Compressed air generator

Abstract

The present invention provides a compressed air generator that prevents a drop in the temperature of compressed air and the generation of condensate due to contact with outside air, while also contributing to improved workability for oil removal equipment. [Solution] A compressed air generating device comprising a compressed air pressure circuit, the compressed air pressure circuit comprising, in order from at least the front stage, an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, an air dryer, various equipment, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various equipment and the various equipment to the oil removal device, the various equipment being cased in a single housing, the oil removal device being located outside the housing in the immediate vicinity of the air dryer and being detachable by a union.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , , ,

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to a compressed air generation device in which various devices constituting a compressed air pressure circuit, a compressor, an oil tank, and an air dryer are housed in a single casing, and an oil removal device is provided in the immediate vicinity of the casing.

Background Art

[0002] Compressed air generated by a compressor is used for various purposes such as spray painting and automatic door opening / closing devices for trains. Depending on the application of such compressed air, various devices such as an air dryer, a cyclone separator, and an oil removal device are arranged in the middle of the air pressure circuit until the compressed air is discharged from the compressor.

[0003] However, according to the configuration of a conventional compressed air pressure circuit, when the air pipes connecting various devices are extended according to the arrangement status of the various devices, the contact portions with the outside air increase, the temperature of the passing compressed air decreases, and the amount of saturated water vapor decreases, making it easy for drain to occur in the air pipes. Also, when the compressed air pressure circuit is housed in a casing, there is a problem that operations such as checking the deterioration state of the oil removal device and replacing the device become complicated. Therefore, there has been a demand for a technology that can prevent the temperature drop of compressed air due to the extension of the air pipes and simplify the operations for the oil removal device.

[0004] Therefore, the applicant has developed a technology in which an air dryer and an oil-water separator are integrally configured, and the drain generated by drying the compressed air generated by the compressor with the air dryer is purified into clear water and discharged by passing it through the oil-water separator, and has made a technical proposal described in Patent Document 1. Also, a technology has been developed in which a cyclone separator and an oil adsorption device are arranged to separate and remove moisture and oil mist in the compressed air generated by the compressor, and clean compressed air is sent to the subsequent stage, and a technical proposal described in Patent Document 2 has been made.

[0005] However, while the proposal in Patent Document 1 is useful for improving the efficiency of drain treatment by shortening the drain piping from the air dryer to the oil-water separator, the oil-water separator is also installed in the same box or on the same base as the air dryer, and therefore does not solve the above problem. Furthermore, while the proposal in Patent Document 2 is useful for separating and removing moisture and foreign matter using a cyclone separator, the compressed air being supplied remains at a high temperature. The temperature of the compressed air decreases due to the temperature difference with the inside of the oil adsorption device, which can cause condensate to form inside the device. Therefore, the above problem is still not solved.

[0006] The applicant focused on the phenomenon of condensation occurring due to the extension of air piping in conventional compressed air circuits as described above, and conceived the idea of ​​arranging the various components constituting the compressed air circuit in close proximity to each other. As a result, the applicant developed a compressed air generating device that prevents a drop in the temperature of the compressed air and the generation of condensation due to contact between the air piping and the outside air, and also simplifies the operation of the oil removal device, by arranging the compressor, oil tank, and air dryer in a single enclosure to shorten the air piping, and simultaneously arranging the oil removal device in close proximity to the enclosure. This led to the proposal of the "compressed air generating device" of the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3368429 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6713596 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a compressed air generating device that prevents a decrease in the temperature of compressed air and the generation of drain due to contact with outside air, while contributing to improved workability for oil removal equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a compressed air generating device comprising a compressed air pressure circuit, the compressed air pressure circuit comprising, in order from at least the front stage, an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, an air dryer, various other components, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various components and the various components to the oil removal device, the various components being cased within a single housing, the oil removal device being located outside the housing in the immediate vicinity of the air dryer and being detachable by a union.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention employs a method in which the various devices, oil removal devices, and air piping are arranged in a substantially straight line in plan view.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention provides the oil removal device with an oil mist detector, and the oil mist detector is detachable by a union.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention employs means to ensure that the oil removal device does not come into contact with the outer wall of the housing.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which a portion of the air piping connected to the oil removal device is in contact with the outer wall of the housing.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention employs a method in which the air dryer is equipped with a sensor-type or timer-type drain trap, and the oil removal device is equipped with a sensor-type or float-type drain trap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the compressed air generating apparatus of the present invention, since the various devices are casing within a single housing, the required length of the air piping connecting the various devices can be shortened, and the surface area of ​​the air piping in contact with the outside air can be reduced, thereby helping to prevent a drop in the temperature of the compressed air supplied into the air piping.

[0016] Further, according to the compressed air generating device of the present invention, since the oil removal device is provided at the closest position to the air dryer outside the housing, it is possible to shorten the required length of the air piping connecting the various devices and the oil removal device, and it is possible to easily perform operations such as maintenance and replacement of the oil removal device, and thus excellent effects are achieved.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the compressed air generating device of the present invention, since the various devices and the air piping are arranged substantially linearly in a plan view, it is possible to reduce the bending points of the air piping, reduce the pressure loss of the compressed air sent into the air piping, and suppress the generation of drain due to the presence of bending, and thus excellent effects are achieved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the compressed air generating device according to the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] The compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention is characterized in that, as various devices constituting the compressed air pressure circuit, a compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 are housed in a housing 10, and an oil removal device 4 is provided in the immediate vicinity of the housing 10. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that the compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, that is, within the scope of shapes, dimensions, materials, etc. that can exhibit the same operational effects.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention. The compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention is a device that houses a compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as various devices) in a single housing 10, and includes an oil removal device 4 at the closest location to the air dryer 3 outside the housing 10. The compressed air generated by the compressor 2 is sent to the air dryer 3 after the oil is separated in the oil tank 21. The compressed air from which moisture has been separated and dried by the air dryer 3 is sent to the oil removal device 4, and is then sent out from the air outlet 20 as clean compressed air from which the oil has been removed, and is supplied to the compressed air using device in the subsequent stage.

[0021] The various devices are respectively connected by an air pipe 11 made of a hollow pipe, which serves as a flow path for the compressed air sent from the compressor 2 to the compressed air using device. There is no particular limitation on the diameter of the air pipe 11 connecting the various devices. However, by making the diameters of the respective air pipes 11 the same diameter, it becomes possible to reduce the pressure loss of the compressed air. Also, there is no particular limitation on the length of the air pipe 11. However, by shortening the length of the air pipe 11 disposed between the various devices and narrowing the area in contact with the outside air, it becomes possible to enhance the effect of preventing the temperature change of the compressed air sent into the air pipe 11.

[0022] The casing according to the present invention means covering the entire various devices with the housing 10 for the various devices constituting a compressed air pressure circuit capable of generating compressed air to be sent to the compressed air using device, and having a structure capable of shielding at least the sides and above from the outside world. There is no particular limitation on the method of casing. For example, a mode of completely covering the entire various devices with a metal box body, or a mode of configuring the entire side surface of the various devices with glass, reinforced plastic, etc., and making part or all of the various devices visible can be considered. As shown in Figure 1, the enclosure 10 is equipped with an air piping 11c that supplies compressed air, which has passed through various devices, to an oil removal device 4 located outside the enclosure 10. In addition, although not shown in the figure, an air intake port for the compressor 2 to take in outside air, and vents used for temperature control inside the enclosure 10 will be provided as needed. There are no particular limitations on the placement of the various devices; for example, they can be arranged in a nearly straight line in plan view. By adopting such an arrangement, it is possible to reduce the number of bends in the air piping 11 that occur when the various devices are connected to each other, thereby reducing pressure loss and drain generation caused by the collision of compressed air that occurred at the bends.

[0023] The oil-lubricated compressor 2 is a device that compresses air, raises the pressure to a predetermined atmospheric pressure (for example, 0.7 MPa), and generates compressed air. Oil-lubricated compressors 2 come in various types, such as reciprocating, rotary, and centrifugal, depending on their structure for generating compressed air. There are no particular limitations on the type of oil-lubricated compressor 2 used in this invention; any type or structure can be used. In addition, an air pipe 11a is connected to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 for supplying the generated compressed air to the oil tank 21. When the oil-lubricated compressor 2 is in operation, a large amount of lubricating oil used in the compressor 2 is contained in the compressed air. Therefore, an oil tank 21 is installed downstream to remove the oil from the compressed air.

[0024] The oil tank 21 separates and removes oil contained in the compressed air before it flows into the air dryer 3. The oil tank 21 removes oil contained in the compressed air generated by the oil-lubricated compressor by separating it using a filter function such as an oil element. The oil tank 21 makes it possible to reduce the amount of oil contained in the drain generated in the downstream air dryer 3 in advance, and further reduces the amount of oil in the compressed air passing through the downstream oil removal device 4, which in turn extends the lifespan of the oil removal performance by preventing oil from adhering to the packing material inside the oil removal device. The oil tank 21 is connected to an air pipe 11a through which compressed air generated by an oil-lubricated compressor 2 is supplied, and to an air pipe 11b for supplying compressed air from which oil has been separated and removed to an air dryer 3. There are no particular limitations on the shape or internal structure of the oil tank 21; it is sufficient to use a conventionally known oil tank 21 that separates and removes oil from the compressed air flowing in through the air piping 11a, and furthermore, has a structure that allows the removed oil to be stored inside the oil tank 21. For example, as shown in Figure 1, a cylindrical tube with a hollow section and closed at the top and bottom can be used as the oil tank 21, and the air piping 11a extending from the oil-lubricated compressor 2 is inserted through the side wall of the oil tank 21 to the hollow section, and the discharge port 15 at the tip of the air piping 11a is bent upward so that compressed air containing oil is released upward towards the oil tank 21, and the compressed air from which the oil has been separated by passing through the oil element 22 provided at the top of the oil tank 21 flows into the air piping 11b connected to the air dryer 3.

[0025] In one possible configuration, the oil tank 21 may be equipped with an oil element 22 for separating and removing oil from compressed air. However, the material and shape of the oil element 22 used in such a configuration are not particularly limited as long as it is capable of separating oil from compressed air. Conventional known materials such as filter paper made of cellulose or synthetic fibers woven in an accordion shape are sufficient. Furthermore, the structure of the oil element 22 is not particularly limited. For example, a roughly cylindrical body with a closed bottom and a top connected to the connection between the oil tank 21 and the air pipe 11b, and an oil filter on the side, can be considered. This ensures that compressed air flowing into the oil tank 21 always passes through the oil filter before flowing into the air pipe 11b, thereby separating the oil from the compressed air.

[0026] Oil separated and removed from compressed air by the oil element 22, etc., and drain generated in the oil tank 21 are stored near the bottom of the oil tank 21. At this time, the oil and drain are stored in a state of vertical separation, that is, the oil is stored at the top and the drain at the bottom. It is preferable to return the oil stored in the oil tank 21 to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and reuse it as lubricating oil (as shown in the figure), and by constructing a lubricating oil circulation structure between the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and the oil tank 21, it is possible to save and effectively utilize lubricating oil. Specifically, the oil tank 21 and the oil-lubricated compressor 2 are connected by an oil pipe 13, and the oil stored in the oil tank 21 is sent to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 via the oil pipe 13. At that time, an oil cooler 23 is provided at a predetermined intermediate point in the oil pipe 13 to cool the oil being sent. Since the compressed air generated by the oil-lubricated compressor 2 is at a high temperature, the oil contained in that compressed air is also at a high temperature, and therefore the oil separated and removed in the oil tank 21 is stored at a high temperature. If this oil is sent to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 while it is still at a high temperature, it is possible that its function as a lubricant will deteriorate, and even malfunctions of the oil-lubricated compressor 2 may occur. Therefore, it is desirable to cool the oil to its initial lubricating temperature before sending it, and for this purpose, an oil cooler 23 is installed at a predetermined intermediate point in the oil pipe 13. Although not shown in the diagram, it is also preferable to interpose a dust filter or the like before or after the oil cooler 23 in the oil pipe 13 to remove dust and other foreign matter remaining in the oil.

[0027] Near the bottom of the oil tank 21, a drain pipe 7 and a drain trap 5 are provided for discharging the drain that is stored together with the oil. Since the drain, which is water, is heavier than the oil, it is stored in the oil tank 21 in a separated state, with the oil at the top and the drain at the bottom, as described above. Therefore, the drain pipe 7 is connected to the lowest part of the oil tank 21. When discharging the drain, an oil trap with a built-in float for detecting the amount of oil can also be used in the drain trap 5 to prevent the oil stored in the oil tank 21 from being discharged to the outside along with the drain.

[0028] The air dryer 3 is a device that dries the compressed air sent from the oil tank 21 via the air piping 11b, thereby removing moisture. The air dryer 3 can be of various types depending on the method of removing moisture, such as refrigeration type, hollow fiber membrane type, or adsorption type. The air dryer 3 used in the present invention is not limited to any of these types, but the refrigeration type air dryer 3 is the most commonly used. The refrigeration type air dryer is a device that uses the latent heat of vaporization of a refrigerant to cool compressed air and condense and remove contained moisture, and is suitable because it can be introduced at a relatively low cost. The air dryer 3 is connected to an air pipe 11b through which compressed air from which oil has been separated and removed in the oil tank 21 is supplied, and to an air pipe 11c for which dry compressed air from which moisture has been removed is supplied to an oil removal device 4 located outside the housing 10. Furthermore, in the refrigerated air dryer, condensation is generated inside the air dryer 3 due to the decrease in the saturated water vapor amount caused by cooling during the process of condensing and removing moisture contained in the compressed air. Therefore, a drain pipe 7 is provided to discharge the condensate, and the condensate that flows into the drain pipe 7 is discharged to the outside by a drain trap 5a. The drain trap 5a can be any conventionally known type, and although there are electromagnetic and float types depending on the discharge method, it is not particularly limited.

[0029] Although not shown in the diagram, it is also preferable to install a precooler 8 at a predetermined intermediate point in the air piping 11b connecting the oil tank 21 and the air dryer 3. The precooler 8 is installed at an intermediate point in the air piping 11b connecting the oil tank 21 and the air dryer 3, and is a device for pre-cooling the compressed air flowing into the air dryer 3. The specific structure of the precooler 8 is not particularly limited as long as it can remove preheating, and existing equipment such as an air-cooled aftercooler can be used. By installing such a precooler 8, the compressed air flows into the air dryer 3 in a pre-cooled state, making it possible to improve the performance of the air dryer 3.

[0030] The oil removal device 4 is a device that brings dry compressed air, which is sent from the air dryer 3 located inside the housing 10 via the air piping 11c, into contact with a packing material located inside the oil removal device 4, thereby separating and removing the oil contained in the compressed air, and supplying it to the downstream stage as clean compressed air. There are no particular limitations on the shape or performance of the oil removal device 4. In light of the oil that may be generated during the air compression process and in various equipment, it is sufficient to use a conventionally known device that has a shape and performance capable of supplying clean compressed air to compressed air-using equipment connected downstream. Similarly, there are no limitations on the packing material provided within the oil removal device 4. For example, conventionally known materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or amines in cubic or rectangular parallelepiped shapes applied to or impregnated into a nonwoven fabric, or porous minerals such as zeolite or activated carbon, can be used to achieve the above performance. The oil removal device 4 is connected to an air pipe 11c that extends from inside the housing 10 and supplies dry compressed air from which moisture has been removed by the air dryer 3, and an air pipe 11d that supplies clean compressed air from which oil has been separated and removed to compressed air-using equipment via an outlet 20.

[0031] The oil removal device 4 will be installed near the outlet of the air piping 11c in the housing 10 and at a location not far from the outer wall of the housing 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "closest location"). By positioning the oil removal device 4 in the immediate vicinity of the air dryer 3 on the outside of the housing 10, the distance (contact area with outside air) from the outer wall of the housing 10 to the oil removal device 4 in the air piping 11c is shortened, making it possible to minimize temperature changes due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the housing 10 that may occur within the piping. However, if the outer wall of the housing 10 and the oil removal device 4 are arranged in contact, vibrations generated by the various devices inside the housing 10 may be transmitted to the packing material inside the oil removal device 4, potentially causing changes in packing density or re-separation of oil separated by the packing material. Therefore, it is preferable to arrange them at a certain distance (approximately 1 cm) apart.

[0032] Since the oil removal device 4 is located outside the housing 10, the temperature of the oil removal device 4 itself and the packing material is approximately the same as the ambient temperature. Furthermore, the temperature of the compressed air supplied to the compressed air utilization equipment via the air piping 11d is adjusted to be the same as the ambient temperature by passing through the oil removal device 4, so the temperature difference between the compressed air used in the compressed air utilization equipment and the ambient temperature becomes small. Furthermore, by providing the oil removal device 4 externally, the required length of the air piping 11c connecting the various devices to the oil removal device 4 can be shortened. In addition, visual inspection of the deterioration state (appearance) of the packing material, confirmation of the detection results of the oil mist detector 31 and pressure gauge 32 (described later), and maintenance and replacement work of the oil removal device 4 can be performed without opening the housing 10.

[0033] The oil removal device 4 is preferably equipped with an oil mist detector 31. The oil mist detector 31 measures the amount of oil in the oil removal device 4, and its purpose is not to immediately detect abnormalities, but rather to determine in advance when the oil removal device 4 should be replaced. The detection structure and shape of the oil mist detector 31 can be any conventionally known technology and are not particularly limited. The oil mist detector 31 is installed at a location where the amount of oil accumulated in the middle part of the packing material can be measured. Therefore, even if the amount of oil detected by the oil mist detector 31 is the amount that corresponds to the time for replacement, the packing material of the oil removal device 4 itself is in a state where oil adsorption can continue, providing a time buffer before replacement work can be performed. Furthermore, the oil mist detector 31 and the oil removal device 4 are connected via a union 30, making it possible to perform maintenance due to aging deterioration or replacement of the oil mist detector 31 when it detects oil mist due to a malfunction of the oil removal device 4 simply by removing the union 30.

[0034] Furthermore, it is also preferable for the oil removal device 4 to be equipped with a pressure gauge 32. The pressure gauge 32 is a sensor that measures the differential pressure between the compressed air intake (air pipe 11c side) and exhaust (air pipe 11d side) of the oil removal device 4. If moisture or oil is mixed into the compressed air and a problem occurs such as a blockage in the flow path within the packing material, the detected differential pressure will increase. The inclusion of a pressure gauge 32 in the oil removal device 4 makes it possible to detect problems such as blockages in the flow path that occur inside the packing material, which are difficult to see from the outside, at an early stage. Furthermore, it becomes easier to understand the oil mist adsorption state by observing changes in differential pressure and to estimate in advance when the packing material needs to be replaced.

[0035] To prevent condensate from forming in the piping due to rapid temperature changes in the compressed air supplied to the oil removal device 4, it is also conceivable to install the air piping 11c connected to the oil removal device in a manner in which a portion of the piping (the portion in contact with the outside air) is fixed with a fixing member so as to be in contact with the outer wall of the housing 10. By adopting this configuration, movement of the piping itself is prevented, and the temperature of the piping can be changed by heat exchange with the outer wall of the housing 10. The temperature of the piping that changes due to heat exchange will, for example, be higher than the outside air temperature if the temperature of the outer wall of the housing 10 is higher than the outside air temperature. The compressed air flowing through the piping undergoes a gradual temperature change as it passes through the piping, specifically through the housing 10, air piping 11c, oil removal device 4, and air piping 11d (which is at the same temperature as the outside air), where the temperature changes in stages.

[0036] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 1, it is also preferable to provide a drain pipe 7 and a drain trap 5b at a predetermined intermediate point in the air piping 11c connecting the air dryer 3 and the oil removal device 4. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to prevent drain that may be generated between the air dryer 3 and the oil removal device 4 (drain generated due to changes in the amount of saturated water vapor due to the temperature difference inside and outside the housing 10, and drain generated due to collision with the inner wall of the bent air piping 11c) from flowing into the oil removal device 4. The connection point between the air piping 11c and the drain pipe 7 is not particularly limited, but considering the location where drain generation is expected and the final prevention of drain inflow into the oil removal device 4, it is preferable to connect them near the final bend in the air piping 11c, and by adopting this configuration, the effect of preventing drain inflow into the oil removal device 4 will be maximized.

[0037] Furthermore, in the operation of the drain trap 5a connected to the air dryer 3, if foreign matter or highly viscous oil adheres to the inside of the drain trap 5a and blocks the outlet, the drain trap 5a will malfunction (unable to discharge drain), and the drain that has continued to accumulate in the air dryer 3 will flow to the oil removal device 4 via the air piping 11c. However, as shown in Figure 1, the drain in the air piping 11c flows from the drain piping 7 to the drain trap 5b and is then automatically discharged to the outside, making it possible to prevent the drain from flowing into the oil removal device 4. Considering the above, the drain trap 5a provided in the air dryer 3 is preferably a sensor-type or timer-type drain trap, which offers high reliability and ease of long-term operation. Furthermore, the drain trap 5b connected to the oil removal device 4 has a small amount of inflow drain during normal operation of the compressed air generator 1. If a timer-type drain trap is used, there is a high possibility that compressed air flowing into the drain trap 5b will be discharged, resulting in air loss. For this reason, a sensor-type or float-type drain trap that operates according to the amount of drain stored is preferable, and a float-type drain trap that does not consume power when not in operation is particularly preferable.

[0038] It is preferable to provide valves 6 that can adjust the amount of air supplied near the outer wall of the housing 10 in the air piping 11c and near the outlet 20 in the air piping 11d. By adopting this configuration, it becomes easy to determine whether or not compressed air can be blown to compressed air-using equipment and to adjust the flow rate, and it is also possible to shut off the flow path in the event of maintenance or malfunction of the compressed air-using equipment, various other equipment, or the oil removal device 4. Similarly, it is preferable to provide a valve 6 capable of flow rate adjustment at a predetermined central location before the drain trap 5b in the drain piping 7, which allows for easy adjustment of the drain flow rate and blocking of the flow path.

[0039] Unions 30 are provided at the connection points between the connecting pipes protruding from the oil removal device 4 and the air pipes 11c and 11d. By providing the union 30 at the connection point, the replacement process for the oil removal device 4 due to deterioration, etc., can be carried out simply by removing the union 30, thereby shortening the time required for replacement work. During the replacement of the oil removal device 4, the oil removal device 4 can be replaced by first closing the valve 6 to block the flow path of compressed air, and then removing the union 30. This prevents the discharge of unnecessary compressed air from the piping and contributes to improving the safety of the replacement work.

[0040] In the compressed air generator 1, if the housing 10, which encloses various devices, is installed outdoors, the oil removal device 4 will also be installed outdoors at the same time. The oil removal device 4 does not require electricity or other power sources for its operation, and is therefore less susceptible to accidents that may occur outdoors, such as flooding from rainwater, electrical leaks, and lightning strikes. For this reason, it can be installed outdoors without changing the structure of the oil removal device 4.

[0041] The main operation and function of the compressed air generator 1, which consists of the above components, will be explained based on Figure 1. The compressed air generator 1 consists of an oil-lubricated compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 arranged via air piping 11a to 11c, with an oil cooler 23 positioned in the middle of an oil pipe 13 connecting the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and the oil tank 21. The entire system is housed in a casing 10, and an oil removal device 4 is provided immediately adjacent to the casing 10, to which air piping 11c extending from the casing 10 and air piping 11d extending to compressed air utilization equipment are connected. First, compressed air is generated by the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and supplied via the air piping 11a, flowing into the oil tank 21 from the discharge port 15. The compressed air at this time contains the lubricating oil used in the oil-lubricated compressor 2 as oil mist. The compressed air that flows into the oil tank 21 has the oil (oil mist) separated and removed by the oil element 22 installed in the oil tank 21, and flows into the air dryer 3 via the air piping 11b. The compressed air dried in the air dryer 3 flows into the oil removal device 4 installed on the outside of the housing 10 via the air piping 11c. The clean compressed air from which the oil has been removed by the oil removal device 4 is supplied to the compressed air-using equipment from the outlet 20 via the air piping 11d. The oil separated from the compressed air in the oil tank 21 flows from the bottom of the oil tank 21 through the oil pipe 13 into the oil cooler 23. The oil, cooled in the oil cooler 23 and reduced in temperature, is supplied to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 through the oil pipe 13 and reused as lubricating oil.

[0042] The basic configuration and operation of the compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in the above embodiments and drawings. For example, instead of attaching the union 30 in the height direction of the oil removal device, it may be attached to the piping in the horizontal direction (approximately horizontal position) to prevent the union 30 at the work site from being hidden by the oil removal device 4 or the worker, thereby improving safety during the installation and removal of the union 30.

[0043] As described above, the compressed air generating apparatus 1 according to the present invention casings an oil-lubricated compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 in a single housing 10, and provides an oil removal device 4 in the immediate vicinity of the housing 10. This shortens the distance of the air piping 11 connecting the devices, thereby saving space for the entire apparatus. Furthermore, it reduces temperature changes associated with the air piping 11 coming into contact with the outside air, suppressing the generation of drain. In addition, it allows for external confirmation of the deterioration state of the oil removal device 4, contributing to maintaining the quality of the compressed air being delivered. [Industrial applicability]

[0044] This invention can be used as a space-saving and highly effective compressed air generator in all fields requiring oil-free compressed air, such as food processing, electronic components, and car body painting. Therefore, we believe that the industrial applicability of the "compressed air generator" according to this invention is great. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1. Compressed air generator 2. Oil-lubricated compressor 3. Air dryer 4 Oil removal device 5. Drain trap 5a Drain trap (air dryer side) 5b Drain trap (oil removal device side) 6 valves 7. Drain piping 10 cabinets 11. Air Piping 11a Air piping 11b Air piping 11c air piping 11d Air Piping 13 Oil pipe 15 Outlet 20 Air outlet 21 Oil Tank 22 Oil filter 23 Oil cooler 30 Union 31 Oil Mist Detector 32 Pressure gauges

Claims

1. A compressed air generating device comprising a compressed air pressure circuit, The compressed air circuit comprises, in order from the front, an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, an air dryer, various other components, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various components and the various components to the oil removal device. The various devices are housed within a single enclosure. The oil removal device is located on the outside of the housing, in close proximity to the air dryer, and is characterized by being detachable by a union.

2. The compressed air generating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the various devices, oil removal device, and air piping are arranged in a substantially straight line in plan view.

3. The compressed air generating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the oil removal device is equipped with an oil mist detector, and the oil mist detector is detachable by a union.

4. The compressed air generating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the oil removal device does not come into contact with the outer wall of the housing.

5. The compressed air generating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the air piping connected to the oil removal device is in contact with the outer wall of the housing.

6. The compressed air generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the air dryer is equipped with a sensor-type or timer-type drain trap, and the oil removal device is equipped with a sensor-type or float-type drain trap.

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