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

Abstract

Expansion chamber for a compressor device (1), characterized in that the expansion chamber (8) comprises a cylindrical pipe (9) with a first end (10a) that is closed and a second end (10b) that is open and, whereby the cylindrical pipe (9) has a fixed constant diameter (D) over its entire length (L), whereby the second end (10b) provided with means (11) to couple 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 gasflow in the compressor device (1).

Description

[0001] Expansion chamber for a compressor device and compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber .

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to an expansion chamber for a compressor device .

[0004] More speci fically the invention is dedicated for reducing noise and reduce vibrations caused by the pulsation or generated by the compressor device .

[0005] The invention also relates to a compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber .

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The compressor device comprises one or more compressors defining one or more compressor stages . Between the compressors , one or more intercoolers can be provided . After the last compressor stage , an aftercooler can be provided . After the aftercooler, the compressor device can be equipped with a dryer to dry the compressed gas .

[0008] It is known that most, i f not all , compressor devices generate unwanted noise during operation .

[0009] The one or more compressors will suck in gas , for example ambient air and compress it to the desired pressure . During compression, noise and vibrations will be created due to the pulsations of the rotating compressor .

[0010] To reduce this noise there are already some solutions available .

[0011] One particular solution is a compressor muf fler or silencer which will dampen noise , due to gas pulsation, by allowing the gas to expand inside the muf fler chambers . The internal baf fles of the muf fler will smooth our low and high frequency compressor gas sound waves .

[0012] A disadvantage of such a solution is that the gas has to go through the silencer . This means that such a silencer has to be build-in in the compressor device , into the path of the gas flow .

[0013] This creates limitations for the design and setup of the compressor device and it is not always possible to incorporate such a silencer on the locations in the compressor device were it is needed .

[0014] In addition, a silencer is not a cheap and easy to manufacture component so usually only one or two silencers are incorporated in a compressor device .

[0015] Moreover, it is not possible to have an easy adj ustment of the damping properties of the silencer adapted to the compressor device . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] It is therefore an obj ective o f the invention to give a solution to one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages .

[0017] To this end the present invention provides an expansion chamber for a compressor device , which expansion chamber comprises a cyl indrical pipe with a first end that is closed and a second end that i s open and, whereby the cylindrical pipe has a fixed constant diameter over its entire length, whereby the second end provided with means to couple the expansion chamber to the compressor device such that the open end of the cylindrical pipe is adj acent to the gas flow in the compressor device .

[0018] The expansion chamber will have the ef fect that it will create a reduction in the vibration and associated noise , due to the fact that it will change the wavelength of the pulsations so that this wavelength will not be identical as the unwanted resonating frequency .

[0019] The volume of the cylindrical pipe will determine the damping properties , i . e . the generated change in frequency .

[0020] It is not only the resonating frequency of the pulsation caused by the compression element that will be dampened .

[0021] For example , i f the frequency of the pulsation of the compression element is the same as the vibration of for example the motor , this will generate vibrations and noise . To avoid this , the cylindrical pipe can be modi fied, by making it longer or shorter, such that the wavelength of the pulsation of the compressor element will change and the same frequency as the motor can be avoided .

[0022] Therefore , by changing the volume or the length of the cylindrical pipe , the damping properties can be adapted to the resonating frequency of the compressor device . This is an important feature and advantage of the expansion chamber .

[0023] An advantage is that the expansion chamber does not have to be integrated into the path of the gas flow through the compressor device .

[0024] As a consequence , the expansion chamber can be placed at various locations in the compressor device .

[0025] Another advantage is that the expansion chamber is very cost ef fective and technically easy to manufacture , as it comprises only a cylindrical pipe .

[0026] By preference , the cylindrical pipe has a fixed volume .

[0027] By preference , the aforementioned means to couple the expansion chamber to the compressor device comprise screws and / or a flange provided at the second end of the cylindrical pipe .

[0028] However, these means can also be reali zed by glue in low pressure areas of the compressor device .

[0029] It is clear for the skilled person that the means to couple the expansion chamber to the compressor device can be reali zed in many di f ferent ways .

[0030] Because the expansion chamber is not placed in the path of the gas flow, but rather adj acent to , the expansion chamber will be a modular element of the compressor device , making it easier and cheaper to provide the compressor device with such an expansion chamber .

[0031] More speci fically, the means to couple the expansion chamber to the compressor device provides a modular interface .

[0032] The present invention also relates to a compressor device comprising at least one compressor defining one or more compressor stages , whereby the compressor device is provided with an expansion chamber according to the invention .

[0033] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character, preferred forms of embodiments are described of an expansion chamber for a compressor device and compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber, with reference to the accompanying drawings , wherein : figure 1 schematically represents a compressor device according to the invention; figure 2 schematically represents on a larger scale a detailed view of the part within the rectangle F2 in figure 1 ; figure 3 schematically represents another embodiment of the invention .

[0035] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] The compressor device 1 represented in figure 1 mainly comprises two compressor elements 2a, 2b defining two compressor stages , an inlet guidance 3 comprising two inlet filters 4 upstream the first compressor elements 2a, an intercooler 5 between the two compressor elements 2a, 2b and an after cooler 6 downstream the second compressor element 2b followed by a dryer 7 .

[0037] The compressor 1 device is provided with two expansion chambers 8 according to the invention, one at the inlet guidance 3 and one at the dryer 7 .

[0038] The expansion chambers 8 each comprise essentially a cylindrical pipe 9 with a first end 10a that is closed and a second end 10b that is open .

[0039] Each cylindrical pipe 9 has a di f ferent length L and has , according to the invention, a constant diameter D over its entire length . The cylindrical pipe 9 has a fixed volume. I.e. it does not have means to expand, reduce or otherwise change its volume when it is in place.

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

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

[0042] Off course, the length of the cylindrical pipe 9 van be chosen and different, depending on the compressor device 1 and the location that it is mounted.

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

[0044] The coupling is such that the open second end 10b of the cylindrical pipe 9 is adjacent to the gasflow in the compressor device 1. This means that no intermediate connecting pieces are used or present, but that the internal volume of the cylindrical pipe 9 is next to the path of the gasflow.

[0045] Furthermore, the aforementioned means 11 to couple the expansion chamber 8 to the compressor device 1 are 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 that deviates maximum 15 ° from this perpendicular direction .

[0046] This means that the gas flow in the compressor device 1 flows perpendicular or quasi perpendicular past the open second end 10b of the cylindrical pipe 9 .

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

[0048] The means 11 to couple the expansion chamber 8 can be reali zed in di f ferent ways .

[0049] In the case of figure 2 , a flange 12 is provided at the second end 10b o f the cylindrical pipe 9 which serves as the aforementioned means 11 .

[0050] With this flange 12 , the expansion chamber 8 can be connected to the compressor device 1 , for example with screws or similar .

[0051] However, gluing, a thread connection, a bolt-and-nut connection, or a click-system is also possible .

[0052] In figure 2 , as an example of a possible location, the first expansion chamber 8 is connected to the air inlet guidance 3 , whereby the air inlet guidance 3 also comprises the air inlet filters 4 .

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

[0054] The second expansion chamber 8 , as another example of a possible location, is provided at the dryer 7 . In figure 1 it is shown j ust upstream the dryer 7 , however, this can also be integrated within the dryer 7 set-up .

[0055] In figure 3 , an alternative is shown, whereby in this case the expansion chamber 8 is shown to be provided upstream of a silencer 14 . This location can be for example between a compressor element 2b and the aftercooler 6 .

[0056] It is also possible that the location of the expansion chamber 8 is at an outlet of the compressor device 1 . In fact , due to the modularity of the means 11 , almost any location between the inlet and the outlet of the compressor device 1 is possible .

[0057] Although the locations of the expansion chamber 8 shown in figures 1 to 3 are some preferential locations , it is of course not excluded that one or more expansion chambers 8 are provided at other locations as well .

[0058] It should be noted that , although in the above reference is made to a compressor device 1 , an expansion chamber 8 according to the invention can also be applied in a blower and compressor device 1 should here be interpreted as including blowers . The present invention is in no way limited to the form of embodiment described by way of an example and represented in the figures , however, such an expansion chamber for a compressor device and compressor device equipped with such an expansion chamber can be reali zed in various forms without leaving the scope of the invention .

Claims

Claims .1.- Expansion chamber for a compressor device (1) , characterized in that the expansion chamber (8) comprises a cylindrical pipe (9) with a first end (10a) that is closed and a second end (10b) that is open and, whereby the cylindrical pipe (9) has a fixed constant diameter (D) over its entire length (L) , whereby the second end (10b) provided with means (11) to couple 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 gasflow in the compressor device (1) .2.- Expansion chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylindrical pipe (9) has a fixed volume.3.- Expansion chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned means (11) to couple the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) are such that the longitudinal axis (X-X' ) of the cylindrical pipe (9) extends in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the gasflow or in a plane that deviates maximum 15° from this perpendicular direction.4.- Expansion chamber according to any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the cylindrical pipe (9) is made of a rigid material, such as metal, rigid plastic, a fiber reinforced composite.5.- Expansion chamber according to any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the aforementioned means (11) to couple the expansion chamber (8) to the compressor device (1) comprise screws and / or a flange (12) provided at the second end (10b) of the cylindrical pipe, a threaded connection, a nut-and-bolt connection, or gluing.6.- Compressor device comprising at least one compressor element (2a, 2b) defining one or more compressor stages, characterized in that the compressor device (1) is provided with an expansion chamber (8) according to any one of the previous claims.7 Compressor device according to claim 6, characterized that the expansion chamber (8) is provided at an inlet guidance (3) of the compressor device (1) and / or upstream of a silencer (14) of the compressor device (1) and / or at an outlet of the compressor device (1) .8.- Compressor device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the compressor device (1) comprises more than one expansion chamber (8) .9.- Compressor device according to any of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it is provided with a dryer (7) for drying the compressed gas generated by the at least one compressor element (2a, 2b) , whereby the expansion chamber (8) is provided in or immediately upstream the dryer (7) .

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