Linear-Drive Piston Compressor Without Belt and Crank Losses

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-capacity piston compressors face inefficiencies due to power loss in belt drives and oil film bearings, and are bulky and complex, limiting pressure and volumetric gain, especially in electromagnetic activation systems which require wide safety margins.

Innovation Solution

A piston compressor using an electromagnetic linear drive instead of a crank and rod mechanism, allowing for a compact, lightweight design with reduced losses and no need for lubrication, enabling closer piston-end wall proximity for higher pressures and simpler control systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a belt drive is used to transmit power from the motor to the drive shaft, then the drive group can be relatively inexpensive, but it causes a relatively large power loss of up to 3 to 5% of the motor's nominal capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost of drive groupVSAvoidpower loss in belt drive

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the belt drive from the system entirely, extracting the source of power loss. The electromagnetic linear drive connects the motor directly to the piston without any intermediate belt transmission, eliminating the 3-5% power loss associated with belt drives while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simplified construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical belt drive system with an electromagnetic linear drive system. This substitution eliminates the need for belts and pulleys, removing the source of mechanical power loss while maintaining the ability to transmit motor power to the piston effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Strength

If oil film bearings are used to handle high mechanical forces in the crank and rod mechanism, then the bearings can support the loads, but they cause a power loss of between 5% and 10% and require a complex injection system

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload bearing capacityVSAvoidpower loss in oil film bearings

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical crank and rod mechanism with oil film bearings with an electromagnetic linear drive system. This substitution eliminates the need for high-load mechanical bearings entirely, removing the source of 5-10% power loss and the complex oil injection system, while the electromagnetic drive directly handles the force generation needed to compress the gas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If a crank and rod mechanism is used to drive the piston, then the piston can be driven reliably, but the compressor becomes heavy and bulky

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of piston driveVSAvoidweight and bulk of drive group

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the heavy crank and rod mechanism from the system. By eliminating this bulky mechanical transmission system, the overall weight and bulk of the compressor is significantly reduced, while the electromagnetic linear drive provides a more compact and lightweight solution for reliably driving the piston.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical crank and rod mechanism with an electromagnetic linear drive. This replacement maintains reliable piston driving through direct electromagnetic force application while eliminating the heavy mechanical components, resulting in a lighter and more compact compressor design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If wide safety margins are used in electromagnetic activation to avoid piston-end wall collision, then collision is prevented, but the field of application is reduced due to smaller pressure buildup and lower volumetric gain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavoidance of piston collisionVSAvoidvolumetric gain and pressure buildup

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback control systems that continuously monitor piston position and drive activation. This real-time feedback enables precise control of the electromagnetic linear drive, allowing the piston to approach the end wall much closer than with open-loop control, thereby increasing volumetric gain and pressure buildup while maintaining reliable collision avoidance through active monitoring and adjustment.

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 design results in a more efficient, compact, and cost-effective compressor capable of achieving higher pressures and volumetric gains with reduced complexity and energy efficiency, while maintaining a hermetically sealed housing.

Implementation Method 1

the drive is formed exclusively by an electromagnetic linear drive of the piston

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS12110883B2Piston compressor

Publication Date: 2024.10.08 ATLAS COPCO AIRPOWER NV

AI summary

A piston compressor containing a housing with a compression chamber in it, having an inlet and an outlet and a piston arranged movably back and forth in an axial direction in the compression chamber between an upper dead point and a lower dead point, delimited by a kinematic mechanism with which the piston is connected. The drive is formed exclusively by an electromagnetic linear drive of the piston.