Oil Supply Compressor Dual-Flow Air Release Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Oil supply type compressors face foaming issues during capacity control, leading to prolonged pressure drop times and potential startup stalls due to rapid pressure reductions, which can result in inadequate air supply and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The compressor employs a dual-flow air release path with a high flow-rate and low flow-rate section, using the high flow-rate path until the pressure reaches a level that prevents startup stalls, then switching to the low flow-rate path to prevent foaming, allowing for a quicker pressure drop and normal startup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the air release path uses a high flow-rate configuration to reduce pressure quickly, then the pressure drop time is reduced and startup response is improved, but foaming occurs in the oil separation device
Solution Approach 1:
The air release path dynamically switches between high flow-rate and low flow-rate configurations based on pressure conditions. The system uses a flow rate switching mechanism that activates high flow-rate mode when pressure is above the foaming threshold and switches to low flow-rate mode when pressure approaches the foaming threshold, enabling adaptive control that prevents foaming while minimizing pressure drop time
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow rate parameter of the air release path based on pressure conditions. By monitoring pressure and adjusting the flow rate parameter accordingly (high when P > Pfoaming, low when P ≤ Pfoaming), the system optimizes the balance between pressure drop speed and foaming prevention
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the air release path uses a low flow-rate configuration to prevent foaming, then foaming is prevented, but the pressure drop time is prolonged and startup response is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the flow rate based on real-time pressure monitoring. When pressure is high (P > Pfoaming), the system uses high flow-rate to quickly reduce pressure. When pressure approaches the foaming threshold (P ≤ Pfoaming), the system automatically switches to low flow-rate to prevent foaming, thus achieving both quick response and foaming prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The air release process occurs in two distinct phases: a first phase with high flow-rate for rapid pressure reduction, and a second phase with low flow-rate for controlled pressure reduction near the foaming threshold. This periodic switching between flow rates optimizes both speed and foaming prevention
3Use of energy by moving object
If the compressor performs automatic stopping control to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but residual pressure in the oil separator causes startup stall
Solution Approach 1:
Before the compressor stops operation, the system preliminarily releases compressed air from the oil separator through the air release path to reduce residual pressure. This preliminary action ensures that when the compressor restarts, there is minimal residual pressure to cause startup stall, thus maintaining reliable startup performance while still achieving power savings during idle periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a high flow-rate air release path to quickly rush through the pressure reduction process, rapidly eliminating residual pressure in the oil separator before shutdown. This allows the system to minimize the time required for pressure equalization, enabling faster restart cycles and reducing the impact of residual pressure on startup performance
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 effectively prevents foaming and reduces pressure drop time, ensuring swift air supply and normal startup while avoiding startup stalls, even in the presence of clogging, by strategically using high and low flow-rate paths.
Implementation Method 1
the high flow-rate flow path is used for air release until a pressure in the oil separation device becomes equal to or less than a restarting-possible pressure
Implementation Method 2
the low flow-rate flow path is used for air release when a pressure in the oil separation device reaches a predetermined pressure which is equal to or less than the restarting-possible pressure and also exceeds a foaming pressure
Implementation Method 3
the primary separation uses centrifugal force on or collision of the lubricating oil in the oil tank to separate the lubricating oil from the compressed air
Implementation Method 4
the secondary separation uses a filtering element to separate the lubricating oil from the compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to reducing pressure-reduction time while preventing foaming in an oil-separation device during capacity control of a compressor, and to avoid startup congestion. This oil-supply-type compressor includes a main body, an oil-separation device, and an air-discharge passage for discharging compressed air during capacity control of the compressor. The air-discharge passage includes passages having large and small flow volumes, and when compressed air is discharged from the passage to the atmosphere during capacity control, the pressure in the oil-separation device is discharged using the large-flow-volume passage, until the pressure reaches or falls below a restarting-possible pressure, which is the pressure at which startup congestion does not occur when the compressor main body is restarted. When the pressure in the oil separation device reaches a prescribed pressure, which is less than or equal to the restarting-possible pressure and higher than a foaming pressure, the pressure is discharged using the small-flow-volume passage.