Gas Compressor Speed Control to Prevent Drain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas compressors face the challenge of preventing drain generation due to overcooling, especially in low ambient temperature environments, where the discharge gas temperature can drop below the limit temperature, leading to inefficient operation and reduced work efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A gas compressor system that includes a temperature detector and controller to adjust the rotation speed of the drive source and the cooling mechanism, ensuring the discharge gas temperature remains above the drain generation limit temperature by increasing the lower limit rotation speed during no-load operations when the detected temperature is lower than the predetermined threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the cooling mechanism operates at normal temperature settings, then the discharged compression gas is cooled appropriately, but the gas may be overcooled in low ambient temperature environments causing drain generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedischarge gas temperatureVSAvoiddrain generation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lower limit rotation speed of the drive source is made variable based on detected discharge gas temperature. When the temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold during no-load operation, the controller increases the lower limit rotation speed to raise the discharge temperature above the threshold, preventing overcooling and drain generation while maintaining adaptive cooling control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control parameter (lower limit rotation speed) is changed based on the detected discharge gas temperature. By adjusting the rotation speed parameter dynamically, the system modifies the discharge temperature to prevent it from falling below the drain generation threshold in low ambient temperature conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the lower limit rotation speed is reduced during no-load operation, then power consumption is reduced, but the discharge gas temperature drops increasing drain generation risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddrain generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller uses feedback from the discharge gas temperature detector to adjust the lower limit rotation speed. When the detected temperature is at or below the threshold, the system increases the rotation speed to raise the discharge temperature, creating a closed-loop control that prevents drain generation while optimizing power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 dynamically prevents drain generation independently of ambient temperature fluctuations, maintaining efficient operation and reducing power consumption by adjusting the compressor's rotation speed and cooling mechanism accordingly.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the discharge gas of the compressor main body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTemperature detection:

Implementation Method 2

since the compressed gas is heated to a high temperature by the compression action

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression heating: Adiabatic Heating

Implementation Method 3

it is also known to provide an air cooler by cooling air using a heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS11614084B2Gas compressor

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 HITACHI IND EQUIP SYST CO LTD

AI summary

To prevent generation of drain reliably without depending on a difference in ambient temperature where a compressor is installed. Provided is a gas compressor: having a compressor main body compressing a gas, a drive source driving the compressor main body, a controller controlling the rotation speed of the drive source according to the discharge pressure of the compressor main body, and a temperature detector detecting the temperature of a discharge gas of the compressor main body; and performing no-load operation with the rotation speed of the drive source as a lower limit rotation speed when the discharge pressure reaches an upper limit pressure higher than a set pressure. When detecting that the temperature detected by the temperature detector is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature during the no-load operation, the controller causes the lower limit rotation speed of the drive source to a lower limit rotation speed at which the temperature of the discharge gas is higher than the predetermined temperature and which is higher than a lower limit rotation speed when the detected temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.