Centrifugal Compressor Adjustable Diffuser Synchronization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional centrifugal compressors face issues with asynchronous movement of guide rods and cams, leading to diffuser misalignment and potential sticking, which can cause cooling inefficiencies and damage to core components.

Innovation Solution

A centrifugal compressor design featuring a housing with a mounting chamber and thread section, an adjusting piece with matching threads, and a driving piece that synchronizes the movement of an adjustable diffuser via a connecting rod system, ensuring synchronized forward and backward movement to prevent misalignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional centrifugal compressors use cams and guide rods to adjust the diffuser width, then the diffuser can be adjusted during operation, but asynchronous movement of the guide rods and cams causes the diffuser to incline and stick

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediffuser adjustabilityVSAvoiddiffuser synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple independent guide rods and cams into a single integrated adjustable diffuser assembly. The diffuser is divided into multiple sections that are coupled together, allowing them to move simultaneously as one unit rather than as independent components. This integration ensures that all sections move synchronously without the timing errors that occur with separate cam-and-guide-rod mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The diffuser is segmented into multiple adjustable sections that can be independently positioned but are mechanically coupled to move together. Each section has its own adjustment mechanism, but they are linked through the housing structure to ensure synchronized movement. This segmentation allows for precise control while maintaining overall synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the diffuser is adjusted using multiple separate guide rods actuated by cams, then the diffuser width can be varied, but error accumulation causes non-synchronous movement and sticking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediffuser width adjustmentVSAvoidmovement synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple adjustment mechanisms into a unified system where the diffuser sections are coupled through the housing. Instead of using separate cams and guide rods for each section, the design uses a common adjustment interface that ensures all sections move by the same amount simultaneously, eliminating error accumulation from multiple independent mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If conventional designs use separate adjustment mechanisms for each diffuser section, then individual sections can be adjusted, but the complexity increases and synchronization becomes difficult to guarantee

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediffuser adjustmentVSAvoidadjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple adjustment mechanisms into a single integrated system. The adjustable diffuser assembly includes multiple sections that are coupled together and can be adjusted simultaneously through a unified interface. This reduces the number of separate cams, guide rods, and adjustment points needed, thereby simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution eliminates asynchronous movement and sticking issues, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the centrifugal compressor by ensuring precise adjustment of the diffuser width.

Implementation Method 1

a thread section being provided on a side wall of the mounting chamber; an adjusting piece, mounted in the mounting chamber, the adjusting piece being provided with threads adapting to the thread section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThreaded fastening: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3073124B1Centrifugal compressor and centrifugal water chilling unit
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCE INC OF ZHUHAI
  • EP3073124B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3073124B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention discloses a centrifugal compressor. The centrifugal compressor comprises: a housing (10), provided with a mounting chamber (11), a thread section (12) being provided on a side wall of the mounting chamber (11); an adjusting piece (20), mounted in the mounting chamber (11), the adjusting piece (20) being provided with threads adapting to the thread section (12); a driving piece (30), mounted in the mounting chamber (11) and configured to drive the adjusting piece (20) to move forwards or backwards along the thread section (12); and an adjustable diffuser (40), fixedly connected to the adjusting piece (20). The invention also discloses a centrifugal water chilling unit having the centrifugal compressor. The centrifugal compressor and the centrifugal water chilling unit can solve the problem that the adjustable diffuser easily inclines and is stuck, thereby greatly improving the reliability of the centrifugal compressor.