Expansion chamber for a compressor and compressor equipped with such an expansion chamber

Abstract

An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1), wherein the expansion chamber (8) comprises a cylindrical pipe (9) having a first end (10a) closed and a second end (10b) open, the cylindrical pipe (9) having a constant diameter (D) along its entire length (L), and the second end (10b) is provided with means (11) for connecting the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) such that the open second end (10b) of the cylindrical pipe (9) is adjacent to the gas flow inside 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 aims to reduce noise and vibration caused by pulsation or generated by the compressor device.

[0003] The present invention also relates to a compressor device provided with such an expansion chamber.

BACKGROUND ART

[0004] The compressor device includes one or more compressors that define one or more compression stages. One or more intercoolers may be provided between each compressor. A stage subsequent to the compressor of the final stage may be provided with an aftercooler. At a stage subsequent to the aftercooler, the compressor device may be equipped with a dryer for drying the compressed gas.

[0005] It is known that most, if not all, compressor devices generate unwanted noise during operation.

[0006] One or more compressors draw in a gas, such as ambient air, and compress it to a target pressure.

[0007] During compression, noise and vibration are generated by the pulsation of the rotating compressor.

[0008] Several solutions already exist for reducing this noise.

[0009] One specific solution is a compressor muffler or silencer, which suppresses noise caused by gas pulsation by expanding the gas in the muffler chamber. The internal baffles of the muffler smooth low-frequency sound waves and high-frequency sound waves of the compressor gas.

[0010] The drawback of this solution is that the gas must pass through a silencer. In other words, such a silencer needs to be incorporated into the gas flow path within the compressor unit.

[0011] This imposes limitations on the design and configuration of compressor systems, and it is not always possible to incorporate such silencers where needed within the compressor system.

[0012] Furthermore, because silencers are not inexpensive or easy to manufacture, compressor systems typically only incorporate one or two silencers.

[0013] Furthermore, it is not easy to adjust the damping characteristics of a silencer that is compatible with the compressor device. [Overview of the project]

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks.

[0015] To this end, the present invention provides an expansion chamber for a compressor device, the expansion chamber comprising a cylindrical pipe having a first end closed and a second end open, the cylindrical pipe having a constant diameter along its entire length, the second end comprising means for coupling the expansion chamber to a compressor device such that the open end of the cylindrical pipe is adjacent to the gas flow within the compressor device.

[0016] The expansion chamber reduces vibration and associated noise by altering the wavelength of the pulsation, preventing this wavelength from coinciding with unwanted resonant frequencies.

[0017] The volume of the cylindrical pipe determines its attenuation characteristics, that is, the change in frequency that occurs.

[0018] It's not just the resonant frequency of the pulsations generated by the compressor element that is suppressed.

[0019] For example, if the pulsation frequency of a compressor element is the same as the vibration of a motor, vibration and noise will be generated. To avoid this, the length of the cylindrical pipe can be changed to alter the wavelength of the compressor element's pulsation, thus avoiding the same frequency as the motor.

[0020] Therefore, by changing the volume or length of the cylindrical pipe, the damping characteristics can be adjusted to match the resonant frequency of the compressor. This is an important feature and advantage of the expansion chamber.

[0021] The advantage is that the expansion chamber does not need to be incorporated into the path of the gas flow through the compressor device.

[0022] As a result, the expansion chamber can be located in various places within the compressor unit.

[0023] Another advantage is that, because the expansion chamber consists only of a cylindrical pipe, it is very cost-effective and technically easy to manufacture.

[0024] Preferably, the volume of the cylindrical pipe is fixed.

[0025] Preferably, the means described above for connecting the expansion chamber to the compressor device comprises a thread and / or flange provided at the second end of the cylindrical pipe.

[0026] However, these methods can also be achieved by using adhesives in the low-pressure region of the compressor device.

[0027] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that means of coupling an expansion chamber to a compressor device can be realized in a variety of ways.

[0028] Since the expansion chamber is not arranged in the gas flow path, but rather arranged adjacently, the expansion chamber becomes a modular element of the compressor device, making it easier and cheaper to provide such an expansion chamber in the compressor device.

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

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

[0031] In order to better demonstrate the features of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the expansion chamber for a compressor device and the compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber according to the present invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] [Figure 1] Figuratively shows the compressor device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Schematically shows an enlarged detailed view of the portion within the square F2 in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Schematically shows another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0033] The compressor device 1 shown in Figure 1 mainly comprises two compressor elements 2a, 2b defining two compression stages, an inlet guide 3 with two inlet filters 4 upstream of the first compressor element 2a, an intercooler 5 between the two compressor elements 2a, 2b, as well as an aftercooler 6 downstream of the second compressor element 2b, followed by a dryer 7.

[0034] The compressor 1 device is provided with two expansion chambers 8 according to the present invention, one of which is located in the inlet guide 3 and the other in the dryer 7.

[0035] Each expansion chamber 8 essentially comprises a cylindrical pipe 9 with a first end 10a closed and a second end 10b open.

[0036] Each cylindrical pipe 9 has a different length L, and according to the present invention, it has a constant diameter D along its entire length.

[0037] The volume of the cylindrical pipe 9 is fixed; that is, in its installed state, there is no means to expand, contract, or change its volume.

[0038] Therefore, it is preferable that the cylindrical pipe 9 be made from a rigid material such as metal, hard plastic, or fiber-reinforced composite material.

[0039] In this way, the expansion chamber 8 can withstand a large pressure when pressure is applied downstream of the first compressor element 2a.

[0040] Of course, the length of the cylindrical pipe 9 may vary, as it is selected according to the compressor device 1 and the location where it is installed.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the second end 10b is provided with means 11 for connecting the expansion chamber 8 to the compressor device 1.

[0042] This connection is made such that the open second end 10b of the cylindrical pipe 9 is adjacent to the gas flow within the compressor device 1. In other words, no intermediate connecting parts are used or present, and the internal volume of the cylindrical pipe 9 is adjacent to the gas flow path.

[0043] Furthermore, the aforementioned means 11 for connecting the expansion chamber 8 to the compressor device 1 is configured such that the longitudinal axis XX′ of the cylindrical pipe 9 extends in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the gas flow, or in a plane offset by up to 15° from this perpendicular direction.

[0044] This means that the gas flow within the compressor device 1 flows through the open second end 10b of the cylindrical pipe 9 vertically or nearly vertically.

[0045] The advantage of this design is that the area of ​​the openings that allow fluid contact between the expansion chamber 8 and the compressor device 1, or between the expansion chamber 8 and the gas flow within the compressor device 1, is minimized, thereby limiting the pressure drop.

[0046] The means 11 for connecting the expansion chamber 8 can be implemented in various ways.

[0047] In the case of Figure 2, a flange 12 is provided at the second end 10b of the cylindrical pipe 9, and this functions as the means 11 described above.

[0048] This flange 12 allows the expansion chamber 8 to be connected to the compressor device 1, for example, by screws.

[0049] However, adhesive, screw connections, bolt and nut connections, and click systems are also possible.

[0050] In Figure 2, as an example of a possible location, the first expansion chamber 8 is connected to the air inlet guide 3, which also includes an air inlet filter 4.

[0051] The expansion chamber 8 is connected to the filter housing 13.

[0052] The second expansion chamber 8 can be provided in the dryer 7 as an alternative configuration. In Figure 1, it is shown just upstream of the dryer 7, but it can also be incorporated into the dryer 7's apparatus.

[0053] Figure 3 shows an alternative example in which the expansion chamber 8 is located upstream of the silencer 14. This location could be, for example, between the compressor element 2b and the aftercooler 6.

[0054] The expansion chamber 8 can also be located at the outlet of the compressor device 1. In fact, due to the modularity of means 11, it can be placed at virtually any position between the inlet and outlet of the compressor device 1.

[0055] The positions of the expansion chambers 8 shown in Figures 1 to 3 are preferred, but the possibility of providing one or more expansion chambers 8 at other locations is not ruled out.

[0056] Although the compressor device 1 was mentioned above, the expansion chamber 8 according to the present invention is also applicable to a blower, and therefore, the compressor device 1 should be interpreted here as including a blower.

[0057] The present invention is not limited in any way to the embodiments described as illustrative and shown in the drawings, and such expansion chambers for compressor devices, and compressor devices equipped with such expansion chambers, can be realized in various forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1. Compressor unit 2a First compressor element 2b Second compressor element 3. Air Inlet Guide 4. Air Inlet Filter 5. Intercooler (intermediate cooler) 6. Aftercooler 7 Dryer 8. Expansion chamber 9 Cylindrical pipes 10a First end 10b Second end 11 means 12 flanges 13 Filter Housing 14 Silencer

Claims

1. An expansion chamber for a compressor device (1), comprising a cylindrical pipe (9) having a first end (10a) closed and a second end (10b) open, wherein the cylindrical pipe (9) has a constant diameter (D) along its entire length (L), and the second end (10b) is provided with means (11) for connecting the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) such that the open second end (10b) of the cylindrical pipe (9) is adjacent to the gas flow inside the compressor device (1).

2. The expansion chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylindrical pipe (9) has a fixed volume.

3. The expansion chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means (11) for connecting the expansion chamber to the compressor device (1) is configured such that the longitudinal axis (X-X') of the cylindrical pipe (9) extends in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the gas flow, or in a plane offset by up to 15° from this perpendicular direction.

4. The expansion chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cylindrical pipe (9) is made of a hard material such as metal, hard plastic, or fiber-reinforced composite material.

5. The expansion chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the means (11) for connecting the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) includes a screw and / or flange (12) provided on the second end (10b) of the cylindrical pipe, a screw connection, a connection by nuts and bolts, or adhesive.

6. A compressor device (1) comprising at least one compressor element (2a, 2b) defining one or more compression stages, characterized in that it is provided with an expansion chamber (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The compressor device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the expansion chamber (8) is provided upstream of the inlet guide (3) and / or the silencer (14) of the compressor device (1) and / or the outlet of the compressor device (1).

8. The compressor device (1) is characterized by comprising a plurality of expansion chambers (8) as described in claim 6 or 7.

9. The compressor apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that a dryer (7) is provided for drying the compressed gas generated by at least one compressor element (2a, 2b), and the expansion chamber (8) is provided inside the dryer (7) or immediately upstream of it.

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