Emergency starting type industrial compressor unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an emergency-startable industrial compressor unit comprising a compressor (4) in the form of an industrial compressor providing an output pressure greater than 30 bar, and a drive motor (6) connected to the compressor (4), wherein the drive motor (6) is an AC motor (24), the compressor (4) and the electric drive motor (6) are arranged on a common support structure (2), and wherein at least one electric battery (16) and at least one electric inverter (22) are additionally arranged on the support structure (2), the inverter being configured to convert the direct current provided by the battery (16) into the alternating current required for the power supply of the electric drive motor (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an emergency-startable industrial compressor assembly, which comprises an industrial compressor and an associated drive motor.

[0002] In industrial applications and also in shipping, powerful compressors, i.e., industrial compressors, are used to supply compressed gases or compressed air for entire systems, especially at pressures greater than 30 bar. Such compressors can, for example, be designed as piston compressors driven by a connected drive motor.

[0003] In special applications, such as on ships, safety-critical systems, or for large emergency power generators, compressors are required that can run and start even during a power failure, i.e., that are designed for emergency start. For example, large diesel engines are used on ships and in emergency power generators, which are started using compressed air. Such an emergency-start-capable industrial compressor could be used to provide the compressed air required to start the diesel engine in such applications. In order to be able to operate such an industrial compressor unit without a power supply, it is known to switch off such compressors with an internal combustion engine as the drive motor.These combustion engines, in turn, can be designed to have an electric starter with a starter battery or equipped with a manual starter, allowing them to be started independently of a mains power supply. These combustion engines must offer sufficient power, but must also be safe to start. For such applications, finding suitable combustion engines to drive such a compressor is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly due to stricter emissions regulations.

[0004] Against this background, the object of the invention is to provide an emergency-start capable industrial compressor unit which enables reliable compressor operation and start-up independent of a mains power supply.

[0005] This object is achieved by an emergency-startable industrial compressor assembly having the features specified in claim 1. Preferred embodiments emerge from the subclaims, the following description, and the attached figures.

[0006] The emergency-startable industrial compressor unit according to the invention is intended for use in industrial applications or on ships and comprises a compressor in the form of an industrial compressor. An industrial compressor within the meaning of this invention is therefore also a compressor that can be used in shipbuilding or on ships. The compressor has an outlet pressure greater than 30 bar and preferably a flow rate greater than 10 m³ / h and is suitable for supplying larger systems, such as industrial systems, building complexes, diesel engines or ships, with compressed air. The industrial compressor unit further comprises a drive motor which is connected to the compressor. According to the invention, the drive motor is an AC motor. Such a motor can provide sufficient power to drive a larger compressor.The compressor and the electric drive motor are arranged on a common carrier device, so that both are combined in an easily transportable unit. Furthermore, at least one electric accumulator or battery is additionally arranged on the carrier device. This accumulator is thus part of the unit and can be transported together with the drive motor and the compressor. Furthermore, an electric inverter is arranged on the carrier device, which is designed to convert direct current or a direct voltage provided by the accumulator into the alternating current or voltage required to supply power to the electric drive motor. This inverter is therefore an inverter, in particular an electronic inverter.By integrating all these components into one unit, an industrial compressor unit is created which can be operated independently of the mains, i.e. in which the compressor can be driven by an electric drive motor which draws its electrical energy from a battery integrated into the unit.

[0007] The electric drive motor preferably has a power output greater than 4 kW, more preferably greater than 6 kW or greater than or equal to 8 kW. This allows it to drive a large industrial compressor.

[0008] The electric drive motor can be a single-phase AC motor or a three-phase AC motor, i.e. a three-phase motor, which in particular provides such a high power as described above.

[0009] In a particular embodiment, three inverters can be arranged on the support device or be part of the industrial compressor assembly to provide a three-phase AC voltage for operating a three-phase AC motor or three-phase AC motor as the drive motor. Alternatively, however, a three-phase inverter could also be used for a three-phase AC motor.

[0010] The at least one battery preferably has a capacity greater than 6 kWh, more preferably greater than 10 kWh. The battery can comprise multiple battery modules. With an electric drive motor of the aforementioned size, the compressor can run for one hour on one battery charge. However, it should be understood that the at least one battery can also be configured with a larger capacity to achieve a longer runtime.

[0011] The compressor can be a single-stage or multi-stage compressor, for example a two- or three-stage compressor, depending on the desired output pressure. As described, the invention provides an output pressure greater than 30 bar. In a special embodiment, the compressor can also be designed to provide an output pressure greater than 220 bar. The compressor is preferably a piston compressor with one or more stages. The pistons of the multiple stages are preferably driven by the drive motor via a common crankshaft.

[0012] Preferably, at least one control cabinet is arranged on the support device, in which the at least one inverter and / or the at least one battery are arranged. If multiple inverters are present, as described above, they are preferably arranged together in a control cabinet. According to a further embodiment, the control cabinet has a cooling device or cooling air duct for cooling the inverters. In a particular embodiment, the battery and inverter, or batteries and inverter, can be arranged in the same control cabinet. This simplifies the electrical connections, since these can be made inside the control cabinet.

[0013] According to a further preferred embodiment, a control device is provided which controls the drive motor and preferably the at least one inverter and optionally further components of the battery. Such a control device is preferably arranged in the aforementioned control cabinet, i.e. preferably in a control cabinet in which the inverter(s) and the at least one battery are also arranged. In this way, all necessary electrical and communication connections can be made inside the control cabinet. The control device preferably has an operating panel which can be arranged on the outside of the control cabinet or can be accessible from the outside of the control cabinet in order to be able to make any necessary settings from the outside and to be able to read operating states on suitable indicator devices or displays.The control device may have additional communication interfaces to enable communication with other external systems or automation devices, or to enable remote control or adjustment. For this purpose, a network connection, preferably also an internet connection, may be provided.

[0014] The industrial compressor unit can, in a particular embodiment, be designed as a marine compressor unit for use on ships. The electrical components of the industrial compressor unit, in particular a drive motor and a control cabinet, as described above, are designed in a particular embodiment such that they meet protection class EP54 and, more preferably, the requirements of the DNV classification for use on ships. This means that the control cabinet and the drive motor are sealed against moisture, so that they can also be used in humid environments, such as those found on ships. For this purpose, suitable seals can be provided on the housing parts, and air supplies in the control cabinet can preferably be provided for cooling and ventilation, which are protected against the ingress of water. Such air supplies can, for example, have filter mats at the inlet openings to filter out water orto retain moisture.

[0015] According to a further possible embodiment, the industrial compressor unit further comprises a mains power connection and at least one charging device connected thereto, which is designed to charge the at least one battery. The required conversion of alternating current or three-phase current into direct current for the battery(s) can be carried out by the same inverter or inverters that are used to provide the power supply for the drive motor. This means that the same inverters are preferably used to charge and discharge the at least one battery. According to this first option, the mains power connection serves to connect the industrial compressor unit to a power grid, via which the at least one battery is charged.Preferably, a control device is provided which is designed such that, when the mains power supply is present, it always keeps the batteries at a certain charge level, preferably fully charged, in order to guarantee a sufficient charge level of the at least one battery in the event of a mains power failure, which enables the operation of the compressor.

[0016] According to a further preferred embodiment, the control device is designed such that it can switch the power supply of the electric drive motor between a supply via the mains power connection and a power supply via the at least one battery, preferably without interruption. This makes it possible to operate the compressor with mains power as long as the mains power connection supplies power, and to ensure supply via the battery only in the event of a mains power failure. At the same time, the control device is preferably designed as described above, so that the battery is always kept on standby with a desired minimum charge level. An uninterruptible power supply can be advantageous for safety-relevant systems in which a failure of the compressor operation must be reliably avoided.

[0017] Particularly preferably, the mains power connection is designed such that it is possible to supply power to the drive motor while simultaneously charging the battery. This means that the connected load of the mains power connection is designed such that the charging of at least one battery and the operation of the drive motor can occur in parallel. This makes it possible to recharge at least one battery, for example, after a power failure while the compressor is running.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the described support device is designed as a steel frame structure. Such a frame can be formed from steel profiles that are bolted or welded together. This creates a stable support device on which all components are mounted. In particular, the support device is sufficiently rigid to support a heavy industrial compressor, the heavy weight of the battery(ies), and the drive motor. The support device is preferably equipped with receptacles for lifting or transporting equipment, for example, eyelets for attaching lifting devices, and / or is designed so that it can be lifted and transported with the forks of a forklift.

[0019] In a special embodiment, the emergency-start capable industrial compressor unit is designed such that the compressor is configured as a starting air compressor for a diesel engine. This enables a special application of the industrial compressor unit, for example, in emergency power generators or on ships where compressed air is required to start large diesel engines. In such applications, the emergency-start capable industrial compressor unit according to the invention makes it possible to ensure the reliable starting of the diesel engine even in the event of a failure of an external power supply. This can be the case, for example, on ships in the event of a total failure of the propulsion engine or in emergency power supplies, for example for hospitals or nuclear power plants. Thus, in a special embodiment, the industrial compressor unit is designed as a marine compressor unit, preferably as a starting compressor unit for a marine engine.

[0020] The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, which show: Figure 1a schematic perspective view of an industrial compressor assembly, Figure 2a view of the industrial compressor assembly according to Figure 1 seen from the rear, and Figure 3 a schematic circuit arrangement of the industrial compressor unit.

[0021] The industrial compressor assembly shown comprises a support structure 2 in the form of a frame made of steel profiles. A compressor 4 with an electric drive motor 6 is mounted on this support structure 2. The compressor 4 is a multi-stage piston compressor that generates an output pressure greater than 30 bar and a flow rate greater than 10 m³ / h. In this embodiment, the electric drive motor 6 is a three-phase AC motor, i.e., a three-phase AC motor.

[0022] To accommodate the additional electrical or electronic components, a control cabinet 8 is arranged on the support device 2. The control cabinet 8 has a control panel 10, which can be designed, for example, as a touch-sensitive screen. The control cabinet also has ventilation openings 12 and 14, with the ventilation openings 12 serving for intake and the ventilation openings 14 for air outlet. Accordingly, the outlet ventilation openings 14 are arranged at the top and the inlet ventilation openings 12 at the bottom. The ventilation openings 12, 14 are designed to prevent water from penetrating the control cabinet. For this purpose, suitable filter mats can be arranged in the ventilation openings 12, 14. This preferably achieves protection class IP54.

[0023] A rechargeable battery 16 is arranged in the control cabinet 8. This rechargeable battery consists of a plurality of rechargeable or battery cells and can also be modularly assembled from several rechargeable battery modules. The rechargeable battery 16 is connected via a DC connection 18 to an inverter device which has the three-phase output 20 with the three phases L1, L2 and L3, which is connected to the electric drive motor 6 to supply power to the motor. In the present example, three inverters 20 are designed as single-phase inverters and are connected together to provide the three-phase current at the three-phase output 20 on the output side. It should be understood that instead of three inverters 22, a single inverter 22 could also be provided, which directly provides the required three-phase current at the output 20. The inverters 22 are also connected to an AC connection 24 in the form of a mains connection.Instead of an AC connection 24, a three-phase connection could also be provided. The inverters 22 are designed such that they can also supply the three-phase output 20 with power via the AC connection 24 to operate the electric drive motor 6. Thus, the compressor 4 can also be supplied with mains power from the AC connection 24.

[0024] Furthermore, the inverters 22 are designed such that they can provide the required DC voltage at the DC connection 18 in order to charge the at least one battery 16. For this purpose, a battery management system 26 is arranged between the DC connection 18 and the battery 16, which controls the charging and discharging of the battery 16. Control is carried out via a control device 28, which is connected to the battery management system 26 and to the inverters 22 and the control panel 10 for control purposes. The control device 28 is designed such that, when the mains power at the AC connection 24 fails, it switches the power supply largely without interruption to a supply via the battery 16, thus providing the power required to operate the electric drive motor 6 at the three-phase output 20 via the inverters 22 without interruption.When the AC power connection 24 is supplied with power, the electric drive motor 6 can be operated with mains power, as described. At the same time, the battery 16 can be charged via the battery management system 26. In this way, continuous operation of the compressor 4 to supply a system 30 with compressed air or compressed gas can be ensured.

[0025] Instead of continuous operation, the compressor 4 can also be started only when needed. This can be done via the control device 28 by making appropriate settings on the control panel 10. Alternatively or additionally, the control device 28 can also have a communication interface via which it can be connected to external systems, for example, to remotely receive a command to switch on the compressor 4. Then, depending on whether power is available from the AC connection 24 or not, the electric drive motor 6 can be supplied with energy either via the AC connection 24 or via the battery 16.

[0026] Since the compressor 4 is an industrial compressor with high pneumatic power, the electric drive motor 6 is also dimensioned accordingly large, having an electrical drive power of, for example, 8 kW. For such a configuration, the battery 16 is preferably dimensioned to have a capacity of 12 kWh, so that a total operation of the compressor 4 for at least one hour in battery mode is possible. This may be necessary, for example, to provide the required amount of compressed air to start a ship's diesel engine. However, such an industrial compressor unit could also be used, for example, for the safe, uninterrupted supply of compressed air in industrial plants, for example in power plants, or for starting large stationary diesel engines, such as those used in emergency power generators. List of reference symbols

[0027] 2Carrier device 4Compressor 6Electric drive motor 8Control cabinet 10Control panel 12, 14Ventilation openings 16Battery 18DC connection 20Three-phase output 22Inverter 24Mains / AC connection 26Battery management system 28Control device

Claims

1. Emergency start industrial compressor unit with a compressor (4) in the form of an industrial compressor, which provides an output pressure greater than 30 bar, and a drive motor (6) connected to the compressor (4), characterized in that the drive motor (6) is an alternating current motor (24), the compressor (4) and the electric drive motor (6) are arranged on a common carrier device (2), and in that at least one electric battery (16) and at least one electric inverter (22) are additionally arranged on the carrier device (2), which is designed to convert the direct current provided by the battery (16) into the alternating current required for the power supply of the electric drive motor (6).

2. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric drive motor (6) has an electrical power greater than 4 kW and more preferably greater than 8 kW.

3. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electric drive motor (6) is a three-phase motor.

4. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least three inverters (22) are arranged on the carrier device (2), which provide a three-phase alternating voltage.

5. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one battery (16) has a capacity greater than 6 kWh, preferably greater than 10 kWh.

6. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (4) is a multi-stage compressor.

7. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (4) is a piston compressor.

8. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one switch cabinet (8) is arranged on the carrier device (2), in which the at least one inverter (22) and / or the at least one battery (16) is arranged.

9. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the at least one switch cabinet (8) a control device (28) is arranged, which is preferably designed to control the drive motor (6) and the at least one inverter (22).

10. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric drive motor (6) and the at least one control cabinet (8) meet protection class IP54 and preferably the requirements of the DNV classification for use on ships.

11. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a mains power connection (24) and at least one charging device connected thereto, which is designed to charge the at least one battery (16).

12. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a control device (28) which is designed in such a way that it can switch the power supply of the electric drive motor (6) between a supply via the mains power connection (24) and a power supply via the at least one battery (16), preferably without interruption.

13. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mains power connection (24) is designed in such a way that a power supply of the drive motor (6) is possible while simultaneously charging the battery (16).

14. Emergency start industrial compressor unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support device (2) is designed as a frame structure made of steel.

15. Emergency start industrial compressor assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressor (4) is designed as a starting air compressor for a diesel engine.

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