Flow Reducer for High Pressure Compressor Condensate Discharge
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High pressure compressors discharge condensate in an excessively violent and rapid manner, lacking adequate flow adjustment, leading to inefficient water discharge, noise, and costly, complex storage container designs due to the high pressure and rapid flow of condensate.
Innovation Solution
A flow reducer with an annular strike element and movable valve means that slows down the condensate flow by forcing it through surface incisions, allowing gradual discharge and complete separation of aqueous and gaseous parts, reducing noise and storage container complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If condensate is discharged directly from high pressure compressor without flow reduction, then discharge speed is high and productivity is improved, but noise increases and storage container complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flow reducer as an intermediary device between the high pressure compressor and storage container. This device includes a tubular body with an annular strike element having surface incisions, through which condensate flows in a controlled manner. The flow reducer mediates the transition from high-speed direct discharge to controlled flow into storage, reducing noise and simplifying storage container design while maintaining discharge efficiency.
2Productivity
If condensate is discharged directly from high pressure compressor without flow reduction, then discharge speed is high and productivity is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow reducer serves as a noise-reducing intermediary by forcing condensate through surface incisions in the annular strike element rather than allowing direct high-velocity discharge. This controlled flow path through the tubular body structure significantly reduces noise generation while maintaining adequate discharge speed into storage containers.
3Productivity
If condensate flows rapidly without flow reduction, then discharge efficiency is improved, but separation of aqueous and gaseous parts becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The flow reducer creates different flow conditions in different zones. The surface incisions in the annular strike element create a controlled flow path that allows adequate residence time for phase separation while maintaining overall discharge efficiency. The local flow characteristics through the incisions enable effective separation of aqueous and gaseous condensate parts.
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 flow reducer effectively adjusts condensate discharge, ensuring efficient aqueous part discharge before gaseous part, reducing noise and storage container complexity, while preserving compressed gas and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The valve means are made axially movable within a predetermined linear portion of the tubular body between at least a rest position, coincident with a phase where discharge of the condensate lacks, in which the valve means are spaced apart by the annular strike element, and an operating position, coincident with a phase where discharge of the condensate takes place, in which the valve means are arranged close to the annular strike element in such a way that surface incisions formed in the annular strike element communicate with an inner volume of the tubular body and allow partialized and slowed tapping of the condensate from the discharge duct towards the outside
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A flow reducer (1) for adjusting condensate discharge of high pressure compressors comprising a tubular body (2) which extends mainly along a longitudinal axis (Z) and is coupled downstream a discharge duct (S) of the condensate, connected with the high pressure compressor, in such a way that the inner volume of the tubular body (2) communicates with the inner volume of the discharge duct (S), an annular strike element (3), arranged within the tubular body (2) and having in the outer wall (3a) a plurality of incision (4) communicating with the central through hole (5) of the annular strike element (3), and valve means (6), contained into the tubular body (2) and suitable to be made axially movable by actuation means along a linear section (L) of the tubular body (2) between at least one rest position, coincident with the phase where discharge of the condensate is absent, in which the valve means (6) are spaced apart by the annular strike element (3), and an operating position, coincident with the phase where discharge of the condensate takes place, in which the valve means (6) are arranged close to the annular strike element (3) in such a manner that the surface incisions (4) communicate with the inner volume of the tubular body (2) and allows partialized dispensing of the condensate from the discharge duct (S) towards an external container (R).