Piston Compressor Liquid Injection for Single-Stage High Pressure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reciprocating compressors face inefficiencies due to dead space and increasing compression work with pressure, making it difficult to compress gases to high pressures in a single-stage process, requiring multi-stage processes and cooling between stages, which is time-consuming and complex.

Innovation Solution

A device with a piston compressor that introduces liquid into the compression chamber during compression, using a piston pump to convey liquid and control its introduction, eliminating dead space and cooling the fluid, allowing for high-pressure compression in a single stage with a continuously adjustable linear drive.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If a reciprocating compressor is used to compress gas to high pressure, then the compression pressure increases, but the dead space causes efficiency to decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression pressureVSAvoidcompressor efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the harmful dead space effect by introducing liquid into the compression chamber to displace and eliminate the gas in the dead space volume, thereby removing the source of inefficiency that prevents new gas intake during the intake stroke

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses hydraulic principles by introducing liquid into the compression chamber to replace the gas in the dead space, utilizing the incompressible nature of liquid to completely fill the dead space volume and eliminate the harmful expansion effect during intake stroke

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Stress or pressure

If compression pressure ratio increases, then the final pressure increases, but the temperature increases and compression work increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefinal pressureVSAvoidcompression work
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the phase transition properties of liquid by introducing it into the compression chamber during compression, where the liquid absorbs compression heat through its high specific heat capacity, effectively cooling the gas and reducing the temperature rise associated with polytropic compression

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid acts as an intermediary cooling medium introduced into the compression chamber, absorbing heat from the compressing gas and carrying it away, thereby reducing the temperature rise and associated compression work requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stress or pressure

If multi-stage compression is used to achieve high pressure, then the compression pressure increases, but the equipment complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression pressureVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the compression process by introducing liquid into the compression chamber during the compression stroke, dividing the compression work into manageable portions while maintaining single-stage operation, thereby achieving high pressure without requiring multiple compressor stages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid introduced into the compression chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the gas during compression, eliminates dead space effects, and enables single-stage high-pressure compression, replacing the need for multiple compressor stages and intercooling equipment

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

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 efficient compression of gases to high pressures in a single stage by cooling the fluid and eliminating dead space, improving efficiency and adaptability to different compression tasks.

Implementation Method 1

This measure cools the fluid in the compression chamber during the compression process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

after the end of the fluid compression, the dead space in the compression chamber is completely filled with the incompressible liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIncompressibility of liquid:

Data Source

PatentEP2594795B1Device for compressing a gas or a fluid comprising gaseous and liquid components, and a submarine boat containing such a device
Publication Date: 2015.06.03 THYSSENKRUPP MARINE SYST GMBH
  • EP2594795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2594795B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The method involves sucking the fluid from a piston compressor (2) and compressing the fluid in a compression chamber (12) of the piston compressor. The liquid (22) is introduced in the compression chamber by a piston pump (14) during the compression process. A part of the process is formed for discharging the carbon dioxide from a submerged submarine. An independent claim is included for a device for use in a submarine for compressing a gaseous fluid.