Gas Compression Assembly with Centralized Cooling and Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas compression assemblies face inefficiencies when dealing with variable gas flow demands and require improved cooling and maintenance accessibility.

Innovation Solution

A housing design with separate liquid separators and coolers for each element, distributed across sections with centralized cooling, allowing independent operation and efficient heat discharge, and facilitated maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple liquid-injected elements are housed in a single housing, then gas production capacity increases, but maintenance accessibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas production capacityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple accessible sections or zones, each containing specific elements. This segmentation allows operators to access and maintain individual elements without disassembling the entire housing, thus maintaining high productivity while improving maintenance accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If coolers are centrally positioned in the housing, then cooling efficiency improves, but heat discharge in undesirable directions increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidheat discharge in undesirable directions
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing structure incorporates localized heat discharge pathways and insulation zones around the centrally positioned coolers. This allows different regions of the housing to have different thermal characteristics, enabling efficient cooling while directing heat away from undesirable areas through strategically designed ventilation channels and thermal barriers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If liquid separators and coolers are integrated for each element, then cooling flexibility improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling flexibilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for elements, integrates liquid separators and coolers, manages heat discharge, and facilitates maintenance access. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby improving cooling flexibility while controlling overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4413260B1Assembly for compressing gas, method for cooling, and use of such an assembly
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER NV
  • EP4413260B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4413260B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4413260B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for cooling an assembly (1) for compressing a gas containing a housing (2) having a plurality of elements for compressing gas, the method comprising: - allowing a cooling air flow (21) to flow from an environment into a first section 3 of a housing (2); - passing the cooling airflow (21) through a plurality of coolers (14, 16, 18) that are arranged in a central section (5) of the housing (2), the cooling air flow (21) being passed from the first section (3) to a second section (4) of the housing (2); - allowing the cooling air flow (21) to flow out from the second section (4) of the housing (2) into the environment.