Screw Compressor Bearing Isolation via Dual Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional screw compression apparatuses face issues with bearing lifespan due to gas properties, as carbon hydrate series gases dissolve in cooling oil, reducing viscosity and causing lubrication failures, and corrosive gases can damage bearings.
Innovation Solution
A screw compression apparatus with isolated rotor and bearing lubrication systems, using a shaft sealing member to prevent target gas contact with the bearing lubricating fluid, and a lubricating fluid separating collector to maintain fluid separation and circulation, ensuring independent lubrication and cooling systems for the rotor and bearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling oil system is used for both rotor and bearing lubrication, then the structure is simple, but the target gas dissolves in the cooling oil reducing viscosity and causing insufficient bearing lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system is divided into two independent subsystems: a rotor lubrication system using rotor lubricating fluid, and a bearing lubrication system using bearing lubricating fluid. This segmentation prevents target gas from affecting bearing lubrication while maintaining simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing lubrication function is extracted from the rotor lubrication system. A separate bearing lubricating fluid circulation system is established, which is taken out from the original single cooling oil system, ensuring bearing lubrication is not affected by target gas dissolution.
2Reliability
If cooling oil is used for rotor lubrication, then lubrication is effective, but corrosive target gas can damage the bearing through the cooling oil
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system is segmented into rotor-specific and bearing-specific subsystems. The bearing lubricating fluid is isolated from target gas exposure through separate circulation paths, preventing corrosive gas from damaging the bearing while rotor lubrication remains effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft sealing member acts as an intermediary barrier between the rotor chamber (exposed to target gas) and the bearing space (protected from target gas). This mediator prevents direct contact between corrosive target gas and the bearing lubricating fluid.
3Loss of substance
If pressure reduction is used to separate target gas from cooling oil, then some deaeration occurs, but the pressure reduction is insufficient and deaeration is not always adequate
Solution Approach 1:
Target gas is extracted from the lubricating fluid through the lubricating fluid separating collector before the fluid enters the bearing lubrication system. This proactive removal prevents gas dissolution issues rather than relying on insufficient pressure reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical pressure reduction method is replaced with a lubricating fluid separating collector that uses fluid dynamics and separation mechanisms to effectively remove target gas from the lubricating fluid, achieving adequate deaeration without relying on pressure reduction.
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 configuration effectively prevents the target gas from affecting the bearing lifespan by isolating the rotor and bearing lubricating fluids, reducing corrosion and maintaining optimal lubrication and cooling conditions, thus ensuring the longevity of the bearings.
Implementation Method 1
a shaft sealing member that isolates the bearing space from the rotor chamber
Implementation Method 2
a lubricating fluid separating collector which separates the rotor lubricating fluid from the target gas discharged from the screw compressor
Implementation Method 3
a bearing lubricating system which supplies a bearing lubricating fluid to the bearing space, and returns into the bearing space the bearing lubricating fluid discharged from the bearing space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A screw compression apparatus (1) in which the bearing lifespan is unaffected by the properties of the target gas being compressed comprises: a screw compressor (2) in which a rotor shaft of a screw rotor (6) that is rotatably housed to compress a target gas together with a rotor lubricating fluid in a male/female interlocking arrangement in a rotor chamber (5) formed in a housing (4) is held by bearings (10, 11) arranged in bearing spaces (7, 8) formed in a housing (4) adjacently to a rotor chamber (5), and which includes shaft sealing members (13, 14) that isolate the bearing space (7, 8) from the rotor chamber (5); a lubricating fluid separating collector (3) that separates the rotor lubricating fluid from the target gas discharged by the screw compressor (2); a rotor lubricating flow channel (25) through which the rotor lubricating fluid separated by the lubricating fluid separating collector (3) is introduced into the rotor chamber (5); and a bearing lubricating system (17) for supplying a bearing lubricating fluid to the bearing space (7, 8), and cooling the bearing lubricating fluid flowing out from the bearing space (7, 8) and returning the fluid to the bearing space (7,8).