Air-Cooled Compressor Fan Control to Prevent Cooling Air Backflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air-cooled gas compression devices, stopping fans to reduce power consumption leads to backflow of heated cooling air, which increases cooling air temperature and decreases cooling capacity, requiring additional costs and bulkier designs with pressure drops.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to control adjustable-speed fans to minimum required speed when cooling is not necessary, preventing backflow and optimizing energy consumption without additional pressure drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If fans are switched off to reduce power consumption, then energy consumption is reduced, but backflow of heated cooling air occurs which increases cooling air temperature and decreases cooling capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using adjustable-speed fans that can operate at variable speeds including a minimum required speed, rather than being fixed at high speed or completely off. This dynamic speed adjustment allows the system to maintain cooling capacity when needed while reducing power consumption when cooling demand is low, resolving the contradiction between energy savings and temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the fans by introducing a minimum required speed setting. This parameter change allows the fan to maintain just enough airflow to prevent backflow of heated cooling air while consuming minimal power, thereby controlling cooling air temperature without excessive energy consumption.
2Reliability
If slats or louvers are used to stop backflow, then backflow prevention is achieved, but additional cost and device bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the backflow prevention function from mechanical structures (slats/louvers) and transfers it to the control system through minimum speed regulation of the fan. This removes the need for additional physical components, reducing device bulkiness while maintaining reliable backflow prevention.
3Reliability
If slats or louvers are used to stop backflow, then backflow is prevented, but pressure drop in cooling air increases requiring more power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for slats or louvers by using minimum speed control of the fan to prevent backflow. This eliminates the pressure drop associated with physical barriers, allowing cooling air to flow freely while still preventing backflow, thereby reducing power consumption.
4Use of energy by moving object
If fans are stopped completely, then power consumption is minimized, but cooling capacity decreases due to heated cooling air mixing with fresh cooling air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by running the fan at a minimum required speed rather than at full speed or completely off. This partial operation maintains just enough cooling capacity to prevent heated air from mixing with fresh cooling air, while consuming significantly less power than full-speed operation.
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
Minimizes energy consumption and avoids backflow of heated cooling air, maintaining cooling capacity while reducing the need for additional components and pressure drops.
Implementation Method 1
The air-cooled cooler is provided with a fan that generates a flow of cooling air for cooling the air-cooled cooler
Implementation Method 2
Said air-cooled coolers cool the injected liquid and/or the compressed gas
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an air-cooled device (1) for compressing a gas, which device includes at least one element (2) for compressing the gas, at least one air-cooled cooler (9, 12) for cooling a fluid in the device (1) and two or more fans (10, 13), at least one of the fans (10, 13) being an adjustable-speed fan (13) for generating a flow of cooling air for cooling the air-cooled cooler (9, 12). When the air-cooled cooler (9, 12) does not need to cool, the method includes controlling the speed of the adjustable-speed fan (13) to a minimum required speed in order to avoid at least a backflow of cooling air traveling in a direction opposite to the flow.