Multistage Piston Compressor with Liquid-Column Stroke Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multistage piston compressors with shared drive trains, compressor stages experience non-uniform loading and increased mechanical wear during partial or no-load operations due to constant piston stroke, leading to inefficiencies and wear on components like seals and valves.
Innovation Solution
Each compressor stage is connected via a liquid column of incompressible liquid to a compressor piston, allowing independent control of compressor stroke through connection with an outlet, enabling partial or complete deactivation of pistons and reducing energy demand and mechanical wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the piston stroke is kept constant in all compressor stages, then the drive train operation is simplified, but mechanical wear increases and energy efficiency deteriorates during partial load operations
Solution Approach 1:
The compressor system is segmented into independently controllable stages, each with its own piston stroke control mechanism. This allows individual stages to be adjusted or deactivated based on load requirements, reducing energy waste while maintaining simplified drive train operation through the common crankshaft design.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston stroke is transformed from a fixed constant value to a dynamically adjustable parameter. Each compressor stage can independently vary its piston stroke length or completely deactivate the piston motion, enabling the system to adapt to partial load conditions and reduce mechanical wear while maintaining energy efficiency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If all compressor stages operate with constant piston stroke, then the compression ratio is stable, but mechanical wear increases on seals and valves during partial load operations
Solution Approach 1:
The piston stroke is made dynamically adjustable for each compressor stage, allowing the system to reduce or eliminate piston motion during partial load operations. This dynamic control reduces mechanical wear on seals, valves, and cylinder surfaces while maintaining stable compression ratios when full operation is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston stroke parameter is changed from a fixed constant to a variable that can be independently adjusted for each compressor stage. This parameter change enables the system to optimize performance across different load conditions, reducing wear during partial load while maintaining stable compression during full operation.
3Device complexity
If the piston is mechanically connected to the drive train with constant stroke, then the mechanical structure is simplified, but non-uniform loading occurs on the drive train during partial load operation
Solution Approach 1:
The drive train system is segmented to allow individual compressor stages to be independently controlled. Each stage can be activated or deactivated based on load requirements, enabling uniform loading distribution across the drive train while maintaining the mechanical simplicity of the shared crankshaft and connecting rod structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical connection between the drive train and compressors is enhanced with dynamic control capabilities. Each compressor stage can independently adjust its piston stroke or deactivate, allowing the system to balance the loading on the drive train during partial load operations while preserving the simplified mechanical structure.
4Duration of action of moving object
If compressor stages are connected in series with fixed piston stroke, then the compression process is continuous, but the input pressure range and compression ratio are confined to a narrow range
Solution Approach 1:
The piston stroke of each compressor stage is made dynamically adjustable, allowing independent control of compression parameters. This enables the system to adapt to a wide range of input pressures and compression ratios while maintaining continuous compression operation, as each stage can be optimized for its specific operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression parameters (piston stroke, compression ratio) are changed from fixed values to variable parameters that can be independently adjusted for each stage. This parameter flexibility expands the system's adaptability to different pressure ranges while maintaining continuous compression operation through coordinated stage control.
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 allows for independent operation of compressor stages, improving energy efficiency, reducing mechanical wear, and maintaining a uniform load on the drive train during partial load operations, while enabling flexible operation across varying pressure ranges.
Implementation Method 1
the piston of the respective compressor stage is connected with a liquid column of an incompressible liquid situated in the compressor cylinder, which converts the piston stroke motion of the piston into a motion of a compressor piston
Data Source
AI summary
A multistage piston compressor for a gaseous or cryogenically liquefied medium with at least two compressor stages, which operatively interact with a shared drive train for purposes of joint powering, wherein each compressor stage exhibits a piston that is mechanically connected with the drive train, and arranged in a compressor cylinder so that it can longitudinally shift.