Plastic Spindle Nut Structure for Reciprocating Compressor Clearance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional threaded spindle drives in reciprocating compressors fail to withstand high pulsing loads due to cold micro-welds, friction, and wear, limiting continuous adjustment of the clearance space, and existing solutions like hydraulic locknuts are not effective for long-term use.
Innovation Solution
A plastic threaded spindle nut with an external thread and a metallic nut carrier, where the thread heights are 50-80% of the radial thickness and the plastic thickness is at least 15% of the thread pitch, combined with a self-locking mechanism and anti-torsion lock, to distribute loads and prevent wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional metallic threaded spindle drive is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it fails quickly due to cold micro-welds, friction, and wear under high pulsing loads
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded spindle nut combines a metallic nut carrier with a plastic coating layer to create a composite structure. The metallic carrier provides structural strength while the plastic coating reduces friction and prevents cold micro-welds, enabling the drive to withstand high pulsing loads in reciprocating compressors without rapid wear failure.
2Force
If the thread height is increased to improve load distribution, then the load capacity increases, but the plastic thickness required increases, making the nut larger and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies optimized parameter ranges: thread height is set to 50-80% of radial thickness, and plastic thickness is set to at least 15% of thread pitch. These parameter changes enable sufficient load distribution capacity while maintaining a compact nut size suitable for reciprocating compressor applications.
3Reliability
If a plastic coated threaded nut is used to reduce friction and wear, then the service life increases, but the coating must be thick enough to withstand high pulsing loads, increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a plastic coating on the metallic nut carrier where the plastic thickness is specifically designed to be at least 15% of the thread pitch. This composite structure provides sufficient wear resistance and friction reduction under high pulsing loads while maintaining a practical and manufacturable design.
4Stability of the object's composition
If fixation mechanisms like hydraulic locknuts are added to prevent unintended adjustment, then the stability increases, but the device complexity increases and continuous adjustment is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded spindle drive is designed to be self-locking through its own thread geometry and the friction characteristics of the plastic-coated nut. The system maintains clearance space stability without requiring external fixation mechanisms like hydraulic locknuts, enabling continuous adjustment while preventing unintended movement.
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 continuous adjustment of the clearance space without mechanical fixation, as the plastic nut withstands high pulsing loads and reduces wear, allowing for long-term operation and automatic control of the compressor capacity.
Implementation Method 1
A plastic threaded spindle nut with an external thread and a metallic nut carrier, where the thread heights are 50-80% of the radial thickness and the plastic thickness is at least 15% of the thread pitch, combined with a self-locking mechanism and anti-torsion lock, to distribute loads and prevent wear.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to enable a continuous adjustment of the variable clearance space (1) of a reciprocating compressor (15), a threaded spindle drive with a threaded spindle nut (10) and a threaded spindle (9) is provided as an adjusting device (7), wherein the threaded spindle nut (10) is embodied as a plastic nut (20) with internal thread (24), the plastic nut (20) is arranged with an external thread (23) on an internal thread (22) of a nut carrier (21) of the threaded spindle nut (10), and the thread height (y) of the internal thread (22) of the nut carrier (21) and the thread height (x) of the external thread (25) of the threaded spindle (9) is respectively embodied with 50 to 80% of the radial thickness (d) of the plastic nut (20) and the plastic thickness is at least 15% of the thread pitch (z1) of the internal thread (24) at least in the region of the thread flanks (26) of the internal thread (24) of the plastic nut (20).