Compressed Air Generator

Abstract

A compressed air generating device is provided that contributes to improving the workability of an oil removal device while preventing a drop in the temperature of compressed air and the generation of drainage due to contact with outside air. [Solution] A compressed air generating device comprising a compressed air pressure circuit, the compressed air pressure circuit comprising, at least from the front, various devices consisting of an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, and an air dryer, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various devices to each other and to the oil removal device, the various devices being housed within a single housing, and the oil removal device being provided outside the housing in close proximity to the air dryer and being detachable by means of a union.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a compressed air generating device in which various devices constituting a compressed air pressure circuit, such as a compressor, an oil tank, and an air dryer, are housed within a single housing, and an oil removal device is provided immediately adjacent to the housing. [Background technology]

[0002] Compressed air generated by a compressor is used for a variety of purposes, such as spray painting, automatic train door opening and closing devices, etc. Depending on the purpose of the compressed air, various devices such as air dryers, cyclone separators, and oil removal devices are installed in the air pressure circuit between the compressor and the compressed air discharge.

[0003] However, with conventional compressed air circuit configurations, when the air piping connecting various devices is extended due to the arrangement of the devices, the area in contact with the outside air increases, causing a decrease in the temperature and saturated water vapor content of the passing compressed air, making it more likely for drainage to occur in the air piping.Furthermore, when the compressed air circuit is casinged in a housing, there is also the problem that work such as checking the deterioration state of the oil removal device and replacing the device becomes complicated. Therefore, there was a need for technology that could prevent the temperature of compressed air from dropping due to the extension of air piping, and could also simplify work on oil removal devices.

[0004] Therefore, the applicant developed a technology in which an air dryer and an oil-water separator are integrated, and the drain generated by drying the compressed air generated by the compressor with the air dryer is passed through the oil-water separator to be purified and discharged, and proposed the technology described in Patent Document 1. In addition, the applicant developed a technology in which a cyclone separator and an oil adsorption device are installed to separate and remove water and oil mist from the compressed air generated by the compressor, and the purified compressed air is sent to the subsequent stage, and proposed the technology described in Patent Document 2.

[0005] However, although 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 arranged in the same box or base as the air dryer, and this does not solve the above problem. Furthermore, according to the proposal in Patent Document 2, although a cyclone separator is useful for separating and removing moisture and foreign matter, the compressed air being sent out remains at a high temperature, and the temperature difference between the compressed air and the inside of the oil adsorption device causes the temperature of the compressed air to drop, which can result in the generation of drainage within the device, so the above-mentioned problem is not yet solved.

[0006] The applicant focused on the phenomenon of drainage occurring due to the extension of air piping in conventional compressed air pressure circuits as described above, and came up with the idea of ​​arranging the various devices that make up the compressed air pressure circuit in close proximity.He developed a compressed air generation device that prevents a drop in the temperature of the compressed air and the generation of drainage due to contact of the air piping with the outside air, by arranging the compressor, oil tank, and air dryer each within a single housing and shortening the air piping, and at the same time arranging an oil removal device in the immediate vicinity of the housing, and also contributes to simplifying work on the oil removal device, and has thus proposed the ``compressed air generation device'' of the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3368429 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6713596 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a compressed air generating device that contributes to improving the workability of an oil removal device while preventing a decrease in the temperature of compressed air and the generation of drainage due to contact with outside air. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order 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, at least from the front, various devices consisting of an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, and an air dryer, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various devices to each other and connecting the various devices to the oil removal device, the various devices being housed in a single housing, and the oil removal device comprising: It is connected to the air dryer via air piping. Outside the housing To the department The means is provided with a locking member and is detachable by a union.

[0010] The present invention also provides a system in which the various devices, oil removal device, and air piping are arranged in a substantially straight line in a plan view. hand Take any means necessary.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the oil removal device is provided with an oil mist detector, and the oil mist detector is detachable by a union.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means for preventing the oil removal device from coming into contact with the outer wall of the housing.

[0013] The present invention also provides The air dryer; The oil removal device; of connection vinegar Part of the air piping is in contact with the outer wall of the housing. Fix it with a fixing member do Arranged Take any means necessary.

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

[0015] According to the compressed air generating device of the present invention, various devices are casing within a single housing, which makes it possible to shorten the required length of the air piping connecting the various devices and to reduce the area of ​​the air piping that comes into contact with the outside air, which helps to prevent a drop in the temperature of the compressed air sent into the air piping.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the compressed air generating device of the present invention, an oil removal device is provided immediately adjacent to the air dryer outside the housing, which has the excellent effect of shortening the required length of the air piping connecting various devices to the oil removal device and making it easier to perform tasks such as maintenance and replacement of the oil removal device.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the compressed air generating device of the present invention, the various devices and air piping are arranged in a substantially straight line in a plan view, which makes it possible to reduce the number of bends in the air piping, thereby reducing the decrease in pressure loss of the compressed air sent into the air piping and suppressing the generation of drainage due to the presence of bends, thereby achieving the excellent effects. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a compressed air generating device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a compressed air generating device according to the present invention in a plan view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The greatest feature of the compressed air generating device 1 of the present invention is that the various devices that make up the compressed air pressure circuit, namely the compressor 2, oil tank 21, and air dryer 3, are casinged in a housing 10, and an oil removal device 4 is provided immediately adjacent to the housing 10. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, i.e., within the scope of the shape, dimensions, materials, etc. that can achieve the same functional effects.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a compressed air generating device 1 according to the present invention. The compressed air generating device 1 of the present invention is a device in which a compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as various devices) are casinged in a single housing 10, and an oil removal device 4 is provided immediately adjacent 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, and the dried compressed air from which water has been separated by the air dryer 3 is sent to the oil removal device 4, where it is sent out from the outlet 20 as clean compressed air from which oil has been removed, and is supplied to downstream compressed air-using devices.

[0021] The various devices are connected to each other by air piping 11 made of hollow tubes, which serve as a flow path for compressed air sent from the compressor 2 to the devices that use the compressed air. There is no particular limitation on the diameter of the air pipes 11 connecting the various devices, but it is possible to reduce pressure loss of the compressed air by making the diameter of each air pipe 11 the same. In addition, there is no particular limitation on the length of the air pipes 11, but by shortening the length of the air pipes 11 arranged between the various devices and reducing the area in contact with the outside air, it is possible to improve the effect of preventing temperature changes in the compressed air sent into the air pipes 11.

[0022] The casing of the present invention is a structure in which the various devices that make up the compressed air pressure circuit capable of generating compressed air to be sent to compressed air-using equipment are entirely covered with a housing 10, and at least the sides and top can be shielded from the outside world. There are no particular limitations on the casing method, and possible methods include completely covering the entire various devices with a metal box, or constructing the entire sides of the various devices from glass or reinforced plastic, etc., so that some or all of the various devices can be seen. 1, the housing 10 is provided with an air pipe 11c that sends compressed air that has passed through various devices toward the oil removal device 4 provided outside the housing 10. Although not shown, an air intake port that allows the compressor 2 to take in outside air, a vent port used for temperature control inside the housing 10, and the like may also be provided as needed. There are no particular restrictions on the locations where various devices are installed. For example, As shown in Figure 2 Alternatively, the air piping 11 may be arranged in a substantially 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 connecting the various devices, and it is possible to reduce pressure loss and drain generation caused by collisions of compressed air at the bends.

[0023] The oil-lubricated compressor 2 is a device that compresses air to a predetermined pressure (for example, 0.7 MPa) and generates compressed air. There are various types of oil-lubricated compressors 2, such as reciprocating, rotary, and centrifugal types, depending on the structure for generating compressed air. There are no particular limitations on the type of oil-lubricated compressor 2 used in the present invention, and any type and structure can be used. In addition, an air pipe 11a is connected to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 for sending the generated compressed air to the oil tank 21. When the oil-lubricated compressor 2 is in operation, the compressed air contains a large amount of lubricating oil used in the oil-lubricated compressor 2, so 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 the compressed air 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 the filter function of an oil element, etc. The oil tank 21 makes it possible to reduce in advance the oil contained in the drain generated in the air dryer 3 at the downstream stage, and further reduces the oil content in the compressed air passing through the oil removal device 4 at the downstream stage, thereby making it possible to extend the life of the oil removal performance by preventing oil from adhering to the filler inside the oil removal device. The oil tank 21 is connected to an air pipe 11a through which compressed air generated by the oil-lubricated compressor 2 is sent, and an air pipe 11b through which compressed air from which oil has been separated and removed is sent to the air dryer 3. There are no particular limitations on the shape or internal structure of the oil tank 21, and it is sufficient to use a conventionally known structure that separates and removes oil from compressed air that has flowed in through the air pipe 11a and that can store the removed oil inside the oil tank 21. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, a cylindrical pipe having a hollow portion and closed at the top and bottom may be used as the oil tank 21, and the air pipe 11a extending from the oil-lubricated compressor 2 may be inserted from the side wall of the oil tank 21 to penetrate the hollow portion, with the discharge port 15 at the tip of the air pipe 11a bent upward, so that the compressed air containing oil is released toward the top of the oil tank 21, and the compressed air from which the oil has been separated by passing through an oil element 22 provided at the top of the oil tank 21 flows into the air pipe 11b connected to the air dryer 3.

[0025] An embodiment in which an oil element 22 that separates and removes oil from the compressed air is provided inside the oil tank 21 is possible, and the material and shape of the oil element 22 used in such an embodiment are not particularly limited as long as they are capable of separating oil from the compressed air, and it is sufficient to use a conventionally known element such as filter paper made of cellulose, synthetic fiber, or the like woven into a bellows shape. The structure of the oil element 22 is also not particularly limited, and one possible structure is one in which the top surface is connected to the connection between the oil tank 21 and the air pipe 11b, the bottom surface is a generally cylindrical body that is closed, and the side surface is formed of an oil filter, so that the compressed air that flows 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] The oil separated and removed from the compressed air by the oil element 22 and the like, as well as the drain generated in the oil tank 21, are stored near the bottom of the oil tank 21. At this time, the oil and the drain are stored in a separate state, i.e., the oil is stored in the upper part and the drain is stored in the lower part. The oil stored in the oil tank 21 is preferably returned to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and reused as lubricating oil (as shown in the figure). Establishing a lubricating oil circulation structure between the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and the oil tank 21 contributes to saving and effective use of 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. In this case, an oil cooler 23 is disposed at a predetermined intermediate position of the oil pipe 13 to cool the oil being sent. Because 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 also stored at a high temperature. If such oil is sent to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 while still in a high temperature state, it is expected that its function as a lubricant will be reduced and further malfunctions of the oil-lubricated compressor 2 will occur. Therefore, it is desirable to cool the oil to its initial temperature as a lubricant before sending it, and for this reason an oil cooler 23 is provided at a predetermined intermediate position in the oil pipe 13. Although not shown, it is also preferable to provide a dust filter or the like in the oil pipe 13 before or after the oil cooler 23 to remove foreign matter such as dust remaining in the oil.

[0027] Drain pipe 7 and drain trap 5 are provided near the bottom of oil tank 21 for discharging drainage water that accumulates together with oil. Because drainage water is heavier than oil, as described above, it is stored in oil tank 21 separated into oil at the top and drainage water at the bottom. Therefore, drain pipe 7 is connected near the bottom of oil tank 21. When drainage water is discharged, an oil trap with a built-in float or the like for detecting the amount of oil can be used in drain trap 5 so that the oil stored in oil tank 21 is not discharged to the outside together with the drainage water.

[0028] The air dryer 3 is a device for drying the compressed air sent from the oil tank 21 via the air pipe 11b to remove moisture. The air dryer 3 may be of a refrigeration type, hollow fiber membrane type, adsorption type, or the like, depending on the method of removing moisture. The air dryer 3 used in the present invention may be of any of the refrigeration type, hollow fiber membrane type, and adsorption type, and is not particularly limited, but the most commonly used is the refrigeration type air dryer 3. The refrigeration type air dryer is a device that uses the latent heat of evaporation of a refrigerant to cool compressed air and condense and remove the contained moisture, and is therefore preferable because it can be introduced relatively inexpensively. The air dryer 3 is connected to an air pipe 11b through which compressed air from which oil has been separated and removed in an oil tank 21 is sent, and an air pipe 11c through which the dried compressed air from which moisture has been removed is sent to an oil removal device 4 arranged outside the housing 10. Furthermore, in the process of condensing and removing moisture contained in the compressed air, the refrigerated air dryer generates drain inside the air dryer 3 due to a decrease in the amount of saturated water vapor caused by cooling, so a drain pipe 7 is provided to discharge the drain, and the drain that flows into the drain pipe 7 is discharged to the outside by a drain trap 5a. A conventionally known drain trap 5a can be used, and there are electromagnetic types, float types, and other types depending on the discharge method, but there are no particular limitations on the type.

[0029] Although not shown, a preferred embodiment is one in which a precooler 8 is disposed at a predetermined intermediate position of the air piping 11b connecting the oil tank 21 and the air dryer 3. The precooler 8 is disposed at an intermediate position of the air piping 11b connecting the oil tank 21 and the air dryer 3, and is a device for precooling 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 eliminate preheating, and it is sufficient to use existing equipment such as an air-cooled aftercooler. By disposing such a precooler 8, the compressed air flows into the air dryer 3 in a precooled state, thereby improving the performance of the air dryer 3.

[0030] The oil removal device 4 is a device that brings the dried compressed air sent from the air dryer 3 provided in the housing 10 via the air pipe 11c into contact with fillers provided in the oil removal device 4, separates and removes oil contained in the compressed air, and sends the air to the subsequent stage as clean compressed air. There are no particular limitations on the shape or performance of the oil removal device 4, and it is sufficient to use a conventionally known device that has a shape and performance that allows it to supply clean compressed air to compressed air-using equipment connected downstream, taking into account the oil that may be generated during the air compression process and in various equipment. Similarly, there are no limitations on the filler provided in the oil removal device 4, and conventionally known materials such as cubic or rectangular shaped polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, amines coated or impregnated into nonwoven fabric, zeolite, which is a porous mineral, activated carbon, etc. can be used to achieve the above-mentioned performance. The oil removal device 4 is connected to an air pipe 11c extending from inside the housing 10 and supplying dried compressed air from which moisture has been removed by the air dryer 3, and an air pipe 11d for supplying 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 is disposed near the outlet of the air pipe 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 arranging the oil removal device 4 in a location immediately adjacent to the air dryer 3 outside the housing 10, the distance from the outer wall of the housing 10 to the oil removal device 4 in the air piping 11c (the part in contact with the outside air) is shortened, making it possible to minimize temperature changes that may occur within the piping due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the housing 10. However, if the oil removal device 4 is arranged so that it comes into contact with the outer wall of the housing 10, vibrations generated by the various devices installed inside the housing 10 will be transmitted to the filling material inside the oil removal device 4, which may cause changes in the filling density or re-separation of oil that has separated due to the filling material, so it is preferable to arrange them at a certain distance or more (approximately 1 cm).

[0032] Since the oil removal device 4 is provided outside the housing 10, the temperature of the oil removal device 4 itself and the filler itself is approximately the same as the outside air temperature. The temperature of the compressed air sent to the compressed air utilization equipment via the air piping 11d is also adjusted to the same temperature as the outside air temperature by passing through the oil removal device 4, so the difference between the temperature of the compressed air used in the compressed air utilization equipment and the outside air 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, and it is possible to visually inspect the deterioration state (appearance) of the filling material, check the detection results of the oil mist detector 31 and pressure gauge 32 described below, and perform maintenance and replacement work on the oil removal device 4 without opening the housing 10.

[0033] A preferred embodiment is one in which the oil removal device 4 is provided 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 determine if there is an abnormality, but to determine in advance when it is time to replace the oil removal device 4. The detection structure and shape of the oil mist detector 31 are not particularly limited as long as they use conventionally known technology. The oil mist detector 31 is provided at a location in the middle of the filler where the amount of accumulated oil can be measured. Therefore, even if the amount of oil detected by the oil mist detector 31 corresponds to the amount that needs to be replaced, the filler itself of the oil removal device 4 is in a state where it can continue to absorb oil, and there is a grace period until replacement work is required. In addition, the oil mist detector 31 and oil removal device 4 are connected via a union 30, so that maintenance due to deterioration over time and replacement of the oil mist detector 31 that has entered a detection state due to a malfunction of the oil removal device 4 can be performed simply by removing the union 30.

[0034] In addition, it is also preferable that the oil removal device 4 is provided with a pressure gauge 32. The pressure gauge 32 is a sensor that measures the differential pressure between the compressed air inlet part (air pipe 11c side) and the exhaust part (air pipe 11d side) in the oil removal device 4. If moisture or oil gets mixed into the compressed air and causes a problem such as clogging of the flow path in the filler, the detected differential pressure will increase. By providing the pressure gauge 32 in the oil removal device 4, it is possible to detect problems such as blockages in the flow paths inside the filler, which are difficult to see from the outside, at an early stage.Furthermore, it is also easy to grasp the adsorption state of oil mist from changes in differential pressure and estimate in advance when the filler should be replaced.

[0035] To prevent drainage from occurring in the piping due to a sudden change in temperature of the compressed air sent to the oil removal device 4, it is possible to fix a part of the air piping 11c connected to the oil removal device (the part in contact with the outside air) with a fixing member so that it comes into contact with the outer wall of the housing 10. By adopting such a mode, it is possible to prevent the piping itself from moving freely and to change the temperature of the piping by heat exchange with the outer wall of the housing 10. Note that the temperature of the piping that changes due to heat exchange will be higher than the outside air, for example, if the temperature of the outer wall of the housing 10 is higher than the outside air. The compressed air flowing through the piping undergoes a gradual temperature change as it passes through piping in which the temperature changes in stages: inside the housing 10, inside the air piping 11c, inside the oil removal device 4, and then inside the air piping 11d (same as the outside air temperature).

[0036] 1, a preferred embodiment is one in which the drain pipe 7 and the drain trap 5b are provided at a predetermined intermediate position of the air pipe 11c connecting the air dryer 3 and the oil removal device 4. By adopting such an embodiment, it becomes possible to prevent drainage that may be generated on the way from the air dryer 3 to the oil removal device 4 (drainage generated due to changes in the amount of saturated water vapor caused by the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the housing 10 and due to collision of the air pipe 11c with the curved inner wall) from flowing into the oil removal device 4. The connection point between the air pipe 11c and the drain pipe 7 is not particularly limited, but in consideration of the position where drainage is expected to be generated and the final prevention of drainage from flowing into the oil removal device 4, a preferred embodiment is one in which the air pipe 11c is connected near the final curved position, and by adopting such an embodiment, the effect of preventing drainage from flowing into the oil removal device 4 is maximized.

[0037] Furthermore, when foreign matter or highly viscous oil adheres to the inside of the drain trap 5a connected to the air dryer 3 and blocks the discharge port, the drain trap 5a will malfunction (be unable to discharge the drain), and the drain that has continued to accumulate inside the air dryer 3 will flow towards the oil removal device 4 via the air pipe 11c. However, as shown in Figure 1, the drain in the air pipe 11c will flow into the drain trap 5b from the drain pipe 7 and then be automatically discharged to the outside, making it possible to prevent the drain from flowing into the oil removal device 4. Considering the above, it is desirable that the drain trap 5a provided in the air dryer 3 be a sensor-type or timer-type drain trap, which is highly reliable and easy to operate for a long period of time. Furthermore, because the amount of drain that flows into the drain trap 5b connected to the oil removal device 4 is small during normal operation of the compressed air generating device 1, if a timer-type drain trap is used, there is a high possibility that compressed air that flows into the drain trap 5b will be discharged, causing air loss. For this reason, a sensor-type or float-type drain trap that operates according to the amount of drain stored is desirable, and a float-type drain trap that does not consume power when not in operation is particularly suitable.

[0038] A preferred embodiment is one in which valves 6 capable of adjusting the amount of air sent are provided in the air pipe 11c near the outer wall of the housing 10 and in the air pipe 11d near the outlet 20. By adopting such an embodiment, it becomes easy to determine whether compressed air is to be sent to the compressed air-using equipment and to adjust the flow rate, and it also becomes possible to shut off the flow path during maintenance of the compressed air-using equipment, various equipment, and the oil removal device 4, or when an abnormality occurs. Similarly, it is also preferable to provide a flow rate adjusting valve 6 at a predetermined central location in the drain piping 7 before the drain trap 5b, which makes it easy to adjust the flow rate of the drain and block the flow path.

[0039] Unions 30 are provided at the connection points between the connection pipes protruding from the oil removal device 4 and the air pipes 11c and 11d. By providing a union 30 at such a connection point, the replacement process due to deterioration of the oil removal device 4 can be carried out by simply removing the union 30, which helps to reduce the time required for the replacement work. When replacing the oil removal device 4, the oil removal device 4 can be replaced by closing the valve 6 to block the compressed air flow path and then removing the union 30, which prevents unnecessary compressed air from being discharged from the piping and contributes to improving the safety of the replacement work.

[0040] In the compressed air generating device 1, when the housing 10 housing the various devices is installed outdoors, the oil removing device 4 is also installed outdoors at the same time. The oil removal device 4 does not require any power source such as electricity to operate, and is less susceptible to accidents that can occur outdoors, such as flooding due to rainwater, electrical leakage, and lightning strikes. Therefore, the oil removal device 4 can be installed outdoors without any structural changes.

[0041] The main operations and actions of the compressed air generating device 1 comprising the above components will be described with reference to FIG. The compressed air generating device 1 comprises an oil-lubricated compressor 2, an oil tank 21, and an air dryer 3 arranged via air pipes 11a-c, with an oil cooler 23 arranged midway along the oil pipe 13 connecting the oil-lubricated compressor 2 and the oil tank 21, and the entire device is housed in a housing 10. An oil removal device 4 is provided in the immediate vicinity of the housing 10, and is connected to an air pipe 11c extending from the housing 10 and an air pipe 11d extending to a compressed air utilization device. First, compressed air is generated in oil-lubricated compressor 2, sent through air piping 11a, and flows into oil tank 21 from discharge port 15. At this time, the compressed air contains lubricating oil used in oil-lubricated compressor 2 as oil mist. The compressed air that has flowed into oil tank 21 has oil (oil mist) separated and removed by oil element 22 provided in oil tank 21, and then flows into air dryer 3 through air piping 11b. The compressed air that has been dried by air dryer 3 flows into oil removal device 4 provided outside housing 10 through air piping 11c. The clean compressed air from which oil has been removed by oil removal device 4 is sent through air piping 11d from outlet 20 to compressed air-using equipment. 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 cooled in temperature is supplied to the oil-lubricated compressor 2 through the oil pipe 13, and is reused as lubricating oil.

[0042] The basic configuration and operation of the compressed air generator 1 according to the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in the above embodiment or the drawings. For example, by attaching the union 30 to the piping so that it is horizontal (in a roughly horizontal position) rather than being attached in the height direction of the oil removal device 4, it is possible to prevent the union 30 at the work location from being hidden by the shadow of the oil removal device 4 or the worker, thereby increasing safety when installing and removing the union 30.

[0043] As described above, the compressed air generating device 1 of the present invention houses the oil-lubricated compressor 2, oil tank 21, and air dryer 3 in a single housing 10, and has the oil removal device 4 located immediately adjacent to the housing 10. This shortens the distance of the air piping 11 connecting the devices, making it possible to achieve space savings for the entire device, and also reduces the temperature change associated with contact of the air piping 11 with the outside air, thereby suppressing the generation of drainage.Furthermore, it becomes possible to check the deterioration state of the oil removal device 4 from the outside, which contributes to maintaining the quality of the compressed air being sent out. [Industrial Applicability]

[0044] The present invention can be used as a space-saving compressed air generator with excellent oil removal performance in any field that requires oil-free compressed air, such as food processing, electronic component and car body painting, etc. Therefore, it is believed that the "compressed air generator" according to the present invention has great industrial applicability. [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. Cabinet 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 element 23 Oil cooler 30 Union 31 Oil mist detector 32 Pressure gauge

Claims

1. A compressed air generating device comprising a compressed air pressure circuit, The compressed air pressure circuit includes, in order from the front, at least an oil-lubricated compressor, an oil tank, and an air dryer, as well as various devices, an oil removal device, and air piping connecting the various devices and the oil removal device, The various devices are housed in a single housing. A compressed air generating device characterized in that the oil removal device is connected to the air dryer via an air piping and is provided outside the housing, and can be detached using a union.

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

3. 2. The compressed air generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oil removal device is provided with an oil mist detector, and the oil mist detector is detachable by a union.

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

5. A compressed air generating device as described in claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the air piping connecting the air dryer and the oil removal device is fixed and arranged with a fixing member so as to contact the outer wall of the housing.

6. The compressed air generating device 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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