Compressor stop valve and associated system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compressor systems with stop valves for lubricant coolant return face inefficiencies and limitations, particularly in ensuring proper pressure and temperature management to prevent damage and wear, especially during shutdown and startup conditions.
Innovation Solution
A compressor system incorporating a stop valve arrangement with a pressure and temperature sensing mechanism, a controller, and conduits that allow for selective oil flow control, using pressure and temperature sensitive members to regulate the compressor's operation based on sensed conditions, ensuring safe startup and preventing damage from insufficient pressure or temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stop valve is used to halt return of lubricant coolant to the compressor, then compressor operation can be controlled during shutdown conditions, but the system lacks sufficient pressure and temperature management capability to prevent damage and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates pressure-sensitive and temperature-sensitive members that automatically sense system conditions and provide feedback to the stop valve control mechanism. This enables the valve to respond dynamically to actual pressure and temperature levels, ensuring reliable compressor protection during shutdown while maintaining a relatively simple control architecture through automatic sensing rather than complex external control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop valve system is designed to be self-regulating through the integration of pressure-sensitive and temperature-sensitive members that automatically adjust valve operation based on sensed conditions. The system monitors its own state and autonomously makes control decisions, eliminating the need for external monitoring equipment or complex control logic while ensuring reliable protection against damage and wear during shutdown conditions.
2Reliability
If pressure and temperature sensing mechanisms are added to regulate compressor operation, then damage prevention capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure-sensitive member and temperature-sensitive member into a unified control system that directly actuates the stop valve. By combining multiple sensing functions and the control mechanism into an integrated assembly, the system achieves comprehensive damage prevention through simultaneous pressure and temperature monitoring while minimizing the increase in device complexity through functional integration rather than separate independent components.
3Reliability
If the stop valve halts oil flow during shutdown, then compressor wear is prevented, but oil pressure management becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical pressure management systems with a more elegant solution using pressure-sensitive members that automatically respond to oil pressure changes. When the stop valve halts oil flow during shutdown, the pressure-sensitive member senses the resulting pressure changes and automatically adjusts valve operation or triggers protective actions, simplifying the overall pressure management system while ensuring reliable wear prevention through automatic response to pressure conditions.
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 system effectively manages oil flow and pressure to prevent wear and damage by halting operation when conditions are not met, ensuring safe startup and maintaining compressor efficiency by regulating oil flow and pressure through the stop valve and sensing mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensitive member structured to sense a fluid pressure in the conduit downstream of the oil stop valve
Implementation Method 2
a temperature sensitive member structured to sense a temperature of the oil or an estimated temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor system is provided that includes a contact cooled compressor and a coolant separator. The coolant separator is used to remove coolant fluid from a compressed flow stream produced by the contact cooled compressor during its operation. The coolant separator routes the removed coolant fluid back to the contact cooled compressor for further use. In some forms the coolant fluid is cooled prior to delivery back to the compressor. A stop valve can be provided in the coolant fluid return line to halt the flow of the fluid. A pressure sensitive member can be disposed to sense pressure of the coolant fluid that has been routed past the stop valve. Operation of the compressor can be changed as a result of the sensed pressure from the pressure sensitive member. Information from a temperature sensitive member can also be used to change operation of the compressor.