Reversible Worm Screw for Centrifugal Compressor Gas Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current centrifugal compressors with worm screws for injecting and extracting gas on intermediate stages suffer from high aerodynamic losses due to the need for separate systems for injection and extraction, leading to inefficient operation and increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A reversible system with dual-purpose worm screws for both injection and extraction, designed to minimize hydraulic losses, allowing efficient gas flow in both directions within a single stator case, eliminating the need for multiple stator cases connected by external pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate worm screws are used for injection and extraction on intermediate stages, then the gas flow can be managed in both directions, but high aerodynamic losses occur due to high gas velocities creating high head loss when flow direction opposes design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single worm screw that can function for both gas injection and extraction operations. The worm screw is configured with a geometry that allows it to efficiently handle gas flow in both directions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated components for each function and reducing aerodynamic losses associated with using the wrong component for a given flow direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the conventional approach of having separate worm screws for injection and extraction. Instead, a single worm screw design is created that can operate effectively in both modes, inverting the traditional separate-component architecture into a unified dual-purpose component that minimizes head loss regardless of flow direction.
2Productivity
If multiple distinct stator cases are used for reversible injection and extraction, then efficiency is improved in both modes, but device complexity and costs increase due to multiple machines and connection pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by consolidating multiple stator cases into a single integrated stator case that houses the dual-purpose worm screw. This merging eliminates the need for separate machines and external connection pipes, reducing device complexity while maintaining compression efficiency through the optimized single-component design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by creating a single stator case with a multi-functional worm screw that handles both injection and extraction operations. This universal design replaces the need for multiple specialized stator cases, reducing the number of components and connections while preserving the efficiency benefits of having dedicated components for each function.
3Device complexity
If a single stator case is used, then device complexity is reduced, but aerodynamic losses increase due to high gas velocities creating high head loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing the geometry of the worm screw at specific locations within the stator case to minimize aerodynamic losses. The worm screw is designed with tailored contours and dimensions that are specifically optimized for low head loss in both injection and extraction directions, compensating for the high gas velocities present in a single-stator-case configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of the worm screw to achieve optimal aerodynamic performance. By adjusting parameters such as pitch, diameter, and profile shape, the worm screw is designed to minimize head loss across a range of operating conditions and flow directions, enabling efficient operation within a single stator case.
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 enables optimized gas stream management with reduced aerodynamic losses and costs, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of centrifugal compressors by allowing flexible side stream operations within a single stator case.
Implementation Method 1
the injection and extraction worm screws must be designed to optimise in the geometry thereof to allow the correct flow of the gas both from inside the compressor to an external flange, for extraction systems, and from an external flange into the compressor, for the injection systems
Implementation Method 2
the energy to the gas is provided in form of centrifugal acceleration due to the rotation, generally driven by a driver (electric motor, vapour turbine or gas turbine), of a member referred to as rotor made up of one or more wheels or centrifugal rotors
Implementation Method 3
a ducting for connecting a rotor to the following one, whose task is that of converting the kinetic energy of the gas discharging from the rotor into pressure energy
Data Source
AI summary
Herein described is a system for injecting and extracting gas for a fluid rotating machine (10) of the type comprising at least one stator case (12), one first stage (20) which receives the gas flowing into the machine (10), one final stage (24), downstream of which the gas is discharged from the machine (10), and one or more intermediate stages (32A, 32B, 32C) arranged between the first stage (20) and the final stage (24). Each stage (20, 24, 32A, 32B, 32C) is made up of a single centrifugal rotor (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) and a fixed ducting (22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E), associated to such centrifugal rotor (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) and made on the single stator case (12). The system comprises at least one first worm screw (38A, 38B) for extracting gas from the machine (10) and at least one second worm screw (36A, 36B) for injecting gas into the machine (10). Both worm screws for extracting gas (38A, 38B) and for injecting gas (36A, 36B) are operatively connected to at least one stage (20, 32A, 32B, 32C, 24) of the machine (10). It is thus possible to obtain injection and/or extraction of the gas in a reversible manner through at least one of the stages (20, 32A, 32B, 32C, 24) of the machine (10).