Oil-Injected Multi-Stage Compressor Intercooler Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-stage compressor systems face inefficiencies due to technical limitations, particularly in cooling gas between stages, leading to increased complexity and costs, with existing oil injection methods providing limited cooling and risking condensate formation.
Innovation Solution
An oil-injected multi-stage compressor system with an adjustable intercooler, either air-cooling or water-cooling, connected between compressor stages, equipped with a control unit to maintain the temperature above the dew point and potentially utilizing a heat pump, allowing for deeper cooling without condensate formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a cooler is provided between the first and second compressor element to actively extract heat from the gas, then the efficiency of the second and subsequent stages is improved, but a pressure drop occurs in the cooler causing loss of efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces oil as an intermediary cooling medium that circulates through the compressor elements and intercooler system. The oil absorbs heat from the gas in the compressor elements and transfers it in the intercooler, enabling heat extraction without creating significant pressure drop in the gas flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydraulic cooling system where liquid oil circulates through channels in the compressor elements and intercooler. This hydraulic approach allows efficient heat transfer while maintaining minimal resistance to gas flow, avoiding the pressure drop issues associated with traditional air-cooled intercoolers.
2Temperature
If oil is injected between the two stages for cooling purposes by means of an oil curtain, then the temperature of the gas is lowered, but only limited cooling is achieved providing limited improved efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic oil curtain method with a hydraulic cooling system where oil circulates through structured channels in the compressor elements and intercooler. This enables much greater cooling capacity and efficiency improvement compared to the limited cooling achieved by oil curtains.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is segmented into distinct components: oil injection into compressor elements for internal cooling, and separate oil circulation through the intercooler for inter-stage cooling. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific cooling function, achieving superior overall cooling performance.
3Temperature
If more oil is added to the gas for cooling, then the cooling effect is enhanced, but this is not always desirable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a hydraulic oil circulation system where oil is injected into the gas stream in controlled amounts, then condensed and separated in the intercooler. This allows enhanced cooling effect while precisely controlling the quantity of oil that remains in the compressed gas, avoiding excessive oil carryover.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control where the amount of oil injection is adjusted based on cooling requirements and the separation efficiency in the intercooler. This ensures optimal cooling effect is achieved while minimizing the quantity of oil that persists in the compressed gas output.
4Productivity
If deep cooling is performed to maximize efficiency gain, then the temperature drop is increased, but condensate formation occurs which must be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses oil as an intermediary cooling medium that enables deep cooling without direct condensation of the compressed gas. The oil absorbs heat and allows the gas temperature to drop significantly while the oil itself prevents condensate formation by maintaining the gas above its dew point through controlled heat extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal parameters of the cooling process by using oil with specific heat capacity and flow rate control. This allows precise control over the cooling degree, enabling deep cooling for maximum efficiency gain while adjusting the cooling parameters to prevent condensate formation.
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 configuration achieves a greater temperature drop and efficiency gain, preventing condensate formation and maximizing performance by allowing adjustable cooling, resulting in higher efficiency compared to traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
an intercooler is provided in the aforementioned pipeline between the low-pressure stage compressor element and the high-pressure stage compressor element
Implementation Method 2
an air-cooling system, which is adjustable by means of a fan, whereby the flow rate of the air can be controlled by adjusting the speed of the fan
Implementation Method 3
oil-injected multi-stage compressor system
Data Source
AI summary
An oil-injected multi-stage compressor system that comprises at least a low-pressure stage compressor element (2) with an inlet (4a) and an outlet (5a) and a high-pressure stage compressor element (3) with an inlet (4b) and an outlet (5b), whereby the outlet (5a) of the low-pressure stage compressor element (2) is connected to the inlet (4b) of the high-pressure stage compressor element (3) through a pipeline (6), characterized in that the compressor elements (2, 3) are provided with their own drive in the form of an electric motor (2a, 3a), whereby the compressor elements (2, 3) are connected to the electric motor (2a, 3a) either directly or through a gearbox and that an intercooler (9) is provided in the aforementioned pipeline (6) between the low-pressure stage compressor element (2) and the high-pressure stage compressor element (3).