Dual Cooling Circuit Oil Supply for Compressor Power Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid feed type gas compressors face challenges in reducing shaft power due to the uniform temperature of oil supplied to working chambers and bearings, leading to either increased mechanical loss or compression power, making it difficult to achieve optimal efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A liquid feed type gas compressor design with a dual cooling unit system, where one cooling unit supplies oil at a higher temperature to bearings to reduce mechanical loss and another unit supplies oil at a lower temperature to working chambers to reduce compression power, using separate pipes and filters to manage oil flow efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the temperature of the oil supplied to the working chambers is lowered, then the compression power is decreased, but the mechanical loss is increased due to increased viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single oil cooling system into two separate cooling circuits: a first cooling circuit for bearings and a second cooling circuit for working chambers. This segmentation allows independent temperature control for each component, enabling the oil supplied to working chambers to be cooled more effectively (reducing compression power) while the oil for bearings is cooled to an appropriate extent (maintaining viscosity and reducing mechanical loss).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different cooling intensities to different parts of the system. The first cooling unit cools oil for bearings to a moderate temperature that maintains optimal viscosity, while the second cooling unit further cools oil for working chambers to a lower temperature that reduces compression power. This local differentiation of cooling quality resolves the contradiction between compression power and mechanical loss.
2Loss of energy
If the temperature of the oil supplied to the bearings is raised, then the mechanical loss is decreased, but the compression power is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the oil supply system into separate circuits for bearings and working chambers, each with independent temperature control. This allows the bearing oil temperature to be optimized separately from the working chamber oil temperature, enabling reduction of mechanical loss without compromising compression power efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides localized optimal cooling for bearings through the first cooling unit, which cools the oil to a temperature that reduces viscosity and mechanical loss. Simultaneously, the second cooling unit provides enhanced cooling for working chambers to maintain low compression power, resolving the contradiction through local quality optimization.
3Device complexity
If a single cooling system is used for both bearings and working chambers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the shaft power cannot be reduced sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into two independent cooling circuits with separate cooling units, flow control valves, and temperature sensors. This segmentation enables independent optimization of oil temperatures for bearings and working chambers, achieving sufficient shaft power reduction that cannot be accomplished with a single cooling system, while the modular design keeps the increased complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by providing differentiated cooling for different components. The first cooling unit optimizes bearing oil temperature to reduce mechanical loss, while the second cooling unit optimizes working chamber oil temperature to reduce compression power. This local quality approach achieves the necessary shaft power reduction despite the increased system 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
This design effectively reduces shaft power by optimizing oil temperatures for both bearings and working chambers, resulting in a 99.2% reduction in compressor shaft power compared to conventional systems, while also miniaturizing the compressor and improving oil cooling efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an oil cooler (cooler) that cools the oil by heat exchange with cooling air generated by a cooling fan
Implementation Method 2
a second cooling unit that is connected to a downstream side of the first cooling unit and that cools the liquid
Implementation Method 3
a separator that separates the liquid from compressed gas delivered from the compressor main body
Data Source
AI summary
An oil feed type air compressor includes a compressor main body, a separator that separates the oil from the compressed air delivered from the compressor main body, and an oil feed system that supplies the oil to the working chambers and bearings of the compressor main body. The oil feed system includes an oil cooler that includes a cooling unit and a cooling unit connected on a downstream side of the cooling unit, an oil feed pipe that is connected to an outlet between the cooling unit and the cooling unit and that supplies the oil cooled by the cooling unit to the bearings of the compressor main body, and an oil feed pipe that is connected to an outlet on a downstream side of the cooling unit and that supplies the oil cooled by the cooling units to the working chambers of the compressor main body.