Reciprocating Compressor Inertia Conservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reciprocating gas compressors face inefficiencies due to high inertial forces required to accelerate and decelerate massive piston assemblies, particularly in high-pressure applications, leading to energy loss and limitations in capacity and stroke length, with existing linear motor technology being unsuitable for conventional natural gas distribution systems.
Innovation Solution
A reciprocating compressor design featuring an electromagnetic drive with an accumulator that stores and reuses kinetic energy, using resilient members to assist in acceleration and deceleration, reducing the drive force requirements and allowing for larger bore diameters and shorter stroke lengths within the capabilities of existing linear motor technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a reciprocating compressor uses a massive piston assembly to achieve high compression capacity, then the compressor capacity increases, but the inertial forces and energy loss increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of discarding and recovering by capturing the inertial energy that would otherwise be lost during piston deceleration and reuse it during the return stroke. The accumulator stores the kinetic energy from the piston's outward movement and releases it to assist in driving the piston back inward, thereby recovering energy that would normally be dissipated and reducing the total energy input required from the drive assembly.
2Force
If the piston mass is increased to handle high-pressure applications, then the compression force capability increases, but the drive force requirements increase due to higher inertial loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the anti-weight principle by using the accumulator as a counterbalancing energy storage device. The accumulator opposes the inertial forces generated by the massive piston assembly by providing stored energy during the return stroke, effectively counteracting the weight and inertia of the piston and reducing the net drive force requirements.
3Device complexity
If existing linear motor technology is used to drive reciprocating compressors, then the device complexity is reduced, but the compressor is limited to smaller diameters and longer stroke lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing the accumulator to create a dynamic energy management system. This allows the linear motor to operate more efficiently by smoothing out the force requirements through energy storage and release, enabling the system to handle larger masses and different stroke lengths without proportionally increasing the motor size or complexity.
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
The solution reduces the peak force requirements for the drive assembly, enhances compressor efficiency by conserving inertial energy, and enables the construction of larger capacity compressors with existing linear motor technology, overcoming previous limitations in size and stroke length.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic drive having a fixed stator and a core coupled to the translatable assembly, wherein the drive is configured to reciprocatably drive the translatable assembly within the compression chamber
Implementation Method 2
a first resilient member disposed between the first movable flange and the fixed post; and a second resilient member disposed between the second movable flange and the fixed post
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A compressor 100 includes a piston 116 disposed in a housing and configured to be reciprocatably driven in the housing by an electromagnetic drive132. A conventional linear motor drive assembly reciprocatably drives the piston in an embodiment. A magnetically-geared drive assembly reciprocatably drives the piston in another embodiment. A solenoid drive assembly reciprocatably drives the piston in another embodiment. A control system is coupled to the drive for varying piston displacement, and an accumulator conserves force by decelerating a translating assembly at the end of one stroke and accelerating the assembly in a subsequent stroke.