Oil-Feed Compressor Liquid Surface Detection Using Pressure Pulsation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-feed-type gas compressors face challenges in accurately monitoring the liquid surface height in gas-liquid separators due to minimal pressure and temperature differences between gases and liquids, leading to unreliable detection methods.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a sampling line connected to a predetermined height in the gas-liquid separator, a pressure or temperature detector, and a controller that determines the fluid type based on pressure or temperature thresholds, allowing for accurate monitoring of the liquid surface height by exploiting the distinct pulsation patterns of gases and liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a pressure detector is set at a predetermined height position in the oil separator to detect oil surface height, then the detection method is simple, but the detection is unreliable because the pressure difference between air and oil is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from static pressure to dynamic pressure pulsation characteristics. By detecting the pulsation frequency and amplitude of pressure fluctuations rather than absolute pressure values, the system can reliably distinguish between gas and liquid phases even when their static pressures are nearly equal. This parameter transformation resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple detector placement while achieving reliable detection through dynamic characteristic analysis.
2Device complexity
If a temperature detector is set at a predetermined height position in the oil separator to detect oil surface height, then the detection method is simple, but the detection is unreliable because the temperature difference between air and oil is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the detection approach from using static temperature differences to analyzing dynamic temperature pulsation patterns. By monitoring the pulsation characteristics of temperature fluctuations at the detector position, the system can reliably identify the presence of liquid versus gas even when their average temperatures are similar. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple detector placement while achieving reliable detection through dynamic pattern recognition.
3Measurement precision
If an optical detector is set at a predetermined height position to detect oil exit, then the detection can be implemented, but erroneous detection occurs because oil continuously passes through or adheres to the detector due to oil flow down and surface undulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sampling line as an intermediary element that transports fluid samples from the oil separator to a remote detection location. This intermediary system allows the detector to analyze fluid characteristics without being directly exposed to the challenging environment of continuous oil flow and surface undulation inside the separator. The sampling line filters out the harmful effects of oil adhesion and continuous flow, enabling reliable detection while maintaining measurement precision.
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
Enables reliable detection of the liquid surface height by distinguishing between gas and liquid flows based on pressure or temperature pulsations, providing accurate alerts for lubricating oil sufficiency or insufficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a sampling line whose inlet side is connected to a predetermined height position of the gas-liquid separator and that allows fluid from the predetermined height position of the gas-liquid separator to flow by pressure difference between the inlet side and an outlet side
Implementation Method 2
a detector that detects pressure or temperature of the fluid that flows in the sampling line
Implementation Method 3
a controller that determines which of the gas and the liquid the fluid that flows in the sampling line is by carrying out at least one of determination of whether the pressure or the temperature detected by the detector exceeds a first set value set in advance in some cases and determination of whether the pressure or the temperature detected by the detector falls below a second set value set to be smaller than the first set value in advance in some cases
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid-feed-type gas compressor that can monitor the liquid surface height in a gas-liquid separator is provided. An oil-feed-type air compressor includes: an oil separator that separates oil from compressed air discharged from a compressor main body 1 and stores the oil therein; a sampling line whose inlet side is connected to a predetermined height position of the oil separator and that allows fluid from the predetermined height position of the oil separator to flow by the pressure difference between the inlet side and the outlet side; a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the fluid that flows or has flown in the sampling line; a controller that determines which of air and oil the fluid that flows in the sampling line is by carrying out determination of whether the pressure detected by the pressure sensor exceeds a set value P1 in some cases and determination of whether the pressure falls below a set value P2 in some cases; and an informing device that informs a determination result of the controller.