Multi-Point Liquid Injection for Compressor Sealing and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compressor and expander elements suffer from inadequate sealing and lubrication in subsequent compression or expansion chambers, especially at start-up and higher pressures, due to insufficient lubricating liquid distribution, and limited cooling efficiency as the lubricating liquid is injected before significant heat generation in the compression process.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an additional injection point in the housing that opens into a second or subsequent compression or expansion chamber, ensuring lubricating liquid is injected where needed, particularly at low speeds and higher pressures, with a targeted injection method that reduces the overall liquid requirement for effective sealing, lubrication, and enhanced cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If lubricating liquid is injected only into the first compression chamber just after the rotating gas chamber is closed off from the inlet, then maximum pressure drop is created across the liquid circuit and lubricating liquid flow is maximized for a given liquid circuit, but insufficient sealing and lubrication occurs in subsequent compression chambers especially at start-up and higher pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The injection system is segmented into multiple injection points distributed at different locations around the rotor chamber. Each injection point targets a specific compression chamber (first, second, and subsequent chambers) to ensure localized lubrication and sealing where needed, rather than relying on a single injection point that only serves the first chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the rotor chamber receive lubricating liquid at different times during the compression cycle. The injection points are strategically positioned so that each chamber receives adequate lubrication at the appropriate moment in the rotor's rotation, ensuring local quality of lubrication matches the local needs of each compression chamber.
2Device complexity
If lubricating liquid is injected before compression starts at the traditional injection point, then the liquid circuit can be minimized for a given lubricating liquid flow, but cooling efficiency is limited because the gas has barely heated up
Solution Approach 1:
Lubricating liquid is injected into the first compression chamber in advance, before compression begins, when the gas temperature is still low. This preliminary injection ensures adequate lubrication is present at the start of compression while accepting that cooling efficiency will be lower at this stage. The liquid is then carried into subsequent chambers where it can provide cooling as the gas has heated up during compression.
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 solution provides improved sealing and lubrication in subsequent chambers, prevents gas leakage, and increases cooling efficiency by maximizing temperature differences between the liquid and gas in subsequent compression or expansion chambers, thereby enhancing the operational performance of compressor and expander elements.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricating liquid, such as oil or water for example, is injected into the housing to provide lubrication between the rotors
Implementation Method 2
also for sealing to minimise leakage losses
Implementation Method 3
The lubricating liquid will also provide cooling in the case of a compressor element in order to be able to remove the heat that is released during compression
Data Source
AI summary
Liquid-injected compressor element or expander element with a housing that comprises a rotor chamber in which at least on rotor is rotatably affixed, whereby the element is further provided with a connection for an injection circuit for the injection of liquid into the element, whereby the connection to the injection circuit is realised by means of an injection point in the housing that opens into the first compression chamber or expansion chamber. The connection to the injection circuit is additionally realised by means of an additional injection point in the housing that opens into a second or subsequent compression chamber or expansion chamber.