Screw Compressor Gas Cooler Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing screw compressor with an integrally formed cooler casing and step-up gear casing is cumbersome to maintain and costly due to the need for replacing the entire casing structure when issues arise, with both components being regarded as pressure vessels, leading to unnecessary material and structural quality, and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A screw compressor design where the gas cooler is positioned below the compressor main body or motor and attached as a separate body to the gearbox, allowing for easy detachment and reducing the gearbox's structural and material requirements, thus avoiding pressure vessel regulations and optimizing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the cooler casing and step-up gear casing are integrally formed, then the structure is compact and rigid, but the maintenance burden increases and manufacturing cost rises due to pressure vessel regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the integrated casing into separate components: the step-up gear casing and the cooler casing are now distinct parts that can be independently removed and replaced. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and replace the cooler without removing the entire casing structure, significantly reducing maintenance burden while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler is extracted as a separate removable component from the integrated casing structure. The cooler casing is now a distinct part that can be taken out independently for maintenance or replacement, while the step-up gear casing remains in place. This extraction eliminates the need to replace the entire integrated casing when the cooler requires maintenance.
2Volume of moving object
If the cooler casing and step-up gear casing are integrally formed, then the structure is compact, but the manufacturing cost increases due to unnecessary pressure vessel compliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pressure vessel requirements from the gear casing by making them separate components. Only the cooler casing, which inherently requires pressure vessel compliance, is subject to these regulations. The step-up gear casing is a separate non-pressure component that can be manufactured with simpler, less expensive materials and processes, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the system are assigned different quality requirements based on their actual functional needs. The cooler casing maintains high-quality pressure vessel standards where needed, while the step-up gear casing uses optimized, cost-effective materials and construction methods appropriate for its mechanical function alone, eliminating unnecessary quality requirements and associated costs.
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 enables easy removal and replacement of the gas cooler without compromising compactness, reduces manufacturing costs by allowing optimal gearbox design and material usage, and maintains the compressor's compactness.
Implementation Method 1
a gas cooler positioned below either the screw compressor main body or the motor and attached as a separate body to a side surface of the gearbox
Data Source
AI summary
A screw compressor includes: a screw compressor main body; a motor for driving the screw compressor main body; a gearbox interposed between the screw compressor main body and the motor to transmit a driving force of the motor to the screw compressor main body; and a gas cooler positioned below either the screw compressor main body or the motor and attached as a separate body to a side surface of the gearbox.