Reciprocating compressor

Abstract

A reciprocating compressor according to the present invention comprises a crankshaft, a base part that accommodates the crankshaft, a bearing part that rotatably supports the crankshaft, and a bearing holding part that has an upper section and a lower section and holds the bearing part between the upper section and the lower section. The base part comprises a first side part that extends along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft, a second side part that is on the opposite side from the first side part with the crankshaft therebetween and extends along the longitudinal direction, a first rib part that is provided to the inside of the first side part, and a second rib part that is provided to the inside of the second side part. The lower section of the bearing holding part, the first rib part, and the second rib part are formed from a single continuous member.

Description

Reciprocating compressor

[0001] The present invention relates to a vertical reciprocating compressor.

[0002] In recent years, in consideration of the environment, it has been considered to use hydrogen as a fuel for power generation, automobiles, etc., and the demand for hydrogen has been increasing. Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a vertical reciprocating compressor has been used. Paragraph 0023 of Patent Document 1 states, "The compressor 2 has a common housing 18 provided with a crank drive mechanism 17 and a spacer portion 18a. The crank drive mechanism 17 includes a crankshaft 17a to which a bearing is attached, and six crossheads 17c that are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction along the outer shape of the crankshaft 17a and are connected to the crankshaft 17a via a push rod 17b. At the same time, the crank drive mechanism 17 has a crosshead hole 17d through which the crosshead 17c moves, each crosshead 17c is connected to a piston rod 17e, and each piston rod 17e is connected to pistons 9a, 10a, 13a, 14a."

[0003] Incidentally, in Patent Document 1, vibrations of stationary bodies such as the common housing 18 due to lateral forces (directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft) generated by driving the crankshaft and crossheads are not considered.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-91488

[0005] An object of the present invention is to suppress vibrations of stationary bodies of a reciprocating compressor.

[0006] A reciprocating compressor according to one aspect of the present invention is a vertical reciprocating compressor for compressing gas, comprising a stationary unit and a drive unit, wherein the drive unit comprises a crankshaft, a crosshead unit connected to the crankshaft, and a reciprocating body connected to the crosshead unit, and the stationary unit comprises a cross guide unit housing the crosshead unit, a reciprocating body housing unit attached to the upper part of the cross guide unit and housing the reciprocating body, a base unit in which the crankshaft is housed and which supports the cross guide unit, a bearing unit that rotatably supports the crankshaft, and a bearing holding unit having an upper split unit and a lower split unit, and holding the bearing unit between the upper split unit and the lower split unit. The base portion comprises a bottom portion, a first side portion extending along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft, a second side portion extending along the longitudinal direction on the opposite side of the first side portion with respect to the crankshaft, a first rib portion located on the crankshaft side of the first side portion, a second rib portion located on the crankshaft side of the second side portion, and a support wall erected on the bottom portion of the base portion to support the lower divided portion. The support wall, the first rib portion, and the second rib portion are composed of a single continuous member.

[0007] This is a cross-sectional view of the crankshaft in the longitudinal direction of the reciprocating compressor according to the embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view of the reciprocating compressor in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft. This is a perspective view showing the configuration around the lower split portion of the bearing holder in the reciprocating compressor. This is a diagram for explaining the piping connection relationship of the reciprocating compressor. This is a diagram schematically showing the reciprocating compressor installed on the floor surface FL.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reciprocating compressor 10 is configured as a multi-stage reciprocating compressor. That is, the reciprocating compressor 10 has multiple compression sections 10a to 10d. Each of the compression sections 10a to 10d has a reciprocating body 16 and a reciprocating body housing section 25, which will be described later, and gas is configured to flow sequentially through the compression chambers 25c provided in each of the compression sections 10a to 10d, which will be described later. Each of the compression sections 10a to 10d is driven by a single shared crankshaft 14.

[0010] The reciprocating compressor 10 comprises a drive unit 11 and a stationary unit 12. The drive unit 11 is a functional unit that operates to compress the gas. The gas used is hydrogen gas, but other gases such as natural gas may be used instead.

[0011] The drive unit 11 includes a crankshaft 14, a crosshead 15 connected to the crankshaft 14, and a reciprocating body 16 connected to the crosshead 15. The crankshaft 14 is shared by each of the compression units 10a to 10d, while the crosshead 15 and reciprocating body 16 are individually provided for each of the compression units 10a to 10d. In this embodiment of the reciprocating compressor 10, multiple crosshead 15s are connected to one crankshaft 14, but this is not the only configuration. For example, the reciprocating compressor 10 may have a configuration comprising one crankshaft 14, one crosshead 15, and one reciprocating body 16. In other words, the reciprocating compressor 10 may be a single-stage compressor.

[0012] The crosshead section 15 includes a connecting rod 15a rotatably coupled to the crankshaft 14, and a crosshead 15b rotatably coupled to the connecting rod 15a. The reciprocating body 16 includes a piston rod 16a coupled to the crosshead 15b, and a piston 16b coupled to the piston rod 16a. The piston 16b is arranged to reciprocate within the cylinder section 25a, which will be described later. A plunger may be provided instead of the piston 16b and piston rod 16a.

[0013] The drive unit 11 is driven by a motor 18. The motor 18 has a rated power of 2000 kW or more, and drives the crankshaft 14 so that the rotational speed of the crankshaft 14 is between 300 rpm and 600 rpm. As a result, the sliding speed of the reciprocating body 16 is between 2.5 m / sec and 5 m / sec.

[0014] The stationary part 12 is a part that supports the drive unit 11 so that the drive unit 11 can operate, and remains stationary even when the drive unit 11 is operating. The stationary part 12 includes a base part 21, a bearing part 22, a bearing holding part 23, a cross guide part 24, and a reciprocating body housing part 25.

[0015] The base portion 21 is a part that constitutes the crankcase that houses the crankshaft 14, and comprises a bottom portion 27, a first side portion 28, and a second side portion 29. The bottom portion 27 is located below the crankshaft 14 and extends along the crankshaft 14 in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14.

[0016] The first side portion 28 is located on one side of the crankshaft 14 and rises from one end of the bottom portion 27 in the width direction. The first side portion 28 extends along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. In this embodiment, since a plurality of connecting rods 15a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14, the first side portion 28 includes portions that face these plurality of connecting rods 15a.

[0017] The upper end portion 28a of the first side portion 28 protrudes inward (or toward the second side portion 29) compared to the lower portion thereof. The first contact portion 35 of the cross guide portion 24, which will be described later, is placed on this upper end portion 28a.

[0018] The second side portion 29 is located on the other side of the crankshaft 14 (or opposite to the first side portion 28) and rises from the other end of the bottom portion 27 in the width direction. The second side portion 29 extends along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. In this embodiment, since a plurality of connecting rods 15a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14, the second side portion 29 includes portions that face these plurality of connecting rods 15a.

[0019] The upper end portion 29a of the second side portion 29 protrudes inward (or toward the first side portion 28) compared to the lower portion thereof. The second contact portion 36 of the cross guide portion 24, which will be described later, is placed on this upper end portion 29a.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the base portion 21 further comprises a support wall 30, a first rib portion 31, and a second rib portion 32. The support wall 30, the first rib portion 31, and the second rib portion 32 are provided so as to be located on both sides of each connecting rod 15a in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14 (see Figure 1). As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, a plurality of connecting rods 15a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. Therefore, the support wall 30, the first rib portion 31, and the second rib portion 32 are arranged alternately with the connecting rods 15a in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. In the configuration where only one connecting rod 15a is provided, the support wall 30, the first rib portion 31, and the second rib portion 32 are provided on both sides of this one connecting rod 15a in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14.

[0021] The support wall 30 is erected on the bottom portion 27 and is connected to the lower portion of the first side portion 28 and the lower portion of the second side portion 29. The support wall 30 supports the lower divided portion 23b of the bearing holding portion 23, which will be described later. The support wall 30 may also be used as a partition plate for the oil reservoir in the base portion.

[0022] The first rib portion 31 is connected to the inner surface of the first side portion 28 (the surface facing the inside of the crankcase). That is, the first rib portion 31 is located on the crankshaft 14 side of the first side portion 28. The first rib portion 31 is provided on the first side portion 28 and extends from the inner surface of the upper part of the first side portion 28 toward the inside of the base portion 21. That is, the first rib portion 31 is connected to the upper part of the first side portion 28, which is located above the lower part to which the support wall 30 is connected. The first rib portion 31 connects the upper part of the first side portion 28 and the lower split portion 23b of the bearing holding portion 23, which will be described later. Therefore, even if the bearing portion 22 receives force from the crankshaft 14 when the crankshaft 14 rotates, vibration of the bearing holding portion 23 can suppress vibration of the first side portion 28 of the base portion 21. The first rib portion 31 is also connected to the support wall 30.

[0023] The second rib portion 32 is connected to the inner surface of the second side portion 29 (the surface facing the inside of the crankcase). That is, the second rib portion 32 is located on the crankshaft 14 side of the second side portion 29. The second rib portion 32 is provided on the second side portion 29 and extends from the inner surface of the upper part of the second side portion 29 toward the inside of the base portion 21. That is, the second rib portion 32 is connected to the upper part of the second side portion 29, which is located above the lower part to which the support wall 30 is connected. The second rib portion 32 connects the upper part of the second side portion 29 and the lower split portion 23b of the bearing holding portion 23, which will be described later. Therefore, even if the bearing portion 22 receives force from the crankshaft 14 when the crankshaft 14 rotates, vibration of the bearing holding portion 23 can suppress vibration of the second side portion 29 of the base portion 21. The second rib portion 32 is also connected to the support wall 30.

[0024] The first rib portion 31 and the second rib portion 32 each have plate portions 31a and 32a and thickened portions 31b and 32b. The thickened portions 31b and 32b are parts of the crankshaft 14 where the thickness in the longitudinal direction is greater than the thickness of the plate portions 31a and 32a in the same direction. Multiple thickened portions 31b and 32b are provided in the first rib portion 31 and the second rib portion 32, respectively.

[0025] Each thickened portion 31b of the first rib portion 31 connects the first side portion 28 to the bearing retaining portion 23. One of these thickened portions 31b is connected to the upper end portion 28a of the first side portion 28. The upper end portion 28a is a portion of the first side portion 28 that is thicker than the portion below it. Similarly, each thickened portion 32b of the second rib portion 32 connects the second side portion 29 to the bearing retaining portion 23. One of these thickened portions 32b is connected to the upper end portion 29a of the second side portion 29. The upper end portion 29a is a portion of the second side portion 29 that is thicker than the portion below it. Therefore, the retaining strength of the bearing retaining portion 23 can be further improved.

[0026] Furthermore, at least one of the thickened portions 31b, 32b has a shape that is elongated in the direction in which the first side portion 28 and the second side portion 29 face each other (for example, the horizontal direction). This prevents axial vibration of the crankshaft 14. Note that the thickened portions 31b, 32b are not limited to a shape that is elongated in one direction, but may also be round, for example. Also, the thickened portions 31b, 32b are not limited to a shape that is elongated in the horizontal direction, but may also be elongated in the vertical direction, for example.

[0027] Note that the thickened sections 31b and 32b are provided in multiple locations in the vertical direction, but are not limited to this. Also, the thickened sections 31b and 32b can be omitted if sufficient strength can be ensured. Furthermore, the thickened sections 31b and 32b may be provided on only one of the first rib section 31 and the second rib section 32.

[0028] The bearing holder portion 23 is the part that holds the bearing portion 22, and the bearing holder portion 23 has an upper divided portion 23a and a lower divided portion 23b. That is, the bearing holder portion 23 is divided into an upper divided portion 23a and a lower divided portion 23b, and by fastening the upper divided portion 23a and the lower divided portion 23b together with fasteners not shown in the figure, it becomes a shape that can hold the bearing portion 22.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the lower divided portion 23b integrally includes a lower holding portion 23c having a semi-circular inner surface for arranging the bearing portion 22, a first adjacent portion 23d adjacent to one side of the lower holding portion 23c, and a second adjacent portion 23e adjacent to the other side of the lower holding portion 23c. The first adjacent portion 23d is located on the first side portion 28 side of the base portion 21 relative to the lower holding portion 23c, and the first rib portion 31 is connected to it. The second adjacent portion 23e is located on the second side portion 29 side of the base portion 21 relative to the lower holding portion 23c, and the second rib portion 32 is connected to it. The first adjacent portion 23d and the second adjacent portion 23e are each configured to be able to fix fasteners not shown. For example, fastening holes for fasteners may be provided on the upper surface of the first adjacent portion 23d and the upper surface of the second adjacent portion 23e, respectively.

[0030] Support walls 30 are connected to the lower surface of the lower holding portion 23c, the lower surface of the first adjacent portion 23d, and the lower surface of the second adjacent portion 23e.

[0031] The lower divided portion 23b is integrally formed with the support wall 30, the first rib portion 31, and the second rib portion 32. That is, the lower divided portion 23b, the support wall 30, the first rib portion 31, and the second rib portion 32 are made of a single continuous member. For example, the base portion 21 (including the first rib portion 31 and the second rib portion 32) and the lower divided portion 23b may be integrally made by casting.

[0032] The upper division portion 23a is placed on top of the lower division portion 23b and fastened to the lower division portion 23b by fasteners not shown in the figure. In other words, unlike the lower division portion 23b, the upper division portion 23a is not integrally formed with the first rib portion 31 and the second rib portion 32.

[0033] The upper divided portion 23a integrally comprises a central portion 23f (see Figure 1) having a semicircular inner surface on which the bearing portion 22 is arranged, a first portion (not shown) adjacent to one side of the central portion 23f, and a second portion 23g (see Figure 2) adjacent to the other side of the central portion 23f. The first portion and the second portion 23g are each configured to secure fasteners (not shown). For example, the first portion and the second portion 23g may each be provided with holes for inserting fasteners.

[0034] The bearing portion 22 rotatably supports the crankshaft 14 and is composed of, for example, a sliding bearing. The bearing portion 22 is in sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of the upper divided portion 23a and the inner circumferential surface of the lower divided portion 23b.

[0035] The cross guide portion 24 is positioned above the base portion 21. In other words, the cross guide portion 24 is supported by the base portion 21. The cross guide portion 24 is fastened to the base portion 21.

[0036] The cross guide section 24 includes guide sections 37 and 38 that can receive force from the cross head section 15, and contact sections 35 and 36 that are integrally formed with the guide sections 37 and 38 and come into contact with the base section 21.

[0037] The contact portions 35 and 36 include a first contact portion 35 having a lower end surface 35a that rests on the upper end 28a of the first side portion 28 of the base portion 21, and a second contact portion 36 having a lower end surface 36a that rests on the upper end 29a of the second side portion 29 of the base portion 21. The first contact portion 35 is located on one side of the crankshaft 14 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. The second contact portion 36 is located on the other side of the crankshaft 14 (or on the opposite side from the first contact portion 35) and extends along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. The first contact portion 35 protrudes from the lower side of the first guide portion 37 (described later) toward the opposite side of the crankshaft 14, beyond the outer surface of the first guide portion 37. The second contact portion 36 protrudes from the lower side of the second guide portion 38 (described later) toward the opposite side from the crankshaft 14, and is greater than the outer surface of the second guide portion 38.

[0038] The guide portions 37 and 38 include a first guide portion 37 located on one side of the crankshaft 14 and a second guide portion 38 located on the other side of the crankshaft 14 (or on the opposite side from the first contact portion 35). That is, the first guide portion 37 and the second guide portion 38 are positioned in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14 and are facing each other horizontally.

[0039] The crosshead 15b is positioned in the space between the first guide section 37 and the second guide section 38. In other words, the crosshead 15b is positioned inside the guide sections 37 and 38. To put it another way, the cross guide section 24 is the part of the stationary section 12 that houses the crosshead section 15. Since the lower end of the connecting rod 15a of the crosshead section 15 is connected to the crankshaft 14, a part of the crosshead section 15 is located inside the base section 21.

[0040] The guide sections 37 and 38 guide the crosshead 15b so that it reciprocates vertically as the crankshaft 14 rotates. Therefore, the inner surface 37a of the first guide section 37 and the inner surface 38a of the second guide section 38 are surfaces that receive forces from the crosshead 15b.

[0041] The lower end surface 37b of the first guide portion 37 is located below the lower end surface 35a of the first contact portion 35. That is, the first guide portion 37 includes a portion that extends from above the lower end surface 35a of the first contact portion 35 to below the lower end surface 35a of the first contact portion 35. Therefore, the inner surface 37a of the first guide portion 37 extends below the lower end surface 35a of the first contact portion 35.

[0042] The lower end surface 38b of the second guide portion 38 is located below the lower end surface 36a of the second contact portion 36. That is, the second guide portion 38 includes a portion that extends from above the lower end surface 36a of the second contact portion 36 to below the lower end surface 36a of the second contact portion 36. Therefore, the inner surface 38a of the second guide portion 38 extends below the lower end surface 36a of the second contact portion 36. In other words, in the direction of gravity, the lower ends of the contact portions 35 and 36 are at a higher position than the lower ends of the guide portions 37 and 38. Note that the lower ends of the contact portions 35 and 36 may be at the same height as the lower ends of the guide portions 37 and 38.

[0043] The cross guide part 24 is made of cast iron. The original member of the cross guide part 24 is made by casting, and the cross guide part 24 is created by machining this original member. When forming the inner surfaces 37a and 38a (guide regions for receiving the cross head part 15) of the guide parts 37 and 38, the original member is carried into a machine tool and processed by the machine tool. At this time, since the positions of the lower ends of the contact parts 35 and 36 are higher than the lower ends of the guide parts 37 and 38, it is possible to suppress the contact parts 35 and 36 from interfering during the inner surface machining of the guide parts 37 and 38.

[0044] The reciprocating body housing part 25 is attached to the upper part of the cross guide part 24. The reciprocating body housing part 25 houses the reciprocating body 16, that is, the piston rod 16a and the piston 16b. As shown in FIG. 1, the reciprocating body housing part 25 includes a cylinder part 25a that houses the piston 16b, a connecting body 25b through which the piston rod 16a is inserted, and a distance piece 25d. The distance piece 25d is disposed between the cylinder part 25a and the connecting body 25b. A part of the cross head 15b may enter the connecting body 25b. The distance piece 25d is located above the connecting body 25b. The cylinder part 25a is located above the distance piece 25d. A compression chamber 25c is formed in the cylinder part 25a by housing the piston 16b. Note that the cylinder part 25a may be single acting or double acting. Also, the cylinder part 25a may have a tandem structure.

[0045] The connecting body 25b is disposed between the cylinder part 25a and the cross guide part 24, and an internal space for inserting the piston rod 16a is formed. At least the connecting body 25b of the reciprocating body accommodating part 25 is made of a casting. In this embodiment, since a plurality of cross guide parts 24 are provided, a plurality of connecting bodies 25b and cylinder parts 25a are provided. Note that the connecting body 25b may be included in the cross guide part 24 instead of being included in the reciprocating body accommodating part 25. That is, the cross guide part 24 may have a configuration including the guide parts 37 and 38, the contact parts 35 and 36, and the connecting body 25b. In this case, the guide parts 37 and 38, the contact parts 35 and 36, and the connecting body 25b are constituted by an integrally formed member.

[0046] In the reciprocating compressor 10, a plurality of cylinder parts 25a are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14. These cylinder parts 25a may be connected in series. That is, a plurality of cylinder parts 25a may be connected through a connection line so that gas is compressed in each cylinder part 25a in order. Also, a plurality of cylinder parts 25a may be connected in parallel. That is, a plurality of cylinder parts 25a may be connected through a connection line so that gas is diverted and inhaled into each cylinder part 25a and the gas is compressed in each cylinder part 25a.

[0047] In the reciprocating compressor 10 according to this embodiment, the first rib part 31 provided on the first side part 28, the second rib part 32 provided on the second side part 29, the support wall 30, and the lower split part 23b of the bearing holding part 23 are integrally connected to each other. Therefore, vibration of the stationary body due to the lateral force (the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft 14) received by the bearing holding part 23 and the lateral force received by the cross guide part 24 due to the driving of the crankshaft 14 and the crosshead part 15 is suppressed. Thus, it contributes to stable recovery / supply of hydrogen gas. Note that the lower split part 23b may be constituted by a separate member from the first rib part 31, the second rib part 32, and the support wall 30.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since both the first rib portion 31 and the second rib portion 32 have plate portions 31a, 32a and thickened portions 31b, 32b, the crankshaft 14 can be reinforced against longitudinal vibrations without excessively increasing the weight compared to the case where the entire rib portion 31, 32 is made thicker.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower ends of the contact portions 35 and 36 are positioned higher than the lower ends of the guide portions 37 and 38. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the contact portions extend further downward than the lower ends of the guide portions 37 and 38, the height and length of the cross guide portion 24 can be reduced. As a result, the risk of being unable to load the base material of the cross guide portion 24 into the machine tool when manufacturing the cross guide portion 24 can be suppressed.

[0050] Figure 4 shows a compression system incorporating a reciprocating compressor 10. In this case, the reciprocating compressor 10 is connected to a gas supply source 41 through a suction line 42. A pressure booster 40 is provided in the suction line 42, and the reciprocating compressor 10 receives and compresses the gas pressurized by the pressure booster 40. The reciprocating compressor 10 compresses the gas, which has been pressurized to 2 barA or more (more preferably 10 barA or more) by the pressure booster 40, to 10,000 Nm². ３ The gas may be drawn in at a flow rate of 1 / h or more, and the discharge pressure may be 100 barA or more. Although the gas is hydrogen gas, other gases such as natural gas may be used instead. Even with a large reciprocating compressor 10 that compresses a large flow rate of gas to high pressure, vibration can be suppressed by the configuration in which the first rib portion 31, the second rib portion 32, and the lower split portion 23b of the bearing holding portion 23 are integrally connected to each other.

[0051] The booster 40 is a compressor independent of the reciprocating compressor 10, and may be of any type, such as a screw type, reciprocating type, or turbo type. The booster 40 may also be configured to include a pump that delivers liquefied hydrogen and a vaporizer that gasifies the liquefied hydrogen after it has been pressurized by the pump. The booster 40 pressurizes the gas supplied from the gas supply source 41 to a pressure of 2 barA or more, and the reciprocating compressor 10 draws in this pressurized gas. The suction line 42 is provided with an on-off valve 42a and a check valve 42b.

[0052] The reciprocating compressor 10 is configured as a multi-stage reciprocating compressor. That is, the reciprocating compressor 10 comprises multiple compression sections (multiple reciprocating bodies 16 and multiple reciprocating body housing sections 25).

[0053] The reciprocating compressor 10 may have four compression stages. The first to fourth compression stages 10a to 10d may be arranged in order, for example, as shown in Figure 1. In Figure 4, only the first and second compression stages 10a and 10b of the four compression stages are shown, and the third and fourth compression stages 10c and 10d are omitted. The first compression stage 10a is connected to the suction line 42 and receives and compresses the gas pressurized by the pressurizer 40 through the suction line 42. That is, the suction line 42 functions as a suction pipe 43 for the first compression stage 10a.

[0054] The second-stage compression unit 10b is connected to the first-stage compression unit 10a through the first connection line 44, and receives and compresses the gas compressed in the first-stage compression unit 10a through the first connection line 44. In other words, the first connection line 44 functions as a discharge pipe 45 to the first-stage compression unit 10a, and also functions as a suction pipe 43 to the second-stage compression unit 10b.

[0055] The third-stage compression unit 10c (see Figure 1) is connected to the second-stage compression unit 10b through a second connection line 46, and receives and compresses the gas compressed in the second-stage compression unit 10b through the second connection line 46. In other words, the second connection line 46 functions as a discharge pipe 45 to the second-stage compression unit 10b and also functions as a suction pipe 43 to the third-stage compression unit 10c.

[0056] The fourth-stage compression section 10d (see Figure 1) is connected to the third-stage compression section 10c through a third connection line (not shown), and receives and compresses the gas compressed in the third-stage compression section 10c through the third connection line. In other words, the third connection line functions as a discharge pipe 45 to the third-stage compression section 10c, and also functions as a suction pipe 43 to the fourth-stage compression section 10d.

[0057] The gas compressed in the fourth-stage compression section 10d is sent to the outside of the reciprocating compressor 10 through the discharge line 52. In other words, the discharge line 52 functions as a discharge pipe 45 for the fourth-stage compression section 10d. The discharge line 52 is equipped with an on-off valve 46a and a check valve 46b.

[0058] A suction-side drum section 47 is provided in the suction line 42 connected to the cylinder section 25a (reciprocating body housing section 25) of the first-stage compression section 10a. The suction-side drum section 47 is made of a hollow body with a sufficiently large space inside, and suppresses pressure pulsation of the gas drawn into the cylinder section 25a.

[0059] The first connection line 44, which is connected to the cylinder section 25a (reciprocating body housing section 25) of the first stage compression section 10a, is provided with a discharge-side drum section 48 and a cooler section 49. The discharge-side drum section 48 is made of a hollow body with a sufficiently large space inside, and suppresses pressure pulsation of the gas discharged from the cylinder section 25a. The cooler section 49 cools the gas compressed in the first stage compression section 10a.

[0060] The first-stage compression section 10a is further provided with a spillback section 50 and a gas return passage (leak gas return passage) 51. The spillback section 50 is configured to return at least a portion of the gas discharged from the cylinder section 25a to the suction line 42. The gas return passage 51 connects the reciprocating body housing section 25 to the section of the suction line 42 between the booster 40 and the gas supply source 41. In other words, the gas return passage 51 returns leak gas leaked from the compression chamber 25c (more specifically, leak gas leaked from the reciprocating body housing section 25 towards the crank side of the compression chamber 25c) to the passage in the suction line 42 that connects the booster 40 and the gas supply source 41. The reciprocating body housing section 25 is provided with an outlet (not shown) connected to the gas return passage 51.

[0061] The second to fourth stage compression sections 10d may be configured in the same way as the first stage compression section 10a. For example, the first connection line 44 may be provided with a suction-side drum section 47 for the second stage compression section 10b. The second connection line 46 may be provided with a discharge-side drum section 48 and cooler section 49 for the second stage compression section 10b, and a suction-side drum section (not shown) for the third stage compression section 10c. The third connection line may be provided with a discharge-side drum section and cooler section (not shown) for the third stage compression section 10c, and a suction-side drum section (not shown) for the fourth stage compression section 10d. The discharge line 52 may be provided with a discharge-side drum section (not shown) for the fourth stage compression section 10d. The second to fourth stage compression sections 10d may also be provided with a spillback section 50 and a gas return passage 51. The spillback section 50 returns at least a portion of the gas discharged from the cylinder section 25a to the suction pipe 43 via the discharge pipe 45. The gas return passage 51 returns the leaked gas that has leaked from the compression chamber 25c of the second to fourth stage compression section 10d to the passage connecting the booster 40 and the gas supply source 41 in the suction line 42.

[0062] As shown in Figure 5, the suction drum section 47 and the discharge drum section 48 may be installed on the deck section 55. That is, the reciprocating compressor 10 may be equipped with a skid 56, and the skid 56 may have a deck section 55 and a plurality of support columns 57 that support the deck section 55. The support columns 57 are installed on the floor surface FL. The deck section 55 is composed of members that extend horizontally and is positioned above the floor surface FL by the plurality of support columns 57.

[0063] The deck section 55 is provided with a through hole 55a. The base section 21 is installed on the floor level (FL), and the base section 21 and the cross guide section 24 are located below the deck section 55. The reciprocating body housing section 25 passes through the through hole 55a of the deck section 55, and the cylinder section 25a is located above the deck section 55.

[0064] The deck section 55 is equipped with a suction drum section 47 and a discharge drum section 48. The portion of the suction piping 43 that connects the suction drum section 47 to the reciprocating body housing section 25 is located above the deck section 55. Similarly, the portion of the discharge piping 45 that connects the reciprocating body housing section 25 to the discharge drum section 48 is also located above the deck section 55.

[0065] The cooler unit 49 is installed on the floor level (FL) and positioned below the deck unit 55. Therefore, the portion of the discharge piping 45 that connects the discharge drum unit 48 and the cooler unit 49 (connecting piping 45a) passes through the insertion hole 55b formed in the deck unit 55.

[0066] In this embodiment, the suction drum section 47 and the discharge drum section 48 are installed on the deck section 55, while the cooler section 49 is installed below the deck section 55. Also, when viewed from above, the cooler section 49 and the discharge drum section 48 are arranged to overlap. As a result, the reciprocating compressor 10 can be made more compact overall.

[0067] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and improvements are possible without departing from its spirit.

[0068] The specific embodiments described above mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

[0069] (1) The reciprocating compressor according to the above embodiment is a vertical reciprocating compressor for compressing gas, comprising a stationary unit and a drive unit, the drive unit comprising a crankshaft, a crosshead unit connected to the crankshaft and a reciprocating body connected to the crosshead unit, the stationary unit comprising a cross guide unit housing the crosshead unit, a reciprocating body housing unit attached to the upper part of the cross guide unit and housing the reciprocating body, a base unit in which the crankshaft is housed and which supports the cross guide unit, a bearing unit that rotatably supports the crankshaft, and a bearing holding unit having an upper split unit and a lower split unit, and holding the bearing unit between the upper split unit and the lower split unit. The base portion comprises a bottom portion, a first side portion extending along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft, a second side portion extending along the longitudinal direction on the opposite side of the first side portion with respect to the crankshaft, a first rib portion located on the crankshaft side of the first side portion, a second rib portion located on the crankshaft side of the second side portion, and a support wall erected on the bottom portion of the base portion to support the lower divided portion. The support wall, the first rib portion, and the second rib portion are composed of a single continuous member.

[0070] In the aforementioned reciprocating compressor, the first rib portion located on the crankshaft side relative to the first side portion, the second rib portion located on the crankshaft side relative to the second side portion, and the support wall supporting the lower split portion are integrally formed. As a result, vibrations of stationary bodies caused by lateral forces (perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft) acting on the bearing holder portion and lateral forces acting on the cross guide portion due to the driving of the crankshaft and crosshead portion are suppressed.

[0071] (2) One or both of the first rib portion and the second rib portion may have a plate portion and a thick-walled portion which is thicker in the longitudinal direction than the plate portion.

[0072] In this embodiment, the structure can be strengthened against longitudinal vibrations without excessively increasing the weight compared to the case where the entire rib section is thickened.

[0073] (3) The lower divided portion, the support wall, the first rib portion, and the second rib portion may be made of a single continuous member. In this embodiment, the manufacturing effort can be reduced compared to the case in which the lower divided portion is formed separately from the support wall, etc.

[0074] (4) The cross guide portion may include a contact portion that contacts the base portion and a guide portion that receives the cross head portion. In this case, the lower end of the contact portion may be at the same height as the lower end of the guide portion or higher than the lower end in the direction of gravity.

[0075] In this embodiment, the height of the cross guide portion can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the contact portion extends further down than the lower end of the guide portion. As a result, the risk of being unable to load the base material of the cross guide portion into the machine tool when manufacturing the cross guide portion can be suppressed.

[0076] (5) The reciprocating compressor may further include a motor to drive the drive unit, in which case the rated power of the motor may be 2000 kW or more, and the motor may be configured to drive the crankshaft so that the rotational speed of the crankshaft is 300 rpm or more and 600 rpm or less. The sliding speed of the reciprocating body may be 2.5 m / sec or more and 5 m / sec or less. The reciprocating compressor compresses gas of 2 bar A or more to 10000 Nm ３ The suction may be at a flow rate of 1 / h or more, and the discharge pressure may be 100 barA or more.

[0077] In this embodiment, the reciprocating compressor becomes a large compressor. Large compressors tend to have greater vibration, but even with such a large compressor, vibration can be suppressed.

[0078] (6) The reciprocating body housing may have a compression chamber that draws in gas pressurized by the booster. In this case, the reciprocating compressor may further include a leak gas return channel that returns leak gas leaking from the compression chamber in the reciprocating body housing to a channel connecting the booster and the gas supply source. In this embodiment, gas waste loss can be reduced.

[0079] (7) The reciprocating compressor may also include a skid having a deck section with a through hole that penetrates the reciprocating body housing section and a plurality of support sections that support the deck section, a discharge pipe installed on the deck section and connected to the reciprocating body housing section, a drum section installed on the deck section and connected to the discharge pipe, a cooler section installed below the deck section, and a connecting pipe that connects the drum section and the cooler section.

[0080] In this configuration, the drum section is installed on the deck section, and the cooler section is installed below the deck section, allowing the reciprocating compressor to be made more compact overall.

[0081] The aforementioned gas may be hydrogen gas.

[0082] As explained above, vibrations of the stationary body of the reciprocating compressor can be suppressed.

[0083] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-224287, filed with the Japan Patent Office on 19 December 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A vertical reciprocating compressor for compressing gas, comprising: a stationary unit; a drive unit; the drive unit comprising: a crankshaft; a crosshead unit connected to the crankshaft; a reciprocating body connected to the crosshead unit; the stationary unit comprising: a cross guide unit housing the crosshead unit; a reciprocating body housing unit attached to the upper part of the cross guide unit and housing the reciprocating body; a base unit in which the crankshaft is housed and which supports the cross guide unit; a bearing unit that rotatably supports the crankshaft; and a bearing holding unit having an upper split portion and a lower split portion, and holding the bearing unit between the upper split portion and the lower split portion; the base unit comprising: a bottom portion; a first side portion extending along the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft; a second side portion extending along the longitudinal direction on the opposite side of the first side portion with the crankshaft in between; and a first rib portion disposed on the crankshaft side of the first side portion. A reciprocating compressor comprising: a second rib portion positioned on the crankshaft side of the second side portion; and a support wall erected on the bottom of the base portion to support the lower divided portion, wherein the support wall, the first rib portion, and the second rib portion are formed from a single continuous member.

2. The reciprocating compressor according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first rib portion and the second rib portion have a plate portion and a thick-walled portion having a greater thickness in the longitudinal direction than the plate portion.

3. The reciprocating compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower divided portion, the support wall, the first rib portion, and the second rib portion are made of a single continuous member.

4. The reciprocating compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross guide portion comprises a contact portion that contacts the base portion and a guide portion that receives the crosshead portion, and the position of the lower end of the contact portion is at the same height as the lower end of the guide portion or higher than the lower end in the direction of gravity.

5. The drive unit is further provided with a motor that drives the drive unit, the rated power of the motor being 2000 kW or more, the motor being configured to drive the crankshaft so that the rotational speed of the crankshaft is 300 rpm or more and 600 rpm or less, the sliding speed of the reciprocating body being 2.5 m / sec or more and 5 m / sec or less, and the reciprocating compressor being able to compress gas of 2 bar A or more at 10000 Nm ３ A reciprocating compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it draws in at a flow rate of 1 / h or more and has a discharge pressure of 100 barA or more.

6. The reciprocating compressor according to claim 5, wherein the reciprocating body housing section has a compression chamber for drawing in gas pressurized by a pressurizing device, and further comprises a leak gas return channel for returning leak gas leaking from the compression chamber in the reciprocating body housing section to a channel connecting the pressurizing device and a gas supply source.

7. A reciprocating compressor according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: a skid having a deck section with a through hole that penetrates the reciprocating body housing section and a plurality of support sections that support the deck section; a discharge pipe installed on the deck section and connected to the reciprocating body housing section; a drum section installed on the deck section and connected to the discharge pipe; a cooler section installed below the deck section; and a connecting pipe connecting the drum section and the cooler section.

8. The reciprocating compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas is hydrogen gas.

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