the invention is schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Figure 1 The compressor device 1 shown mainly comprises: a first compressor element 2a and a second compressor element 2b, which define two compressor stages; an air intake guide device 3, which includes two air intake filters 4, which are located upstream of the first compressor element 2a; an intercooler 5, which is located between the first compressor element 2a and the second compressor element 2b; and an aftercooler 6, which is located downstream of the second compressor element 2b, followed by a dryer 7.

[0036] According to the invention, the compressor device 1 is provided with two expansion chambers 8 , one at the air inlet duct 3 and one at the dryer 7 .

[0037] Each expansion chamber 8 generally comprises a cylindrical tube 9 having a closed first end 10a and an open second end 10b.

[0038] Each cylindrical tube 9 has a different length L and according to the invention has a constant diameter D over its entire length.

[0039] The cylindrical tube 9 has a fixed volume. That is, when it is in place, it has no means of expanding, reducing or otherwise changing the volume.

[0040] For this purpose, the cylindrical tube 9 is preferably made of a rigid material, such as metal, rigid plastic, fiber-reinforced composite material.

[0041] In this way, when the expansion chamber 8 is applied downstream of the first compressor element 2a, it can withstand a large pressure.

[0042] Of course, the length of the cylindrical tube 9 can be selected and varied depending on the compressor device 1 and its installation location.

[0043] like Figure 2 As can be seen in the figure, the second end 10b is provided with a coupling device 11 for coupling the expansion chamber 8 to the compressor device 1.

[0044] This coupling places the open second end 10b of the cylindrical tube 9 adjacent to the gas flow in the compressor device 1. This means that no intermediate connections are used or present, but rather the inner volume of the cylindrical tube 9 is in close proximity to the gas flow path.

[0045] Furthermore, the above-mentioned coupling means 11 coupling the expansion chamber 8 to the compressor device 1 are such that the longitudinal axis XX′ of the cylindrical tube 9 extends in a plane perpendicular to the gas flow direction or in a plane deviating from the perpendicular by a maximum of 15°.

[0046] This means that the gas flow in the compressor device 1 flows vertically or approximately vertically through the open second end 10 b of the cylindrical tube 9 .

[0047] This has the advantage that the connection between the expansion chamber 8 and the compressor device 1 or the opening area allowing fluid contact between the expansion chamber 8 and the gas flow in the compressor device 1 will be as small as possible, thereby limiting the pressure drop.

[0048] The coupling device 11 to the expansion chamber 8 can be realized in different ways.

[0049] exist Figure 2 In the case of , a flange 12 is provided at the second end 10 b of the cylindrical tube 9 , serving as the aforementioned coupling means 11 .

[0050] By means of this flange 12 the expansion chamber 8 can be connected to the compressor device 1 , for example by using screws or the like.

[0051] However, adhesive bonding, screwing, screw-nut connections or clip-on systems are also possible.

[0052] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment, as an example of a feasible position, the first expansion chamber 8 is connected to the air intake guide device 3 , wherein the air intake guide device 3 also includes an air intake filter 4 .

[0053] The expansion chamber 8 is connected to the filter housing 13 .

[0054] As another example of a possible location, the second expansion chamber 8 is disposed at the dryer 7. Figure 1In FIG. 5 , it is shown just upstream of the dryer 7 , but it can also be integrated in the construction of the dryer 7 .

[0055] exist Figure 3 In FIG. 1 , an alternative is shown, in which case the expansion chamber 8 is shown arranged upstream of the muffler 14. This location may be between the second compressor element 2b and the aftercooler 6, for example.

[0056] The location of the expansion chamber 8 may also be at the outlet of the compressor device 1. In fact, due to the modularity of the coupling device 11, almost any location between the inlet and the outlet of the compressor device 1 is possible.

[0057] Although Figures 1 to 3 The positions of the expansion chambers 8 shown in are some preferred positions, but of course it is not excluded that one or more expansion chambers 8 are also arranged in other positions.

[0058] It should be noted that, although described above with respect to a compressor device 1 , the expansion chamber 8 according to the present invention may also be applied in a blower, and the compressor device 1 should be interpreted herein as comprising a blower.

[0059] However, the present invention is by no means limited to the forms of embodiments described by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings, and such an expansion chamber for a compressor device and a compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber may be implemented in various forms without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1), characterized in that The expansion chamber (8) comprises a cylindrical tube (9) having a closed first end (10a) and an open second end (10b), the cylindrical tube (9) having a fixed constant diameter (D) over its entire length (L), the second end (10b) being provided with a coupling device (11) for coupling the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) so that the open second end (10b) of the cylindrical tube (9) is adjacent to the air flow in the compressor device (1).

2. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The cylindrical tube (9) has a fixed volume.

3. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The connection device (11) connecting the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) is such that the longitudinal axis (XX') of the cylindrical tube (9) extends in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the gas flow or in a plane deviating from the perpendicular by a maximum of 15°.

4. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cylindrical tube (9) is made of a rigid material.

5. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The rigid material is metal, rigid plastic or fiber reinforced composite material.

6. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The connection means (11) for connecting the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) comprises screws and / or flanges (12), threaded connections, nut and bolt connections, or adhesive bonding arranged at the second end (10b) of the cylindrical tube.

7. A compressor device comprising at least one compressor element defining one or more compressor stages, characterized in that The compressor device (1) is provided with an expansion chamber (8) for a compressor device (1) according to any of the preceding claims.

8. The compressor device according to claim 7, characterized in that The expansion chamber (8) is arranged at the air inlet guide (3) of the compressor device (1) and / or upstream of the muffler (14) of the compressor device (1) and / or at the outlet of the compressor device (1).

9. The compressor device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that The compressor device (1) comprises more than one expansion chamber (8).

10. The compressor device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that The compressor arrangement is provided with a dryer (7) for drying the compressed gas produced by the at least one compressor element, the expansion chamber (8) being arranged in the dryer (7) or immediately upstream of the dryer (7).

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